Michigan Territory

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Michigan Territory

Michigan Territory was an organized territory of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
in the early 19th century, between June 30, 1805 and January 26, 1837, at which point it became Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a Midwestern United States U.S. state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Anishinaabe language term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, the 26th state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
of the Union. Detroit was the territorial capital.

earliest European explorers of Michigan saw it mostly as a place to control the fur trade. Small military forces, Jesuit missions to Native American

Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii....
tribes and isolated settlements of trappers and traders accounted for most of the inhabitants of what would become Michigan.

r the arrival of Europeans, the area that became the Michigan Territory was first under French

French colonization of the Americas

The French colonization of the Americas began in the 16th century, and continued in the following centuries as France established a French colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere....
and then British

British colonization of the Americas

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Encyclopedia

Michigan Territory was an organized territory of the United States

United States

Michigan

U.S. state

History and government

The earliest European explorers of Michigan saw it mostly as a place to control the fur trade. Small military forces, Jesuit missions to Native American

Native Americans in the United States

Early government in Michigan

After the arrival of Europeans, the area that became the Michigan Territory was first under French

French colonization of the Americas

British colonization of the Americas

British colonization of the Americas began in the late 16th century, before reaching its peak after colonies were established throughout the Americas, and a protectorate was established over the Kingdom of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean....
control. The first Jesuit mission, in 1668 at Sault Saint Marie, led to the establishment of further outposts at St. Ignace

St. Ignace, Michigan

Saint Ignace, usually written as St. Ignace, is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 2,678....
(where a mission began work in 1671) and Detroit, first occupied in 1701 by the garrison of the former Fort de Buade

Fort de Buade

Fort de Buade was a French colonization of the Americas fort at the present site of St. Ignace, Michigan in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was garrisoned between 1683 and 1701....
under the leadership of Cadillac. Soon after their arrival, his troops erected Fort Pontchartrain du Detroit and a church dedicated to Ste. Anne

Ste. Anne de Detroit Catholic Church

Ste. Anne de Detroit, founded July 26, 1701, is the second oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic parish in the United States. The current church, built in 1886, is located at 1000 Ste....
, the mother of the Virgin Mary. As part of New France

New France

The Viceroyalty of New France was the area French colonization of the Americas by France in North America during a period extending from the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River, by Jacques Cartier in 1534, to the cession of New France to Spain and Kingdom of Great Britain in 1763....
, the upper Great Lakes had first been governed from Michilimackinac

Michilimackinac

Michilimackinac is a name for the region mostly in the present U.S. state of Michigan around the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan....
, then Detroit; this was essentially a military regime that reported to the governor-general at Quebec

Quebec

Quebec , in French language, Qu?bec , is a Provinces and territories of Canada in the Central Canada and Eastern Canada regions of Canada....
. Its role was to supply the needs of the fur traders and discourage any settlements not directly supportive of that effort. After the surrender of Montreal in 1760, British troops under Robert Rogers

Robert Rogers

Robert Rogers may refer to:*Robert Rogers , 18th century American colonial officer, explorer and playwright*Robert Rogers , Canadian politician...
occupied Detroit and its dependent posts. In 1763, Pontiac's Rebellion saw the fall of Fort Michilimackinac

Fort Michilimackinac

Fort Michilimackinac was an 18th century France, and later Kingdom of Great Britain, fort and trading post in the Great Lakes of North America....
to the northern tribes, and a lengthy siege of Fort Detroit

Siege of Fort Detroit

The Siege of Fort Detroit was an ultimately unsuccessful attempt by North American Indians to capture Fort Detroit during Pontiac's Rebellion. The siege was led primarily by Chief Pontiac, an Ottawa war leader....
. The siege was lifted in 1764, and rule under a British lieutenant-governor at Detroit followed soon thereafter.

Michigan and what is now Western Ontario were governed during the Revolution and in the following years as part of the Province of Quebec

Province of Quebec (1763-1791)

The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Kingdom of Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Great Britain acquired Canada, New France by the Treaty of Paris when King Louis XV of France of France and his advisors chose to keep the territory of Guadeloupe for its valuable sugar crops instead of New France....
and its District of Hesse

Western District, Upper Canada

Western District was one of four districts of Upper Canada created in 1788. It was renamed from Hesse District in 1792, and was abolished in 1849....
, which was organized in 1784. The province was split into Lower Canada

Lower Canada

The Province of Lower Canada was a British colonization of the Americas on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence ....
(today's Province of Quebec) and Upper Canada

Upper Canada

Ontario

Ontario is a Provinces and territories of Canada located in the Central Canada part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area....
) in 1791, and the districts of Upper Canada were renamed the next year, with the Detroit area designated as the Western District

Western District, Upper Canada

Western District was one of four districts of Upper Canada created in 1788. It was renamed from Hesse District in 1792, and was abolished in 1849....
.

