Christian Reformed Church Research, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Heritage Hall in the Hekman Library on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan is the place to go for Christian Reformed Church in North America records and Dutch Migration records.

The website is a treasure trove of information and may take a few minutes to acclimate yourself to it.  Heritage Hall is open to the public for onsite research, but you will want to plan your visit.  Their holding are vast.

What will you find at Heritage Hall?

1. The Archives of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. The archives online pages will guide you through a lot of information:
1. Finding Aids
2. Links to Information about the Christian Reformed Church (CRC)
3. Banner , a publication of the CRC, card file index for deaths, birthdays, and wedding anniversaries published from 1870-1999.
4. Membership records from six closed CRC churches.
5. Young Calvinist obituaries from 1941-1973.
6. Emigrants from the Netherlands to North America, 1946-1963, mostly to Canada.
7. Emigrants from Drenthe, Netherlands to West Michigan, 1845-1870.
8. Wedding Databases
9. Dutch and German Immigrant Letters
10. Family Histories
11. Holland-America Line Passengers, 1900-1940.
12. Web based resources for Family History
13. and more.
2. Heritage Hall Finding Aids will guide you to resources available at the library.  A few simple searches led me to manuscript sources at Heritage Hall.
1. Genealogy led me to 31 resources, many of them manuscript collections to explore further.
2. Family History led me to 15 resources.
3. Luijendijk, the dutch spelling, led me to 0 resources, but Luyendyk, the American spelling, led me 1 resource.
4. Dutch in Michigan had 16 hits.

Even though it states the number of resources or hits, these are manuscript collections and can contain many boxes and linear feet of resources. 

     3.  Research Guides are available at the Hekman Library website. These guides help you to understand what is available at the Library. The library supports the language and culture of the Dutch and four research guides are available:

          a. Dutch Language

          b. Dutch Literature

          c. Dutch History and Culture

          d. Frisian Studies

If you have Christian Reformed research to conduct while you are in Grand Rapids, Calvin College is the place to do it. Use the Hekman Library Catalog to find resources at Heritage Hall.  The Archives of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, Hekman Library, Heritage Hall, Calvin College, 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 (616) 526-7197.  

Research Facilities in Grand Rapids Michigan

I am preparing for the upcoming National Genealogical Council's "Paths to Your Past" conference which will be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 2-5 May, 2018.  One of the things I do before I go to a conference is to check into research facilities in the area of the conference, especially if I have ancestors in the area.

My husband, Kirk, was born and raised in Grand Rapids and we have researched there for years.  I have visited numerous cemeteries, the library, city clerk's office, St. Andrew's Cathedral, neighborhoods and more.

If you have family history research to do in Grand Rapids, Michigan or Kent county, Michigan here are a few places you need to know about.


1.  Grand Rapids Public Library, History and Special Collections, Level 4 of the Main Library, 111 Library Street, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Their hours are:

• Sunday, 1-5 pm Labor Day to Memorial Day
• Monday-Thursday, 9 am to 9 pm
• Friday and Saturday-9 am to 6 pm

The library is about a ten to fifteen minute walk, .7 mile, from the DeVos Convention Center and the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and .5 mile from the Courtyard Marriot hotel.  Parking is available at the library.  The first hour is free and each hour after that is $1.10.  Weekend parking is free.

The History and Special Collections department offers the researcher a lot.  

• Books and Periodicals. There are more than 30,000 local and state history books, the complete run of Grand Rapids city directories, county histories, atlases, business histories, government documents, and more.  There are over 5,000 volumes of periodicals for Grand Rapids and Michigan history. Genealogy periodicals, some national in scope, are available for use.
• Maps. 1,800 or more maps of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Old Northwest Territory are available in addition to plat maps showing early settlers and property holders.
• Newspapers. Available on microfilm are the daily and weekly Grand Rapids newspapers from 1841 to the present.  A full run of The Grand Rapids Press (1893-Present) and The Grand Rapids Herald (1891-1959) is available.
• Family Histories. The department collects and maintains a large number of family histories.
• Genealogy Books. Over 5,000 books pertaining to genealogy from general research to standard references are available.
• Research Materials. The collection includes obituary files and vital records indexes.
• Archival Materials. The Archive collections number over 500 and include photographs, oral histories, sound recordings, sheet music, manuscripts, postcard, scrapbooks, and ephemera.  The popular real estate listing cards are images and listing information on many properties in Grand Rapids from 1955 to 1995.
• Furniture Design Collection. Grand Rapids and Furniture Design has a rich history.  This collection contains over 4,000 items.  Books, periodicals, catalogs are all located in the History and Special Collections department on the fourth floor.
• Online Collections.  GRPL website has access to indexes for clipping files, subject files, newspapaer articles, magazine articles, photographs, and maps.  Their digital collections include over 7,000 archival images (1850-1990's); Robinson Studio Collection, almost a million negatives and photo's from 1930's-1960's; The Grand Rapids Herald from 1894-1916, is fully digitized and searchable; and Women's Defense Cards, 1918, contains over 23,000 cards that were filled out by women offering to help in the war effort.

