Detroit's Beginnings

Detroit has been known by different names at different times. The Algonquin Indians called it "Yondotiga" or "Yondotia", "A Great Village"; the Wyandott Indians called it "Toghsaghrondie" or "Tyschsarondia" (this term can be found in early colonial documents, published in New York, modernized as "Teuchsa Grondie"), which refers to the course of the river. The Huron Indians called it "Karontaen", "The Coast of the Strait", and when first settled, the fort name was Fort Pontchartrain, in honor of Count Pontchartrain, then the French Colonial Minister of Marine. As the number of inhabitants grew, the settlement grew into a village and recieved its present name, from the word "de' troit", or strait. The early French colonists applied the name Detroit to both sides of the river, calling one North Detroit and the other South Detroit. It is also recorded that the early French travelers disignated all the waters between Lake Erie and Lake Huron as the Detroit. This generalization has led to several errors locating events here that really occurred on the River Ste. Claire, or in other northern Michigan regions. Corporate names are as follows: 1802-The Town of Detroit; October 24, 1815-The City of Detroit; April 27, 1827-The Mayor, Recorder and Aldermen of the City of Detroit; and on February 5, 1857-the final corporate name, City of Detroit.

The Land and Waters

The River itself forms at natural boundary between the United States and Canada, seperating the State of Michigan from the Providence of Ontario. The river bottom, for the most part, is stony or sandy. Large and small vessels can navigate the river almost entirely free of obsticles of any sort, making this one of the safest and largest harbors in the world. The waters of Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, and St Clair; the bays of Saginaw, Green, and Georgian and thousands of streams enter and flow into the Detroit River. The river is not generally frozen over until late December or early January. Previous to 1854, people frequently crossed over the ice, however, daily trips of railroad ferry boats since 1854, have made crossing on foot impossible.
Islands on the river vary in size from one to several thousand acres. At the head of the river, the first is Isle La Peche, also called Peach Island in 1810. It is located on the Canadian side of the river and was the summer residence of Pontiac. Second is Belle Island a city park. Six miles below the city are Fighting, Mud, Grassy, Grass, Mama-Juda, Grosse, Turkey, Stoney, Slocum's, Humburg, Fox, Elba, Bois Blanc, Horse, Cherry, and Tawa Islands.

Fighting Island was originally occupied by the Wyandott Indians and was sold in 1858, by Canada to the United States.

Grosse Isle (or Great) is the largest on the river, and at one time it was considered a place to situate Fort Wayne. In 1776, the island was used by William McComb and in 1793, Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe and his family resided here. Today several of Detroit's citizens have elegant homes here. The Canadian-Southern Rail Road, extends to the island and a ferry connects to the shores of Canada.

Mama-Juda is a 29 acre island named for an old Native American squaw, who prior to 1807, used to camp here.

Slocum's Island is about 200 acres, and owned privately by G.B. Slocum
Humbug Island, about 40 acres large is also owned by Slocum.

Elba Island has been thickly covered with trees, and is not occupied.

Bois Blanc (or Whitewood Island) on the Canadian side was occupied by Huron Indians. In 1742, it contained a village of several hundred people. In 1747, Father Potier was in charge of a missionary group for them, however, they protested and Potier returned to Detroit.

Celeron (or Cherry Island) 70 or so acres is so named for once Commandant of Detroit, Sieur de Celeron.
Within present day, city limits there were at least three streams that ran miles along the early French settlement. The Savoyard Creek, branch of the Huron River, near present day Congress Street. In 1821, the south bank of the stream was 191 feet across the north side, yet in other places, a single wood plank stretched across the stream used as pedestrain crossways. The creek is said to be named Savoyard from one of the earliest settlers on its banks. May's Creek, formerly called Cabacier's Creek from Joseph Cabacie who lived here in 1780. It was designated in 1747 as Campau's River. On the 1830 Map of Michigan, there is a mill located on this stream just south of what is now Jefferson Avenue and another where the stream crossed Gratiot Road.

Farm and Land Claims

Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, founder of Detroit, is said to have been granted 15 arpents square, a measurement of about 225 acres of land. Original documents held in Quebec, show he claimed land on both sides of the river from Lake Erie to Lake Huron.
A grant issued March 10, 1707 to Francois Fafard de Lorme covers an area of nearly 32 acres. On this same day, a grant to Jacob de Marsac Jouira dit Desroches, known as Private Claim No. 90 was issued. M. St Aubin and Widow Beausseron also filed private claims. Cadillac also granted claims to Messrs Langlois, Trudeau, Magnau, Des Rivieres, Du Ruissaeau, Comparet, Dufresne, Hubert, Lacroix, and Monier. By 1708, M. d'Aigremont, officially reported 350 acres of improved land, of which Cadillac owned 157 acres, the French inhabitants 57 acres, 63 inhabitants owned lots outside of Fort Pontchartrain, 29 of those 63, were farms.
Records held at St Anne's Church show M. d'Aigremont arrived in Detroit on July 29, 1708, and stayed a total of 19 days to record land grants.
In 1710, Cadillac was appointed Governor of Louisana and was replaced by Peirre Roy. There is much confusion on the land grants of Cadillac and those he granted to others. Protests by the Governor M. Vaudreuil and Intendent of "New France", Begon to the King of France. He revoked the granted lands in 1716, reinstated them in 1719/20, reconsidered in 1722, and finally in 1724, conceded all the lands back to Cadillac provided he have his claims surveyed. If such a survey had ever been made in deeds, property papers, or grants, there has beeen no evidence that Cadillac ever complied to the decree. It was never conceded by either the King or the Council that Cadillac owned "all of Detroit and it's appurtenances", only the lands he cleared himself, were restored to him, and even this exact acreage was uncertain.
According to a report June 24, 1805, made by Matthew Ernest, Francois LaSalle and Charles Moran, only a few days after a devasting fire, the town was an area of about 20 acres. There were 62 proprietors of lots, in town. The size of the lots varied from 24 to 161 feet frontage and from 24 to 125 feet in depth. An Act of April 21, 1806 authorized the Governor Hull and Judge Woodward to layout a new town and 10,000 acres of adjacent land and to convey a lot not to exceed 5,000 feet in size to every person above the age of 17 who had owned or inhabited a home in Detroit at the time of the fire. There were several variances made to the original Act of 1806, and by May 1807, only 19 deeds had actualy been given away. Finally, in 1816, a man, Thomas Smith examined all deeds and records that could be found, took Governor Hull's "Book of Sections" as a guide, and prepared a new plan. This plan appears to have been adopted, however, no trace of it can be found now.
An Act of Congress in 1830 required the Governor and Judge to remit a plat of the city and on February 12, 1831, a map drawn out by John Farmer was officially recognized as the map of Detroit. It was submitted to the American-State Papers, Public Land Series, Michigan Territory Department of the United States. The earliest maps of Detroit are dated 1749, and 1754, drawn by Joseph Gaspard Chaussegros de Lery, a French lieutenant and enginner.
Under French and English rule all deeds were recorded by a notary in a book kept for that purpose. By the Law of 1795, of the New Territory, the Office Register was erected. The first Act concerning Michigan Territory deeds was passed August 29, 1805, providing that deeds be recorded with the clerk of any court in the Territory. By 1815, deeds were required to be recorded in the probate court of that city's deeds office.