Following the American Revolutionary War

American Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War , also known as the American War of Independence, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Thirteen Colonies on the North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers....
, several states had competing claims on land in the region. In 1779, Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia is an United States U.S. state on the East Coast of the United States of the Southern United States. The state is known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes as "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of Lists of United States Presidents by place of birth#By state....
established Illinois County with boundaries that encompassed all of the land east of the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the longest river in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico....
, north of the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. It is approximately 981 miles long and is located in the eastern United States....
and west of the Appalachian Mountains

Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains or , often called the Appalachians, are a vast mountain range in eastern North America. Definitions vary on the precise boundaries of the Appalachians....
. (However, the county government for all practical purposes never exercised actual control beyond an area limited to a few old French settlements along the major rivers. The overwhelming majority of the northwestern lands were controlled by the native tribes.) New York

New York

The State of New York is a U.S. state in the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeastern United States regions of the United States and is the nation's List of U.S....
, Connecticut

Connecticut

Connecticut is a U.S. state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. The state borders New York to the west and south , Massachusetts to the north, and Rhode Island to the east....
, and Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a U.S. state located in the New England region of the Northeastern United States United States. It borders Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north....
also claimed portions of what was to become Michigan, but were even less able to enforce their pretensions, given Britain's control of the Great Lakes and the hostility of the tribes.

Although the Treaty of Paris

Treaty of Paris

Many treaties have been negotiated and signed in Paris, France, including:*Treaty of Paris , ended the Albigensian Crusade*Treaty of Paris , between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France...
gave the fledgling United States a claim to what is now Michigan, British policy was to hold on to Detroit and its dependencies at all costs. In 1784, Baron von Steuben would be sent to Canada by the Congress of the Confederation

Congress of the Confederation

The Congress of the Confederation or the United States in Congress Assembled was the governing body of the United States of America from March 1, 1781, to March 4, 1789....
in a diplomatic capacity to address the question of Detroit and the Great Lakes, but lieutenant governor Frederick Haldimand

Frederick Haldimand

Sir Frederick Haldimand, Order of the Bath was a United Kingdom army officer and governor.Haldimand was born, baptised and died in Yverdon-les-Bains as Fran?ois-Louis-Fr?d?ric Haldimand and spent his early military career, from 1740 to 1756, in Europe; in the army of the King of Sardinia, the Prussian Army, and then with the Swiss Mercen...
refused to provide a passport, and negotiations collapsed before they had begun.

Virginia surrendered its claim to lands north and west of the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. It is approximately 981 miles long and is located in the eastern United States....
, effective March 1, 1784. Coincidentally (or not) this was the same day that the findings of a Congressional committee

Congress of the Confederation

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States , the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence , and one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States....
since the previous October, were reported. Jefferson's recommendations became the basis for the Ordinance of 1784

Northwest Ordinance of 1784

The Ordinance of 1784 called for the land west of the Appalachian Mountains, north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River to be divided into ten separate states....
, which established that new states equal in all respects to the founding thirteen would be erected in the territory, that they would forever be a part of the United States, and that their governments would be republican in form. The Land Ordinance of 1785

Land Ordinance of 1785

The Land Ordinance of 1785 was adopted by the Congress of the Confederation on May 20, 1785. Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress did not have the power to raise revenue by direct taxation of the inhabitants of the United States....
would go further by establishing a procedure for land sales in the new territory, but the Ohio River remained an effective boundary between the United States and the Northwest tribes for a few more years.

The other states with claims in the Northwest eventually followed Virginia's example, and in 1787, the Continental Congress

Continental Congress

The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
enacted the Northwest Ordinance

Northwest Ordinance

The Northwest Ordinance was an act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States. The Ordinance unanimously passed on July 13, 1787....
, which created the Northwest Territory

Northwest Territory

The Northwest Territory, formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was a governmental region within the early United States....
. The first settlement under the Northwest Ordinance was at Marietta

Marietta, Ohio

Marietta is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio. The municipality is located in southeastern Ohio along the Ohio River....
, in 1788.

The region that became Michigan was initially unorganized territory, and remained under British control until 1796; that did not stop Governor Arthur St. Clair

Arthur St. Clair

Arthur St. Clair was an American soldier and politician. Born in Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office....
from establishing a structure of government for the area, if only on paper. Knox County

Knox County, Indiana

Knox County is a county located in Indiana in the United States. As of 2000, the population was 39,256. The county seat is Vincennes, Indiana; other communities include the city of Bicknell, Indiana and the towns Oaktown, Indiana, Wheatland, Indiana, Freelandville, Indiana, and Monroe City, Indiana....
was established on June 20, 1790 with boundaries that included the western half of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan

Lower Peninsula of Michigan

The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people associate with a mitten, with the mid-eastern region identified as The Thumb....
and roughly the middle third of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Upper Peninsula of Michigan

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that comprise the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan....
. In 1792, the boundaries of Hamilton County

Hamilton County, Ohio

Hamilton County is a county located in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Ohio, United States. The county seat is Cincinnati, Ohio, and as of 2000, the population was 845,303....
were expanded to include the eastern portions of Michigan not included in Knox County.

