Hillsdale County, Michigan Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for its rolling terrain. The County has Hillsdale as its seat and the County was created 1835. The County is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1867, marriage records from 1835, and divorce and court records from 1845. Probate Court has probate records. Register of Deeds has land records.

Parent County
1829--Hillsdale County was created 29 October 1829 from unorganized territory. It was attached to Lenawee County prior to organization 11 February 1835. County seat: Hillsdale

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Michigan county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Michigan County Boundary Maps" (1790-1897) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

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:

Neighboring Counties
Branch •  Calhoun  •  Fulton County, Ohio  •  Jackson  •  Lenawee  •  Steuben County, Indiana  •  Williams County, Ohio

Cemeteries
Adams Township • Hill/Jennings Section 26, 100 block of Holcomb Road, North Adams. • Holcomb Cemetery Corner of Holcomb and Hoxie Rds. ( moved to N. Adams) • Kirby Cemetery section 29, 100 Block, N. Pleasant Lake Road • North Adams/North Lawn/Northlawn Section 3, 500 block of Knowles Road, North Adams.

Allen Township • Allen Cemetery 700 Block, section 10, on Edon or M-49 &amp; US 12 • Cutter/East Allen/North Sand Lake/Sand Lake Section 13, Sand Lake and Weston Roads,  Allen • Dorris/Walsh Cemetery section 18, Squires Rd. (moved to Allen Cem. 1967)  • East Allen Cemetery - corner of Sand Lake Rd. and Arkansaw Road. • Layton Family Cemetery section 18, on Andy McMullen farm (2 graves), off Hog Creek Road and Chicago Road/US-12. • North Sand Lake Cemetery Section 13, Sand Lake &amp; Weston Roads. • South Allen Cemetery – Section 28, 100 block of South Allen Rd. &amp; Arkansaw Road.

Amboy Township   • Alfred/Converse Cemetery sec. 36, Grass Lake Road. Located 1 1/2 mi. no. of Territorial Rd on Grass Lake Rd. (This cemetery is back in a wooded area.) • Cellers Cemetery sec. 34, Cellers Rd. (abandoned). • Drake/Baker Cemetery sec. 1, 2000 Block, E. Territorial Road. • East Amboy/Agnew Cemetery sec. 5, 1400 Block, Crampton Road. • Hagaman Cemetery sec. 3, 1200 Block, W. Territorial Road. • Osborn aka West Amboy Cemetery – 938 Osborn, a/k/a West Amboy Cemetery sec. 10, 1500 Block, W. Territorial Rd. (around church) • Robison Farm Cemetery sec. 9, Territorial Road. Located on E side of Robison Road. Marker in fence row, E side of a 20 acre field. (Abandoned)

Cambria Township • Bankers Cemetery sec. 5, 3000 Block, Cole Road. • Cambria (Old) Cemetery Cambria Road (North of Cambria Village). • Cambria (New) Cemetery sec. 21, 500 Block, Cambria Road. • Dow Cemetery sec.14, Hillsdale Rd. near Card Rd. • Morgan Cemetery sec.13, Foust Rd. • Potter's Field west side of Cambria Road between Bankers Road &amp; Bear Lake Road • Willits Cemetery sec 18, W. Card Rd. &amp; Carpenter Rd. • Wyllys-Sebring Cemetery  sec. 18, corner of Hillsdale Rd. &amp; Reynolds Rd.

Camden Township • Amish Cemetery sec. 24, Gilmore Rd • Berg Cemetery sec. 9, Long Lake Rd. • Camden Cemetery sec. 22, Camden Rd • Palmer Cemetery sec. 2, Territorial Rd.

Fayette Township Surname Index • Sunset View Cemetery  sec. 33, 490 Oak St., Jonesville

Hillsdale Township   • King Lake Cemetery  1800 Bankers Rd.

Hillsdale City   • Lake View Cemetery formerly Dutch Hill Cemetery, aka German Cemetery. Barnard Street. • Oak Grove Cemetery Montgomery St, North end of West St. • St. Anthony's Cemetery  Steamburg Rd. (edge of Hillsdale)