Plan your trip using the library's website, www.grpl.org/history and set aside some time to browse the wonderful collections of the library.

2. Grand Rapids City Archives and Records Center, 223 Washington St., SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 616 456-4127 or 616 456-3114. email: mellis@grcity.us or awright@grcity.us  Open to the public by appointment only. Hours are Monday – Friday from 8 am until 5 pm.

It is a .7 mile from the Courtyard by Marriott hotel and 1 mile from the DeVos Place Convention Center and Amway Plaza Hotel.

Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan and it has its own city archives.  The archives is the holder of all city governmental records, many that would be of interest to genealogists with Grand Rapids family history.

Genealogical Resources Include:

1. Board of Trustees, Common Council, and City Commission records (1838-2010)
2. Polk Directories (1865-2007) but missing 1866,01867,01869-1874,1877, 1880, 1889, 1890, 1893, 1894, 1906, 1908, 1915, 1947, 1952, 1989, 1999, 2004-2006.
3. Court Records-a variety of records, some from early Grand Rapids.
1. Mayor's Court (1850-1857)
2. Police Court Felonies (1874-1979, some gaps in those years.)
3. Justice Courts (1886-1889)
4. Police Court State Records
4. Cemetery Records-the city's six cemeteries records (Greenwood, Fulton, Oak Hill, Oak Grove, Woodlawn and Fairplains are available at the Archives. The information may be found online now.  For more information on the cemeteries check  https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Government/Departments/Cemeteries  One of my favorite cemeteries in Grand Rapids is Oak Hill.  The history and architecture is lovely. A couple of articles were printed and are interesting to read. http://www.therapidian.org/oak-hill-cemetery and http://www.therapidian.org/oak-hill-cemetery-ii  Although the city is relatively safe, please use caution when visiting city cemeteries and don't go alone.
5. Police Records-includes the police department fingerprint cards from 1913-1974.
6. Personnel Records-are available with a FOIA(Freedom of Information Act) request. They are not open to the public.
7. Tax and Assessment Rolls-Grand Rapids Tax Records (1860-1971) are available.  Various cities, townships and villages in Kent county records (1876-1944) can be found here as well.
8. Assessor's Cards-a 1936 Works Progress Administration (WPA) project created cards for homes in the city, complete with a picture.
9. Grand Rapids Public School Archives-class pictures, yearbooks, attendance records and more are housed at the Archives.

This is just a few of the records one will find at the City Archives, please check their website for others.  Remember, research is by appointment only.

3.  Kent County Clerk's Office, Administration Building, 300 Monroe Ave., NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. 616 632-7640.  Open to the public, Monday-Friday 8 am-4:45 pm.

County research is central to finding your Michigan ancestors.  Each of the 83 Michigan counties have a county clerk.  The county clerk's office is where you will find vital records-birth, marriage, and death.

If you are attending the 2018 NGS " Paths to Your Past" conference at the DeVos Place and have Kent county research to do, you won't have far to go to the county clerk's office.  It is across the street from the DeVos Place!

A few things you will need to know about researching at the clerk's office.  They do allow genealogists to research in their office.

1. There is a two hour research limit if others are waiting to research.
2. Two researchers at a time are allowed research privileges.
3. No young children allowed.
4. Only pencils are allowed for writing.
5. Certified copies cost $10 for the first copy and $3 for second copies.
6. Birth records, less than 100 years old, are closed to the public.  An heir may see a birth record with a copy of a death certificate for those less than 100 years old.  Birth Indexes are closed and limited help is available.

If you find yourself with an hour or two and need to look up Kent county births, marriages and deaths, you won't have far to travel to do it at the conference.

4. Western Michigan Genealogical Society, one cannot forget the host society for the NGS conference, the Western Michigan Genealogical Society (WMGS).  The WMGS website has repeatedly earned the Family Tree Magazine Best State Websites award.  The gem of the website is their online databases.  http://data.wmgs.org/  Currently, the website has over three million records online.  The newspaper database has over one million records.  All database are of interest to those researching in Kent county.  A complete list is available on their website.  Look for school census records, church records for churches in existence before 1876, Grand Rapids Home for Veterans Index, WWI Veterans Census, Black Monument Company records, death indexes, marriage indexes, Latzek Funeral Home records, and more.  Check the website out for your ancestors names.

Pure Michigan Genealogy-The End

Pure Michigan Genealogy

This is my ninth and final post on researching in Michigan, my home state. I tried to give you an overview of what is available when researching ancestors in Michigan.  The eight posts on Pure Michigan Genealogy is in no way a complete list of everything in Michigan.  That would take a book, and there is a good one-Michigan Genealogy, 2nd edition by Carol McGinnis.  I could never top what she has written.  If you think I could help you with your Michigan research, please email me or leave a comment.  I hope you have enjoyed my Pure Michigan Genealogy as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you. 