American claims to Michigan were frustrated by Britain's refusal to evacuate the forts at Detroit, Mackinac

Fort Mackinac

Fort Mackinac was a military outpost garrisoned from the late 18th century to the late 19th century on Mackinac Island in the U.S. state of Michigan....
and elsewhere. Britain's tacit support for the Northwest tribes during the Northwest Indian War

Northwest Indian War

The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a large confederation of Native Americans in the United States for control of the Northwest Territory, which ended with a decisive U.S....
was dependent on Detroit remaining out of American hands. But the position of the British and their allies in the Northwest deteriorated after the signing of Jay's Treaty and the Battle of Fallen Timbers

Battle of Fallen Timbers

The Battle of Fallen Timbers was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between American Indians in the United Statess and the United States for control of the Northwest Territory ....
in 1794, and after negotiations, the British evacuated Detroit on July 11, 1796. The United States had finally established a presence in Michigan.

Beginnings of American rule

By proclamation of acting governor and territorial secretary Winthrop Sargent, the "first" Wayne County

Wayne County, Michigan

Wayne County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States 2000 Census, its population was 2,061,162....
was established August 15, 1796, from Knox and Hamilton counties, and included most of the area that later became the Michigan Territory, as well as portions of what are now Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

In 1800, the western half of the Lower Peninsula and most of the Upper Peninsula was attached to Indiana Territory

Indiana Territory

Indiana Territory was an organized territory of the United States from 1800 to 1816, created by United States Congress and signed into law by President John Adams on May 7, 1800, effective on July 4....
when it was established as a separate government from the Northwest Territory. Wayne County was thereby reduced to the remainder of the two peninsulas, and continued under the government of the Northwest Territory. St. Clair County

St. Clair County, Illinois

St. Clair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois, and determined by the United States Census Bureau to include the mean center of U.S....
, another Indiana Territory county, was also expanded at this time, to include the western portion of the Upper Peninsula and a small sliver of the Lower Peninsula along the shore of Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and the only one located entirely within the United States. The third-largest of the Great Lakes, it is bounded, from west to east, by the U.S....
.

When Ohio was admitted as a state in early 1803, the eastern half of Michigan was attached to the Indiana Territory. One of the first acts taken that year by the Indiana government under William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison was an Military history of the United States and Politics of the United States, the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, and the first president to die in office....
was to reorganize Wayne County under Indiana law, adding territory from Knox and St. Clair counties. Michigan's first county now encompassed all of the Lower Peninsula, much of the Upper Peninsula, and those portions of today's Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin that drained into Lake Michigan.

In many respects, the change from the government of the Northwest Territory to that of the Indiana Territory had little effect on Wayne County's limited operations. By Governor Harrison's proclamation of January 11, 1803, the courts of Wayne County -- common pleas, orphans, and quarter sessions -- kept their organization under the new territorial government, with almost identical composition.

But the logistics of government went from difficult to almost impossible, with the mail between Detroit and the capital at Vincennes being routed at one point through Warren in northeastern Ohio. The deciding factor may have come when an election was called by Governor Harrison for September 11, 1804, to decide whether Indiana Territory (which by this time was responsible for not only the settlements in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois, but the newly-acquired District of Louisiana

District of Louisiana

The District of Louisiana or Louisiana District was an official United States government designation for the portion of the Louisiana Purchase that had not been organized into the Territory of Orleans....
as well) should progress to the second stage of territorial government. But word failed to reach Detroit until after the date had passed, and the settlers of Michigan petitioned Congress in December 1804, asking that Wayne County be set off as an independent territory.

Organization

Michigan Territory was established by an act of the United States Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the Bicameralism legislature of the Federal government of the United States of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives....
on January 11, 1805, effective June 30 of that year. The act defined the territory as "all that part of the Indiana Territory, which lies North of a line drawn east from the southerly bend or extreme of lake Michigan, until it shall intersect lake Erie, and East of a line drawn from the said southerly bend through the middle of said lake to its northern extremity, and thence due north to the northern boundary of the United States." A historical marker at a roadside park, approximately three miles east of Naubinway at , commemorates the northernmost point of Lake Michigan, which is located approximately one mile west of the park.

The first territorial governor, William Hull

William Hull

William Hull was an United States soldier and politician. He fought in the American Revolution, was Governor of Michigan Territory, and was a general in the War of 1812, for which he is best remembered for surrendering Fort Shelby to the United Kingdom....
abolished Wayne County and established new districts of his own making, which proved to be short-lived. Lewis Cass

Lewis Cass

Lewis Cass was an United States military officer and politician. During his long political career, Cass served as a governor of the Michigan Territory, an American ambassador, and a United States Senate representing Michigan....
became governor in 1813 and promptly undid Hull's work and re-established a third incarnation of Wayne County that included all lands within Michigan Territory that had been ceded by Native Americans through the 1807 Treaty of Detroit

Treaty of Detroit

The Treaty of Detroit was a treaty between the United States and the Ottawa , Ojibwe, Wyandot and Potawatomi Native Americans in the United States nations....
.

