The Davis Family of Canton Township
Daniel T. Davis worked his way into Canton's history by working hard and a keen business sense. He married in 1882 to Lettie Hannan and resided on the homestead of Hiram Berdan. From 1902 through 1911, he worked the William Hannan farm, plowing, seeding and cultivating, the property located on the northeast section of Palmer Road and Lotz Road. He was paid two-thirds of the harvest price.
The southeast corner of Palmer and Lotz was then owned by George Berdan, who purchased additional property from David Tuller, which he later gave to his daughter, Noree. Berdan also owned an 80-acre tract across from the Truesdell property at Cherry Hill and Haggerty Roads, and a 42-acre homestead that fell between the farms of the Packard Family. He later gave this property to his daughter, Icy.
The 42-acre property owned by Icy (Berdan), who had married John McClaughry, was sold to Daniel Davis. By 1912, Daniel had bought 40 more acres outh of Willow Creek from George W. Bell, which had been at one time part of the, the 240 acre empire of S.J. Young.
Daniel and his wife, Lettie had six children, all of whom where born in Canton Township at thier residence on Michigan Ave, east of the old Walter School, except one, Kenneth, who was born on the Palmer - Lotz residence. They attended the Truesdell School and after Daniel's death in 1920, the family moved to a homestead at Cherry Hill and Haggerty Roads.
Another of Daniel's sons, Glen became a U.S. Census Bureau Surveyor, and counted the 600 inhabitants of Canton Township in 1920. He married in 1923 to Ethel Bolton, who had been born on the Hough homestead. He built them an eight-room home located at 1326 Main Street in Plymouth, Michigan. Ethel later died in 1974.
Glen's sister, Emma (Harrison) also lived in Canton Township all her life, residing with her husband on Wayne Road.
The Lotz Road - Ford Road intersection, was the center of the S.J. Young estate. There was a saw-mill located north of Willow Creek, a blacksmith located on the southwast corner of Lotz Road, and just west of Lotz was the residence of Henry Rowe, a talented civil engineer.
Glen Davis was the proud owner of the Official Wayne County Atlas of 1876. Which is still in the possession of the Davis family, along with their family history, and other artifacts collected and saved from Daniel T. Davis (1860 - 1920)
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