Land patents are the deed document when land was first purchased from the U.S. government. The public land survey system, Rectangular Survey System, is the method used to plat real property for sale. It was created by the Land Ordinance of 1785 to survey land obtained thru the Treaty of Paris 1783 with King George III (the crazy one). It covered the lands of the Northwest Territory. NO! Not Oregon! The Northwest Territory in 1700's was Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. It was wild country back then, very wild and difficult for travel, full of wolves and Indians and swamps full of mosquitos.
The land survey divided a territory into 36 square mile townships in a county. Land surveys of Van Buren County were in 1830. Survey details are on the Bureau of Land Management website: glorecords.blm.gov.
Now that we have that all clear, let's see who first owned the land that became Mott Sanctuary. John McDermid of Livingston County, New York purchased these very 80 acres in 1839, the West 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of section 36.
McDermid was born 1808 in Ballston in eastern New York. In 1835 he settled in Cambria, Hillsdale County, Michigan with his brother Andrew and built a sawmill. Later built more mills in what became known as Cambria Mills. Known as a farmer, miller and Republican (remember this was then the party of Lincoln). McDermid was the state Senator from Hillsdale Co. 1861-2. He died May 16, 1868.
So McDermid never lived in Almena Township on his 80 acres. So who took possession next? In 1873 owner was Jacob Erkenbach (more on him later) but that leaves some 38 years in between.
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