I have a few general comments about researching Michigan ancestors.

• Don't underestimate the importance of county level records and repositories.  County government is central to Michigan genealogy research.  Vital records, land, property, probate, etc. are kept at the county level.  Many Michigan counties have genweb websites.  Check out the Kent County one, to see the variety of records one may find in their research
• Check in the area you are researching for local genealogical societies, historical societies and libraries.  Put google to work for you!  Many genealogical societies have an online presence and accept queries for their newsletter, some have volunteers to look up information. Historical societies know what is available and where to find it for their locality or can guide you where to go next.  Many libraries have a local history section.  Check the library's online catalog, if available.  Tap into this valuable resource.
• Come to Michigan.  Visit our state library and archives, all in one building. Roam our cemeteries, explore our courthouses, and check out our local libraries.  After a day of rewarding research, Michigan has even more to offer.  Beautiful sunsets, sandy beaches, clear blue lakes, historic islands, rocky cliffs, and great people are yours to explore in Pure Michigan!    

I used a variety of sources for the nine Pure Michigan Genealogy posts.  A bibliography is listed here for your use.

Bentley Historical Library, "Religion Subject Guide", University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library 

http://bentley.umich.edu/research/guides/religion/index.php : (accessed 1 May 2013 and no longer available online).

DeBoer, Shirley, M, NGS Research in the States Series:  Michigan, Arlington, Virginia:  National Genealogical Society, 2008. 

Eichholz, Alice, Editor, Red Book, Provo, Utah:  Ancestry, 2004.

Family Search, "Research Outline:  Michigan", Harold B. Lee Library Brigham Young University.  BYU Family History Library 

http://net.lib.byu.edu/fslab/researchoutlines/US/Michigan.pdf: (accessed 26 April 2013 and no longer available online).

Holick, Jennifer, Legacy QuickGuide Michigan Genealogy, Surprise, Arizona:  Millenia Corportation, 2013.

McGinnis, Carol, Michigan Genealogy:  Sources and Resources, Baltimore, Maryland:  Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2005.

"Michigan Land and Property", Family Search Research Wiki, 

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Michigan_Land_and_Property:  (accessed 1 Mar 2018).

"Scandinavian  Immigration", Harvard University Library, Immigration to the United States, 1789-1930.  

http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/scandinavian.html:  (accessed 1 March 2018).

"Using Maps in Genealogy", United States GeographicalSurvey,

 https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2002/0099/report.pdf:  (accessed 1 March 2018).

VanderHill,  Warren C.  Settling the Great Lakes Frontier:  Immigration To Michigan, 1837-1924.  Lansing, Michigan:  Michigan Historical Commission, 1970. 

Pure Michigan Genealogy is a series of posts on researching in Michigan. The End concludes the series on Michigan Genealogy.  See below for the full list of posts.

1.  Michigan History

2.  Migration and Immigration

3.  Records

4.  Yankee Migration

5.  Churches and Cemeteries

6. Archives, Libraries, Societies and Organizations

7.  What Else is There? 10 More Resources

8.  Maps 

9.  Living History

10. The End

Pure Michigan Genealogy: Living History

Pure Michigan Genealogy

Are you looking for information that goes beyond dates and facts?  You can "put the flesh on the bones" of your ancestors through social and living history information.  Michigan has wonderful historic places and sources that will help you understand what different times in Michigan History was like. 

• Michigan Historical Museum-You can take an online gallery tour of exhibits on First People, Settling a State, Civil War, Farm and Factory, Lumbering, Mining, and Growing up in Michigan.  Each one of these categories takes you to a wealth of information on Michigan History.
• Downward Bound-photographs and articles about the Great Lakes Shipping industry are featured here.
• Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association-did you know that Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state?  Michigan has over 100 lighthouses along it 3200 miles of shoreline.  This website has historical pictures, articles, and information on lighthouse keepers.
• Museums-Michigan has many wonderful, historical museums from blacksmith shops, to railway, to civilian conservation corps, and mining museums.  Check out the hundreds of museums that Michigan offers by clicking on the museum name, if the museum has a website it will provide a link that will take you to that museum for photos and more information.
• Detroit Historical Museum- a Detroit Historical Society museum has a variety of exhibits on display.  It is the premiere museum for the Detroit region history. 
• Fort Mackinac-has the oldest building in Michigan on it.  It takes you back to the days when the British controlled the fort.
• Colonial Michilimackinac-view pictures of this outpost pretty much as it was in the 1700's.
• Henry Ford Museum-a wonderful museum filled with historical automobiles, from JFK's limousine, to Rosa Parks bus to the Weinermobile.  You will find more than cars here, though.  Check out the interactive map on its' website.  
• Greenfield Village-on the grounds of the Henry Ford Museum.  Go back in time to seven historical villages depicting the life and times of Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and more. 
• Michigan Heritage Park-in Northern Muskegon county, near Whitehall, takes the visitor through 10,000 years of Michigan history.

