How to Qualify for Your Pioneer Certificate

We celebrate and honor our county pioneers and their descendants by awarding the Muskegon County Pioneer Certificate.

If you are directly descended from an ancestor who lived in Muskegon County, Michigan before or in 1929, we invite you to apply for a Pioneer Certificate.

Anyone may apply.
You don't have to live in Muskegon County or have ever lived there.
You don't have to be a member of the Muskegon County Genealogical Society
Your ancestor must have lived in Muskegon County by 1929, but doesn't have to have been born or died there.
You must prove your direct line descent from your ancestor.

Click for a Pioneer Certificate Application!
Click for Pioneer Application Instructions!

Pioneer Certificates Awarded—Pioneer Alpha Sort
as of 2011

The Muskegon County Genealogical Society has certified the following pioneers, who resided in the County of Muskegon, State of Michigan, by 1929, and their direct descendants, who proved their relationship to the pioneer.

Categories of Pioneers Currently Available:
Pioneer: A Pioneer who settled in Muskegon County up to and including 1889
Settler: A Pioneer who settled in Muskegon County 1890-1929.

NOTE: Don’t hesitate to submit your pioneers because you’re waiting to find an earlier date that they resided in Muskegon County. After your pioneer is certified, if you later find proof of an earlier date, submit the document for review, and if substantiated, we will gladly change the date and category, if applicable, free of charge.

