Step-by-Step Michigan Research, 1880-Present

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Step 1. Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records:
Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.

What are the best questions to ask?
In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :


 * 50 Questions to Ask Relatives About Family History at ThoughtCo.com
 * Creating Oral Histories at FamilySearch Wiki

What documents should be collected or copied?
Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.

Step 2. Find ancestors in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.
A census is a count and description of the population of a country, state, county, or city for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day. For each person living in a household their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military can be listed, depending on the year.



Use the clues found through family sources to lead to census record searches.
Let's assume that, for example, this old military release is found in the home of a relative. Analyzing this document tells which census records to search for the family. Between 1928 and 1946, there are two censuses that should be searched: 1930 and 1940, in St. Clair County, Michigan.
 * The document shows that John P. Pemberton was born in 1928 in Port Huron, Michigan.
 * In 1946, he enlisted in the military at Port Huron, St. Clair County, Michigan.

1940 census of Port Huron, St. Clair County, Michigan

1930 census of Port Huron, St. Clair County, Michigan

Notice the new information found: The next step would be to search the 1910 and 1920 census for John V. Pemberton listed living with his parents. - Here is the next generation. The next step would be to search for Lovell listed in his parents' home in the 1880 and 1900 U.S. censuses and the 1884, 1894, and 1904 Michigan state censuses. - 1880 census of Mt. Clemens, Macomb County, Michigan
 * John P. Pemberton's parents were John V. and Mabel E. Pemberton.
 * They were born in about 1908 and 1910 in Michigan.
 * Five of his siblings are listed: Eva M., William H., Franklin M., Evelyn M., and Nancy L.
 * John V. Pemberton, father of our John P. Pemberton, was the son of Lovell and Alvina Pemberton.
 * They were also born in Michigan, in about 1878 and 1887.

Here are the search results.
 * The Michigan state censuses, it turns out, do not cover every county, particularly St. Clair and Macomb County.
 * The indexes did not show Lovell Pemberton in 1900, but he did show up in an 1880 index.
 * His parents are John and Mary Pemberton:, both born in Canada, with parents born in New York.



Look for ancestors in as many censuses as possible. Use the clues from each census for hints where to find families in both earlier and later census records.
For more information, see Michigan Census and United States Census.

Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for ancestors and their children.
States, counties, or even towns in some states recorded births, marriages, and deaths.
 * In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations. *A marriage certificate might list the parents of the bride and groom.
 * A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.

Using census clues to lead to a marriage certificate.
The census records identified three generations of Pemberton couples. In each case, the census record does not give the maiden name of the mother. Finding marriage records can: Guess that the marriage would be recorded searching in the year of the first child's birth working backwards in time.
 * establish the full identity of the wife, with her maiden name and possible birth details.
 * find the names of the parents of the bride and groom.

Using census clues to lead to a death certificate.
Moving forward in time, older generations stop showing up in the census. That is a clue that they probably died in the last 10 years. The death certificate is important because of all the possible secondary data beyond just the date and place of death:
 * birth date and place of the deceased
 * maiden name of the wife
 * names of the deceased's parents
 * birth places of the deceased's parents.

How to Find the Records
There are basically three ways to find these indexes or full original certificates:
 * online databases
 * writing to a county courthouse (prior to state civil registration beginning in 1867)
 * purchasing them from the state through the mail at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.gov

Records at the County Courthouse.
These records were originally created by county clerks, and then copies were sent to the state. County clerks can be willing to help find all the birth records for one family or perform other searches that the state would not do. To contact county clerks by e-mail or telephone, go to the Wiki article for each county. Links to the county Wiki articles are found at the end of this page or by clicking here: Michigan Counties.

Order Certificates from Michigan Vital Records Department.
Almost always the full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).


 * Where to Write for Michigan Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.gov

Step 4: Try to find additional details about ancestors in obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records online.
There are additional record collections available, based upon a person's death: obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records. These are a great source for more details about a person. Here are some examples; notice the level of details.

