Allegan County, Michigan Genealogy
Guide to Allegan County, Michigan ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county name was coined by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft to sound like a Native American word. The county is located in the southwest area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Allegan County Courthouse
113 Chestnut St.
Allegan, MI 49010-1362
Phone: 616-673-0450
Allegan County Website
County Clerk has birth and death records from from 1867, marriage records from 1835, divorce, court and land records from 1836 and military discharge records.
Probate Court has probate records from 1836. [3]
Allegan County, Michigan Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1867 | 1835 | 1867 | 1836 | 1836 | 1839 | 1820 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
|
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
|
|
|
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- 1799-1999 - Michigan, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), Cemetery Index, 1799-1999 at FamilySearch — index and images
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1840 | 1,783 | — |
| 1850 | 5,125 | 187.4% |
| 1860 | 16,087 | 213.9% |
| 1870 | 32,105 | 99.6% |
| 1880 | 37,815 | 17.8% |
| 1890 | 38,961 | 3.0% |
| 1900 | 38,812 | −0.4% |
| 1910 | 39,819 | 2.6% |
| 1920 | 37,540 | −5.7% |
| 1930 | 38,974 | 3.8% |
| 1940 | 41,839 | 7.4% |
| 1950 | 47,493 | 13.5% |
| 1960 | 57,729 | 21.6% |
| 1970 | 66,575 | 15.3% |
| 1980 | 81,555 | 22.5% |
| 1990 | 90,509 | 11.0% |
| 2000 | 105,665 | 16.7% |
| 2010 | 111,408 | 5.4% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 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
- 1850-1880 - Michigan Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Michigan denominations, view the Michigan Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
- This directory includes Casco Township residents and lists the township section number, whether owned or rented, and number of acres.
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
- 1929 - 1966 Michigan, Crew Lists for various ports, 1929-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index and images
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Michigan Land and Property for additional information about early Michigan land grants. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the Allegan County courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Allegan County. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories, see the wiki page section Michigan Local Histories.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Maps of Michigan (1790-1897)
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
- - 17th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Company E
Online Indexes and Records
- Michigan, Civil War Centennial Observance Commission, Committee on Civil War Grave Registration, Burial Records at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1876-1945 - Michigan, Grand Army of the Republic Membership Records, 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
World War I
- 1917-1919 - Michigan, Census of World War I Veterans with Card Index, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
- 1837-1993 - Michigan, Eastern and Western Districts, Naturalization Records, 1837-1993 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index and images
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Southwest Michigan Obituary Index at Ancestry($) from the earliest date to 2000.
- 1820-2006 Michigan Obituaries, 1820-2006 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
In most counties in Michigan, probate records have been kept by the county judge. They include wills, fee books, claim registers, legacy records, inheritance records, probate packets, and dockets. The records are available at the county courthouse.
Online Indexes and Records
- 1784–1980 Michigan Wills and Probate Records 1784-1980 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
- 1797-1973 Michigan Probate Records 1797-1973 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index 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.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Michigan tax records complement land records and can be used to supplement the years between censuses. Because only persons who owned taxable property were listed, many residents were not included in tax lists. There may also be gaps of several years in the tax records of some counties. For more information see the Wiki page, Michigan Taxation.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
- Birth Records and Death Records from 1867 can be obtained from the Michigan Department of Community Health or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.
- Marriage Records from 1867 and Divorce Records from 1897 can be obtained from the County Clerk.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1867-1917 - Michigan, County Births, 1867-1917 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1902 - Michigan Births, 1867-1902 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1585-1945 - Michigan, United States Marriages at FindMyPast $
- 1820-1937 - Michigan, County Marriages Index, 1820-1937 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1820-1940 - Michigan, County Marriages, 1820-1940 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1868-1925 - Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1880 - Michigan Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch- How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1897 - Michigan Deaths, 1867-1897 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1897-1952 Michigan Death Records at Michiganology - index and images, organized by county and then last name.
Divorce[edit | edit source]
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Allegan County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Allegan County. For state-wide library facilities, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Allegan County Old Jail Museum
113 Walnut Street
Allegan MI 49010
Phone: 269-673-8292
website
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Allegan County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Michigan Societies.
- Allegan County Historical Society
113 Walnut Street
Allegan, MI 49010
Phone: 269-673-8292
Facebook Website - Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society
130 West Center Street/PO Box 619
Douglas, MI 49406
Phone: 269-857-5751
Facebook Website - Then and Now Historical and Genealogical Society of Allegan County
532 N. Main
Wayland, MI 49348
Phone: 616-681-0333
Facebook - Wayland Area Tree Tracers
129 W. Cedar Street
Wayland, MI 49348 - Western Michigan Genealogical Society
c/o Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library Street
NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503-3268
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
|
- AlleganCounty, MI-Roots Michigan Roots is a member of the PA-Roots family of websites.
- The Allegan County MIGenWeb Project, an member of The MIGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
- Allegan County MI Genealogy (Michigan Genealogy)
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Allegan, County," in wikipedia
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Allegan County, Michigan page 343, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Allegan, Michigan," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegan_County,_Michigan, accessed 22 August 2019.