Jefferson Township Surname Index  • Black Cemetery. Black Cemetery is located in Sec. 26 of Jefferson Township, on the east side of Tripp Road, between Reading and Skuse Roads. (Small, behind barn, abandoned). • Blount Cemetery sec. 20, 400 E. Reading Rd. (Corner of Lake Pleasant). • East Hill Cemetery. East Hill Cemetery is located in the 600 Block of Beecher Road, Jefferson Township, Osseo, Hillsdale Co. • Greenwood Cemetery (aka Perrin Cemetery and Pittsford Cemetery) is located on the south side of E. Reading Rd. near S. Pittsford Rd. in Jefferson Twp. (It is directly across the road from Leonardson Cemetery.) sec. 24, 800 Block E. Reading Rd. • Leonardson Cemetery is located in Jefferson Township of Hillsdale Co., Michigan. sec. 13, 800 Block E. Reading Rd. (Corner of Pittsford). • Maplegrove Cemetery  sec. 20, 400 E. Reading Rd. (corner of Lake Pleasant). • South Osseo Cemetery sec. 9, Bird Lake Rd. (Abandoned). • Taylor/S. Osseo Cemetery sec. 9, 300 Block, Bird Lake Rd.

Litchfield Township Surname Index • Litchfield Cemetery (old) E. St. Joe St., Litchfield City ( not used)  • Mt. Hope Cemetery   sec. 14, 600 Block of Homer Road/M-99, Litchfield, (1 mile s/e of city). Includes burials moved from Hadley's Corners. • Sand Creek Cemetery sec. 34, 700 Block, Genesse Rd., (between Anderson &amp; Ash) • Saratoga Cemetery sec. 5, 900 Block, W. Mosherville Rd. (1 mile west of M-99)  • Todd Town Cemetery sec. 32, 900 Block, 9890 Genesse Rd. (2 miles W. of M49)

Moscow Township   • Blackmar aka Pike Cemetery is located on US-12 in Sec. 16, Moscow Twp., Moscow. • Moscow Plains Cemetery sec. 20, US 12-E and East Hastings Lake Road, behind Methodist Church. • Old Soldier aka Old Moscow Cemetery sec. 11, west side of Moscow Rd. on southern edge of the Village of Moscow. • Randolph Cemetery is located in Sec. 36, on Chandler Road near Kies Road. • Rice aka New Moscow Cemetery is located on the north edge of the Village of Moscow, north of US12 on the east side of Moscow Road. • Richards Cemetery sec. 2, Moscow Rd., (faces Marker Rd. 1/2 mile in Hillsdale) • Stoll or Mennonite Cemetery  sec. 26, east side of Moscow Road, 1/2 mile south of Sterling Road

Pittsford Township   • Calvary Cemetery is located South West of Hudson on US-127 about 1/2 mile South of M-34 in Hillsdale County. • Goodrich Cemetery  sec. 14, Hudson Rd. (W. of Hudson-abandoned) See also this reading • Locust Corners Cemetery is located North East of the Waldron Road &amp; Beecher Road intersection in Pittsford Twp. • Wolf Cemetery is a private cemetery located on the south side of Egypt Rd. west of Wolf Rd. in Pittsford Twp. The cemetery is on the Wolf family farm. (Abandoned.)

Ransom Township Surname Index • Andridge Cemetery - sec. 7, 9000 Block, Crampton Rd. • Wild Cherry Cemetery sec. 7, 9000 Block, Crampton Rd. • Evergreen (Burt) Cemetery is located in Section 23 of Ransom Township, 700 block of E. Burt Road, Ransom. • Doty/Joel Cemetery sec. 5, Lake Pleasant Rd. • Eggleston Cemetery sec. 2, Tripp Rd. (corner Tripp &amp; Squawfield) • Wild Cherry Cemetery is located on Crampton Road, between Tamarack and Montgomery Rds. in Ransom Township, Hillsdale Co.

Reading Township Surname Index  • East Maplewood (new) Cemetery sec. 23, 5455 Edon Rd., (edge of old Reading)  • Gleason Cemetery   sec. 33, 800 Block, 8386 Berry Rd. • Methodist Church Cemetery 312 E. Michigan St. (within city)  • North Reading Cemetery sec. 3, 700 Block, Bankers Rd. (near Balcom Rd.)  • Reading (old) Cemetery sec. 26, 321 E. Michigan ST. (behind Methodist Church)  • South Reading Cemetery sec. 33, 800 Block, 8386 Berry Rd. • West Maplewood (old) Cemetery sec. 22, 54545 Edon Rd. (M49) (edge of Reading) • West Reading Cemetery sec. 30, 1000 Block, 10121 W. Reading Rd.

