The forward to the original text does not say how the information was collected, although it seems to have been submitted by members of various families.

One sample entry is:

Allen, John, Farmer, Milford Township. Mr. Allen was born in England in 1844, and in 1858 settled in Oakland county, Michigan. After serving in the recent war, he married Celestia J. Orton, of Ortonville who was born to John and Barbara (Samuels) Orton in New York. They are the parents of five children: John L. Jr., Elizabeth, Sarah Jane, Anna, and Lewis W. He lives on Thread River Stock Farm, established in 1859 by his father, Robert W. Allen with his mother Amelia (Hardy), born in Connecticut 1821 and his sister Anne. His father passed away in 1878. Mr. Allen has served six years as school assessor and has held other local offices.

There are about five thousand such entries included in the book, from which the vital statistics of about 40,000 people are abstracted. Some entries are a page long and very involved. Others are little more than an advertisement for a business. In some cases, two members of the same family supplied information about a common ancestor or relative; information which did not necessarily match. All researchers are cautioned to consult with primary documentation when confronted with conflicting information. For inquiries regarding a specific entry in this database, the provider, Cynthia Herrin, can be contacted by sending e-mail to forms@tir.com.