Gather as many obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records as possible.
For more information, see Michigan Obituaries and Michigan Cemeteries.

Obituary Collections

 * 1820-2006 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1875-2012 Web: Southwest Michigan, U.S., Obituary Index, 1875-2012 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1980-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Michigan Newspapers and Obituaries at LDS Genealogy — index
 * Michigan Obituaries at ObitsArchive.com — index & images ($)
 * Michigan Obituaries Help and Genealogy Resources at ObituariesHelp.org — index
 * Online Michigan Death Records and Indexes at DeathIndexes.com — index

Cemetery Record Collections

 * 1799-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1800-2010 Web: Indiana and Michigan, U.S., Michiana Genealogical Cemetery Index, 1800-2010 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1949-1969 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * BillionGraves — index & images
 * at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection; index; Also at: Findmypast ($)
 * FindaGrave — index & images
 * at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * Michigan Cemeteries at I Dream of Genealogy — index
 * Michigan Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy — index
 * Michigan Cemetery Records at LDS Genealogy — index
 * Michigan Death Records and Michigan Cemetery Records at Interment.net — index
 * Michigan: Family History and Genealogy, Census, Birth, Marriage, Death Vital Records and More at Linkpendium — index
 * Michigan Tombstone Project at USGenWebTombstones — index
 * Online Michigan Death Records and Indexes at DeathIndexes.com — index

U.S. Social Security Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

 * The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
 * The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
 * You can search these records online at


 * 1935-2014 U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index ($); Picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off by providing information filed in the application or claims process
 * 1962-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index


 * If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.

Step 5: Search military records: World War I and World War II draft cards.
There are many different types of military records: draft records, enlistment records, service records, pension records, etc. Information in military records can vary from a simple list of name, age, and residence, to more detailed records including name, residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, number of dependents, pensions received, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and other information. '''Although more recent drafts required just 18-year-olds to register, World War I draft records covered men born between 1873-1897. The World War II draft covered a wide range of ages also. These records are the most likely to have records for the Pemberton men.'''



Search the World War I and World War II Draft Collections for male relatives.
- - For more information and additional collections, see Michigan Military Records.
 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Step 6: Look for church records.
Church records function as vital records. Church records are particularly helpful prior to the advent of civil registration in 1867.
 * An infant christening or baptism record documents a birth.
 * Many, if not most, people are married in a church, and then a record is created by the minister.
 * Likewise, ministers presided over funerals, then creating a burial record, which documents a death.

'''Example of a church record: baptism or christening. '''



Search for church records that can provide additional birth, marriage, and death information.

 * 1695-1954 U.S., French Catholic Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1695-1954 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1775-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1800-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1817-1850 Michigan, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1817-1850 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1819-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1822-1995 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1865-1931 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1867-1911 Michigan, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1867-1911 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1867-1995 Michigan, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1867-1995 at Ancestry — index ($)

- These are the easiest records to access, but more records are available:
 * For help with church records kept in Michigan, see Michigan Church Records.
 * To search records by denomination, if you know an ancestor's religion, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Step 7: Search for online wills and probate packets.
For more information, see U.S. Probate Records Class Handout. - One page from the probate packet of Susanna Pemberton. Notice the listing of her children and their places of residence at the bottom of the page. Relationships can be the most valuable information in wills and probate records. The full Probate packet of Susanna Pemberton has 14 pages of different legal instruments. -
 * County probate records include '''probate proceedings, petitions, affidavits, orders for sales, reports of sales, administrators' and executors' bonds, guardianship papers, wills, and letters of administration.
 * In a will book, usually just a transcription of the will is recorded. But all of these other records are kept in a probate packet.
 * Administrations are probate proceedings that handled an estate if no known will existed.

Search these indexes and images for probate records.

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

Step 8: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.
The census records may show that an ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in the country of origin. Searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records would be the next step. (Very early Pemberton families were from Canada but arrived long before these records were kept.)