Scipio Township Surname Index • Case Cemetery sec. 2, Litchfield Rd. (corner of Litchfield &amp; Borden) • Johnson Cemetery is located North East of Jonesville on Concord Rd. between Sterling Road and Hastings Lake Rd. • Mosherville Cemetery sec. 4, Pierce St. &amp; Mosherville Rd. (edge of village). • Pope Cemetery sec. 13, Pope Rd. (about 2 miles from the road)

Somerset Township Surname Index • Aldrich (new) Cemetery sec. 28, 700 Block, N. Waldron Rd. • Aldrich (old) Cemetery sec. 27, 700 Block, N. Waldron Rd. • Brooke Cemetery sec. 11, Chicago Rd. (abandoned) • Crego Cemetery sec. 5, on Brazee Lake (abandoned)  • Fowle Cemetery is located on Cemetery Road, just east of Round Lake Road in Sec. 7. • Gambleville Cemetery sec. 11, Chicago Rd. (abandoned). • Jerome Cemetery sec. 13, Moreland Rd. (edge of Jerome) • Pratt/Smith Cemetery sec. 25, Meridian &amp; Calhoun Rds. (abandoned) • Somerset Center Cemetery is located behind the Somerset Center United Methodist Church, Section 10, corner of Waldron Road and US-12 • Somerset Cemetery  sec. 12, Somerset Rd, N of US 12, beside Congregational church. • Un-named Cemetery sec. 21, Sand Hill Rd. ( abandoned) • Un-named Cemetery sec. 1, corner of Harper &amp; Somerset, (now a residence)

Wheatland Township Surname Index • Church's Corner Cemetery  sec. 21, 200 Block, NW corner of Waldron and Church Roads. • Dibble Cemetery  sec. 11, North Adams Rd., between Wheatland and Somerset  • Evergreen Cemetery sec. 10, 1200 Block, Hoxie Rd. (little)  • Pease Cemetery   sec. 8, 100 Block, N. Adams Rd. Pease Cemetery is located in the 1000 block of North Adams Road, North Adams, Wheatland Township, Hillsdale Co. • Taylor Cemetery sec. 25, Somerset Rd. between Ames &amp; Stewert Rds. (abandoned)

Woodbridge Township   • Divine Cemetery sec. 5, Dimmers Rd., Cambria. • Frontier Cemetery is located on Clark Road, 1/4 mile south of Montgomery Road in Woodbridge Township, Hillsdale Co. • Sheldon Cemetery sec. 10, Montgomery Rd. • West Woodbridge Cemetery sec. 20, Burt Rd., Camden;.

Wright Township Surname Index • Emens/Prattville Cemetery sec. 11, Prattville Rd. (1/2 mile from Prattville)  • Lickley's Corners Cemetery is located in Wright Twp. on Lickley Road between Squawfield Road and Tamarack Road (about ¼ mill off road). The markers at the entrance read "Lickley's Corners Cemetery 1848-1954", but the name is now usually spelled "Lickley's Corners". • Waldron Cemetery sec. 34, Broom Rd.

Census
 State Census
 * 1894 - at FamilySearch — index

Church

 * 1819-1991 - at FamilySearch — index

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1929 - 1966 at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps

 * Family Maps of (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * Maps of Michigan (1790-1897)

Civil War

 * at FamilySearch — index
 * 1876-1945 - at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch — index

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1837-1993 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Obituaries

 * 1820-2006 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 1784 – 1980 Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1797 – 1973 at FamilySearch — images

Vital Records

 * How to order Michigan Vital Records

Birth

 * 1867-1917 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1867-1902 - Michigan Birth Registrations, 1867-1902-- Free name indexes and images at FamilySearch. Records include such information as name of child, birthdate and place, if still-born, illegitimate or twin, gender, race and record number.

Marriage

 * 1585-1945 - Michigan, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1820-1937 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1820-1940 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1868-1925 - Michigan Marriage Registrations, 1868-1925 -- Free name indexes at FamilySearch. Records include such information as names of bride and groom, date of license, ages, race, residences, birthplaces, occupations and names of the fathers of the bride and groom.

Death

 * 1850-1880 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1867-1897 - Michigan Death Registrations, 1867-1897 -- Free name indexes and images at FamilySearch.   Records include such information as name of deceased, date and place of death, gender, color, marital status, age in years, months and days, disease or apparent cause of death, birthplace, names and occupations of parents, and the date the record was made.

Societies and Libraries
Hillsdale County Historical Society 180 N Wolcott St. Hillsdale, MI 49242 Website

Hillsdale County Historical Society 22 N. Manning St. Hillsdale 49242 Website

Southern Michigan Genealogical Society 239 E Chicago Road Allen MI 49227


 * List of Michigan Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers


 * Jonesville Michigan Family History Center 425 Parkwood, Jonesville, MI 49250 United States

Websites

 * Hillsdale County, MI History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Michigan Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Michigan Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
 * Hillsdale County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Hillsdale County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)