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EARLY MICHIGAN MICHIGAN TERRITORY IN 1820
And after recounting the places of settlement which were then over that vast country, says: "The public surveys had not yet extended even into this peninsula. " This is an error, as the linear surveys of that date had occupied a large area of the southern portion of the territory; parts of Oakland and Macomb counties having been surveyed as early as 1817 and 1818.
I think that the following will show that an attempt, at least, was made to
survey a portion of our state as early as 1815, although Mr. Cannon places
the earliest date at 1817. The document which I copy below is on file at the
general land office at Washington, and through the courtesy of the Hon. E.
M. Marble, "United States commissioner of patents, several months ago, a
copy was secured for me from the Hon. A. C. McFarland, commissioner of
the general land office. In addition to establishing a date I think it will
prove of interest to your many readers as illustrating in what opinion the
lands of our beautiful peninsula were held in 18f5. It is proper to add that,
• acting upon the suggestion of the surveyor general, the congress repealed the
act making appropriation of Michigan lands for the soldiers and I think
appropriated other lands in lieu thereof located in Florida. The document
referred to I have never seen in print, and I copy it verbatim as follows:
Surveyor General's Office, Chillicothe, November 1815.
Sir: —
The surveyors who went to survey the military land in Michigan Territory have been obliged to suspend their operations until the country shall be sufficiently frozen so as to bear man and beast.
MICHIGAN
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