Branch County, Michigan Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named for John Branch. The County is located in the south-central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Branch County Courthouse 31 Division St. Coldwater, MI 49036 Phone: (517) 279-4300 Branch County Website County Clerk has birth and death records from 1867, marriage records from 1833, divorce records, court records from 1848 and naturalization records from 1847. Probate Court has probate record. Register of Deeds has land records. City &amp; Town Clerks have burial 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

 * Branch County MI Bible Records at USGenWeb Michigan Archives

Cemeteries

 * 1799-1999 at FamilySearch — index and images

Census Records
 State Census
 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 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 Collection
 * FamilySearch Places

Directories

 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust Digital Library — images
 * Branch County Directory and Historical Record : Containing a Complete List of Residents ... Business Directory of Coldwater, Quincy, Union City and Bronson ; Also a Concise History of the County. By Stevens and Conover. Ann Arbor, Michigan : Courier Steam Printing House, 1871. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1929-1966 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

Funeral Homes

 * Dutcher Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Bronson and Coldwater.
 * Lighthouse Funeral and Cremation in Union City.
 * Eagle Funeral Homes in Quincy.

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

Maps and Gazetteers

 * 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust, images – includes business directories for towns across the state
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

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


 * - 17th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Companies C and H


 * 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 FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 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 Collection

World War I
 * 1917-1919 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * 1837-1993 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers

 * Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University

Obituaries

 * 1820-2006 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection

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
 * 1833-1939 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

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 Collection
 * 1867-1902 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection.

Marriage

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

Death

 * 1850-1880 at FamilySearch  - How to Use this Collection
 * 1867-1897 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection.
 * 1867-1952 Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
 * 1897-1952 Michigan Death Certificates, 1897-1952 at Michiganology
 * Branch County Government has added a death record search for deaths that occurred in Branch County. This is the reference: Death Records

Divorce

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

FamilySearch Centers

 * Jonesville Michigan FamilySearch Center
 * Sturgis Michigan FamilySearch Center


 * Fremont Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Noble County Public Library - an affiliate library

Societies
Branch County Genealogical Society PO Box 443 Coldwater, MI 49036 Website Branch County Historical Society 27 S Jefferson St Coldwater, MI 49036 Phone: 517-278-2871 Email: [mailto:bchs49036@yahoo.com bchs49036@yahoo.com] Website Facebook Union City Historical Society For Historic Preservation 210 Charlotte St Union City, Michigan 49094 Phone: 269-251-0534 Facebook

Websites

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