Many local museums and historical societies have living history areas in their smaller museums, be sure to check the area you are visiting for some of these gems.

You have your ancestor's birth, marriage and death information, now take a little time to put your ancestor in context to how they were living.  Living History can give you a picture of what it was like for your ancestors to go about their daily home and work life and have a little fun while doing it.

Pure Michigan Genealogy is a series of posts on researching in Michigan. Living History is number eight in the series.  Other posts in this series are below:

1.  Michigan History

2.  Migration and Immigration

3.  Records

4.  Yankee Migration

5.  Churches and Cemeteries

6. Archives, Libraries, Societies and Organizations

7.  What Else is There? 10 More Resources

8.  Maps 

9.  Living History

10. The End

Pure Michigan Genealogy: Maps

Pure Michigan Genealogy

Maps are an important tool in your genealogy research.  Maps have a treasure trove of information ready for you to decipher.  Once you have accumulated a few facts, you will want to turn to maps to to truly understand your ancestors.  You will want to learn how they lived and where they lived.  You will want to look at old and new maps, online and paper maps.  Maps are a good resource because they will give you clues for where to look for more information.  If your grandparents owned a farm in Dickson Township, Manistee, Michigan, as mine did, you can look at the map and see what the nearest town was and where the county seat was located.  Maps can show towns, cemeteries, railroads, streets and roads, rivers and so much more.  There are many types of maps available for your Michigan research.

1.  Plat Maps are usually found on a county by county format.  They show land ownership at a certain place in a certain time.  They can be found in local county equalization offices, local libraries, or at local Michigan State University (MSU) Extension offices. 

2.  Topographic Maps offer an opportunity to locate farmsteads using selected cultural and physical features of the landscape.  Roads, fence lines, barns, orchards, gravel pits  cemeteries, railroad tracks and schools are cultural features.  Rivers, creeks, hills, valleys, lakes and swamps are physical features.      The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has articles on Using Maps in Genealogy.  The USGS website has topographical maps for Michigan and other states.

3.  Political Maps are the maps we usually use.  They show cities, towns, counties, etc. These are available at various places throughout Michigan.

4.  Fire Insurance maps will include businesses, schools, and churches.  Sanborn Fire Insurance maps are online at the Library of Congress.

One can find various Michigan maps online:

• Michigan Digital Map Library-early Michigan state and county maps are included.
• American Memory Map Collection-this Library of Congress website has maps, cities and towns, military battles, transportation and communication, and other collections.
• Historical Maps of Michigan-a wide variety of Michigan maps can be found here.
• Michigan County Histories and Atlases-a searchable database that includes atlases.
• Perry-Castaneda Library Map Collection-a few unusual maps are in this collection.  Isle Royal National Park and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore are found here.
• Atlas of Historical Boundaries-this collection from Newberry Library contains great map resources.
• David Rumsey Historical Map Collection-a great map resource for Michigan and other historical maps.
• Maps at Pure Michigan-maps of economic characteristics, railroad maps, colleges and universities, commercial ports and more.
• National Atlas-many printable maps are found here.
• Plat Maps-historical Michigan plat maps at Seeking Michigan.
• Google Maps and Google Earth-don't forget about these easy to use resources.

Pure Michigan Genealogy is a series of posts on researching in Michigan. Maps is number seven in the series.  Other posts in the series are below.

1.  Michigan History

2.  Migration and Immigration

3.  Records

4.  Yankee Migration

5.  Churches and Cemeteries

6. Archives, Libraries, Societies and Organizations

7.  What Else is There? 10 More Resources

8.  Maps 

9.  Living History

10. The End

  

Pure Michigan Genealogy: What Else is There? 10 More Resources

Pure Michigan Genealogy

Do you still need to find more information about your Michigan ancestors?  There are a few more resources that will help you with your research.

 1.  City Directories

• Ancestry.com-a number of city directories for Michigan are available here.  You may be able to access ancestry at your local library, otherwise it is a paid site.
• Michigan Online Historical Directories-clicking on a county takes one to a list of city directories available online.  Not all counties are searchable.  There is a mix of free and paid websites.
• Bentley Historical Library- Check Mirlyn catalog for a listing of the cities available at this library. 
• Public libraries, historical or genealogical societies-check with these in the area you are researching.  Many of these institutions have their local directories in their collection.  I can do Battle Creek, Michigan look-ups for you.

