Grosse Ile, Wayne County, Michigan

Grosse Ile, is the largest of a group of islands situated at the mouth of the Detroit River, which extends a little into Lake Erie. It is nearly ten miles long and averages about one mile wide. There is a stream that cuts a diagonal lenght through the island. The early French settlers called this "La Belle Riviere", it was later known as the "Thoroughfare".
At the time of the Civil War, there were two bridges that crossed the Thoroughfare, built of logs and stone, with racks of logs in the center, to hold up the bridge, as well as letting the water flow through. The current was soon obstructed, and in time the stream became completely dammed. As the years passed a number of islanders, Judge Douglas and William Ives among the first, conceived a plan to dredge through the mass of sticks, stones, and other obstructions, inorder to restore the flow of the stream. This was accomplished in 1895; modern bridges were built, and soon the stream became 60 feet wide and 6 and one-half feet deep. This made possible, small craft to pass, as well as restoring vegetation, forests, and beautiful flora.

The Native American name of Grosse Ile was Kitche-minishen, and some of the smaller islands that surrounded the area, also had Native American names: Elba was Pi-na-ca-yah (meaning potatoe), Fox Island was so called for the tribe of Native Americans who had a village here on the east side of the island. Fighting Island was Des-cre-chas-ka, which has a Native American legend attached to it.
?'An aged Fox Indian who had become seperated from his tribe in one of their numerous skirmishes, came down the river in his little birch bark canoe, and landed, tired and hungry. In the twilight he had entered the channel behind the island, and seeing great forest trees on his right and a wide strip of marsh to the left, he chose the island for his landing. Drawing the canoe to a place of safety, he looked about in the dusk, and realizing the possibilities for shelt and food, he exclaimed "Des-cre-chas-ka!"--"Here is everything !" There is a club house on the property baring this same name.'

There are numerous other islands: Stony, Sugar, Hickory, Bois-Blanc, Tawas, Swan, Humbug, Calf, Horse, and Slocum. The last being named for James Slocum, and is used as a park area today.
Grosse Ile has changed hands many times. To our Native American brothers, it first belonged. It was taken from them by the French, and afterwards held in succession by the English, Americans, English, and American lastly. When the Native Americans heard of the final treaty between the English and the French, they knew the King of France could no longer help them in their attempts to seize Fort Detriot, and retreated to the wilderness.
There is proof, that very early adventurers, visited the region of the Great Lakes and made maps that were printed in Paris, France, by roya authority. The first established record is of Joliet who, in 1669 was said to have passed down the Detroit River. He had come by way of the northern route through Ottawa and Lake Nippissing. His journal was lost on the trip, however he had met two priests, and Rene de Brehant de Galinee. The second, left a journal that did survive, and stated that Joliet had taken his trip in search of a rumored copper mine. In the spring of 1670, the two priests traveled over this same route, and made a fair map of the north shore of Lake Erie, the Detroit and Ste. Claire Rivers and Lake Ste. Claire. They mentioned tht six leagues above Lake Erie on the river, they found a stone idol, that was held of great religious value to the Native Americans. This idol was broken in pieces by the priests, destroying in their zeal, what would now be an invalubale relic.
In 1679, the Griffon, the earliest known sailing vessel on the lakes, passed through the straits with La Salle, Father Hennepin and a party of 32 other adventurers. They reached the little lake at the head of the Detroit River on August 12, 1679. This was the festal day of Sainte Claire, and from her name, they named the lake and the river. They were not named, as some suppose, for General St. Clair, for whom the county is named. This party passed between 2 small islands, which they claimed to have the finest prospects in the world. The strait was finer than that of Niagara, of 30 leagues in length and 1 league broad in the middle, which was wider, forming a lake, they named Sainte Claire. They described the banks of the strait being broad meadows, with low hills covered with fruit trees and vine.
Baron de la Houtan (Duluth) with Henry Tonti and a number of French soldiers also passed this route in 1687. Their account was very much similar to that of the Griffon.
Deer were abundant on Grosse Ile into the early eighteen hundereds. The fair and fertile soil would have induced many colonies to settle here long before they did, but for trouble between England and France, in which the Iroquois took part. This made the route of Lake Erie too dangerous for incoming peaceful-minded pioneers. Still the Dutch at Albany and the English of New York were urging their traders forward among the Native Americans along both sides of Lake Erie, and threatening to occupy and possess the entire country.
To maintain the French holding Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac was ordered to journey to the Detroit River, and establish a post here. He succeeded by July, 1701, and found a suitable location for a fort and settlement. After reaching Lake Erie, he returned and decided to locate the fort on the largest of the group of island, which was Grosse Ile, and some preparation was made to that effect. However, after much deliberation among the officers, it was decided best not to locate on an island, as the timber might in time be exhausted, and they considered the difficulty of bringing hardwood from the mainland for building. The site was finally chosen, and stood where Detroit now stands.
Soon after Detroit was established, the commandant, was asked by soldiers and citizens to be granted lands for farming and gardening, on the island. He complied with these requests, and as soon as the King of France would permit him, he conveyed farms and building sites within the fort enclosure, to such as could pay a small rental or tax. Cadillac granted large tract of land to his children. On March 10, 1707, he granted to his daughter, Magdaline a stretch of land, 3 leagues frontage on the River of Detroit, to extend from the River Ecorse inclining towards Lake Erie, with Grosse Ile and the other islands.
After Cadillac was recalled from Detroit, neither he, nor his children could persuade the French government to allow them to keep their grants, or to be repaid for the clearing and labor they had done on these lands.
Now that the title to the islands had reverted to the Crown, others were seeking possission. An offical report in 1718 describes some of these lands as follows:
"At the mouth of the Detroit River, which is very wide, are four islands, called Bois Blanc, I'lle aux Poux, the island of Slaves and Grosse Ile. This island is very fine and fertile and extensive, being six or seven leagues in circumference. There is an extrordinary quantity of apples on the ground."
With the next attemp at ownership came the Church. The priest in charge of the church at the village was of Franciscan or Recollet order. The Jesuit priest, Father Richardie, who was in charge of a mission among the Huron, suggested, in order to avoid conflicts among the Huron and the Ottawas, to remove the Ottawas to the island, and therefore would afford more peace. By 1752, however, the Huron changed their minds, and established a mission on Bois Blanc Island, and remained for several years, until all removed to a mission established in Sandwich.
On July 6, 1776, a deed transferred the title of Grosse Ile from the Pottawattomie to Alexander and William McComb. This deed is the first conveyance of the island to private individuals, and from that time it has been owned either by the McComb family or their heirs or their grantees.
There are 18 known Pottawatamy Chiefs or principal men of the tribe, that witnessed the 1776 deed:

