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 Churches - a scrapbook of information from our archives

• DeWitt Directories and Maps - a collection of brochures and maps

• DeWitt History - includes scans relating to the history of DeWitt

• 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 Places - information and photos from past and present

• DeWitt Public Schools - a scrapbook compiled by Ken Coin

• DeWitt Ox Roast - a collection of programs and mementos

• DeWitt Sesquicentennial - programs from 1983 celebration

• Faye Hanson Scrapbook - her scrapbook of newspaper articles she wrote from 1964-1974

• Gunnisonville History - 1939  by Alta Gunnison Pierce

• Kenneth R. Coin Photograph Collection - scans of photos and select archival items

• 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

• Michiganology 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)

• World War II Scrapbook
   

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

• 1883 Clinton County Civil War Pensioners

• 1894 Listing of Clinton County Civil War Veterans

• Clinton County Spanish American War Veterans

• 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)

• Clinton County School Yearbooks

• Sheridan Road School Yearbooks

• 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

• Bauerle's Genealogy Page

• Gardner-Pierson Genealogy

• 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

• Clinton County GenWeb

• Ingham County GenWeb

• Ionia County GenWeb

• Paine-Gillam-Scott Museum  St. Johns, Michigan

• Shiawassee County Gen Web

• Shiawassee County History  by Steve Schmidt

• Mid-Michigan Genealogical Society

• 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.

• Details About DeWitt (2001)

• DeWitt Newspaper Columns by Ken Coin

• Dewitt District Library has copies of local histories including the DeWitt Area History by Ken Coin

• 1983 DeWitt Follies Program

• DeWitt Sesquicentennial Pow Wow (1983)

• DeWitt Sesquicentennial Souvenir Book (1983)

• Elsie Michigan History

• History and Biographical Album of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties (1880) Complete text online

• Past and present of Clinton 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 over 1000 photos of all businesses and residences in the City of DeWitt from the late 1970's to early 1980's.  Most are black and white photos from April 1978.  Others of new construction or major changes after that date are color. Organized by street and number.  Some street numbers have changed since the time of the photograph. Some buildings are missing from the collection.  May be viewed upon request.  Scanned copies may also be requested by emailing migenweb4@gmail.com.

• Ralph L. Woodruff Scrapbook -- A scrapbook of photos and mementos from his time attending Michigan State from 1923-1927.  All photos have been scanned along with a few select mementos.  Photos include campus life, sporting events, ROTC, and friends.
   

Links to Genealogy Websites

• Ancestry.com

• Cyndi's List  extensive list of sites

• FamilySearch great site with lots of free data

• FamilyTreeMaker

• Library of Michigan Genealogy Collection pedigree charts, family group charts and more

• Michigan State Archives

• Michigan Family History Network

• National Archives and Records Administration:  The Genealogy Page

• National Archives of Canada

• National Genealogical Society

• Roots Web

• USGenWeb