The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922; / Clarence M. Burton, editor-in-chief, William Stocking, associate editor, Gordon K. Miller, associated editor. [Vol. 2]

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CITY OF DETROIT

Hours and Fireside Reading," "Memoirs of Our Country" and a dozen other
books and articles. The work which created the greatest sensation was produced
under the name of Mary Clavers, and related mainly to her Michigan frontier
life. It was entitled "Our New Home in the West, or Glimpses of Life Among
the Early Settlers." The characters were so faithfully painted that, though
fictitious names were given, they were easily discerned and the neighborhood
gossip laid bare to the world.
In 1824 another petition was presented to the council, and on March 4 of
that year the trustees of the seminary were granted permission to sell the property to the regents of the University of Michigan. The only condition attached
to this permission was that the board of regents should continue in Detroit a
school for the promotion of female education. This sale was not carried out,
and in the following May another resolution was passed by the council, granting
permission to the trustees to lease the premises for any length of time they
desired. There was a building on the lot used for an engine house. That was
not to be included in any lease that might be made. It was erected by Engine
Company No. 2.
A meeting of the trustees was held March 24, 1843, at which there were present, Eurotus P. Hastings, president; Jonathan Kearsley, DeGarmo Jones, Henry
Chipman, Edward Brooks and Charles C. Trowbridge. A short history of the
transactions connected with the seminary was drawn up in the form of resolutwins, and was presented to the common council at its meeting of May 2, 1842.
VALUE SEMINARY LOT AT $5,000.00
From this report it appears that the buildings and fixtures on the seminary
lot were valued at $5,000 and that their cost was $7,325, of which $4,290 was
borrowed from the Bank of Michigan and $3,035 was subscribed and paid by
various citizens and in case of a sale of the property for $5,000 that sum was
to be divided between the bank and the subscribers.
The bank was indebted to the Board of Regents of the University in the sum
exceeding $7,300 and they agreed that a lease of the seminary lot should be executed to them for nine hundred and ninety-nine years in full satisfaction of the
claim of the bank which at this time with interest, amounted to $6,016 and the
regents would pay the subscribers the amount due each of them.
It was thereupon resolved that the trustees of the seminary execute to the
regents a lease of 999 years of the seminary lot and the premises granted "by
deeds dated the 29th of March, 1830 and the 1st of April, 1837, being the Female
Seminary grounds on Campus Martius and Griswold Street."
TITLE VESTED IN UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
These resolutions were referred to the council and included in the official
proceedings. Thus the title to the property became vested in the university.
The university regents in 1854, conveyed the land to the State of Michigan
for the express consideration of $8,095. The state must have had a larger
amount than that invested in the property for their possession and part ownership was evidenced as early as 1853.
CENTRAL RAILROAD STATION
In 1836 the city permitted the Central Railroad, then owned by the state,
to occupy the northerly part Of the present city hall site, for a railroad station.