Dear John,

Michigan as a state doesn't apparently have a pioneer descendants certification program. There is an organization called the Michigan Genealogical Council (at http://www.rootsweb.com/~mimgc/) which is involved with genealogical societies of all sorts. In 1987, they and the Library of Michigan participated together in awarding Michigan's Sesquicentennial Pioneer Certificates. This was, indeed, a prestigious award for Michigan Pioneers. A search of the Web, though, tells me that there are a number of counties' genealogical societies that sponsor pioneer certification programs. These include the Western Michigan Genealogical Society (Kent County pioneers) and the Van Buren Regional Genealogical Society. I'd certainly suggest that you contact the Michigan Genealogical Council to learn which other societies sponsor such programs,. You might also go to Society Hall (at http://www.familyhistory.com/societyhall/search.asp) to search for the full list of Michgan societies and then make contact with the one(s) in which you are interested to see if they have a certification program. (I looked for and did not see a 'Jackson County Genealogical Society' per se but that doesn't mean that they don't have a society under another name.) If not, it doesn't hurt to make the suggestion that they begin one to recognize the descendants of these illustrious pioneer settlers. (I did not see a 'Jackson County Genealogical Society' per se but that doesn't mean that they don't have a society under another name.)

Best wishes and good luck!

George