1817-1827

1817-1827. . , 1817 Alexander Graham and his wife built the first permanent, non-native settler's dwelling in Oakland County (a log cabin on the plot just east of today's East Alley on Third Street). Their son, James, was born in 1818 and was the first non-native child born in Oakland County. , , During the American Revolution, Alexander's parents (James and Mary Graham) lived in Pennsylvania, where James Graham fought for independence with a local militia unit. In 1800, the family moved from Pennsylvania to Ontario. After the War of 18 12, the Grahams crossed the Detroit River with their son Alexander and his wife, their son Benjamin, and Christopher Hartsough, who was the brother of Alexander's wife. After staying in Detroit for a time, they followed the Old French Road (along the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair) to the settlement of Mount Clemens. The native Americans with whom the Grahams traded told James of a passable trail inland to the "Land of the Oaks" along the Huron River of Lake St. Clair (now known as the Clinton River). , , 1823 The first school was started in Rochester , , In loving memory of my parents , John George Kemler , & , Mary Mackenzie Kemler , Love , Jean Kemler Larkum.