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Grosse Ile Township was part of Monguagon until 1914 when it organized as a separate township.
From the American state papers: Documents, legislative and ..., Part 8, Volume 5:
I, Edward McCarty, came to Detroit in the year 1784, in the month of August, and was employed by Mr. William Macomb and in the year following a number of families were settled on Grosse Isle by Mr. William Macomb.
About the beginning of September Mr. [Philip] Fry, the deputy surveyor [for Canada], received an order to survey the island and I accompanied him all round the whole island, laying off the same into farms of seven acres front except that at the head of the island which was occupied by one Thomas Williams, who was the first settler on the island which lot commenced at the northeast or upper end of the thoroughfare thence running west across the island and taking in the whole of the point and was called No 1.
Thomas Williams made his settlement on the meadows, at the head of the island, a considerable distance above where Mr. Leet now lives, and afterwards improved the very spot where Mr. Leet now resides by building a house thereon and making fields and clearing.
That the next lot which was No. 2 was left vacant for the use of the mill, but ten acres were cleared and enclosed for meadows for the use of the horses employed at the mill.
The next lot must be No. 3, on which one Stofflemger lived and is the same lot on which Mr. William Macomb, the son of William Macomb, the proprietor, now lives.
The next lot is No. 4 on which one Scratch lived, and is the same on which the mansion house was built, which house was occasionally occupied by Mr. Macomb and his family while collecting the rents.
The next lot must be No 5 on which one Mungee lived, and afterwards, in the year 1788 till 1796, 1 lived on lot No. 5.
The next lot No 6 was occupied by one Peter Mallet.
The next lot, No. 7, was rented to John Cray.
The next lot, No. 8, was rented to William Lockart.
The next, No. 9, was settled by John and Robert Jones.
The next lot, No. 10, was rented to and occupied by one Jacob Jar, who now resides in Canada. It was the lime kiln lot and was used only for the purposes of making lime thereon.
The next lot was No. 11 and was improved by one Hyer, a Dutchman.
The next lot. No. 12, was settled by Wolf.
The next, No. 13, the house occupied by Mr. David Macomb, was settled by one Snyder.
Next lot No 14 rented by Jacob Dix.
No 15 by Henry Crow. Then there was no settlement until you get down to Frenchman's creek at the south or lower end of the island where one Bpt Duberry, a Frenchman, settled.
Then on the west side of the island opposite to Duberry was one Joseph Terris settled. Then further up was settled Charles Mungee but on what lot I do not recollect. The next settlement was at the mouth of the thoroughfare by one John Ireland and afterwards by one Gill, who came on four years afterwards, and further up was John Heartley, on the lot just above him was settled the son of said Heartley, called also John Heartley, and then betwixt Heartley and Williams was settled Joseph Terris, the father of Joseph Terris at the foot of the island.
These settlements were all made and established by Mr. William Macomb, in the year 1785, and were the first actual settlers. Since that time others have settled under the direction of Mr. Mcintosh, the executor of Mr. William Macomb, who died in the year 1796.
The small islands, also around Grosse Isle, were also in possession of Mr. William Macomb at the time I came to the country viz Stoney island, Fox island, Sugar island, Hickory island, Isle Celeron and Calf island.
In the year 1785 Thomas Williams and his black man, under the permission of Mr. William Macomb, built a small cabin on Sugar island and made a small clearing at the head of the island.
On Fox island a lime kiln was constructed for the burning of lime. The islands were always considered as the property of Mr. William Macomb, both by the Indians and the white people. They were used as appendages to Grosse Isle to receive the young cattle belonging to his extensive improvements.
Mar 25 1821
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