Canton Family Pioneers still have Family here, some well into the 1970's
McCLUMPNA: Edgar McClumpha emigrated from Montgomery County, New York and settled on what is today, McClumpha Road. He was born July 16, 1843 and died July 5, 1902.
He married Mary Elizabeth Moore, the daughter of Alfred E. Moore, owner of a saw mill at Ridge and Napier Roads. She was born April 7, 1843 and died November 22, 1919, having two sons, Harry and Clifford. Their original farm property totalled about 355 acres, and the house was built in 1830.
Clifford moved from Plymouth to Canton to 50385 Warren Ave. He served as a township Clerk until 1924, when he passed away. His son, Hurd, finished his term of office. Clifford Alec McClumpa, a 7th generation McClumpha, last had a veterinarian office on Lilley Road north of Ford Road, and is also possessor of the 1876 Wayne County Historical Atlas, Canton Township records, and McClumpha family genealogy.
Many of the McClumpna family are buried in Kinyon Cemetery.
George White: emigrated from England after marrying Sarah Harrison, and settled on Cherry Hill and Ridge Roads. They had six children, 2 daughters and 4 sons. They later moved to Canton Center near Warren Ave, next to the property of George Bartlett.
White became Highway Commissioner, and died in August 1918 at the age of 69 years.
BLUNK-WHITE: Edgar Blunk traveled to Canton from Livonia and married Cora White. Cora was born at the Canton Center homestead on August 27, 1892 and attended Bartlett school through the 8th grade, and graduated highschool from Plymouth High. Cora still alive in 1976, was residing in Canton. Edgar was the nephew of prominent Plymouth citizen, William Blunk.
BERG, Bart: dedicated his life to the services of humanity and settle in Canton in 1944. He was born December 3, 1911 in Dearborn, then bought 10 acres of land at 48630 Michigan Ave from Mrs. Bunton. He married and had five children. His wife, Bonnie, and his parents, Chris and Margaret and their children all lived here.
In 1950, Berg established National Mental Heath Week while servicing as co-Chairman of the Public Health Committee.
Berg also held offices of co-directory of the 16th Republican Congressional District with Jack McDonald, Canton Planning Commission seat since the early 1960's, president of Dearborn Junior Chamber of Commerce, and president of Canton Chamber of Commerce (1974). He also owned Bart's Nursery on Michigan Avenue.
ELLIOTT, Bill: located on an outpost of Canton, was the Tonquish Post Office on the southeast corner of Ford Road and the Pere Marquette RailRoad, was the whistlestop store and post office run by Bill Elliott. An old Tonquish Post Office postcard dated June 14, 1894 kept by the Elliott family reads: "To: Harvey J. Marsh; Director of Canton School District 1. Library moneys in treasurer's hands in Distrct 1. Can use it for general school purpose. $52.10
Signed: I.E. Kinyon ; Township Clerk.
Land Owners:Ira E. Kinyon is listed as owning the largest parcel of land in Canton at 376 acres. Samuel Lyndon (also Lyndin, Linden) was single owner of the most pieces of property. Michael Conner, who founded Conner Hardware of Plymouth in 1857, owned 100 acreas of land at the corners of Lilley Road and Warren Avenue. James Stafford owner of 80 acres on the north side of Warren. The Truesdells as a total family unit, owned more property then any other family. O.S. Bonstell, S.L. Lyndon, M. Quartel, B. Bradford and John Robbe all had homesteads with running wells.
RailRoad Museum:
At the turn of the century, the Detroit-Jackson-Chicago street car line branched off to Plymouth Township. Passengers could board any where along stops starting at midtown, traveling east on Ann Arbor Trail, South to Cherry Hill, east to Wayne Road, south to Michigan Avenue, then east to Detroit or west to Jackson, Michigan.
Canton residents would board the street car at the William H. Snider farm at 36224 Cherry Hill. They could store their wagons and buggies here. James Snider the son of William Snider opened an antique barn museum on the property which houses such items as a cutter, manufactured by the Prudy and Glass Company of Wayne; the Truesdell School Bell; a blacksmith forge; a railroad jack; and a wide variety of glacier and quartz stones.
Frederick Schrader Sr: orginally from Germany , traveled to South America before establishing in the Plymouth/Canton Community. He first settled about 1875 on Cherry Hill Road, west of Canton Center, and had seven children.
His son, Harmon Schrader migrated from Brazil and settled on Canton Center Road north of Ford Road, where his only child was born, Owen Schrader.
Another son, Frederick Jrwas born in 1874 on Beck Road and died in 1945, having had a three children; Gladys, Evelyn and Edwin Sr..
In 1904, the Schrader Funeral Home was established by Frederick Jr and Nelson Sr. By 1975 they opened Orchard Chapel on a farm site on Canton Center Road where Edwin Sr and Edwin Jr were both funeral directors. Nelson Sr's son, Nelson II, and his son, Nelson III, opened a furniture store in neighboring, Northville.