During the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812, between the United States of America and the British Empire , was fought from 1812 to 1815.There were several immediate stated causes for the U.S....
, following General Isaac Brock's

Isaac Brock

Major-General Sir Isaac Brock Order of the Bath was a British Army officer and Administrator of the Government. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802....
capture of Detroit on August 16, 1812, the Michigan Territory was at least nominally a part of the Province of Upper Canad

Upper Canada

The Province of Upper Canada was a British colony located in what is now the southern portion of the Province of Ontario in Canada. Upper Canada officially existed from 26 December 1791 to 10 February 1841 and generally comprised present-day Southern Ontario and, until 1797, the Upper Peninsula of what is now part of the U.S....
a. On August 24, Colonel Henry Proctor proclaimed the continuation of civil government under existing laws with Proctor acting as Governor and Chief Justice Augustus B. Woodward acting as Secretary. On February 4, 1813, Proctor suspended civil government and imposed martial law

Martial law

Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice.Martial law is sometimes imposed during wars or occupied territory in the absence of any other civil government....
.

When Indiana

Indiana

The State of Indiana was the 19th U.S. state admitted into the union. It is located in the Midwestern United States of the United States of America....
(1816) and Illinois

Illinois

The State of Illinois is a U.S. state of the United States, the 21st to be admitted to the United States. Illinois is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern United States state and the fifth most populous state in the nation....
(1818) joined the Union, remnants of their territories were joined to Michigan Territory. An area equal to 30 townships

Civil township

A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to a county . Specific responsibilities and the degree of Wiktionary:autonomy vary based on each U.S....
was also transferred from Michigan Territory to Indiana to allow that state access to Lake Michigan. Soon afterward, the federal government rapidly began signing treaties with local Indian tribes and acquiring their lands.

In 1824, the Michigan Territory graduated to the second grade of territorial status, and the government's power was transferred from the Governor and a handful of judges to the people. The people elected 18 to the Legislative Council, of which nine were approved by the President

President of the United States

The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition....
and first sat in council on June 7, 1824. The Council was expanded from nine to 13 in 1825, the 13 being chosen by the President from a field of 26.

The Erie Canal

Erie Canal

The Erie Canal is a man-made waterway in New York state that runs about 365 miles from Albany on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes....
opened in 1825, allowing settlers from New England

New England

New England is a region of the United States located in the northeastern corner of the country, bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Canada and New York State, and consisting of the modern U.S....
and New York

New York

The State of New York is a U.S. state in the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeastern United States regions of the United States and is the nation's List of U.S....
to reach Michigan by water through Albany

Albany, New York

Albany is the Capital of the state of New York and the county seat of Albany County, New York. Albany is roughly 136 miles north of the city of New York City, and slightly south of the confluence of the Mohawk River and Hudson Rivers....
.

In 1834, all of the lands acquired in the Louisiana Purchase

Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of the French territory Louisiana in 1803. The U.S. paid 60 million French franc plus cancellation of debts worth 18 million francs , a total cost of $15,000,000 for the Louisiana territory....
that were as yet unallocated and lay east of the Missouri River

Missouri River

The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, and the longest river in the United States of America. The Missouri begins at the confluence of the Madison River, Jefferson River, and Gallatin River rivers in Montana, and flows through Missouri River Valley south and east into the Mississippi north of St....
(generally, the Dakotas

The Dakotas

The Dakotas is a collective term used around the world that refers to the U.S. state of North Dakota and South Dakota together. The term has been used historically to describe the Dakota Territory, and is continued to be used to describe the collective heritage, culture, geography, fauna, sociology,the economy, and even diet among the two st...
, Iowa and the western half of Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States of the United States. The twelfth largest state by area in the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with just over five million residents....
) were attached to the Michigan Territory, an area that was officially characterized as "north of Missouri

Missouri

Missouri is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska....
and east of the Missouri

Missouri River

White Earth River (North Dakota)

The White Earth River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 50 mi long, in northwestern North Dakota in the United States. It rises in the plains of southeastern Divide County, North Dakota, approximately 10 mi east of Wildrose, North Dakota....
s." At this point, Michigan Territory included what is now the states of Michigan, Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is one of the fifty U.S. state in the United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States. It borders two of the five Great Lakes and four U.S....
, Iowa

Iowa

Minnesota

Meanwhile, in 1835, the Toledo War

Toledo War

The Toledo War , also known as the Ohio-Michigan War, was the almost entirely bloodless territorial dispute between the U.S. state of Ohio and the adjoining territory of Michigan Territory....
was fought with Ohio because Michigan Territory wanted to retain the disputed "Toledo Strip." The Toledo area of Ohio was finally surrendered in exchange for the western section of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Northwest Ordinance

The Northwest Ordinance was an act of the Congress of the Confederation of the United States. The Ordinance unanimously passed on July 13, 1787....
, but British and French residents were permitted to retain possession of slaves already owned at the time the territory became organized. Census records show that the slave population in the territory numbered 24 in 1810 and 32 in 1830. It is believed that those counted as slaves were, in many cases, enslaved Native Americans

Native Americans in the United States

On July 3, 1836, in preparation for Michigan statehood, the Wisconsin Territory

Wisconsin Territory

Wisconsin Territory became an organized territory of the United States by an act of Congress of the United States passed on April 20, 1836, which took effect on July 3, 1836....
was organized from Michigan Territory, consisting of the present states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and the eastern portion of the Dakotas. Michigan became a state on January 26, 1837, and included the Upper Peninsula as far west as the Montreal River

Montreal River (Wisconsin-Michigan)

The Montreal River is a river flowing to Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan of Michigan in the United States....
as part of the resolution to the conflict over the Toledo Strip, which had blocked Michigan statehood for several years. Detroit remained the capital until March 17, 1847 when Lansing

Lansing, Michigan

Lansing is the List of U.S. state capitals of the U.S. state of Michigan, and the state's sixth largest city. It is located about 80 miles west-northwest of Detroit, Michigan and is mostly in Ingham County, Michigan, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County, Michigan....
was chosen as a replacement. The population of Michigan at the time of statehood is estimated to have been about 200,000, which was well above the Northwest Ordinance's minimum requirement of 60,000.

