Local History & Genealogy
DeWitt District Library Local History Collection
The DeWitt District Library does not currently have a local
history room. The most popular items are on shelves while archival
materials are stored at various locations. Please make arrangements in
advance if you wish to view any archival material. The library is in
the process of digitizing and making available much of its collection on
this site. Please check back as new material will be added regularly.
DeWitt Digital Library
Cook Family Letters - three generations of letters from 1841 to 1913
Dateline DeWitt - articles from the Shopping Guide from 1984-1990
DeWitt History Newspaper Columns (1974-1976 & 1984-1997) by Faye Hanson and Ken Coin
DeWitt People - a scrapbook of newspaper clippings compiled by Ken Coin
DeWitt Public Schools - a scrapbook compiled by Ken Coin
DeWitt Sesquicentennial - programs from 1983 celebration
Social Organizations - a scrapbook of material from our archives compiled by Ken Coin
World War II Scrapbook - a scrapbook of newspaper clippings of Clinton County service men and women
DeWitt Area
Research
Birth, Marriage, Death and Cemetery Records
Clinton County Marriage Records Links to Clinton County church and newspaper records
Michigan Marriage Index for Clinton County Searchable database compiled by Jack Dibean
DeWitt Area Cemetery Records Library has paper copies along with Mt. Rest and Oak Ridge Cemetery readings.
Clinton County Clerk Marriage and death records open to public. Limited access to birth records.
Clinton County Deaths from Clinton County Historical Society
Clinton County Births to 1900 from Clinton County Historical Society
Clinton County Historical Society Archives Excellent source for records and information
Michigan Death Records (GENDIS) Online database of early Michigan death records
Seeking Michigan Death certificates, death records, and much more from Archives of Michigan
Social Security Death Index Online database of US deaths
FamilySearch Online database from the LDS (Morman) Church
Michigan in the Civil War Includes link to veteran burial sites
Biographical and Newspaper
DeWitt Newspaper Columns by Ken Coin
DeWitt People - a scrapbook of newspaper clippings available at the library
Audio Recordings Interviews from 1970's-1980's
Family histories Index to histories available at the library
Family Group Sheets Via Michigan GenWeb
Newspapers -- The DeWitt District Library has microfilm of the following local newspapers:
DeWitt-Bath Review (1980-present). The library also holds some paper copies.
DeWitt Weekly Advertiser (1950-1969; some missing issues)
Clinton Republican (1863-1924)
Clinton Independent (1866-1906)
St. Johns News (1892-1923)
Clinton County Republican-News (1924-1950)
Misc. Dewitt and Clinton County issues (microfilm and paper)
Census and Military Records
The DeWitt Library has Clinton County microfilm for 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910 and the 1890 special Civil War veteran census
1880 census for U.S. & 1881 census for Canada Full census available online
Heritage Quest 1790-1930 U.S. Census images & Revolutionary War records. FREE with DeWitt library card or Michigan driver's license
Church and School Records
DeWitt District Library has the following church records: DeWitt Congregational Church (1840's-1860's); DeWitt Baptist Church (photocopies, 1840's-1900); DeWitt Methodist Church (1860's-1960's)
Dewitt District Library has the following school records: DeWitt Public Schools (mostly 1900-1950); DeWitt Schools Yearbook Collection; Allen School (1930's-1940's); Brown School (1860's-1950's); Simmons' School (some early essays and teacher rosters)
Family History Sites
Fuchs, Fox, Blonigen, Droste, Fedewa, Feldpausch, Garding, Gross, Martin, Miller, Niehaus, Pung, Schaefer, Schneider, Simon, Spitzley, and related families Email for look-ups from Jane's extensive database on these families
Swarthout Family History Swarthout Family of Ovid and Victor Twps.
Voisen-Stewart Family Surnames include Voisin, Yuncker, Pohl, Rademacher, Buechel, Schneider, and Gross.
Heritage Quest Full text books and more. FREE with DeWitt library card or Michigan driver's license
Historical Societies
Genealogists of Clinton County Archives are in the Valley Farms Community Center
Paine-Gillam-Scott Museum St. Johns, Michigan
Shiawassee County History by Steve Schmidt
Shiawassee County Genealogy Society includes searchable surname database
Local History
Bath School Disaster -- Bauerle
Bath School Disaster -- Daggy Includes full-text of "The Bath School Disaster" by Monty Ellsworth and more.
DeWitt Newspaper Columns by Ken Coin
Dewitt District Library has copies of local histories including the DeWitt Area History by Ken Coin
History and Biographical Album of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties (1880) Complete text online
- County, Michigan by Judge S. B. Daboll (1906) Complete text online
Portrait and Biographical Album of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties (1891) Complete text online
History of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties (1880) Complete text online
Local Businesses and Organizations
DeWitt District Library has business records for: Woodruff Brothers Bank
DeWitt District Library has organization records for: George Anderson Camp - Grand Army of the Republic; DeWitt Women's Club; DeWitt Civic Club; DeWitt Mother's Club; DeWitt Memorial Association; DeWitt PTA; DeWitt Royal Neighbors/Modern Woodmen (insurance policy holders)
Maps
Clinton County 1864 Maps from GenWeb
Atlas of Clinton County, Michigan (1873) available online
Standard Atlas of Clinton County (1896) available online
Standard Atlas of Clinton County (1915) available online
Photographs
Dewitt Area Photograph Collection -- With well over 1,000 vintage images, the ever-growing Dewitt District Library photography collection is perhaps the best documentation of this rapidly changing community. Indexed photocopies of nearly all our photographs are available for public viewing. Original photographs and negatives are housed in coded acid-free folders and stored in archival boxes. These are available for use to researchers within the local history room upon request.
Shafley negative collection - several hundred negatives mostly from the 1930's and 1940's. Some prints are available and over 100 have been scanned and are available in digital format. Those that have not been scanned are mostly of immediate family or photos from outside of the DeWitt area including the Upper Peninsula and Holland Tulip Festival.
DeWitt-Bath Review Photo Collection - An extensive collection of photos taken by the newspaper of people, businesses, and school and community activities. Most are from the 1990's-early 2000's. Nearly everyone who lived in the DeWitt area at that time is in this collection. Some have been scanned and are available in digital format. All may be viewed upon request.
DeWitt Assessor's Photos -- A collection of photos of all businesses and residences in the City of DeWitt from the late 1970's to early 1980's. May be viewed upon request.
Links to Genealogy Websites
Cyndi's List extensive list of sites
FamilySearch great site with lots of free data
Library of Michigan Genealogy Collection pedigree charts, family group charts and more
National Archives and Records Administration: The Genealogy Page
Roots-L Library half a million surnames
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