John BUNYEA: was born on a farm at Wayne Road and Warren Avenue. He moved to Belleville and later settled at Joy Road and Haggerty. John purchased 61 acres of land in 1907 from theGephart family, and moved there in 1909. He became the local thresher of crops for all his neighbors and held this trade for 45 years. He died Febrary 4, 1960.
His son, Wilford carried on the tradition and became the owner of a 12 horsepower Russell engine in 1895, and a Harrison-Jumbo steam engine which is used at the Fall Festival in Plymouth. Wilford and his wife, Margaret have one son, Guy to carry on the Bunyea traditions.
Henry S. UTTER and his wife, Anna settled at 925 Artiley Road(later Haggerty). They purchased their property from the Stewart family, who had purchased it from Phillip Dingeldey.
Anna and Henry's daughter, Ellsa compiled 37 years as a teacher at area schools: Martinville, Adams Jr High, Patchen, and Cady School. She was still alive in 1976, at the age of 70 years.
GYDE: Hugh purchased 77.44 acres of land in 1827, which later became the corner stone of the first Christian Church in Canton. William, came to Canton from Salem Township, and acquired 160 acres of land in 1917 from Bob Bradley on Gyde & Ridge Roads. Gyde Road was named in honor of him.
Charles MORTON: immigrated from England and purchased 67 acres of land from Charles Sines in 1870. By 1885 he established the Road Inn, for travelers, which ran for many years. It was later sold to Andrew Smith who converted it into an apartment house. The Sheldon Methodist Church was built at the corner of Michigan Ave and Sheldon Road, near the Inn.
William FRANKLIN: who immigrated here from England purchased 111 acres of land along Palmer Road in what is now part of the Franklin-Palmer Housing Subdivision. His home that was over a century old in 1976, was still standing at 43626 Palmer. He also owned a home at 44161 Michigan Ave, in the old Sheldon Village. George Franklin, the son of William lived here with his wife, Hilda (Britzke) and their four children.
James WILES owned 120 acres of land according to the 1876 Wayne County Atlas. He served as Canton Supervisor from 1904 to 1911. James's son, John Wiles dates his family back to his great-grandfather, Daniel Cobb, who married John Huston's daughter and homesteaded on Proctor Road , west of Beck Road. George Cobb, the son of Daniel Cobb, and his sister, Sarah lived in Canton as well, on opposite sides of Lillie Road. When George Cobb passed away in 1939, his wife, Anna Cobb, married again to Albert Cole, where they owned a home at 46870 Cherry Hill. The mother of John Wiles, who was named, Nora Wiles inherited the Cole property from her grandmother, Anna Cobb-Cole.
Peter GILL: settled on 176 acres of land in 1881, with his wife, Jeannie, and their six children. The land had previously been owned by Superior Township and Canton Township. When Peter died in 1906, his son, George Gill, and his wife, Grace had grandson's Donald and Stanley, from their son, Gordon. The house owned by Donald Gill was situated at 1600 Ridge Road, with the kitchen belonging to Superior Township and the remainder of the home, taxed by Canton Township.
Another of the Gill family, Emmons L. Gill was supervisor of Canton Township from 1911 to 1917.
Louis BUEHLER: another prominent thresher of eastern Canton Township, settled here in 1892 on 120 acres of farmland along Lotz Road. By 1917, Louis owned a treshing machine and a Ford tractor, which made him a popular employee. Buehler, also owned property on the corners of Haggerty and Ford Roads upon which once stood Dowling's General Store.
The Most Popular Piece of Land Elias PALMITER, was deeded 80 acres of land on August 7, 1837 on what is now, the Northeast corners of Ford Road and Sheldon Roads. In 1855 , Stephen Brewster, sold the propery to David Cady. In 1865 John Butterfiled sold the property to Samuel Lynden, who sold it to Enoch Miller on April 1, 1868. In 1873 James Wiles sold this to Ezra Derby, who sold it to Daniel Zander. Between 1879 and 1884, the property changed hands three times, first to William Miller, then to William Manchester, and finally to Charles Wagenschuetz. In 1888 George Streng sold to Phillip Dingledey Sr who struggled for ownership with Charles Rosenburg. Upon Phillip's death, the estate was granted to his widow, Mary Dingledey. It was later purchased by John E. Nash in 1896, who fought for ownership with Rock Bronson. In 1902, Daniel Zander recaptured 70 acres of the land, and sold it to Owen H. Schrader, who inturn lost it back to the Zander's during a court protested estate will. Victor and Stella Wisniewski, purchased the homestead from Julia Zander, having only 15 acres left of corner land. The Wisniewski's had come here from Dearborn and opened Stella's Fruit and Vegetable Stand.
Today, the land is Harvard Square Shopping Center.