Territorial acquisition

The area that became Michigan had been British territory, and was ceded to the United States in 1783, although the native peoples of the area had not ceded control to either the British or Americans for most of the territory by 1783. The majority of it was gained by cession, coerced or otherwise. The people who resided in Michigan before American settlement were the Ottawa, the Potawatomi

Potawatomi

The Potawatomi are a Native Americans in the United States people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian languages....
, Ojibwa

Ojibwa

The Ojibwa or Chippewa is the largest group of Native Americans in the United States-First Nations north of Mexico, including M?tis people ....
and the Wyandot

Wyandot

The Wyandot and Huron are indigenous peoples of North America of North America known in their Wyandot language as the Wendat. Modern Wyandots and Hurons emerged in the 17th century from the remnants of two earlier groups, the Huron Confederacy and the Petun....
. Treaties ceding the land were signed between 1795 (the Treaty of Greenville

Treaty of Greenville

The Treaty of Greenville was signed at Fort Greenville , on August 3, 1795, between a coalition of Native Americans in the United States and the United States following the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers....
) and 1842 (the Treaty of La Pointe

Treaty of La Pointe

The Treaty of La Pointe may refer to either of two treaty made and signed in La Pointe, Wisconsin between the United States and the Ojibwe Native Americans in the United States peoples....
). Other notable treaties were Governor Hull's treaty of 1808, the Treaty of Saginaw

Treaty of Saginaw

The Treaty of Saginaw in 1819 was made between Gen. Lewis Cass and Chief John Okemos, Chief Wasso and other Native Americans in the United States tribes of the Great Lakes region in what is now the United States....
in 1819, the two Treaties of Chicago

Treaty of Chicago

The Treaty of Chicago may refer to either of two treaty made and signed in Chicago, Illinois between the United States and the Ottawa , Ojibwe , and Potawatomi Native Americans in the United States peoples....
(1821, 1833), the Carey Mission

Carey Mission

The Carey Mission was established by Baptist missionary Isaac McCoy among the Potawatomi tribe of American Indians on the St. Joseph River near Niles, Michigan, USA in December, 1822....
in 1828 and the Treaty of Washington

Treaty of Washington (1836)

The Treaty of Washington is a treaty between the United States and representatives of the Ottawa and Ojibwe nations of Native Americans in the United States....
in 1836 and a later treaty of January 4, 1837.

Territorial subdivisions

Wayne County, Michigan

Wayne County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States 2000 Census, its population was 2,061,162....
, originally part of the vast Northwest Territory, was eventually whittled down into its current size by the separation of several tracts: Monroe

Monroe County, Michigan

Monroe County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population was 145,945 with the 2007 Census Bureau estimate placing the population at 153,608....
in 1817, Michilimackinac County (later called Mackinac

Mackinac County, Michigan

Mackinac County is a Counties of the United States in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 11,943....
) and Macomb

Macomb County, Michigan

Macomb County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. The United States 2000 Census recorded its population to be 788,149....
counties in 1818, St. Clair

St. Clair County, Michigan

St. Clair County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 164,235, with the 2007 Census Bureau estimate placing the population at 170,119....
and St. Joseph

St. Joseph County, Michigan

St. Joseph County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 62,422 at the United States Census, 2000....
counties in 1820 and Washtenaw County

Washtenaw County, Michigan

Washtenaw County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population was 322,895....
in 1822. The first township organization was Detroit, in Wayne County, in 1802.

Also organized in 1818 were two counties that survive in present-day Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is one of the fifty U.S. state in the United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States. It borders two of the five Great Lakes and four U.S....
. Crawford

Crawford County, Wisconsin

Crawford County is a county located in southwest Wisconsin, United States. Its county seat is Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Along with Brown County, Wisconsin, it is one of Wisconsin's original counties, established by the Michigan Territory legislature in 1818, and named after William H....
was set up to govern the settlements on the upper Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the longest river in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico....
from its seat at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, while Brown

Brown County, Wisconsin

Brown County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 226,778. The county seat is Green Bay, Wisconsin....
performed a similar function for the settlements around Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, Wisconsin in the U.S. state of Wisconsin.The city is located at the head of its namesake Green Bay , a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River ....
. These would become part of the Wisconsin Territory

Wisconsin Territory

Oakland County, Michigan

Oakland County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. , the population was estimated at 1,206,089. The county seat is Pontiac, Michigan....
was created in 1819, and over time was subdivided into all or parts of Genesee