Medical Epidemics

Old records show in 1703, a small pox epidemic intruded on the infant colony located at Fort Pontchartrain.
A diary entry of Zeisberger noted small pox prevalent in Detroit in December 1785.
In 1789 a pestilence of some kind prevailed and many people died.
In the fall and winter of 1813, a severed epidemic hit General Harrison's Army. Hundreds of soldiers died and were buried near Detroit's fort. In 1826, when the soldier's remains were removed, it caused a disease in the town. (Two prominent figured died during this plague; H.J. Hunt and A.G. Whitney)
In 1832, 370 soldiers of the Henry Clay Steamer infected with cholera stopped at Fort Gratiot. Ill-stricken soldiers began to make their way to Detroit. Many died on the road and only 150 actually reached the city. By August 15, 1832 when the epidemic was near over, a total of 96 deaths were traced back to the origins of Detroit even though many citizens had fled in panic.
Two years later, the disease again appeared and added to the destruction. In 20 days there were 22 deaths from cholera, and 57 from other causes, including panic stricken towns people who shot and killed others to keep them away from their property. 7% of the population died in one month.
In June 1849, the appearance of cholera again. The Board of Health passed ordiances forbidding sale of fresh fish, oysters, fruits, vegetables, veal or pork. On July 9th, the first death took place, followed by 3 on July 16, 4 on July 18th, 10 on July 19th, 3 on July 23rd, and 7 on the 25th. From August 1st to the 22nd, the number totaled 280. This plague was nation-wide and President Taylor proclaimed the first Friday in August, observance of fasting and prayer. The last victim died on September 12th.
May 1854, held another edpidemic of cholera and claimed 259 by July 1854.
Old records of St Anne's Church name healers as early as May 9, 1710, the name of M. Henry Bellisle followed by M. Jean Baptiste Forester on November 26, 1715; M. Pierre Jean Chapoton Jr on January 20, 1720; and Gabriel Christopher Legrand on February 8, 1755. The earliest physicians often became as revered as the town's pastors. Among the most widely known are: William McCoskry, J.B. Scovel, Linus Mott, Moses Gunn, A.L. LeLand, S.B. Thayer, S. G. Armor, and D.O. Ferrand.

Cemeteries

In the 1760's the ground under today's First National Bank, downtown, was used as a military burial place. After the Battle of Bloody Run, the remains of Caplain Dalyell, were buried here. In 1847, at the corner of current day, Griswold and Woodbridge skeltons and several portions of tombstones were found during excavations for a new building. The workmen even used one stone broke it up, and placed it in the cellar walls. Sadly, there is hardly a grave or gravestone left or even a record of those who died in Detroit a century and half ago.
In 1813, a portion of Fort Shelby was used as a burial place. Seven hundred soldiers were buried west of the fort. In 1827, the Street Commissioner directed to re-inter in the new city cemetery. The bones of soldiers were in large number removed. In 1855, when Cass Avenue was being paved, many coffins were dug up, and during excavations of cellars, many older graves were unearthed. In 1869, 25 bodies were dug up on Cass Avenue and in 1881 while building the foundations for a new block at Cass and Michigan Avenues, several remains were discovered. Two maps of Detroit one in 1749, and one in 1796 show military graveyards, however what has happened to the stones is now unknown.
Records of St Anne's Church state on June 25, 1755, certain bodies were transferred from the old cemetery of 1749, to the new one, located on what is now Jefferson Avenue. St Anne's Church also gives names of priests, commanders, and other persons of distinction at various periods in time, that were buried there.
When the new town was laid out in 1806, the question of removing old graves and putting them in a new location was the subject of much controversy. This was not settled until 1818, when Bishop Flaget arrived in town. They were removed, and buried in the new City Cemetery in the middle of the ground located on a tract of land St Anne's Church owned at Larned just wast of Bates Street. These grounds were used up until 1827, when the city gave the Catholic paritioners one half of the then new City Cemetery on the Beaubien Farm.
Mt Elliott

Mt Elliott Cemetery located on the Leib Farm was first purchased in 1841. It is named after Robert T. Elliott.