Gladwin County Death Records and Obituaries

Gladwin County death records date back to 1875 and are kept at the County Clerk's office in Gladwin. This page covers how to find Gladwin County obituaries and death certificates, including the county library's dedicated genealogy room, online search tools, and the state-level resources available through MDHHS. Whether you need a recent death certificate or are searching family history from the lumbering era, this guide points you to the right source.

Gladwin County Clerk Death Records

The Gladwin County Clerk at 401 W. Cedar Ave. in Gladwin is the primary source for county death records. Under MCL 333.2882, Michigan death records are open to the public. You do not need to be a family member to order a copy. The fee is between $10 and $13. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM. The county's official site is at gladwincounty-mi.gov.

Gladwin County's death records begin in 1875, slightly later than many Michigan counties because the county was not fully organized until after the initial 1867 mandate took effect statewide under Public Act 194 of 1867. Early records may have some gaps due to the sparse population and the transient nature of the lumbering workforce that passed through the county in the late 19th century. The MichiganGenWeb Gladwin County page at gladwin.migenweb.org offers death indexes and research guidance compiled by local genealogy volunteers.

The Gladwin MichiganGenWeb page provides death record transcriptions and links to resources compiled by volunteer genealogists with knowledge of the county's lumbering-era communities.

The Gladwin County MichiganGenWeb site covers death indexes, cemetery records, and genealogy resources specific to the Gladwin area.

Else M. Kelly Genealogy Room

The Gladwin County Library houses the Else M. Kelly Genealogy Room, a dedicated genealogy research space that holds local death records, obituary clippings, cemetery indexes, and family history materials. This room was named for a longtime county genealogist whose work contributed significantly to the local archive. The genealogy collection includes materials not easily found online, including handwritten church records and funeral home registers donated over the decades.

The Kelly Genealogy Room is particularly useful for lumbering-era research. Gladwin County was heavily logged in the late 1800s, and the workforce included many men who died in the woods with little family nearby to register their deaths. The library's collection includes materials gathered from church records and local newspaper death notices that help fill gaps in the official registration record. For family researchers, visiting the library in person often turns up details that no online database holds.

Note: Call the Gladwin County Library ahead of your visit to confirm genealogy room hours and any appointment requirements, as staffing may vary by season.

State Death Records and Online Databases

MDHHS holds statewide certified death records. For Gladwin County, contact MDHHS at 517-335-8666. The cost is $34 for one certified copy and $16 for each extra copy ordered at the same time. Online orders go through VitalChek with a $12.95 service fee. For records before 1952, the free GENDIS database on Michiganology covers Gladwin County deaths and is the best free tool for the county's lumbering-era records.

Public Act 73 of 2006 restricts online image access to records less than 75 years old. Older records on GENDIS and FamilySearch are available without fee. The FamilySearch Gladwin County wiki lists archives and research starting points. Findagrave.com holds cemetery transcriptions for Gladwin County cemeteries with headstone data that can confirm or supplement obituary research.

GENDIS covers Gladwin County death records from 1897 through 1952 at no cost, making it a useful tool for researchers of the county's lumbering-era families.

Gladwin County Obituary Sources

The Gladwin County Record has been the local paper of record for many decades. Death notices from this paper are the most direct source for local obituaries. Older back issues are held at the county library and may be available on microfilm. The Michigan State Archives holds microfilm of many mid-Michigan papers and may have Gladwin County coverage in its holdings.

Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com have digitized portions of Michigan newspapers, though smaller county papers like those in Gladwin may have limited online coverage. Cemetery walks and Findagrave.com entries for Gladwin County provide death dates from headstones and often include photos that can help researchers confirm identities and connect family lines. For deaths during the height of the lumbering era in the 1880s and 1890s, cross-checking with Isabella and Clare county records is wise because workers often moved between counties for employment.

Cities in Gladwin County

Gladwin is the county seat and only city in Gladwin County. It does not meet the population threshold for an individual city page on this site. All death records for Gladwin County residents are filed with the county clerk in Gladwin.

Nearby Counties

Gladwin County borders four mid-Michigan counties. Researchers should check neighboring counties for deaths near county lines or for families who moved frequently in the lumbering era.