 2.  Correctional Facilities

• Archives of Michigan-a comprehensive card index(eventually will be online at seekingmichigan.org) is available for those who served time at one of Michigan's state prisons.  Michigan inmate records are available for public access.  There are also three circulars available, in pdf. form, to help with your research:

1. Correctional Facilities, Circular No 3.  This circular contains information on the three main prisons in Michigan:  Jackson, Ionia, and Marquette.
2. Pardons, Paroles, Warrants and Extraditions, Circular No. 48-is a table of what the Archives has available as well as the record group, a short description, and the date.
3. Youths, Records Relating To, Circular No. 8- this group of records has restricted access.  Contact information for further information is provided on the circular.

• Federal Bureau of Prisons-a United States database of federal prison inmates since 1982.
• Michigan Department of Corrections-a database for individuals who are or were under the management of the Department of Corrections.  This database is for Michigan Prisons only, not city or county jails.  If an individual has been released or paroled and is off supervision for more than three years, he/she will not be in the database.
• Skeletons in Michigan's Closets-a few early Prison Records.

 3.  Local and County Histories

• Arcadia Publishing Images of America and Postcard Series Books- You can search by state, "Michigan", you will find over 300 titles on Michigan.  These books have historical images and facts about various areas in Michigan.  I was never so excited as when I was looking at the Marquette book and saw a picture of my grandmother. I had to buy it!  Anytime I am in an area that my ancestors lived, I go to a bookstore and see which Images of America books they have.  I even have a board on Pinterest titled, My Images of America Ancestry.
• Genealogy, Inc.-First, be sure you are researching in the right county.  Michigan has 83 counties and county boundaries have changed over time.  Check the History and Facts of Michigan Counties for a table of all the counties and what their parent county was.  Clicking on each county will take you to a genealogy page for that county.  Check the Michigan Maps of US website for a maps from 1790-1930.  This is an excellent website for Michigan, and other states, Genealogy.
• Michigan County Histories and Atlases-over 400 digitized works are available here.  Most of the works were published before 1923.  Click on browse to get an alphabetical listing of what is available or search by keyword on the home page.  I have found this resource useful in learning about the early history of the counties I am researching.  I even found a biographical sketch of an ancestor.
• Washtenaw County Historical Society-a listing of online county history resources for Washtenaw County and cities.
• Google Books-search google books to see if a digitized copy of your county history is online. I know that History of Kent County, Michigan and History of Washtenaw County, Michigan are available in full, for free.  There are other counties available through google books.

 4.  Newspapers

• Library of Michigan-you will find the state's largest collection of newspapers here. Newspapers span over 200 years and are available for all counties in Michigan.  If you live in Michigan, you can request the microfilm through inter-library loan system.  Out of state libraries may request copies of the newspaper with a complete citation.
• Newspaper Family Histories-scroll down on website page to see if a newspaper was published for the city or town you are researching.  The titles, publishing dates and newspaper history is included by city name.
• Local Libraries-I cannot stress enough about using the local library in the location you are researching.  Check the local library online card catalog, or email them for information.  I know my local library, Helen Warner Branch of Willard Library, in Battle Creek, Michigan will do newspaper look ups if you ask nicely.
• Michigan Online Historical Newspapers- a listing of free and paid newspaper sites for Michigan.
• Michigan Newspaper List-a list of current published newspapers

 5.  Manuscripts

• NUCMC-national and international databases that catalogs manuscripts.
• WorldCat-the world's largest collection of libraries, it has more than books and manuscripts.
• Archive Grid-this website provides detailed archival collection descriptions, over two million descriptions.  A list of archives, by state, can be found here too.
• State Archives of Michigan, Circular No. 55
• Bentley Historical Library-
• Burton Historical Collection-Sprenger's Guide to the Manuscripts in the Burton Historical Collection Detroit Public Library is available in book form. Check World Cat for a library close to you that hold a copy..
• Check colleges and universities in your area of research for manuscript collections.

 6.  Periodicals/Publications

• Detroit Society for Genealogical Research Magazine
• Family Trails-a no longer in print publication of the State Department of Education.  Copies available at Library of Michigan and Grand Rapids Public Library.  Although dated it has articles that will help you in your research.
• Michigana a publication of the Western Michigan Genealogical Society
• Michigan Heritage-a no longer in print publication of the Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society, available at Library of Michigan and Family History Library.
• Generations-my local society, Calhoun County Genealogical Society, has an online every name index for their publication, "Generations".
• Michigan History
• Historical Society of Michigan-current issue information
• Previous issues-Michigan residents can access issues dating back to 1998 through the Michigan Electronic Library (MeL) system.  On the MeL site, select MeL databases, then General Reference Center Gold.  At the reference site, select "Publication Search" and enter "Michigan History Magazine".
• Google Books-1917-1922 full issues available by search Michigan History Magazine.
• Index to Michigan Research in Genealogical Periodicals by Maud Quigley, is available online thanks to the Western Michigan Genealogical Society.
• PERSI-Periodical Source Index is a subject index to genealogical and family history periodicals.  It is available, free, through Find My Past/Persi.   For more information on PERSI, check out the Family Search Wiki on it.