Genesee County, Michigan

Genesee County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population was 436,141, with the 2007 United States Census Bureau estimate showing the population to have slightly fallen to 434,715....
, Lapeer

Lapeer County, Michigan

Lapeer County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 87,904; a 2007 Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 92,012....
, Sanilac

Sanilac County, Michigan

Sanilac County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 44,547 with a projection of 44,448 in 2006....
, Shiawassee

Shiawassee County, Michigan

Shiawassee is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan, the sole county of the Owosso United States micropolitan area, and part of the greater Lansing, Michigan Combined Statistical Area....
and Saginaw

Saginaw County, Michigan

Saginaw County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 210,039 with the 2007 Census Bureau estimate placing the population at 202,268....
counties. Saginaw County would be split further into eight separate counties, three of which (Isabella

Isabella County, Michigan

Isabella County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 63,351....
, Arenac

Arenac County, Michigan

Arenac County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 17,269....
and Midland

Midland County, Michigan

Midland County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 82,874 with a projection of 83,792 in 2006....
) were established during the territorial period.

Lenawee County

Lenawee County, Michigan

Lenawee County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, it has a population of 98,890, with an estimated population of 101,243 as of the July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate....
was created in 1822 from what had been Indian lands, and Hillsdale County

Hillsdale County, Michigan

Hillsdale County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 46,527....
was separated from it in 1829. Other parts of Lenawee were turned into Cass

Cass County, Michigan

Cass County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 51,104. It is part of the South Bend, Indiana–Mishawaka, Indiana, Indiana-MI, South Bend-Mishawaka metropolitan area which has a total population of 316,663, and is sometimes considered part of Greater...
and Berrien

Berrien County, Michigan

Berrien County is a Counties of the United States located in the extreme southwest of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is included in the Niles, Michigan-Benton Harbor, Michigan, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. Branch

Branch County, Michigan

Branch County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 45,787....
also sprung fully formed from Michigan Territory in 1829.

Chippewa County

Chippewa County, Michigan

Chippewa County is a Counties of the United States in the Upper peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population was 38,543....
was created from Michilimackinac County in 1826.

Kalamazoo County, Michigan

Kalamazoo County, Michigan

Kalamazoo County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 238,603....
, established 1829 from St. Joseph County, was the dominant tract in Western Michigan

Western Michigan

West Michigan, also known as Western Michigan, is a region in the U.S. state of Michigan in its Lower Peninsula....
and was divided and subdivided into many other counties: Allegan

Allegan County, Michigan

Allegan County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of United States 2000 Census, the population was 105,665. The county seat is Allegan, Michigan....
, Barry

Barry County, Michigan

Barry County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Grand Rapids, Michigan – Wyoming, Michigan Grand Rapids-Wyoming metropolitan area....
, Calhoun

Calhoun County, Michigan

Calhoun County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. The county seat is Marshall, Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 137,985....
, Eaton

Eaton County, Michigan

Eaton County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 103,655....
, Ionia

Ionia County, Michigan

Ionia County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Grand Rapids, Michigan – Wyoming, Michigan Grand Rapids-Wyoming metropolitan area....
, Montcalm

Montcalm County, Michigan

Montcalm County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, its population was 61,266....
, Kent

Kent County, Michigan

Kent County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Grand Rapids, Michigan–Wyoming, Michigan Grand Rapids-Wyoming metropolitan area....
, Ottawa

Ottawa County, Michigan

Ottawa County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population was 238,314 with a projection of 257,671 in 2006....
and Clinton

Clinton County, Michigan

Clinton County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is part of the Lansing Metropolitan Area. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 64,753, and the 2007 Census Bureau estimate places the county at 69,755....
(some created during the territorial period, others split off later).

Jackson

Jackson County, Michigan

Jackson County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. In 2000, its population was 158,422 with the 2007 Census Bureau placing the population at 163,006....
and Ingham

Ingham County, Michigan

Ingham County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. The United States 2000 Census recorded its population at 279,320; with the 2007 Census Bureau estimate placing the population at 279,295....
were created in 1829 from Washtenaw; Isabella

Isabella County, Michigan

Isabella County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 63,351....
was created from parts of Saginaw and Midland

Midland County, Michigan

Gratiot County, Michigan

Gratiot County is a Counties of the United States in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 42,285....
was also established in 1831, with land from Saginaw and Clinton counties.

Seven of the 12 counties created in 1829 were named for members of President Andrew Jackson's Cabinet

Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States . He was List of governors of Florida of Florida , commander of the American forces at the Battle of New Orleans , and eponym of the era of Jacksonian democracy....
, and one was named for Jackson himself.

Iowa County

Iowa County, Wisconsin

Iowa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 22,780. Its county seat is Dodgeville, Wisconsin....
, with its seat at Mineral Point

Mineral Point, Wisconsin

Mineral Point is a city in Iowa County, Wisconsin, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,617 at the 2000 census. One of Wisconsin's oldest cities, Mineral Point was settled in 1827 and became a lead and zinc mining center during the 19th and early 20th centuries....
, was established in 1829 and transferred to the Wisconsin Territory in 1836.

