Clare County Death Records and Obituaries

Clare County obituary and death records go back to 1871, held by the County Clerk in Harrison and preserved through state vital records, genealogy databases, and local historical collections. This page shows you where to search for death notices, certified copies of death certificates, and historical obituaries tied to Clare County, Michigan. The county has a rich record base shaped by its lumbering and oil industry past.

Clare County Clerk Death Records

The Clare County Clerk's office in Harrison is the first place to start when you need a death record tied to this county. The clerk holds local vital records and can point you toward the right state or county resource. For deaths that occurred in Clare County, the clerk keeps registers and can help with requests for older records that may not be in the state system yet. The office is located at 225 W. Main St. in Harrison, just a short walk from the courthouse.

The clerk's office handles more than just death records. They keep a wide range of county documents, and staff are used to helping both residents and researchers. If you are searching for a death from the late 1800s or early 1900s, the clerk may have access to records that predate the state's centralized vital records system. Always call ahead to confirm what they have on file and what ID or documentation you will need to bring.

The official Clare County website at clareco.net has contact info for the clerk's office and other county departments. It is a good first stop before you make the trip to Harrison.

Michigan State Death Certificates

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) holds certified death certificates for Clare County going back to 1867 in many cases. Certified copies cost $34 for the first copy and $16 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. You can order by mail, in person in Lansing, or through VitalChek online. The state office phone is 517-335-8666. Their main vital records page at michigan.gov/mdhhs explains every step of the process.

When you order a certified death certificate, you will need to show proof of your relationship to the deceased or a valid reason for the request. Immediate family members and legal representatives can get certified copies. Others may be able to get an informational copy. The state follows MCL 333.2882, which sets the rules for who can access death records in Michigan.

Note: Orders placed through VitalChek carry an extra service fee on top of the state's standard charge.

Searching Clare County Obituaries Online

MIGenWeb runs a free genealogy database that covers Clare County death and obituary records. The Clare County MIGenWeb page has transcribed records, links to historical newspapers, and contributed obituary files. Volunteers maintain this site, and it is one of the best free tools for finding older Clare County death notices.

The MIGenWeb Clare County page pulls together material that is hard to find elsewhere. You will see contributed obituary collections, cemetery transcriptions, and links to local historical sources. If a name appears in the Clare County Cleaver or Clare Sentinel newspaper archives, there is a good chance someone has added it to this database over the years. It takes only a few minutes to search, and it costs nothing.

Michiganology is another solid starting point. The Michigan death records guide at michiganology.org explains the full system from local clerks to the state vital records office. They also run the GEnDIs index, which covers indexed death records for many Michigan counties. Both tools are free to use and well maintained.

FamilySearch has a dedicated Clare County genealogy page at familysearch.org. It outlines which record sets exist for this county, what dates they cover, and how to access them. FamilySearch also holds digitized Michigan death records on its main site, many of which you can view for free after creating a free account.

Clarke Historical Library at CMU

Central Michigan University's Clarke Historical Library in Mount Pleasant is one of the strongest regional archives for Clare County records. The library holds historical newspapers, family histories, county histories, and genealogy collections that cover Clare County in depth. If you are searching for an obituary from the lumber era or the early oil and gas years in this part of Michigan, this is the right place to look. The library's collections include runs of the Clare County Cleaver and other local papers that are not available anywhere else.

The Library of Michigan in Lansing also holds newspaper microfilm and genealogy collections relevant to Clare County. Staff there can help you find historical obituaries and death notices from the Clare Sentinel and other local publications. Access is free during regular library hours, and some materials can be accessed remotely through the library's online catalog.

Clare County has a Historical Society that collects local records, photos, and family histories. Their holdings complement what you find at the Clarke Historical Library and the county clerk. If you are doing deep genealogy work on a Clare County family, reaching out to the historical society is a step worth taking.

Local Libraries and Genealogy Help

The Harrison District Library and the Clare County Library System both support genealogy research for local residents and visitors. Public libraries in Michigan often hold obituary clipping files, local newspaper indexes, and genealogy reference materials that can fill in gaps when other sources come up short. Staff at these libraries are generally familiar with local history and can point you toward resources specific to Clare County families.

Newspaper obituaries from the Clare County Cleaver and Clare Sentinel are especially valuable for deaths before 1900 when state vital records were incomplete or not yet required. Many of these old issues have been microfilmed. The Harrison District Library may have local newspaper microfilm on site. The Clarke Historical Library and the Library of Michigan are the best bets for older and harder-to-find runs of these papers.

Clare County's lumbering history through the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s brought in a large transient workforce. Deaths among these workers were sometimes recorded only in local newspapers, not in formal death registers. If you are searching for a laborer or mill worker from that era, newspaper obituaries may be the only surviving record. The oil and gas boom that followed also created a distinct local death record context that local collections reflect well.

Note: Local library hours and genealogy service availability can change, so call ahead before making a trip specifically for obituary research.

What Clare County Death Records Contain

A Clare County death certificate from the state system will typically show the deceased's full name, date of death, place of death, cause of death, age, birthplace, and the name of the informant who reported the death. Later records often include Social Security numbers, occupation, and parents' names. The level of detail increases significantly for deaths after 1930 compared to those from the late 1800s.

Historical death registers held by the county clerk may be less complete. They often include just a name, date, and sometimes age or cause. These registers were kept by local officials before the state required standardized death certificates. For Clare County, records go back to 1871 in some form, but the quality and completeness of early records varies.

Obituaries from local newspapers typically contain much more personal detail than a death certificate does. A newspaper obituary might list surviving family members, the deceased's occupation, length of residence in Clare County, church membership, and details about the funeral. For researchers trying to reconstruct a family history, obituaries are often more useful than a formal death record.

Common items found in Clare County death records and obituaries include:

• Full name and any aliases or maiden names
• Date and place of death
• Cause of death (on certificates)
• Names of surviving family members
• Place of burial
• Birthplace and birth date
• Occupation and length of county residence

Nearby Counties

Clare County sits in the middle of the Lower Peninsula. If the person you are looking for may have lived in a neighboring county, check these nearby offices as well. Death records sometimes reflect the county of the hospital or funeral home rather than where the person lived.