 7.  Pioneer and Centennial Farms

• Pioneer Certificate Program-many counties sponsor a Michigan Pioneer Certificate Program.  Residents had to provide proof that their relatives were pioneers to receive the certificate.  Check your ancestors' county to see if they participated.  Some of the certificates are indexed online.  Below are a few examples:
• Western Michigan Genealogical Society
• Calhoun County Genealogical Society
• Delta County Genealogical Society
• Michigan Pioneer Records at the Library of Michigan

 8.  Schools

• Archives of Michigan Circular No. 11
• Michigan School Records
• Annuals at Dead Fred-a few Michigan ones can be found here.
• Michigan GenWeb-several counties in Michigan have school records on here.

 9.  Surname Index

• A two volume set with over 100,000 surnames of Michigan ancestors.  Not all names lived in Michigan, they just were ancestors of Michigan.  Available at Family History Library, Library of Michigan and Amazon.

10.  Websites
There are so many websites that can help you with your research, I am not sure where to begin.  I have selected a few to help you with your research.

• Genealogy, Inc.
• Michigan Gen Web
• Poorhouses in Michigan
• Michigan Place Names
• Cyndi's List-Michigan
• Michigan Orphan Trains
• Michigan Genealogy Trails
• Linkpendium
• and so many more!

The above resources are ones that I have found helpful in my research, it is by no means conclusive. There are many great resources available for your Michigan research.  Do you have a Michigan resource I haven't mentioned?  Please share it with a comment.  I hope you have success with your research.

Pure Michigan Genealogy is a series of posts on researching in Michigan. What Else is There? 10 More Resources is number six in the series.  Other posts in this series are below:

1.  Michigan History

2.  Migration and Immigration

3.  Records

4.  Yankee Migration

5.  Churches and Cemeteries

6. Archives, Libraries, Societies and Organizations

7.  What Else is There? 10 More Resources

8.  Maps 

9.  Living History

10. The End

Pure Michigan Genealogy: Archives, Libraries, Organization and Societies

Pure Michigan Genealogy

There are numerous places in Michigan to help with your research.  Whether it is at the Archives of Michigan, or one of the many public libraries in the state, your research will be helped by the resources available here.

SeekingMichigan.org-a wonderful Michigan research website.  One can find death records, civil war manuscripts and records, state census, early records, oral histories, and more.  New content is added periodically, so keep checking.

Archives and Libraries

Archives of Michigan-the genealogy collection is known as the Abrams Collection, which use to be at the Library of Michigan, is now housed at the Archives. The Archives of Michigan is the repository of many records beneficial to genealogists.  Researchers need a photo ID in order to research here.  There are many online guides available to help with the record collections found at the Archives.  

Library of Michigan-the Library of Michigan holds the newspaper collection and law library.  Use the Answer Catalog to search for resources.  If an item is held at the Archives, it will tell you that in your search.  

Note:  Please check the website for hours and location.  The Archives and the Library have different operating hours.  They are both located in the Michigan Library and Historical Center, Lansing, Michigan.

Bentley Historical Library at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan-the Michigan Historical Collection has manuscripts, maps, and resource for all of Michigan counties.

Burton Historical Collection at Detroit Public Library, Detroit, Michigan-resource for the City of Detroit and more.

Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan-this closed stacks library holds resources for northern half of Lower Peninsula.  Some American Indians references can be found here.

Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collection, Houghton, Michigan-Michigan's Upper Peninsula records can be found here especially for Keewenaw Peninsula.  Mining records, local history and more is here.

Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives, Marquette, Michigan-repository for central upper peninsula records.

Zhang Legacy Collection Center, Archives and Regional History, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan-southwest lower peninsula counties repository, yearbooks, land records and more can be found.

Kresge Library, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan-

Escanaba Public Library, Escanaba, Michigan-this library is the repository for the Delta County Genealogical Society Collection.

Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids, Michigan-newspapers, census, card file, and much more is here.  Grand Rapids, Kent County and other West Michigan counties is the main focus of their collection.

Van Raalte Institute, Hope College, Holland, Michigan-Dutch and Dutch American resources and history are available.

Heritage Collection of the Joint Archives, Hope College, Holland, Michigan-Hope College, Seminary, Church records and more.

Hoyt Library, Saginaw, Michigan-Resources pertaining to the Saginaw area.

Mount Clemens Public Library, Mount Clemens, Michigan-Macomb County resources and digital archive collection are a couple of their highlights.

Oakland County Pioneer and Historical Society, Pontiac, Michigan-obituaries, photos, directories and more for Oakland county and surrounding areas.

Interactive Library Directory-a search engine that has all the libraries in Michigan on it.  You can narrow your search by county.  Check here for contact information for local libraries in your area of research.  Many libraries have local history resources.  Once you find a library in your area, google the library and check out their website.  They might have online resources.