Michigan Territory briefly governed lands west of the Mississippi, after the statehood of Missouri

Missouri

Missouri is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska....
left the area north of the new state as unorganized territory; this comprised what is now Iowa

Iowa

The State of Iowa is a U.S. state in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It is bordered by Minnesota to the north, Wisconsin and Illinois to the east, Nebraska and South Dakota to the west, and Missouri to the south....
and that part of Minnesota west of the river. Such was the case until 1834, when that area was placed under the government of Michigan Territory. Dubuque

Dubuque County, Iowa

Dubuque County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of 2000, the population was 89,143, rising to 92,384 in 2006. Its county seat is the city of Dubuque, Iowa....
and Des Moines

Des Moines County, Iowa

Des Moines County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of 2000, the population was 42,351. Its county seat is Burlington, Iowa. The county is part of the Burlington, IA–Illinois Burlington micropolitan area....
counties were created in 1834, and transferred to the Wisconsin Territory in 1836 upon its organization.

Milwaukee County

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Milwaukee County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2007, the population was 951,242. Its county seat is Milwaukee, Wisconsin....
was established in 1834 and was transferred to Wisconsin Territory two years later.

Territorial population

These census numbers do not include most Native Americans, defined in the U.S. Constitution as "Indians not taxed" (Article I, Sec. 2). In 1800, the whole of the Northwest Territory

Northwest Territory

The Northwest Territory, formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was a governmental region within the early United States....
had 43,365 residents. Under the Northwest Ordinance, a territory could apply for statehood once it had surpassed 60,000 inhabitants.

Year	Population
1810	4,762
1820	8,896
1830	31,639
1834	87,273
1840	212,267

Territorial officers

Governors

Governor	Dates Served	Notes
William Hull William Hull William Hull was an United States soldier and politician. He fought in the American Revolution, was Governor of Michigan Territory, and was a general in the War of 1812, for which he is best remembered for surrendering Fort Shelby to the United Kingdom....	March 1, 1805 to August 16, 1812	Surrendered Detroit to British forces, August 16, 1812
Henry Proctor	August 24, 1812 to September 28, 1813	Civil governor under British rule to February 4; martial law thereafter until evacuation of Detroit in September
Lewis Cass Lewis Cass Lewis Cass was an United States military officer and politician. During his long political career, Cass served as a governor of the Michigan Territory, an American ambassador, and a United States Senate representing Michigan....	October 13, 1813 to August 6, 1831	Appointed military governor by General Harrison William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison was an Military history of the United States and Politics of the United States, the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, and the first president to die in office.... ; civil governor from October 29
George Bryan Porter George Bryan Porter George Bryan Porter , was a United States statesman in Pennsylvania and Michigan Territory.He was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania, the brother of David Rittenhouse Porter, Pennsylvania Governor, 1839-1845, and James Madison Porter, United States Secretary of War, 1843 - 1844, and the uncle of Horace Porter, U.S....	August 6, 1831 to July 6, 1834	Died in office.
Stevens T. Mason Stevens T. Mason Stevens Thomson Mason , also known as Stevens T. Mason, Tom Mason, *The Boy Governor, and lesser known nicknames Young Hotspur* and *The Stripling*, was the territorial governor of the Michigan Territory, and later governor of the state of Michigan....	July 6, 1834 to September 15, 1835	ex officio, Acting Governor due to position as Secretary
John S. Horner John S. Horner John Scott Horner also known as Little Jack Horner was a United States politician, Secretary and List of Governors of Michigan of Michigan Territory, 1835-1836 and Secretary of Wisconsin Territory, 1836-1837....	September 15, 1835 to July 3, 1836	ex officio, Acting Governor due to position as Secretary

Secretaries

Secretary	Dates Served
Stanley Griswold Stanley Griswold Stanley Griswold was a Democratic-Republican Party politician from Ohio. He served in the United States Senate.Born in Torrington, Connecticut, Griswold served in the militia during the American Revolutionary War....	March 1, 1805 to March 18, 1808
Reuben Atwater	March 18, 1808 to October 15, 1814
William Woodbridge William Woodbridge William Woodbridge was a United States statesman in the states of Ohio and Michigan and in the Michigan Territory prior to statehood. He served as Governor and as U.S....	October 15, 1814 to January 15, 1828
James Witherell James Witherell James Witherell was a United States Representative from Vermont. He was born in Mansfield, Massachusetts. After completing preparatory studies, he served in the Continental Army 1775-1783 during the American Revolutionary War....	January 15, 1828 to May 20, 1830
John T. Mason	May 20, 1830 to July 12, 1831
Stevens T. Mason Stevens T. Mason Stevens Thomson Mason , also known as Stevens T. Mason, Tom Mason, *The Boy Governor, and lesser known nicknames Young Hotspur* and *The Stripling*, was the territorial governor of the Michigan Territory, and later governor of the state of Michigan....	July 12, 1831 to September 15, 1835
John S. Horner John S. Horner John Scott Horner also known as Little Jack Horner was a United States politician, Secretary and List of Governors of Michigan of Michigan Territory, 1835-1836 and Secretary of Wisconsin Territory, 1836-1837....	September 15, 1835 to July 3, 1836

Supreme Court

From 1805 through 1823, Territorial Supreme Court Justices were appointed by the U.S. President, with consent of the U.S. Senate. Their terms had no fixed limits. In 1823, the U.S. Congress passed an act reorganizing territorial government and setting a four-year term of office for justices.

