Tuscola County, Michigan Genealogy

Guide to Tuscola County, Michigan ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for a Neologism created by Henry Schoolcraft by combining the native words "dusinagon" and "cola", meaning "level lands". The Ojibwe word "tessinagan" can also be translated as "plate". Shell in their language was "ess". The Ojibwe often used a shell or bark from a tree for a dish or plate. The Ojibwe word "tessi-" is used to make the words for shelf, platform, bench, and plate. The County is located in the Thumb area of the state.

County Courthouse
Tuscola County Website 440 N State St Caro, MI 48723 989-672-3780 Tuscola County Website

County Clerk has birth and death records from 1867, marriage records from 1851, divorce and court records from 1878.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Biographies

 * Tuscola County Biographies 1902 MIGenWeb Project

Census Records
State Census


 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch -How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1819-1991 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * FamilySearch Places

Directories

 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust, images – includes business directories for towns across the state
 * 1902 Patrons Directory. MiGenWeb Project

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1929-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Maps of Michigan (1790-1897)
 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust, images – includes business directories for towns across the state
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Civil War Civil War service men from Tuscola County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment)that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Tuscola County.


 * 1876-1945 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1894 Michigan Department of State. Census of the State of Michigan, 1894. Vol 3. Lansing, MI: R. Smith & co., state printers, 1896. (Civil War veterans only) Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

World War I
 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1837-1993 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers

 * Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University

Obituaries

 * 1820-2006 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1784-1980 Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry $
 * 1797-1973 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Birth

 * 1867-1917 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1902 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Marriage

 * 1585-1945 - Michigan, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
 * 1820-1937 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1820-1940 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1868-1925 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection

Death

 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch -How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1897 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
 * 1897-1952 - Michigan Death Records at Michiganology - index and images, organized by county and then last name.

Family History Centers

 * Caro Michigan Family History Center

Libraries
Caro Area District Library 840 West Frank Street Caro, MI 48723 Phone: 989-673-4329 website

Societies

 * Mayville Historical Society PO Box 242 Mayville MI 48744 (989) 843-6249 Email: [mailto:mayvillemuseum@hotmail.com mayvillemuseum@hotmail.com] Website


 * Tuscola Genealogical Society 1405 Hunt Rd. Mayville MI 48744 website


 * Vassar Historical Society & Museum P.O. Box 23 Vassar, MI 48786-0023 (989) 843-6249 Email: [mailto:mayvillemuseum@hotmail.com mayvillemuseum@hotmail.com] Website


 * Watrousville-Caro Area Historical Society 4607 W Caro Rd. Caro, MI 48768 (989) 551-6363 Website Facebook

Websites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Tuscola County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.