The Family History and Manuscript Collection housed in the Main Branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library, in the Grand Rapids History & Special Collections Department (formally know as the Michigan Room) now located on the 4th Floor.

It consists of all of the family histories and several manuscript collections. The manuscript collections include the White Collection, the Early Settlers of the Grand Rapids Valley Collection, the Cranmer Collection, the Masterson Collection, the Van Buren and Cass County Collection and the Heritage Collection. The Heritage Collection became the one in which new manuscripts were added.

A decision was made by the Western Michigan Genealogical Society’s Board to combine all of the manuscript collections, except the Geographical Collection, under one heading in alphabetical order for easier access. This is under the general title, “Manuscript Collection”.

At the same time, the research committee decided to place all of the requests for research, from about 1978 –1991, which contained any family information in the manuscript collection. This added an additional 500 plus items to the collection. In all with the family histories and the manuscripts, there are more than 6,000 records.

We hope that this will prove to be more helpful to genealogists. Please remember that these records are not to be taken out of the library. They are for the use of all patrons.

The published family histories are shelved in the Michigan Room. There is a separate catalog file for Family Histories and Manuscripts.

Search results in this database provide a link to a PDF file that you can download. The PDF file contains scanned images of the pages of the manuscript.

This database is the result of a lot of work by a Sue Irvine and Ann Ed.

 

Good Luck with your searches!!!

Search the WMGS Manuscripts Collection Database