Kent County
Michigan GenWeb Project

Kent County Courthouse

 

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Welcome to Kent County in Southwestern Michigan.
 
It became a county in 1831. 
On March 22, 1842, the legislature changed the name of the town from Kent to
Grand Rapids.  It is the county seat.
Settlers from the east began arriving in the 1820's and the area became the furniture manufacturing capital of America by the turn of the century. The current Grand Rapids
area population is about 500,000, making it the second largest city in the state. 
 

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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Researchers

Queries, Biographies, Obituaries, etc. - Message Board

Resources:
 
Adoption Biographies Births Books Online
Businesses Cemeteries Census Churches
County Clerk Communities
(Place Names)
Deaths Diaries
and Letters
Directories Ethnic Funeral Records Furniture
Genealogies Grand Rapids Historical and
Genealogical Societies
Histories
Immigration/
Naturalization
Kent County Land Links
Lookups   Mailing Lists Maps
Plat Maps
Marriages Medical Memorial Reports Message Board
Michigan Military Newspapers Obituaries
Organizations Other Online Sources Pensioners-1883 Pioneer
New Publications Old Queries Requests Researchers
Schools Search Engines Towns Townships 
Veterans Home  Volunteers    Administration

Historical and Biographical Books
 

Dillenback's 1870 History & Directory
 

Tuttle's 1874 History of Grand Rapids
 

Memorials of the Grand River Valley by Franklin Everett, 1878 
   

Chapman's 1881 History of Kent County
 

Baxter's 1891 History of Kent County
 

  Index to Biographical Sketches, Bowen's History of Grand Rapids & Kent County, 1900 
 

Goss' 1906 History of Grand Rapids and Its Industries 
 

Etten's 1926 Citizens' History 
 

Personal Sketches-History of Kent County, Ed. Arthur S. White, 1924
 

The Catholic Church in the Grand River Valley by Father McGee, 1833-1950  

 

Kent County Coordinator: Evelyn Sawyer - evlynsaw@comcast.net
  Michigan State Coordinator: Jan Cortez   <
StateCoordinator@MiGenWeb.com>

  • Please note that the county coordinator's main role is to maintain this website not to do research.  
    Please carefully check the resources above.  If you don't find an answer, then contact me and I may be able to direct you to additional resources.

  • Looking for a relative?
    Please review the links and use the appropriate query pages or resources.
    We also have a  Researchers and Visitors' FAQ

  • Interested in helping out with our project?
    Visit our Volunteers    and Contributors' FAQ for more information.

  • Any other questions?
    Contact the County Coordinator: evlynsaw@comcast.net

  • NOTE: The GenWeb "Community Guidelines" for Message Board posting:
    We do not post commercial messages, fee-for-service postings, advertising or related links, etc.

 

WHAT's NEW?    
 