Pioneer	Category	Year	Descendant	Cert. #
Ashcraft, Curtis Nathaniel	Settler	1920	Nancy Carol Norstrom Ryerson	011
Baker, Samuel	Settler	1894	JoAnne Lynn Preihs	039
Bartholomew, Peter	Pioneer	1875	Lori Ann Bartholomew Smith	003
Bean, Nelson A.	Pioneer	1860	Richard Allen Bean	017
Bean, Nelson A.	Pioneer	1860	Raymond Robert Bean	017.1
Bean, Nelson A.	Pioneer	1860	Michael Martin Bean	017.2
Begley, Thomas Frederick	Settler	1922	NA	031
Benton, Steven Edick	Pioneer	1876	John Benton	045
Boersema, Cornelius	Pioneer	1887	Betty Wheeler Boot	013
Boersema, Harm	Pioneer	1888	Betty Wheeler Boot	012
Bolt, Thomas J. G.	Pioneer	1881	Lillian Elizabeth (Haan) Spyke	016
Brewster, Charles Warren	Settler	1920	George Phillip Brewster Sr.	042
Vallee, Hilaire Avilla	Settler	1895	George Phillip Brewster Sr.	043
Bystrom, John G. Sr.	Pioneer	1887	Ruth M. Sheppard	036
Carlson (Karlsen), Frederick	Pioneer	1883	Harriett Olga Musk Chalker	028
Carlson (Karlsen), Frederick	Pioneer	1883	Nancy Ann Chalker Takis	028.1
Carlson (Karlsen), Frederick	Pioneer	1883	John Nicholas Takis	028.2
Carlson (Karlsen), Frederick	Pioneer	1883	Christopher James Takis	028.3
Carlson (Karlsen), Frederick	Pioneer	1883	Mary Ellen Chalker Mendoza	028.4
Carlson (Karlsen), Frederick	Pioneer	1883	Jesse Daniel Mendoza	028.5
Carlson (Karlsen), Frederick	Pioneer	1883	Fred J. Chalker, Jr.	028.6
Carlson (Karlsen), Frederick	Pioneer	1883	Lauren Anne Chalker	028.7
Carlson (Karlsen), Frederick	Pioneer	1883	Elissa Rae Chalker	028.8
Carr, Daniel Webster	Pioneer	1884	Paula Hoffman	038
Carr, Daniel Webster	Pioneer	1884	Robert Burdett Carr	038.1
Cihak, Frank	Settler	1905	Joanne Cihak Blakkan	046
Compton, Perry J.	Settler	1911	Perry Edwin Compton	008
Compton, Perry J.	Settler	1911	Lloyd George Compton	008.1
Compton, Perry J.	Settler	1911	Edwin Perry Compton	008.2
Compton, Perry J.	Settler	1911	Linda Lou (Compton) Karr	008.3
Cribley, Leon	Pioneer	1880	Marilyn Cribley Young	015
Dagen, John	Pioneer	1860	Rebecca Margaret Obenauf	049
Dagen, John	Pioneer	1860	Robert Dudley Hill	049.1
DeRochey, Tammie Sue	Settler	1927	Florence Langston	044
Downing, Erastus	Pioneer	1880	Joanne Kohlbeck Wood	026
Downing, Erastus	Pioneer	1880	Roger Alan Wood	026.1
Downing, Erastus	Pioneer	1880	Janet Lee Wood	026.2
Eadie, James	Pioneer	1860	Michael James Eadie	52
Eadie, James	Pioneer	1860	David James Eadie	52.1
Harkness, John	Pioneer	1864	Richard James Harkness	050
Harkness, John	Pioneer	1864	James Richard Harkness	050.1
Harkness, John	Pioneer	1864	Sharon Lee Harkness	050.2
Harkness, John	Pioneer	1864	Peggy Ann Harkness	050.3
Harkness, John	Pioneer	1864	Janet Louise Harkness	050.4
Harkness, John	Pioneer	1864	Joseph John Harkness	050.5
Harkness, John	Pioneer	1864	Julie Marie Harkness	050.6
Feuerborn, Henry Jacob	Settler	1927	Edward Paul Feuerborn	006
Fox, William	Pioneer	1894	Marilyn Cribley Young	020
Graves, Charles	Pioneer	1860	Lisa Marie Hoffius	010
Hartman, Hendrick	Pioneer	1887	Nancy Ann Clark Spoon	009
Hartman, Hendrick	Pioneer	1887	Robin Ann Spoon Semelbauer	009.1
Hartman, Hendrick	Pioneer	1887	David Reve Spoon	009.2
Hermanson, Andrew	Pioneer	1889	Harriett Olga Musk Chalker	027
Hermanson, Andrew	Pioneer	1889	Nancy Ann Chalker Takis	027.1
Hermanson, Andrew	Pioneer	1889	John Nicholas Takis	027.2
Hermanson, Andrew	Pioneer	1889	Christopher James Takis	027.3
Hermanson, Andrew	Pioneer	1889	Mary Ellen Chalker Mendoza	027.4
Hermanson, Andrew	Pioneer	1889	Jesse Daniel Mendoza	027.5
Hermanson, Andrew	Pioneer	1889	Fred J. Chalker, Jr.	027.6
Hermanson, Andrew	Pioneer	1889	Lauren Anne Chalker	027.7
Hermanson, Andrew	Pioneer	1889	Elissa Rae Chalker	027.8
Johnson, Andrew Peter	Pioneer	1887	Marilyn Cribley Young	023
Kennicott, William B.	Pioneer	1853	Betty Lou Grindol	007
Kitchen, John	Pioneer	1870	Jane Kitchen Sipe	005
Klomp, John L.	Pioneer	1886	John Lewis Klomp	014
Larson, Thomas Julius	Pioneer	1864	Harold Robert Kassner	037
