Search Iosco County Obituary Records

Iosco County obituary and death records go back to 1868, and the county has an unusually detailed set of genealogy resources for a smaller Michigan county. The Iosco County Gazette Index alone covers over 3,500 records from 1900 to 1910, and a Paupers database spanning 1869 to 1934 adds another layer of historical detail. Online ordering is available for certified death certificates through the Tawas City clerk. This page covers all the main ways to find Iosco County death records, from the county clerk to free online indexes and the MIGenWeb project.

Iosco County Clerk

The Iosco County Clerk at 422 W. Lake St. in Tawas City handles certified death certificates, probate filings, and vital records for the county. Standard hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The copy fee is $15 per certificate. Iosco County offers online ordering for vital records, which is useful if you cannot make the trip to Tawas City. Staff can help with in-person searches by name and year, and they can direct you to county indexes for older records.

Certified death certificates under MCL 333.2882 are restricted to immediate family, legal representatives, and others with a documented need. Older records, especially those well past the 75-year mark, may be accessible under broader rules. The clerk can clarify what qualifies for a given request. For records going back to 1868, most of the historical range is now open.

Iosco County Obituary and Historical Record Sources

The Iosco County MIGenWeb site at iosco.migenweb.org is the main hub for historical death research in this county. The site hosts the Iosco County Gazette Index, which covers over 3,500 records from 1900 to 1910. The Gazette was the main local newspaper for the Tawas area, and its death and obituary notices are detailed. Finding a name in this index often gives you enough to locate the full death certificate through the county or state.

The Paupers database covering 1869 to 1934 is another notable resource found through the MIGenWeb project. County poorhouse and pauper records often document deaths of individuals who had no family to file a formal death notice. These records can fill gaps in the standard death certificate series, especially for the late 1800s and early 1900s. The 1894 Michigan State Census, also available for Iosco County, is useful for confirming that a person was living at a specific date, which helps bound the search for a later death record.

The FamilySearch Iosco County Michigan Genealogy guide covers available collections, microfilm resources, and digital indexes. FamilySearch has Michigan death records that include Iosco County entries, all searchable at no cost. The guide also notes where physical records are held when digital copies are not available.

Michigan State Death Records for Iosco County

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services holds certified death certificates at the state level. You can order through the Lansing office by mail or in person, or use VitalChek online with a $12.95 service fee added. The state fee is $34 for the first certified copy and $16 for each additional copy in the same order. The MDHHS vital records phone number is 517-335-8666. Since Iosco County also offers online ordering locally, residents may find the county portal more convenient for standard copy requests.

The MichiganOlogy GENDIS database provides free access to early Michigan death record indexes. For Iosco County, GENDIS covers the same early period as the Gazette Index but draws on the state's own records. The Michiganology platform makes death record images from 1897 to 1952 free to view. Public Act 73 of 2006 restricts online access to records less than 75 years old, so deaths after 1952 require a formal request. Statewide registration started under Public Act 194 of 1867, with Iosco County records beginning in 1868.

The Archives of Michigan holds historical vital records including older death indexes. For Iosco County, the combination of the GENDIS database, the Gazette Index, and the Paupers database covers most pre-1952 deaths. The county clerk handles recent records. Together, these sources make Iosco County one of the more researchable smaller counties in northern Michigan.

Note: The Gazette Index and Paupers database at Iosco MIGenWeb are unique to this county and worth checking before using any paid genealogy service.

Cities in Iosco County

Tawas City is the county seat. East Tawas, Oscoda, and Au Sable are other communities in the county. None of these cities meet the population threshold for individual city pages on this site. All death records for Iosco County residents go through the county clerk in Tawas City.

Nearby Counties

These counties are close to Iosco County in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula. Death records for people who moved around this region may be spread across more than one county archive.