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
March 11, 2026 – CANCELED due to Justin Frost having a date conflict with his work.
March 11, 2026 – Cynthia Grostick: Topic-Sources - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.
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
Discover Your Roots: Family History Research for Beginners
Find your family in the census using Ancestry Library Edition. Learn how to find vital records and organize your research
Saturday, April 18, 2026, 9:30 am to 11:30 am.
Wirt Library (Second Floor Community Room)
Registration begins March 18, 2026
Ask at Reference Desk or call 989-893-9566 ext. 5
Intro to Genealogy Databases at the Library
Learn how to use Ancestry Library Edition and MyHeritage Library Edition in your family research. Print or save your research documents electronically.
Saturday, April 22, 2025, 9:30 am to 11:30 am.
Wirt Library (Second Floor Community Room)
Registration begins March 25, 2026
Ask at Reference Desk or call 989-893-9566 ext. 5
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) 1950 Michigan death certificates are now available at http://www.michiganology.org
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 (January-March 2026) 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