Michigan Church Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of an index to selected marriages from various churches throughout Michigan, 1865-1931. Many of the records are from Lenawee, Manistee, Saginaw, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties. In addition to marriages the collection contains some baptisms, confirmations, membership lists, funerals and member lists. The records may be in English, German, Danish and Swedish.

Reading These Records
These records are in English, German, Danish and Swedish. For help with reading the records, see the following resources:
 * German Language and Languages
 * German Word List
 * Denmark Language and Languages
 * Danish Word List
 * Sweden Language and Languages
 * Swedish Genealogical Word List

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records

Marriage
 * Names of the primary individuals such as the bride and groom
 * Event dates and places
 * Birth, marriage and death dates and places
 * Residences
 * Names of other family members and their residences
 * Names of sponsors and witnesses and their residences
 * Biographical details

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of marriage
 * The place where the marriage occurred
 * The name of the intended spouse
 * The names of family members and their relationships

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date
 * Use locations to find family in census, church, and land records
 * Use the information to search for the family in additional state and county records
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify other relatives

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for another index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities
 * A boundary change could have occurred and the record of your ancestor could be in a neighboring locality

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Michigan.
 * Michigan Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation: "Michigan Church Marriages, 1865-1931." Database. FamilySearch. https://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Michigan State University Library Documents Department, East Lansing; various United Methodist Churches, Michigan.

Top of Page