The DeLisle Family

Peter DeLisle, a great-great-great grandson of an original Detroit settler, Francis and Geneveva DeLisle, worked as a schoolteacher and grocer, and served as Springwells Township Supervisor and Justice of the Peace all before earning a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives as a Democrat. His campaign favored low taxes, home rule for local governemnts and penalities for election fraud.

Original settler, Francis DeLisle had owned strip farm Number 15 outside of Fort Detroit. He planted fruit trees that provided his family an abundant crop. By 1750, the year before Francis's death, Detroit consisted of only 93 families, living in the city. The church was the center of social activity, and there was little time or reason for political concerns.

Son, Alexis, initially helped on this parents' farm, but later was granted his own strip farm near the Rouge River, and payed a percentage of his crops as rent determined by the commandant of the fort.
Another DeLisle descendant, Welcome DeLisle, provided the timber to build Fort Waye, to help protect Detroit from Canada, after the War of 1812. He became politically active in the city of Ecorse, serving as township Treasurer, School Inspector, and Highway Commissioner. His son, Peter was mentioned at the top of this short biography.

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