Ke-wi-ta-na-wee -- Fish
Micaro-- Fish
Wi-si-wa-na-qua--Bear
Ma-qi-na--Doe Deer
Sagonebe--Faun with one leg
Donaa--Little animal
Mautewa--Apassum or limb of tree
Nadase--Wild cat
Wabatiatiagua--Tepee or tent
Wawialia--Fish
Hiakiba--Son
Areya--Fish
Na-tu-at-a-loe--Large Fish
Wabo-ge-gua--Bear
Pena-ku--Fish
Wendigo--Fish Ba-na-ca-thaik--Fish
Aboan--Lake & Hill
Manaquang--Eagle

Witnessed of Detroit residents:
S. De Peyster
Major Rangs
Major Rogers
T. Williams Registered in the Register of Detroit, No 2, Folio 18-19 1819, Notary Public in Vol 6, Page 19. Marginal note: deliver one copy to Macomb May 8, 1790.
Macomb divided the island into farms, leasing them to tenants, who built homes and worked the land. Some of the names of these early tenants are recorded, but the list only extends to the year 1808, and is probably not complete.
WILLIAMS, Thomas ; SERRET, William ; ALLEN, Justice ; HICKS, Jesse ; McCARTY, Edward ; ANDERSON, James ; BARIAU, Joseph ; JOHNSON, John ; GILL, Robert ; STOFFER, Jacob ; EILER, Jacob ; HORN, Elias ; JACKSON, John ; HOFFMAN, Henry ; HEACOCK, Adna ; CHITTENDEN, James ; MONGER, Charles ; MITCHELL, James ; MYERS, Michael ; McCULLOCK, Solomon.

About 1825, the road along the east side of Grosse Ile was surveyed and laid out, by Abram Truax and Artemis Hosmer, running as far south as the Lowrie home; from there turning west and ajoining a quarry north, running through the woods and back of the building, coming out to the river. Horse Mill Road and McCarty Road were also laid about 1824. The first survey of the island was made in 1808. Another was made in 1819, by Major John Anderson
Grosse Ile was part of the township of Monguagon, but has now been set aside as a separate township.

Contributed by Linda Ball