Guide to Montcalm County, Michigan ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 1.1 Description
- 1.2 County Courthouse
- 1.3 Montcalm County, Michigan Record Dates
- 1.4 Record Loss
- 1.5 Boundary Changes
- 1.6 Populated Places
- 1.7 History Timeline
- 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
- 2.22.1 Voting 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
- 2.28.1 Birth
- 2.28.2 Marriage
- 2.28.3 Death
- 2.28.4 Divorce
- 3 Research Facilities
- 3.1 Archives
- 3.2 FamilySearch Centers
- 3.3 Libraries
- 3.4 Museums
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The county was named for Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. The county is located in the central area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Montcalm County Courthouse
211 W Main Street
PO Box 368
Stanton, MI 48888
Phone: 989-831-7339
Montcalm County Website
County Clerk has birth and death records from 1867, marriage records from 1858, divorce and court records from 1865.
Probate Court has probate records.
Register of Deeds has land records. [3]
Montcalm 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 | 1858 | 1867 | 1865 | 1838 | 1855 | 1820 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1905 The courthouse was destroyed by fire on 16 February; however, county records were saved.
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
- Burned Counties. By Michael John Neill at 24-7 Family History Circle.
- When the Records are Gone. By Arlene Eakle at Arlene Eakle's Tennessee Blog.
- Burned Counties Research in the FamilySearch Research Wiki.
- List of counties in the United States with Record Loss
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
- 1831--Montcalm County was created 2 March 1831 from Mackinac County. It was attached to Ionia County prior to organization 20 March 1850.
- County seat: Stanton[5]
- Interactive Map of Michigan County Formation History (1790-1897) - animated maps illustrating Michigan county boundary changes
- Michigan Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library
- County Evolution In Michigan, 1790-1897 by Richard W. Welch for the development of the counties in the state
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]
- Montcalm County MI Bible Records at Michigen USGenWeb Archives
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1850 | 891 | — |
| 1860 | 3,968 | 345.3% |
| 1870 | 13,629 | 243.5% |
| 1880 | 33,148 | 143.2% |
| 1890 | 32,754 | −1.2% |
| 1900 | 32,754 | 0.0% |
| 1910 | 32,069 | −2.1% |
| 1920 | 30,441 | −5.1% |
| 1930 | 27,471 | −9.8% |
| 1940 | 28,581 | 4.0% |
| 1950 | 31,013 | 8.5% |
| 1960 | 35,795 | 15.4% |
| 1970 | 39,660 | 10.8% |
| 1980 | 47,555 | 19.9% |
| 1990 | 53,059 | 11.6% |
| 2000 | 61,226 | 15.4% |
| 2010 | 63,342 | 3.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
State Census
- 1850-1880 Michigan Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1894 Michigan State Census, 1894 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection This is one of 17 counties that have a full, searchable census with links to images.
- 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[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.
- 1819-1991 Michigan, Church Records, 1819-1991 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Directories[edit | edit source]
- 1863-1922 Michigan State Gazetteers and Business Directories at Hathi Trust Digital Library — images
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
- 1929-1966 Michigan, Crew Lists for various ports, 1929-1966 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Brigham Funeral Chapel in Edmore, Lakeview, Six Lakes and Vestaburg.
- Christiansen's Michigan Cremation and Funeral Care in Greenville.
- Howard City Funeral and Cremation Services in Howard City.
- Hurst Funeral Home in Greenville.
- Lux and Schnepp Funeral Homes in Carson City and Crystal.
- Marshall Funeral Home Inc. in Greenville.
- Simpson Family Funeral Homes in Sheridan and Stanton.
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 Montcalm County courthouse and where records are currently housed.
Online Land Indexes and Records
- Full-Text Search - Land Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Montcalm 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.
Portrait and biographical album of Ionia and Montcalm counties, Mich. - FamilySearch Digital Library
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
- 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
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Civil War
- 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 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
- Michigan, Civil War Centennial Observance Commission, Committee on Civil War Grave Registration, Burial Records at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
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
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Digital Michigan Newspapers at Central Michigan University
- 1800s-Current Michigan, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-Current at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- 1820-2006 Michigan Obituaries, 1820-2006 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voting Records[edit | edit source]
- 1850-Onward Michigan Voter Registrations at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
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 Probate Indexes and Records
- 1784-1980 Michigan, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1784-1980 at Ancestry.com ($) — index & images
- 1797-1973 Michigan Probate Records 1797-1973 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; images
- Full-Text Search - Wills and Probate Records at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; How to Search
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
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]
- 1867-1902 Michigan Births, 1867-1902 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection
- 1867-1917 Michigan, County Births, 1867-1917 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
- 1867-1952 Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
- 1897-1952 Michigan Death Records at Michiganology - index and images, organized by county and then last name.
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1897-1952 Michigan, Divorce Records, 1897-1952 at Ancestry ($) — index and images
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Montcalm County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]
FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- FamilySearch 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 FamilySearch center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
- Grand Rapids Public Library - an affiliate library
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Montcalm County. For state-wide library facilities, see Michigan Archives and Libraries.
Museums[edit | edit source]
Belding Museum and City History
108 Hanover St
Belding, MI 48809
Phone: 616-794-1900
Email: beldingmuseum@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Flat River Genealogical Society and Museum
213 N Franklin St
Greenville, MI 48838
Phone: 616-754-5296
Email: frhsmuseum@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Oakfield Pioneer Heritage Society and Museum
11009 Podunk Rd
Greenville, MI 48838
Phone: 616-754-1970
Website
Facebook
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Montcalm County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Michigan Societies.
Carson City Area Historical Society
91 W Main St
Carson City, MI 48811
Email: ccahs1867@gmail.com
Facebook
Crystal Township Historical Society
Dr Sweet House
221 W Lake St
PO Box 169
Crystal, MI 48818
Email: cths@crystalhistory.com
Facebook
Edmore Pine Forest Historical Museum
402 E Home St
Edmore, MI 48829
Facebook
Flat River Genealogical Society and Museum
213 N Franklin St
Greenville, MI 48838
Phone: 616-754-5296
Email: frhsmuseum@gmail.com
Website
Facebook
Ionia County Genealogical Society
PO Box 516
Lake Odessa, MI 48849-0516
Phone: 616-374-8455
Website
Facebook
Ionia County Historical Society
251 E Main
PO Box 176
Ionia, MI 48846
Phone: 616-527-6281
Email: info@ioniahistory.org
Website
Facebook
Oakfield Pioneer Heritage Society and Museum
11009 Podunk Rd
Greenville, MI 48838
Phone: 616-754-1970
Website
Facebook
Vestaburg Genealogy Society
8755 3rd St
PO Box 302
Vestaburg, MI 48891
Phone: 989-640-0056
Vestaburg Historical Society
P.O. Box 302
Vestaburg, MI 48891
Phone: 989-640-0056
Email: gram06@yahoo.com
Facebook
Western Michigan Genealogical Society
c/o Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library St NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503-3268
Email: wmgs@wmgs.org
Website
Facebook
Websites[edit | edit source]
 |
|---|
- USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county.
- Montcalm County MI Genealogy (ldsgenealogy.com)
- 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); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Montcalm County, Michigan" in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Michigan.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Montcalm County, Michigan," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, wikipedia accessed 05 November 2019.
