History of Michigan

Michigan made very slow progress in settlement and population up to 1820. From its first discovery, about 1610, until 1763, the territory was claimed, or governed by the French. It was then ceded to Great Britain, and in 1783, at the close of the war of the Revolution, was transferred to the United States. The British government, the violation of the treaty, became possession of the military posts of the territory, and it did not come into actual American possession until July 11, 1796.

It was attached to the Northwest territory until 1802, Wayne, when, by act of Congress, that portion west of the east line of Indiana, became a part of the Territory of Indiana. In 1805 the Territory of Michigan was constituted, with the provisions of the ordinance of 1787 as its fundamental law. It included "all that part of Indiana territory which lies north of a line drawn east from the Southern Lane bend or extreme of Lake Michigan, until its shall intersect Lake Erie, and east a line drawn from the said Southern Lane bend to the middle of the said Lake to its northern extremity, and thence due north to the northern boundary of United States. In 1816 a strip of land equal to 30 townships was taken from the southern portion of the territory, and he came apart of the state of Indiana. In 1818 Congress increase the area of the territory, adding all piece of the Mississippi River in north of Illinois. In 1819 authority was given to elect a delegate to Congress. The limits of the territory remained unchanged up to 1834, when all territory north of Missouri and east of the Missouri and White Earth rivers were added to the territory of Michigan. It then comprised the area now occupied with estates of Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, a large portion of Dakota. By the organization of Wisconsin territory in 1836, and admission of Michigan into the union in 1837, the state was reduced to its present area. (From Early History of Michigan with Biographies of State Officers, Members of Congress, Judges and Legislatorst; Thorp & Godfrey, State Printers and Binders, Lansing 1888.