Supreme Court Justices	Dates Served	Notes
Augustus B. Woodward	March 2, 1805 to February 1, 1824	Appointed by Thomas Jefferson; resigned following reorganization of court
Frederick Bates Frederick Bates Frederick Bates , brother of Edward Bates and James Woodson Bates, was an United States politician. Born in 1777 in Belmont, Virginia, Bates started his career as a Justice of the Territorial Supreme Court for Michigan Territory in Detroit, Michigan....	March 3, 1805 to November, 1808	Appointed by Thomas Jefferson; resigned after being appointed Secretary of Louisiana Territory Louisiana Territory Louisiana Territory was a historic organized territory of the United States consisting of the portion of the Louisiana Purchase that was not partitioned off into Territory of Orleans, which later became the state of Louisiana....
John Griffin	December 23, 1805 to February 1, 1824	Appointed by Thomas Jefferson; resigned following reorganization of court
James Witherell James Witherell James Witherell was a United States Representative from Vermont. He was born in Mansfield, Massachusetts. After completing preparatory studies, he served in the Continental Army 1775-1783 during the American Revolutionary War....	April 23, 1808 to January 15, 1828	First appointed by Thomas Jefferson; reappointed by James Monroe; resigned after being appointed Secretary of Michigan Territory
Solomon Sibley Solomon Sibley Solomon Sibley was a United States politician and jurist in the Michigan Territory....	February 2, 1824 to July 17, 1836	First appointed by James Monroe, reappointed by John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson; not reappointed after Michigan statehood
John Hunt	February 20, 1824 to June 15, 1827	Twice appointed by James Monroe; died in office
Henry C. Chipman	July 18, 1817 to April 25, 1832	Twice appointed by John Quincy Adams; was not reappointed by Andrew Jackson
William Woodbridge William Woodbridge William Woodbridge was a United States statesman in the states of Ohio and Michigan and in the Michigan Territory prior to statehood. He served as Governor and as U.S....	January 15, 1828 to April 25, 1832	Appointed by John Quincy Adams; was not reappointed by Andrew Jackson
Ross Wilkins Ross Wilkins Ross Wilkins was an United States politician and lawyer from Pennsylvania, who later served as a United States territory and United States district court judge in the U.S....	April 26, 1832 to July 17, 1836	Appointed by Andrew Jackson; appointed U.S. District Court judge for Michigan after statehood
George Morrell	April 26, 1832 to July 17, 1843	First appointed by Andrew Jackson; appointed to the Michigan Supreme Court by Governor Mason

Congressional delegates

In 1819, Michigan Territory was given the authority to elect a Congressional delegate

Delegate (United States Congress)

A Delegate to Congress is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected from a Organized territory or from Washington, D.C....
.

Delegate	Years	Party
William Woodbridge William Woodbridge William Woodbridge was a United States statesman in the states of Ohio and Michigan and in the Michigan Territory prior to statehood. He served as Governor and as U.S....	1819-20 (16th Congress)	Whig
Solomon Sibley Solomon Sibley Solomon Sibley was a United States politician and jurist in the Michigan Territory....	1820-23 (16th and 17th Congresses)
Gabriel Richard Gabriel Richard Father Gabriel Richard was a French people Roman Catholic priest who became a Delegate from Michigan Territory to the U.S. House of Representatives....	1823-25 (18th Congress)
Austin Eli Wing Austin Eli Wing Austin Eli Wing was a delegate to U.S. Congress from Michigan Territory before it became the state of Michigan.Wing was born in Conway, Massachusetts and in early youth moved with his parents to Marietta, Ohio....	1825-29 (19th and 20th Congress 20th Congress The 20th Congress may refer to:* 20th United States Congress, the national legislature of the United States of America from March 4, 1827 to March 3, 1829.... es)
John Biddle John Biddle (Michigan) John Biddle was a delegate to the United States Congress from the Michigan Territory.Biddle was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he attended the common schools before attending Princeton College....	1829-31 (21st Congress)
Austin Eli Wing Austin Eli Wing Austin Eli Wing was a delegate to U.S. Congress from Michigan Territory before it became the state of Michigan.Wing was born in Conway, Massachusetts and in early youth moved with his parents to Marietta, Ohio....	1831-33 (22nd Congress)
Lucius Lyon Lucius Lyon Lucius Lyon was a United States statesman from the state of Michigan. He was born in Shelburne, Vermont, where he received a common school education and studied engineering and surveying....	1833-35 (23rd Congress)	Democratic
George Wallace Jones	1835-37 (24th Congress)	Democratic

External links

(the law which created the Michigan Territory)

Michigan Territory

History and government

Early government in Michigan

Beginnings of American rule

Organization

Territorial acquisition

Territorial subdivisions

Territorial population

Territorial officers

Governors

Secretaries

Supreme Court

Congressional delegates

See also

External links