Clinton County, Michigan Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for DeWitt Clinton. The County is located in the south central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Clinton County Courthouse 100 E State Street PO Box 69 St. Johns, MI 48879-1571 Phone: 989-224-5100 Clinton County Website County Clerk has birth and death records from 1867, marriage records from 1839, divorce records from early 1800’s and court records.

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:

Bible Records

 * Clinton County MI Bible Records at USGenWeb Michigan Archives

Cemeteries
The following may help you with your research:
 * Master Clinton County Cemetery Index DeWitt District Library
 * 1799-1999 at FamilySearch — index and images

Census Records
 State Census


 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article
 * 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 Article
 * FamilySearch Places

Directories

 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust Digital Library — images

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1929-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article
 * Immigration and Naturalization Records at Michiganology

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
State wide or ethnic groups

AFRICAN-AMERICAN

Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society c/o Burton Historical Collection, DPL 5201 Woodward Avenue Detroit MI 48202-4007 Publication is Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society News published twice a year Located in Wayne County MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council

Lansing Area African American Genealogical Society Post Office Box 22203 Lansing MI 48909-2203 Publication is Newsletter published quarterly Member of Michigan Genealogical Council

CORNISH

Keweenaw Houghton Cornish Society of the Copper Country Cornish Connection Of Lower Michigan 8494 Wesley Drive Flushing, MI 48433

DUTCH

Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College

FINNISH

Finnish American Heritage Center

FLEMISH

Genealogical Society of Flemish Americans, Facebook Page

FRENCH-CANADIAN (includes Acadian, Cajun and Metis)

French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan PO Box 1900 Royal Oak, MI 48068-1900 Publication is Michigan's Habitat Heritage published quarterly Located in Oakland County MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council Facebook Page

IRISH

Irish Genealogical Society of Michigan c/o Gaelic League/Irish American Club 2068 Michigan Avenue Detroit, MI 48216-1303 Publication is Irish Tree published nine times a year Located in Wayne County MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council Facebook Page

Wayne County Irish Society 31975 Cowan Westland, MI 48185

ITALIAN

Americans Of Italian Origin Society 18336 Lister E. Detroit, MI 48021

JEWISH

Jewish Genealogical Society of Michigan PO Box 251693 West Bloomfield, MI 48325-1693 Publication is Generations published quarterly Located in Oakland County MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council Facebook Page

POLISH

Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan c/o Burton Collection 5201 Woodward Avenue Detroit, MI 48202-4007 Publication is The Polish Eaglet published three times a year Located in Wayne County MGC Member of Michigan Genealogical Council Facebook Page

Polish Heritage Society P.O. Box 1844 Grand Rapids, MI 49501

SCOTTISH

The St. Andrew's Society of Detroit 2360 Rochester Ct Troy, Mi 48083 Phone: 248-526-1849 Fax: 248-528-1477 Contact: kilgour@detroitscots.com


 * ANISHNAWBE (Chippewa / Ojibwe, Ottawa / Odawa, Potawatomi Indians)

Funeral Homes

 * Estes-Leadley Funeral Home


 * Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes


 * Holihan-Atkin-Barclay Funeral Home & Cremation Services HOLIHAN * AITKIN * BARCLAY


 * Lehman Funeral Homes


 * McGeehan Funeral Homes, Keck-Coleman Chapel ST. CHARLES * ST. JOHNS


 * Mills Funeral Home, Peters & Murray Chapel EATON RAPIDS * GRAND LEDGE


 * Palmer Bush & Jensen Family Funeral Homes Delta Chapel


 * St Mary's Funeral Chapel WESTPHALIA


 * Smith Family Funeral Home


 * Watkins Brothers Funeral Homes Laingsburg Chapel

Land and Property Records
Article on Deeds.

Online Land Indexes and Records
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

Local Histories

 * History of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties, Michigan, by Franklin Ellis. 1880. Philadelphia : D.W. Ensign & Co. Online at: Hathitrust; Google Books; Ancestry ($)
 * Past and Present of Clinton County, Michigan. By Judge S. B. Daboll. 1906. Chicago : S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. Online at: Google Books

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
 * 1895 County
 * Land Atlas &amp; Plat Book, Clinton County, Michigan, by Rockford Map Publishers.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Civil War Civil War service men from Clinton 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 Clinton County.


 * - 1st Regiment, Michigan Cavalry, Company D


 * 1861-1865 Record of Service of the Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War 1861-1865 at Michiganology — images, multiple volumes organized alphabetically by surname
 * 1876-1945 at FamilySearchd - How to Use This Article
 * 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 Article

World War I
 * 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1837-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article

Newspapers

 * Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University

Obituaries

 * 1820-2006 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1784-1980 Michigan, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1784-1980 at Ancestry.com ($) — index & images
 * 1797-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images

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.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Birth

 * 1867-1917 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article
 * 1867-1902 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article

Marriage

 * 1585-1945 Michigan, United States Marriages at Findmypast $
 * 1820-1937 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article
 * 1820-1940 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article
 * 1868-1925 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article

Death

 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article
 * 1867-1897 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Article
 * 1867-1952 Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1897-1952 Michigan Death Certificates, 1897-1952 at Michiganology

Divorce

 * 1897-1952 Michigan, Divorce Records, 1897-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index and images

Archives
Clinton County Historical Society Archives DeWitt Township Community Building 16101 Brook Rd Lansing, MI Mailing Address: PO Box 174 St. Johns, MI 48879 Phone: 517-482-5117 Website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Greenville Michigan FamilySearch Center
 * Lansing Michigan FamilySearch Center
 * Owosso Michigan FamilySearch Center


 * Library of Michigan - an affiliate Library

Libraries
Briggs District Library 108 E Railroad St St. Johns, MI 48879 Phone: 989-224-4702 Email: [mailto:director@briggsdistrictlibrary.org director@briggsdistrictlibrary.org] Website Facebook DeWitt District Library 13101 Schavey Rd Dewitt, MI 48820 Phone: 517-669-3156 Website Facebook Elsie Public Library 145 W Main St PO Box 545 Elsie, MI 48831 Phone: 989-862-4633 Email: [mailto:elsielibrary@gmail.com elsielibrary@gmail.com] Facebook Maple Rapids Public Library 130 S Maple Ave PO Box 410 Maple Rapids, MI 48853-0410 Phone: 989-682-4464 Website Facebook Ovid Public Library 206 N Main St Ovid, MI 48866 Phone: 989-834-5800 Email: [mailto:ovidlibrary1949@gmail.com ovidlibrary1949@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Societies
Clinton County Historical Society PO Box 174 St. Johns, MI 48879 Phone: 989-224-5100 Email: [mailto:ccgensoc@yahoo.com ccgensoc@yahoo.com] Website Facebook Elsie Historical Society c/o Doris Gregor PO Box 125 Elsie, MI 48831 Website Website Grand Ledge Area Historical Society 118 W Lincoln St PO Box 203 Grand Ledge, MI 48837 Phone: 517-627-3149 Email: [mailto:glhistory1975@gmail.com glhistory1975@gmail.com] Website Facebook

Websites

 * Clinton County, MI-Roots Michigan Roots is a member of the PA-Roots family of websites.
 * The Clinton County MIGenWeb Project, a member of The MIGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project. Archives Project
 * Clinton County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
 * Genealogy Trails
 * – 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.