James Deneen Purchases Property – October 29, 1828

On October 29, 1828, James Deneen purchased property in Section 9 of what is now Almont Township.

On October 29 1828, James Deneen from Trumbull County, Ohio purchased property in Section 9 o what is not Almont Township.  He was the first settler in the township.  His property as at what is now the southeast corner of Hollow Corners Road and Van Dyke (M-53).

On his journey from Trumbull County (north and east of Youngstown), he stopped in Washington Township at the home of William Allen, – one of the men who the previous year had cut the road to Almont.  From there he was guided and assisted by William Allen’s son, George Washington Allen, to his homestead in Almont.

He initially constructed a log cabin for the family and outbuildings for his animals.   It is an assumption, but a logical one, that George Allen help in this effort.

James came with his pregnant wife Elizabeth “Betsy” Miller and five children: Alexander age 7, twins John and Leonard age 6, Catherine age 3 and Elizabeth age 1.

With the birth of daughter Anna, Betsy gave birth to the first white person born in Almont Township and Lapeer County on March 15, 1829.  Their last child, Mary, was born in 1832.

In 1850, James would leave for the gold fields in California with the “Almont Boys” and die there in January 1851.