Montmorency County Genealogy Records Database

Montmorency County genealogy records are held at the county clerk's office in Atlanta. The county was not organized until 1881, so records begin from that year. Birth, death, and marriage records are all available through the clerk. This small, rural northern Michigan county offers a focused record set for researchers tracing families in the Atlanta area and surrounding townships.

Montmorency County Clerk Office

The Montmorency County Clerk is located at 12265 M-32 in Atlanta, Michigan. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The phone number is 989-785-8022. Fax is 989-785-8024. Because this is one of Michigan's smallest counties by population, the office is compact. Call ahead to confirm availability and to ask whether a specific record exists before making a trip.

Birth records begin in 1881 and are restricted under MCL 333.2882. Records less than 100 years old are available only to the person named, their parents, a legal guardian, or a documented heir. Records over 100 years old are open to the public for genealogy research. Death and marriage records are public from 1881 forward and accessible to anyone. The certified copy fee is $15, per MCL 333.2884.

Mail requests are accepted but take longer than in-person visits. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services at P.O. Box 30721, Lansing, MI 48909 (phone 517-335-8666) is the statewide backup when county records are not sufficient.

Vital Records in Montmorency County

Montmorency County vital records begin in 1881, which is later than most Michigan counties. Birth records from that year forward are held by the clerk. Under MCL 333.2885, certified copies are only available to eligible persons for records under 100 years old. Records from before the mid-1920s are now in the public domain, so genealogists can access them without proving a relationship.

Death records start in 1881 and are always public. A certified death record shows the name of the deceased, date and place of death, cause, the name of the informant, and burial location. For a small county like Montmorency, these details often lead directly to other family members who lived nearby. Death records cost $15 each.

Marriage records begin in 1881. They are public and cost $15 per certified copy. Old marriage records may include ages, birthplaces, and fathers' names for both parties. If your ancestor married in Montmorency County in the 1880s or 1890s, the record may give you their place of origin before coming to northern Michigan.

Note: For ancestors in this area before 1881, check the records of neighboring counties such as Otsego or Cheboygan, as those counties would have covered this territory before Montmorency was organized.

Searching Montmorency County Records Online

The FamilySearch Wiki for Montmorency County gives an overview of records available and points to digitized collections. FamilySearch is free and has indexed some Michigan county records. Check the wiki to see what is available online before contacting the clerk.

The Montmorency County MIGenWeb page has volunteer-contributed resources including cemetery transcriptions and genealogy links. Small county MIGenWeb pages often contain unique transcriptions not found in official databases. It is a good supplement to the clerk's records.

Michiganology provides free access to Michigan death certificates from 1897 through 1952, including those filed in Montmorency County. This covers the bulk of early 20th-century deaths in the county. Results show the original certificate image.

The Archives at 702 W. Kalamazoo St. (517-373-1408) can be contacted by phone or visited in person. For very early records from before Montmorency County's organization, land records and census data from the Archives may be the only way to trace families in this area before 1881.

Burton Historical Collection and Library Resources

The Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public Library holds Michigan genealogy materials including resources from across the state, not just the Detroit area. For researchers who cannot visit the Archives of Michigan in Lansing, the Burton collection offers another option for Michigan-wide research.

The Burton collection includes local histories, family genealogies, newspapers, and other materials. Contact the Detroit Public Library for remote access options and to ask what they hold for northern Michigan counties like Montmorency.

Communities in Montmorency County

Montmorency County is one of Michigan's smallest counties. Atlanta is the county seat. Other communities include Hillman and several small townships spread across the county. None of these communities meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. All genealogy record requests go through the county clerk at 12265 M-32 in Atlanta.

Nearby Counties

These counties are adjacent to Montmorency County. Researchers often need to check neighboring county records, especially for ancestors who lived in this area before 1881 when Montmorency was not yet organized.