Van Buren County, Michigan Genealogy

United States Michigan  Van Buren County'

County Courthouse
Van Buren County Courthouse 212 E Paw Paw St. Paw Paw, MI 49079-1492 Phone: (616) 657-8218 County Clerk has birth and death records from 1867, marriage records from 1836, divorce and court records from 1837. Probate Court has probate records. Register of Deeds has land records.

History


The county is named after President Martin Van Buren (1782-1862) who was serving as United States Secretary of War at the time of the county's formation.

Parent County
1829--Van Buren County was created 29 October 1829 from unorganized territory. It was attached to Cass and Lenaww Counties prior to organization 3 April 1837. County seat: Paw Paw

Neighboring Counties

 * Allegan
 * Berrien
 * Cass
 * Kalamazoo
 * St. Joseph

Civil War
Civil War service men from Van Buren 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 Van Buren County.


 * - 12th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Company H

Obituaries
Southwest Michigan Obituary Index from the earliest date to 2000.

Vital Records

 * Michigan Birth Registrations, 1867-1902 -- Free name indexes and images at FamilySearch Record Search. Records include such information as name of child, birthdate and place, if still-born, illegitimate or twin, gender, race and record number.
 * Michigan Marriage Registrations, 1868-1925 -- Free name indexes at FamilySearch Record Search. 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.
 * Michigan Death Registrations, 1867-1897-- Free name indexes and images at FamilySearch Record Search.  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.

Public Libraries
The following public libraries in Van Buren county have collections of particular interest to genealogists.


 * Van Buren District Library Webster Memorial Library Building 200 N. Phelps Street Decatur, Michigan 49045 The Local History Collection houses books, periodicals, photographs, and records relating to Southwest Michigan and other localities. The room also houses the Southwest Michigan regional collection of the Van Buren Regional Genealogical Society (VBRGS). Telephone: (269) 423-4771

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family History Centers
 * South Haven Michigan Family History Center

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.