Organizations and Societies

Michigan Genealogical Council-check their list of member organizations which include historical and genealogical societies.  There are many great local genealogical societies, too numerous to list, so be sure to check this resource.  The Michigan Genealogical Council Newsletter is available online and has a wealth of information in it from around the state.

Michigan Historical Society-promotes Michigan History, check out their publications.

Historical Museum Guide-list of historical museums in Michigan.
Cornish Connection of Lower Michigan
Cornish Connection of Copper Country in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Finnish American Heritage Center

French Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan

Jewish Genealogical Society of Michigan

Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan

These are a few of the resources available for researching in Michigan, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, or leave a comment.

Pure Michigan Genealogy is a series of posts on researching in Michigan. Archives, Libraries, Organizations and Societies is number five in the series. The red websites are new or have been updated.  Other posts in this series includes:

1.  Michigan History

2.  Migration and Immigration

3.  Records

4.  Yankee Migration

5.  Churches and Cemeteries

6. Archives, Libraries, Societies and Organizations

7.  What Else is There? 10 More Resources

8.  Maps 

9.  Living History

10. The End

     

Pure Michigan Genealogy: Churches and Cemeteries

Pure Michigan Genealogy

There is no one source or repository for church records in Michigan.  Most church records are held by the church, their archives, or sometimes the parish minister or priest.  Occasionally, one will find church records in their local library, or a historical or genealogical society.  Once I found a list of the founders of a church in a local history, so don't forget to check those out.  Local histories are a good resource to find what churches were established at that time.  Check Google Books or Hathi Trust for local histories.  If you are really lucky you may find a published church history of your ancestors' church.

A Roman Catholic mission was in Sault Saint Marie in 1668.  St. Anne's was founded in 1701 in Detroit.  The first Protestant Church was Moravian, in Mount Clemens.  They were worshiping during the Revolutionary War.  Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Baptists, and Lutherans soon followed.  By 1865, the Methodist Church was the largest Protestant denomination in Michigan.

Church Record Sources

1. Michigan Historical Collections, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor-a large collection of religious records are held here.
2. Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library, Detroit-many early Detroit church records.  Additionally, Catholic Mission Records, 1720-1772 are here.  A map of Detroit Catholic churches is available as well.
3. Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan has vertical files finding aids for 48 Michigan religions.
4. WPA's Michigan Historical Records Survey Inventory of the Church Archives of Michigan-a series of records published and available at Family Search and Bentley Historical Library.
5. Western Michigan Genealogical Society Church Records Collection at the Grand Rapids Public Library.
6. Family Search Michigan Church Records Wiki is a resource too.

Additional denomination specific resources are available for church record research:

Baptist

• Bentley Historical Library
• Kalamazoo College

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 

• Family Search   

Catholic

• Archdiocese of Detroit
• Map of Detroit Catholic Churches
• Archdiocese of Marquette
• Archdiocese of Gaylord
• Archdiocese of Grand Rapids
• Archdiocese of Kalamazoo
• Archdiocese of Lansing
• Archdiocese of Saginaw
• Burton Historical Collection

Congregational/United Church of Christ

• Burrage Library, Olivet College

Disciples of Christ

• Bentley Historical Library

Episcopal

• The Archives of the Episcopal Church
• Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
• Bentley Historical Library

Jewish

• Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
• Rabbi Leo M. Franklin Archives

Lutheran

• Library of Michigan
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of America-Region 6
• Missouri Synod
• Bentley Historical Library

Mennonite

• Mennonite Church USA Archives at Goshen College

Methodist

• Stockwell-Mudd Library of Albion College
• Shipman Library, Adrian College
• Bentley Historical Library

Presbyterian

• Presbyterian Historical Society
• Bentley Historical Library

Reformed and Christian Reformed

• Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College for Reformed Church Archives
• Heritage Hall, Calvin College for Christian Reformed Church records.

Seventh Day Adventist

• Center for Adventist Research, James White Library, Andrews University

Cemetery Resources

• Michigan Cemetery Atlas
• Michigan Cemetery Sources-no longer being maintained but can contact Library of Michigan
• Michigan Tombstone Transcription Project
• Find a Grave
• Cemetery Junction
• Internment.net

Pure Michigan Genealogy is a series of posts on researching in Michigan.  Churches and Cemeteries is part four in the series.  Other posts in this series include:

1.  Michigan History

2.  Migration and Immigration

3.  Records

4.  Yankee Migration

5.  Churches and Cemeteries

6. Archives, Libraries, Societies and Organizations

7.  What Else is There? 10 More Resources

8.  Maps 

9.  Living History

10. The End

Pure Michigan Genealogy: Yankee Migration

Michigan Territory once had a reputation as "good for Indians and disease and not much else."  Men who served in the Michigan Territory during the War of 1812 sent word back home about the dismal area of the territory.  Surveyor General Edward Tiffin reported after an 1817 survey "no tillable acre in the whole territory, worthless soil, all they did find were bogs, swamps, mosquitoes, dangerous animals and savage Indians."