Michigan Immigration Records

 * United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records


 * 1895-1956 United States, Border Crossings from Canada, 1895-1956 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1903-1965 Michigan, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1903-1965 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1905-1963 Detroit, Michigan, U.S., Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905-1963 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1906-1954 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Michigan Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

 * United States Naturalization and Citizenship Online Genealogy Records


 * 1794-1995 U.S., Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1837-1903 Michigan, U.S., Index to Eastern District Naturalizations, 1837-1903 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1887-1931 Michigan, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1887-1931 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * Naturalization at Michiganology.org — index & images ($)

Local Histories

 * Published histories of towns, counties, and states sometimes contain biographies and accounts of early or prominent families.
 * Here are several websites that feature online copies of printed county histories:


 * Hathi Trust Digital Library. Don't use the keywords Michigan; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"
 * Google Books. Use keywords "Michigan" and the county name. Hits will list online readable books, lists of libraries that carry the book, and purchasing opportunities.
 * Family History Books
 * County and Town Histories
 * Internet Archive. Use keywords "Michigan" and the county name.
 * Ancestry.com ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use Michigan and the name of the county.

FamilySearch Collected Local Histories

 * Local histories are extensively collected by the FamilySearch Library, public and university libraries, and state and local historical societies.
 * If you have access to the FamilySearch Library or a FamilySearch center, you can find local histories by:
 * Go to the FamilySearch Catalog.
 * In the "Place" field, type the name of your county and click "Search".
 * A list of subheadings for the county will appear. Local histories containing genealogies and biographies will be found under Biography, Genealogy, History, or History - Indexes.

Biography Collections
These collections of biographies can be searched online. Most have a table of contents and an index. Or use the "Find" function on a computer.


 * 1710-1880 Michigan Pioneer Experiences, 1710-1880 : With Genealogical Data and Anecdotes at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1870-1900 Michigan, Biographical Sketches, 1870-1900 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * An Index of Pioneers from Massachusetts to the West at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * But Men are More Interesting than Rivers : Michigan Biography, n.p.: n.p., n.d. Online at: HathiTrust
 * County and Town Histories, Michigan at LearnWebSkills — index & images
 * Michigan, a Centennial History of the State and Its People at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * Michigan Biographical Index at MichList — index
 * Michigan Biographies and Memoirs – Free Online Books and Articles at CenturyPast.org — index
 * Portrait and Biographical Record of Northern Michigan, Chicago: Record Publishing Co., 1895. Online at: University of Michigan

Step 10: Contact a local historical or genealogical society.
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 * Historical societies have collections that are frequently little known and often overlooked.
 * Many have a surname file, where they have collected genealogies, newspaper clippings, old photographs, etc.
 * Many have a sort of "pioneer ancestor" program, where people can submit pedigrees to prove they are the descendants of an early resident of the area.
 * Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia.
 * Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia.

- The online directory by GenealogyInc. lists historical and genealogical societies by county: Click on the list to select a county, then scroll down to the historical or genealogical society listings. Here is an example of an internet website for a local genealogical society.
 * Find the society on the internet, and they may list their holdings. Or call them on the phone, find out what they have, and find out what arrangements can be made to search their collection. Frequently, one of their members can be hired to search the collection for you.
 * For more information, see Michigan Societies. Here you will find societies focusing on First Nations, African-American, Cornish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Flemish, French-Canadian (includes Acadian, Cajun and Metis), German, Irish, Italian, Jewish, Polish, and Scottish.

Historical Images
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
 * Michigan, United States Historical Images, New Version
 * Michigan, United States Historical Images, Old Version

Michigan Online Genealogy Records
The steps given here are intended to list a few record sources which can most efficiently identify descendants. Many other online records which might or might not mention descendants are listed in the Michigan Online Genealogy Records page, including compiled genealogies, immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, and probate records, and others.
 * Michigan Online Genealogy Records

Step 12: Study the Research Wiki pages for any county in Michigan.
This article focused more on Michigan state or state-wide records. There is a separate Wiki article for each county in Michigan. These articles give information, office addresses, and links to county records.