Listed record inventories
Selected holdings and indexes for Houghton County, checked against the repository descriptions linked below. Date spans may contain gaps; an index is not a complete set of original records.
Business Records
- Annual reports · RG 89-464*1869 to 1972
- Appointment of resident agent · RG 89-464*1931 to 1971
- Articles of incorporation · RG 89-464*1853 to 1938
- Change of agent or office · RG 89-464*1934 to 1972
- Houghton County Copper, Iron and Tin Manufacturing Company minute book · RG 77-105*1871 to 1897
- Ledger, Max H. Mandlebaum · RG 77-105*1873 to 1874
- Lists of stockholders · RG 89-464*1882 to 1928
- Monthly accounts of male individuals with Calumet & Hecla Mining Co. · RG 56-11*1877
- Record of log marks · RG 89-464*1887 to 1913
- Register of assumed names · RG 89-464*1907 to 1949
- Stock ledger (Dover Mining Company) · RG 77-105*1864 to 1882
- Stock ledger (Edwards Mining Company) · RG 77-105*1864 to 1882
- Stock ledger (Mesnard Mining Company) · RG 77-105*1874 to 1893
- Stock ledger (Pontiac Mining Company) · RG 77-105*1859 to 1896
Cemetery Records
- Houghton County files · RG 83-531962 to 1979
Census Records
- Federal census · RG 56-111860 and from 1870
- Federal census (Adams Township) · RG 56-111880
- State census · RG 56-111864 and from 1874
Court Records
- Appeal docket · RG 89-465*1931 to 1938
- Chancery journal · RG 89-465*1874 to 1948
- Chancery order book · RG 89-465*1863 to 1905
- Chancery rule book · RG 89-465*1875 to 1904
- Circuit Court attachments · RG 89-465*1866 to 1868
- Circuit Court calendars · RG 89-465*1865 to 1950
- Circuit Court case files · RG 89-465*1865 to 1950
- Circuit Court civil case files · RG 97-343*1963 to 1977
- Circuit Court civil docket · RG 97-343*1963 to 1974
- Circuit Court commissioner docket · RG 89-465*1914 to 1935
- Circuit Court convictions · RG 89-465*1865 to 1867
- Circuit Court criminal case files · RG 97-343*1963 to 1983
- Circuit Court discharged cases · RG 89-465*1867
- Circuit Court exhibits · RG 89-465*1871
- Circuit Court indictments · RG 89-465*1855 to 1856
- Circuit Court inquisitions · RG 89-465*1865 to 1867
- Circuit Court journal · RG 89-465*1849 to 1871 and from 1876 to 1953
- Circuit Court judge orders · RG 89-465*1865 to 1869
- Circuit Court notes of issue · RG 89-465*1865 to 1875
- Civil docket (Chassell Township) · RG 80-60*1911
- Common rule book · RG 77-105*1855 to 1956
- Criminal docket (Chassell Township) · RG 80-60*1911 to 1915
- District Court calendar · RG 89-465*1849 to 1864
- District Court case files · RG 89-465*1849 to 1864
- District Court journal · RG 89-465*1858 to 1867
- Exemptions · RG 56- 11*jury duty, from 1903 to 1906 and from 1916 to 1917
- Inquests, Record of · RG 89-464*1890 to 1967
- Journal orders dismissing cause · RG 89-465*1916
- Justice civil docket (Hancock) · RG 82-114*1918 to 1943
- Justice criminal docket (Hancock) · RG 82-114*1925 to 1934 and from 1955 to 1956
- Justice docket (Hancock) · RG 82-114*1954 to 1957
- Justice docket (Houghton) · RG 74-73*1889 to 1891
- Justice docket (Portage Township) · RG 77-103*1867 to 1886
- Justice record (Hancock) · RG 82-114*1902 to 1903
- List of petit jurors approved · RG 56-11*1879 to 1895
- Recorder’s Court docket (Houghton) · RG 74-73*1862 to 1903
- Transcript of judgements · RG 89-465*1898 to 1928
Health Records
Land Records
- Chattel mortgages (Hancock Township) · RG 82-114*1893 to 1909
- County land patents · RG 89-464*1865 to 1916
- Personal property statements (Chassell Township) · RG 80-60*1920 to 1963
- Property assessment surveys · RG 77-105*1937 to 1973
- Swampland purchases · RG 89-464*1865 to 1872
- Treasurer’s receipt of county lands · RG 89-464*1865 to 1891
Military Records
- Burial of veterans · RG 89-464*1913 to 1921
- Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) post records · RG 63-191876 to 1945
- Lists of individuals serving in Michigan National Guard exempted · RG 56-11*jury duty, from 1888 to 1906 and from 1916 to 1917
Naturalization Records
- Circuit Court naturalizations · RG 89- 465*1857 and from 1863 and from 1868
- Declarations of Intention · RG 2022-701853 to 1971
- Naturalization calendars · RG 2022-701906 to 1916
- Naturalization record · RG 2022-701848 to 1906
- Order book · RG 2022-701930 to 1936
- Petition and record · RG 2022-701902 to 1966
- Repatriation record · RG 2022-701956 to 1960
- Transfer petition · RG 2022-701956 to 1973
Occupational Records
- Applications for admission to the Bar · RG 89-465*1878 to 1886
- Chiropodist certifications · RG 77-105*1952
- Chiropractors · RG 89-464*1934 to 1980
- Dentist certifications · RG 77-105*1903 to 1973
- Insurance agents · RG 89-464*1876 to 1918 and from 1943
- Justices of the Peace · RG 89-464*1896 to 1965
- Liquor license tax records · RG 77-105*1912 to 1917
- Nurses · RG 89-464*1910 to 1960
- Oaths, deputy sheriff · RG 77-105*1895 to 1957
- Optometrists · RG 89-464*1910 to 1982
- Physician certifications · RG 77-105*1870 to 1976
- Physicians · RG 89-464*not dated
- Real estate brokers · RG 89-464*1920 to 1943
- Township officers · RG 89-464*1891 to 1919
- Veterinarian certifications · RG 77-105*1957
Organization Records
- Civilian Conservation Corps records · RG 59-11*1934 to 1940
Political Records
- Board of Canvassers election records · RG 89-464*1868 to 1902
