Frederick, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Frederick, Michigan, also known as Casino, was a community in Clinton Charter Township
of Macomb County, Michigan
in the U.S. state
of Michigan
. It was located on an oxbow
of the Clinton River
southwest of present-day Mt. Clemens.
in March 1782, the Rev. David Zeisberger and his group were summoned to Detroit by the British Major De Peyster, who suspected the Moravians of favoring the Americans in the American Revolutionary War
. Zeisberger and his group, after assuaging De Peyster's suspicions were granted a place by the local Ojibwe to establish a mission a few miles north of Detroit on what was then known as the Huron River. The group arrived in at the site in July 1782. The mission prospered for a short while, receiving the benefit of liberal supplies from De Peyster and his successor Lord George Hay. In 1785-1786, some of the Indian brethren of the mission laid out a road into Detroit from the mission, the first interior road in Michigan. The road followed the course approximated by Moravian Drive to Schoenherr Rd to Gratiot Ave. The mission was abandoned in 1786 after being warned by the Ojibwe to leave. Only Richard Conner and his family remained behind. His son Henry Conner, fought with Harrion
in the Battle of the Thames
and was present at the death of Tecumseh
. Richard Conner's only daughter, Susanna, was born at the mission December 16, 1837, the first child of white parents born within the limits of the present Macomb County. She married Judge Elisha Harrington, whose farm covered the site of the old mission.
In about 1836, the Shelby road was opened to Frederick. Associate Judges Stevens, Harrington, and Conner lived in Frederick and sat with Judge Clemens
Prior to the War of 1812
a sawmill was likely built in the town, another sawmill
was constructed around 1826 by Job C. Smith. The town proper got its start when Horace Stephens, Detroit resident, purchased land in Frederick and laid out a village which he named in honor of his brother. In 1836, the same year Stephens laid out the town, the eastern terminus of the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal
was Frederick, and the portion from Frederick to Utica
was the only segment completed to have regular boat traffic. By 1843 the town was the Clinton River's busiest port. The village prospered until 1852 when the sawmills burned to the ground rendering Frederick a ghost town
.
(Also note: The name Stephens and Stevens as mentioned in this article are more properly spelled Steevens. This from Jon Fredric Steevens, current resident of Macomb County, Great-Great Grandson and namesake of the Fredric Steevens for whom this town was name.)
Clinton Charter Township, Michigan
The Charter Township of Clinton, usually referred to as Clinton Township, is a charter township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a part of Metro Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the township had a total population of 96,796, and is Michigan's most populous township...
of Macomb County, Michigan
Macomb County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 per square mile...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It was located on an oxbow
Oxbow lake
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape, named after part of a yoke for oxen. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong, derived...
of the Clinton River
Clinton River
The Clinton River is a river in southeastern Michigan in the United States.The main branch of the river rises from wetlands in Springfield Township, Oakland County, northwest of Pontiac. A series of dams create a number of small lakes west of Pontiac, the last of which is Dawson's Millpond. The...
southwest of present-day Mt. Clemens.
History
Frederick was situated at the location of the New Gnadenhuetten Moravian mission, which is now just west of Mt. Clemens. Following the Gnadenhütten massacreGnadenhütten massacre
The Gnadenhutten massacre, also known as the Moravian massacre, was the killing on March 8, 1782, during the American Revolutionary War, of 96 Christian Lenape by colonial American militia from Pennsylvania. The militia attacked Lenape at the Moravian missionary village of Gnadenhütten, Ohio.The...
in March 1782, the Rev. David Zeisberger and his group were summoned to Detroit by the British Major De Peyster, who suspected the Moravians of favoring the Americans in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Zeisberger and his group, after assuaging De Peyster's suspicions were granted a place by the local Ojibwe to establish a mission a few miles north of Detroit on what was then known as the Huron River. The group arrived in at the site in July 1782. The mission prospered for a short while, receiving the benefit of liberal supplies from De Peyster and his successor Lord George Hay. In 1785-1786, some of the Indian brethren of the mission laid out a road into Detroit from the mission, the first interior road in Michigan. The road followed the course approximated by Moravian Drive to Schoenherr Rd to Gratiot Ave. The mission was abandoned in 1786 after being warned by the Ojibwe to leave. Only Richard Conner and his family remained behind. His son Henry Conner, fought with Harrion
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
in the Battle of the Thames
Battle of the Thames
The Battle of the Thames, also known as the Battle of Moraviantown, was a decisive American victory in the War of 1812. It took place on October 5, 1813, near present-day Chatham, Ontario in Upper Canada...
and was present at the death of Tecumseh
Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy which opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812...
. Richard Conner's only daughter, Susanna, was born at the mission December 16, 1837, the first child of white parents born within the limits of the present Macomb County. She married Judge Elisha Harrington, whose farm covered the site of the old mission.
In about 1836, the Shelby road was opened to Frederick. Associate Judges Stevens, Harrington, and Conner lived in Frederick and sat with Judge Clemens
Prior to the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
a sawmill was likely built in the town, another sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
was constructed around 1826 by Job C. Smith. The town proper got its start when Horace Stephens, Detroit resident, purchased land in Frederick and laid out a village which he named in honor of his brother. In 1836, the same year Stephens laid out the town, the eastern terminus of the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal
Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal
The Clinton–Kalamazoo Canal is an abandoned canal in Michigan that was only partially completed. The canal was to connect Lake St. Clair with Lake Michigan. The inspiration came from the success of the Erie Canal in New York, which was completed in 1825...
was Frederick, and the portion from Frederick to Utica
Utica, Michigan
Utica is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,577 at the 2000 census. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 4,924.- History :...
was the only segment completed to have regular boat traffic. By 1843 the town was the Clinton River's busiest port. The village prospered until 1852 when the sawmills burned to the ground rendering Frederick a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
.
(Also note: The name Stephens and Stevens as mentioned in this article are more properly spelled Steevens. This from Jon Fredric Steevens, current resident of Macomb County, Great-Great Grandson and namesake of the Fredric Steevens for whom this town was name.)