Original Highland Township Landowner Enos Leek W 1/2 of SE 1/4 of Section 35 N 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Section 35 Enos Leek, Esq. was born September 25, 1805, at Hamden, New Haven County, Connecticut, the son of Thomas and Rhoda (Alling) Leek. He came to Michigan in 1828 and initially settled in Washtenaw County, where he and his brother Asa Leek were issued patents for land in Scio Township, just west of Ann Arbor, on April 1, 1829. Leek soon became acquainted with the Stratton brothers - Jonathan F. Stratton, Joseph F. Stratton and Samuel Stratton - and accompanied or else followed them to Highland Township. Although he purchased land in Section 35, he initially lived with the Stratton family and, on May 6, 1835, married Rebecca Stratton; the sister of Jonathan, Joseph and Samuel. Durant's History of Oakland County, Michigan (1877) includes the following biographical sketch: Among the old and prominent citizens
of Spring Mills is Enos Leek, who came from New Haven, Connecticut, to Michigan in 1828. He came via New York city, and up the North
river to Albany, thence by Erie canal to Buffalo, thence across the lake in the steamer
"William Penn," Captain Wight, and after a tempestuous voyage landed in Detroit,
October 8, 1828. The next day he went
to Ann Arbor, and he and his brother, who accompanied him, located together on section 9
and 10, Scio township, Washtenaw county. In
April, 1836, he removed to Oakland County, and lived in the south half of the northwest
quarter of section 27 (the Stratton farm) until the winter of 1839. In the fall of 1836 he located the north half of
the southwest quarter and the west half of the southeast quarter of section 35. He sold the southwest quarter of the southeast
quarter of 35 to James Everts, which is now owned by Jacob Buffle, and the northwest
quarter of southeast quarter and ten acres of the east of north half of the southwest
quarter to John Taylor. The remainder
his family lived on until the fall of 1862. In
the fall of 1856 he settled in the village, and sold goods in the mill-office, and in 1858
erected the building for a store and dwelling he now occupies, which was the first store
in the place. The building is on lot 25,
block 3. Mr. Leek has held the office of
either township clerk, supervisor, or justice of the peace nearly all the time since 1836,
and has always transacted the business of these various offices with fidelity and ability. Rebecca (Stratton) Leek died June 25, 1861, at age 50 years, 4 months, 21 days. Enos Leek would live another 20 years, passing away on February 20, 1881, at age 75 years, 5 months and 25 days. |
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