- Board of Supervisors member directory · RG 89-464*1937 to 1962
- Bonds and oaths of office (Chassell Township) · RG 80-60*1921 to 1959
- Nominations for township posts (Chassell Township) · RG 80-60*1949 to 1951
- Notaries · RG 89-464*1895 to 1968
- Oaths and bonds · RG 89-464*1904 to 1924
- Oaths of office (Houghton) · RG 74-73*1921 to 1934
- Record of nominations · RG 89-464*1910 to 1938
- Township officer election lists · RG 77-105*1894 to 1898
- Township/Village officers returns · RG 89-464*1920 to 1955
Poor Home / Relief Records
- Mother’s pension records · RG 89-464*1915 to 1931
Prison Records
- Index to jail records · RG 77-1051909 to 1940
- Jail records · RG 77-1051874 to 1902
Probate Records
- Calendars · RG 2019-691894 to 1962
- Case files · RG 2024-981870 to 1970
- Foreign wills · RG 2019-691917 to 1954
- Index · RG 2019-691872 to 1889
- Journals · RG 2019-691900 to 1945
- Orders · RG 2019-691857 to 1955
- Probate record · RG 2019-691872 to 1968
- Record of mothers’ pensions · RG 2019-691927 to 1931
- Record of widows’ pensions · RG 2019-691913 to 1918
Recreation Records
- Bounties on animals · RG 89-464*1883 to 1919
- Douglas House hotel register (Portage Township) · RG 77- 103*1881 to 1894
School Records
- Admission cards (Osceola Township) · RG 87-77*1912 to 1931
- Census cards (Osceola Township) · RG 87-77*#1923 to 1967
- Census field sheets (Osceola Township) · RG 87-77*#1927 to 1967
- Census sheets (Osceola Township) · RG 87-77*1907 to 1920
- Entry and withdrawal sheet (Osecola Township) · RG 87-77*1935
- School census, District #1 (Copper Harbor Township) · RG 77-621856 to 1881
- School census records (Adams Township) · RG 86-25* # Student records are restricted for 75 years.1910 to 1968
Tax Records
- Assessment rolls (Chassell Township) · RG 80-60*1926 to 1955
- Assessment rolls (Hancock) · RG 82-114*1866 to 1880
- Assessment rolls (Houghton) · RG 74-73*1864 to 1920
- County assessment records · RG 77-105*1867 to 1925
- Meter books (Houghton) · RG 74-73*1897 to 1912
- Tax and assessment rolls · RG 82-113*1925 to 1945
- Tax rolls · RG 86-86*#1943 to 1969
- Township and village assessment rolls · RG 77-105*1873 to 1904
- Township assessment records · RG 77-105*1858 to 1972
- Village assessment rolls · RG 77-105* # Some of these records are also held on microfilm at the Archives of Michigan, Lansing .1895 to 1925
Vital Records
- Affidavits for license to marry · RG 2019-691936 to 1937 and from 1956
- Death records (Portage Township) · RG 77-103*1901 to 1917
- Deaths, Return of · RG 89-464*1867
- Marriage records (Portage Township) · RG 77-103*1913 to 1959
- Record of divorce · RG 89-465*1897 to 1921
Voter Records
- Party enrollment (Hancock) · RG 82-114*1912 to 1913
- Party enrollment sheets · RG 56-11*1906 to 1913
- Poll books · RG 56-11*1888
- Register of assisted voters (Chassell Township) · RG 80-60*1916 to 1922
- Register of electors (Hancock) · RG 82-114*1890 to 1908 and from 1928 to 1932
- Register of electors (Chassell Township) · RG 80-60*1888 to 1941
- Register of women electors (Hancock) · RG 82-114*1919
- Village registration (Hancock) · RG 82-114*1897 to 1902
- Voter registration books (Houghton) · RG 74-73*1888 to 1936
- Voter registration records (Hancock) · RG 82-114*1908 to 1928
See the repository's descriptions and search options
Repository access note: Selected holdings described by the Archives of Michigan. Preserve the record-group (RG) reference when requesting records. Some collections are held at partner repositories; consult the guide before traveling. Asterisks and other qualifiers refer to access or location notes in that guide. Some records have privacy restrictions or require proof of death. A date span may contain gaps and does not establish that images are online.
Sources: the catalogs and repository descriptions linked on the entries above. Selected inventories do not establish complete coverage of every record type or online access to original documents. Read the repository access note for source dates and limitations.
Where to find the records
- Houghton County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the county clerk, the register of deeds and the probate court, and any online record search the county offers.
- The county clerk
Births, deaths and marriages registered in the county, and court records.
- The register of deeds
Deeds, mortgages and other land records.
- The probate court
Wills, estates and guardianships.
- The Archives of Michigan
In Lansing: state and county records, and Michigan death certificates from 1897 to 1952 online at Michiganology.
- Archives of Michiganfree
The state archives in Lansing, with county and state records, military records and Michigan death records.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Michigan, Houghton" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Marquette County, Ontonagon County
Check the parent counties for earlier records: Marquette County, Ontonagon County
Later formed partly from Houghton County: Baraga County, Keweenaw County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1845, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Michigan began registering births and deaths in 1867, much earlier than most states, with county clerks keeping the registers and sending copies to the state. Ask the county clerk for the early registers.