07/12/2008:
   Corrections made to the 1850 Oakfield Township, Part 3, Census - #2152 translated Harlon, Joseph and Martha.  The correct spelling is Mastin, Josiah and Martha.
1870 Kent County Census, Oakfield Tp., #230-507 - Martin, Josiah should be Mastin, Josiah
Corrections for the 1880 Kent County Census are #102 - Masten, Joseph and Morris - the correct spelling is Mastin, Josiah and Morris
07/12/2008:
   A correction to the 6th Michigan Cavalry.  The name should be Josiah Mastin on Martin
07/12/2008:  
An addition to the 1st Michigan Cavalry, Civil War - Lorenzo C. Hart, who died at the Battle of Five Forks
07/01/2008:
   Death Record for Lottie E. Elkins and Marriage Record for Lewis Elkins and Faye Post contributed by Shirley Wackerly.
06/22/2008:
   Index to Latzek Funeral Home Records, 1905 - 1962 contributed by Kathleen Tabb
06/08/2008:
   List of Kent County Newspapers, 1837 to the Present (listing the beginning and ending dates.)
06/04/2008:
   Obituary of Dr. Anne Oostendorp  
06/04/2008:
   Thomas Austin Genealogy
06/04/2008:
   David Barkley Comstock, biography of local businessman - and Genealogy
06/04/2008:
   1926 Map of Townsend Park  
06/04/2008:
   1928 St. Patrick's School, Parnell, Graduates 
06/04/2008:
   Julius H. Amberg biography  
06/04/2008:
   Charles C. Becker, Civil War soldier
05/29/2008:
   1924 Central High School Yearbook - Photos of Senior Play, Sports Teams, etc.
05/28/2008:
   Sophie de Marsac Campau D. A. R. Chapter Members, 1943-1944 transcribed by ES.
05/27/2008:
  Photos of Early Grand Rapids buildings, churches, streets, etc. contained in Etten's 1926, "A Citizen's History of Grand Rapids
05/27/2008:
   The Diary for the Unknown Girl - this mystery seems to be solved by some good detective work on the part of Ann Pollock.  You will find the information just below the diary record.
05/27/2008:
   Sophie de Marsac Campau D. A. R. Chapter Members, 1914-1915 transcribed by ES
05/19/2008:
   1949 Kent County List of Schools and The Teachers donated by Marlene Fabbro.
05/07/2008:
   Photos of Grand Rapids Places: G. R. Boat and Canoe Club , Ringling Circus Concert Band and
Kalamazoo Insane Asylum.
05/07/2008:
   Photos of Grand Rapids Businesses: G. R. Mutual Savings and Loan Assn, A. J. Sparks Company, Joppe's Dairy, Knickerbocker Press, Miller PontiacGolden & Boter Transfer, Livingston Hotel and M. C. Miner, Inc.
05/07/2008:
   Photos of Grand Rapids Buildings: Furniture Museum and Furniture Exhibition Building
05/06/2008:
   1919 Grandville High School Junior Class  
05/06/2008:
   1919 Grandville High School Graduates
05/06/2008:
   A 1917 article on the Village of Alto
05/06/2008:
   A General List of Genealogy Records for the Cedar Springs Historical Museum
05/06/2008:
   Genealogies: Arthur S. Miller
05/06/2008:
  1943 Kent County Eighth Grade Graduates
05/06/2008:
  1944 Kent County Eighth Grade Graduates
05/06/2008:
   1937 South High School Faculty and Names of Sports Players 
05/06/2008:
   Obituaries: Rev. Jacob Eppinga, William Greeson, Rev. Solomon B. Shaw and Eugene Williams 
05/06/2008:
   Grandville - Pictures of the Grandville House, the Medemar House and the 1909 Town Hall   
05/06/2008:
   Biographies: Edsko and Claire Hekman, Roberta Griffith   
05/06/2008:
   Bowen's Biographical Sketches: Edgar A. Maher
05/04/2008:
   State Archives of Michigan - Topics they will research and the fee for the research.
04/25/2008:
   Updated version of Rolf Cemetery, Lowell, Michigan by Tim Holtz
04/22/2008:
   Corrections made, broken links repaired and the website moved to MiGenWeb.
03/13/2008:
   Bowen's Biographical Sketches: Prof. John W. Matthews, Wallace B. Matthews, M.D. , Reuben Maurits, M.D., John H. May, Lewis Robert May, M.D., Fred August Maynard, Prof. John A. Meyer, Gaylord B. Miller, M.D. and Henry R. Naysmith transcribed by Barb Jones.
03/13/2008:
   Kent County Death Record Index, 1850-1940:  G,   H,   I,   J,   K  transcribed by Mary Huizen
03/06/2008:
   1925 Union High School - Faculty Photos, Senior Photos, Sports Teams and Two Photos of the Union High School building at different time periods.
02/25/2008:
   Link from the Masons organization to the article on the Masonic Home.
02/25/2008:
   Solon Center Wesleyan Methodist Church  photos - Raising the Bell,
Rev. Frederick Teachout, first pastor and obituary of Rev. Teachout contributed by Kathy Mabie
02/25/2008:
   Pictures of the old U. B. A. Hospital (later Blodgett Hospital)  
02/25/2008:
   Photo of Ottawa Hills High School, 1937  
02/25/2008:
   Kent County Death Record Index, 1850-1940:  D,   E,   F  
transcribed by Mary Huizen
02/19/2008:
   Original picture of Solon Center Wesleyan Methodist Church contributed by
Kathy Mabie.
02/19/2008:
   Solon Township One-Room School pictures - Briggs School, Pioneer School             and White Creek School contributed by Kathy Mabie.
02/14/2008:
   Bowen's Biographical Sketches: Walter McLouth, Harry B. McMillan, D.D.S.,
Matthew T. McNamara, Gen. Andrew T. McReynolds, Benjamin Franklin McReynolds, and
George Middleton transcribed by Barb Jones.  
02/14/2008:
   1930 Creston High School - Faculty, Seniors, Senior Class Officers, Sports, and other students transcribed and scanned by ES.
02/07/2008:
   Obituary and Death Records for Seymour Beach transcribed by ES.
02/04/2008:
   Obituary of John Waddell, local businessman transcribed by ES.
02/04/2008:
   Genealogies:  Caleb Amidon, Francis Brewer, Harmon A. Burch, Earl Deremo,
John Heileman, Howell/LaBarge, John C. Krum, Hendrik Lamberts, Jacob Lamberts, Orson E. Locke, Lynch/O'Brien, Edward Gray/Wm Martindale, Jacob Nellis, Asa A. Norton, Thomas Pender,
John Quartel, John Richardson, Henry M. Rouse, and Theodore Ward transcribed by ES.
02/04/2008:
   1925 Union High School students and faculty transcribed by Mary Huizen. 
02/04/2008:
   Updated information for Research Shirley DeBoer
 

What's New?" -Archived Announcements:
1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002  -  2003 - 2004
- 2005   2006  2007  2008
 

 


!!WANTED!!
Old Records Pertaining to Kent County
To Be Placed on this GenWeb.

  • BOOKS/BOOKLETS: such as old school yearbooks, church anniversary books, women's and men's organizations that give listings of members.

  • TOWNSHIP RECORDS:  Old voter registrations, early marriage and death records, school records, etc. 

  • PHOTOS: Pictures of schoolhouses or classes, sports teams, etc. with their names and years.

  • OTHER: Old family letters, local businesses, and more.
    These would need to be the early years until about 1940 time period.  Birth Records, if they are family records, are fine.  If they are from official records, then they need to be 100 years old.  Death and Marriage Records to the present.  If you send photocopies or scanned photos and articles, we would appreciate them.  
    OR if you have material that you would loan us to scan or transcribe to put on the website, please let us know.
            Evelyn Sawyer  - new email address:  evlynsaw@comcast.net

    A big "Thank You" to those who have responded. 
    Everyone working together can make this website even better.


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Copyright © 2001-2008 by Evelyn Sawyer
Copyright © 1999-2001 by Jennifer Godwin, Ronnie Aungst and a merry band of volunteers.
Copyright © 1997-1999 by Mary del Rivette.