If this was the case how did Michigan ever become a state?  We have Lewis Cass, Territorial Governor and Henry Schoolcraft, explorer, to thank for new surveys showing that the territory was habitable.  Cass wrote to the general government saying that the lands of Michigan had been grossly misrepresented.  New surveys were ordered.  A sixty-five person team surveyed the area starting in May 1820, with Henry Schoolcraft in tow.  They found the wilderness very habitable.

Something else was happening during this time.  Robert Fulton discovered that steamboats could travel up the Hudson River from New York to Albany. Steamboat travel combined with the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 allowed an all water route from the Atlantic Ocean to Michigan.  This allowed western migration to move from the Ohio Valley to the Great Lakes.

Lastly, John Farmer, an early surveyor from New York, sold a map and a gazetteer, "Farmer's Guide to Michigan".  The new survey results, the Erie Canal opening and Farmer's map and gazetteer reached those living in the east and new settlements were on the horizon.

My ancestor, Orlo Fenn, was one of those who used the Erie Canal to travel to the Michigan Territory.  He writes back home to his family in Shoreham, Vermont:

We have enjoyed good health ever since we left Shoreham, for which we ought to feel thankful, but I must proceed to give you a short history of our travils (sic) since we left Shoreham. We arrived in Whitehall the same day we left Shoreham and locked up. The next morning we left and arrived in Troy on Friday morning. Left Troy Friday evening and arrived in Buffalo on Saturday of the next week in time to ship outboard the steamboat Ohio.  At 1/2 past 10 o'clock we left Buffalo for Detroit on Monday evening, which made us two weeks from home....

Source: ”A Letter to Shoreham,” Vermont Quarterly, July 1955, page 329.  From a letter written by Orlo H. Fenn, Dexter, Michigan Territory,  to his parents, Daniel Fenn and Huldah Rowley Fenn, in Shoreham, Vermont, 1 July 1832. 

Orlo Fenn wasn't the only "Yankee" who migrated to Michigan during this time.  The population of the Michigan Territory in 1805 was about 4000, most of which lived in the Detroit, Frenchtown, Mackinaw and Detroit River vicinity.  By 1830 the population rose to 31630, many from the New England area.

This growth became known as the "Yankee migration."  What is a Yankee? Brian C. Wilson, author of Yankees in Michigan, defines it as a “distinct ethnic group...descendants of the first seventeenth-century English settlers to New England” 

The Yankee migration began around Plymouth, Massachusetts and continued to other points in Massachusetts.  Next, migration to Connecticut via the Connecticut Trail, then to Western Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire using the Connecticut River.  Many migrated to New York and Pennsylvania and the Northwest Territory.

Yankees left in hopes of finding better land. Lands in the east were being used up and if a family had too many sons, there wasn't enough land to inherit. Once land became available in the Northwest Territory many moved. First to Ohio, then Indiana and Illinois and eventually Michigan.

There was a song about this emigration, the Emigrant's Song:

Come all ye Yankee farmers who wish to change your lot,

Who’ve spunk enough to travel beyond your native spot,

And leave behind the village where Pa and Ma do stay,

Come follow me, and settle in Michigania-

Yea, Yea, Yea, in Michigania.

The population steadily grew with this Yankee migration.  Michigan became a state in 1837. The 1840 population was 212,267; 1850 population was 397,654 with over 40% from six New England states:

• Rhode Island-1031
• Maine-1117
• New Hampshire-2744
• Connecticut-6751
• Massachusetts-8167
• Vermont-11113
• New York-133756

Michigan would be a different place without the Yankee influence. Yankees were involved in the law making and governing of Michigan.  The first fourteen governors were from the East . Michigan's First Constitutional Convention was 70% New Yorkers.  Michigan patterned many laws after New England states.  Punishments were taken from Vermont; Probate from Massachusetts; Real Estate laws from New York; and Townships from New England.  Just about every facet of Michigan growth can be contributed to the Yankee Migration, including education, religion, judiciary, business and more.

Today's Michiganders would never believe that Michigan was once described as inhabitable. Michigan is home to beautiful, sandy beaches, fresh water in rivers and streams, in addition to the four Great Lakes we border. It has fertile land and lush forests. The growth of Michigan from Yankee migration is one I am happy to call my own story.  I am glad my Fenn family traveled from Vermont and settled in my home state.  Yea! Yea! Yea! in Michigania.

Yankee Migration is one in a series of posts about researching Michigan.  The others are:

1.  Michigan History

2.  Migration and Immigration

3.  Records

4.  Yankee Migration

5.  Churches and Cemeteries

6. Archives, Libraries, Societies and Organizations

7.  What Else is There? 10 More Resources

8.  Maps 

9.  Living History

10. The End