Welcome to the Website
of the
Bay County Genealogical Society of Michigan
The Society strives to promote genealogy and educate persons interested in genealogy, with a focus on Bay County, Michigan.
It encourages the sharing of Bay County genealogy information and resources and helping others with their Bay County based families and ancestors, both past and current.
Members have read headstones from Bay County's rural cemeteries, collected interment information from Bay County cemeteries, transcribed birth, marriage, and death records from the Bay County Clerk's office, and indexed obituaries from the Bay City Times. All of this data is available at the Wirt Library.
Upcoming Presentations
Bay County Genealogical Society Meetings
January 14, 2026 – "Exit Enter Commit: Emigration, Immigration, Naturalization" with Tom Koselka (Zoom only)
February 11, 2026 – "French Migrations Out of Quebec" – Judy Nimer Muhn (Zoom only)
Go to the "Meetings" page to see more about upcoming meetings
To find out how to attend a meeting via Zoom. Click Here.
Genealogy Classes by Mary McManman
You just missed two good ones in September.
Keep an eye on this space to see when the next classes are scheduled.
Delegate News
(1) Barbara J. Brown Family History Seminar will be held May 15 and 16, 2026, at the Library of Michigan. Alec Ferretti with ‘Reclaim the Records’ will be the guest speaker.
(2) Michiganology now has all the Naturalization records for Alcona County available and searchable.
(3) Probate records for Wayne County up to 1940 are now done.
(4) Our local genealogy society is looking for yearbooks from Bay County to complete our collection. If there are duplicates, we will share them with the Library of Michigan, as they are also looking to finish their collections. So, check your attics, basements, and closets. Contact the Society by using this Contact Form.
(5) Save the Date: November 15, 2025 - Curt Witcher from the Allen County Public Library will be the speaker for the MGC Fall Family History Hybrid Event. It will be held at the Library of Michigan in Lansing.
What's New Inside
Items from the Bay City Times have been interspersed within the website. They will be changed periodically.
The current items are from the April 10, 1940, issue.
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List of speakers for the 2025/2026 session of the Bay County Genealogical Society is posted on the "Meetings" page.
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The current issue (October-December 2025) of The Clarion, Bay County Genealogical Society's newsletter, and the most recent issue of the Michigan Genealogical Council newsletter are available for viewing by all site visitors.
They are located by clicking the Newsletter tab on the Main Menu.
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A listing of items located in the Bay County Genealogical Society's Private Library can be accessed via the Queries tab under the Research tab.
Downtown Bay City-1940s
Looking South from Center and Washington
City Hall-Tall thin building on the right
in the back