Larson, Thomas Julius	Pioneer	1864	Eileen Kay Wojewdzki	037.1
Larson, Thomas Julius	Pioneer	1864	Cindy Lou Bassett	037.2
Larson, Thomas Julius	Pioneer	1864	Jay Frederick Kassner	037.3
Larson, Thomas Julius	Pioneer	1864	Jack Edwin Kassner	037.4
Larson, Thomas Julius	Pioneer	1864	John Wojewodzki	037.5
Lasser, Joseph Nelson	Pioneer	1872	David W. Lasser	040
Lasser, Joseph Nelson	Pioneer	1872	Gerald W. Lasser	040.1
Mohr, Martha Elizabeth “Lizzie”	Pioneer	1856	Mary Ethel (Grandmason) Kahkola	019
Mohr, Martha Elizabeth “Lizzie”	Pioneer	1856	Matthew Richard Kahkola	019.1
Morton, Paul James	Settler	1910	Patricia A. (Morton) Rohwer	024
Musk (Musch), Edo A.	Settler	1894	Harriett Olga Musk Chalker	030
Musk (Musch), Edo A.	Settler	1894	Nancy Ann Chalker Takis	030.1
Musk (Musch), Edo A.	Settler	1894	John Nicholas Takis	030.2
Musk (Musch), Edo A.	Settler	1894	Christopher James Takis	030.3
Musk (Musch), Edo A.	Settler	1894	Mary Ellen Chalker Mendoza	030.4
Musk (Musch), Edo A.	Settler	1894	Jesse Daniel Mendoza	030.5
Musk (Musch), Edo A.	Settler	1894	Fred J. Chalker, Jr.	030.6
Musk (Musch), Edo A.	Settler	1894	Lauren Anne Chalker	030.7
Musk (Musch), Edo A.	Settler	1894	Elissa Rae Chalker	030.8
Olson, Luella Ferguson	Pioneer	1878	Alice Ferguson Kooistra	047
Olson, Luella Ferguson	Pioneer	1878	Richard Glen Kooistra	047.1
Olson, Luella Ferguson	Pioneer	1878	Joan Kooistra Osborn	047.2
Passenier, William	Settler	1924	Nancy Lucille Snook Zissler	021
Passenier, William	Settler	1924	Cheryl Lynn Zissler Llano	021.1
Passenier, William	Settler	1924	Greg Alan Zissler	021.2
Passenier, William	Settler	1924	Kyle Alexander Llano	021.3
Passenier, William	Settler	1924	Ethan Gerald Zissler	021.4
Passenier, William	Settler	1924	Logan Charles Zissler	021.5
Peterson, Niels P.	Pioneer	1882	William P. Hansen	034
Riley, Soloman Benjamin	Pioneer	1868	Dawn Marie Westcomb Kelley	001
Riley, Soloman Benjamin	Pioneer	1868	Stacy Shontel Kelley Kemp	001.1
Robillard, Amable	Pioneer	1873	Lori Ann Bartholomew Smith	004
Sauve, Alfred	Pioneer	1889	Lori Ann Bartholomew Smith	002
Thornton, John	Pioneer	1875	Joanne Kohlbeck Wood	025
Thornton, John	Pioneer	1875	Roger Alan Wood	025.1
Thornton, John	Pioneer	1875	Janet Lee Wood	025.2
Thornton, Lottie May	Settler	1899	Joanne Virginia Kohlbeck Wood	032
Todd, Andrew	Pioneer	1860	Nancy Todd Momany	51
Todd, Andrew	Pioneer	1860	Randall L. Todd	51.1
VanderLaan, Luije	Pioneer	1884	Jeri Lynn VanderLaan-Landheer	048
Wagenmaker, Evert J.	Pioneer	1882	Harriett Olga Musk Chalker	029
Wagenmaker, Evert J.	Pioneer	1882	Nancy Ann Chalker Takis	029.1
Wagenmaker, Evert J.	Pioneer	1882	John Nicholas Takis	029.2
Wagenmaker, Evert J.	Pioneer	1882	Christopher James Takis	029.3
Wagenmaker, Evert J.	Pioneer	1882	Mary Ellen Chalker Mendoza	029.4
Wagenmaker, Evert J.	Pioneer	1882	Jesse Daniel Mendoza	029.5
Wagenmaker, Evert J.	Pioneer	1882	Fred J. Chalker, Jr.	029.6
Wagenmaker, Evert J.	Pioneer	1882	Lauren Anne Chalker	029.7
Wagenmaker, Evert J.	Pioneer	1882	Elissa Rae Chalker	029.8
Waldron, Lottie Mable	Settler	1920	Nancy Lucille Snook Zissler	022
Waldron, Lottie Mable	Settler	1920	Cheryl Lynn Zissler Llano	022.1
Waldron, Lottie Mable	Settler	1920	Greg Alan Zissler	022.2
Waldron, Lottie Mable	Settler	1920	Kyle Alexander Llano	022.3
Waldron, Lottie Mable	Settler	1920	Ethan Gerald Zissler	022.4
Waldron, Lottie Mable	Settler	1920	Logan Charles Zissler	022.5
Westerman, Jessie	Pioneer	1885	Ronald Jay Matthews	041
Westerman, Jessie	Pioneer	1885	Jeremy Jay Matthews	041.1
Westerman, Jessie	Pioneer	1885	Andrew Lee Matthews	041.2
Wilk, Christian	Pioneer	1867	Debra Lee Farnquist-Jones	018
Wilk, Christian	Pioneer	1867	Clinton Allen Randles II	018.1
Wilk, Christian	Pioneer	1867	Colt Lee Eugene Randles	018.2
Wilk, Christian	Pioneer	1867	Britt Ellen Randles	018.3
Wilk, Christian	Pioneer	1867	Zachariah Lyle Jones	018.4
Woirol, Adam W.	Pioneer	1885	William P. Hansen	033
Woodrow, John C.	Pioneer	1887	Luke Edward Woodrow	035