4th Michigan Territorial Council


The Fourth Michigan Territorial Council was a meeting of the legislative body governing Michigan Territory, known formally as the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan. The council met in Detroit in two regular sessions between May 11, 1830, and March 4, 1831, during the terms of Lewis Cass and George B. Porter as territorial governor.

Leadership and organization

Abraham Edwards was president of the council, Edmund A. Brush secretary, and William Meldrum sergeant-at-arms.

Members

A January 1827 act of the United States Congress provided for the direct election of a 13-member legislative council by the people of the territory; the same act gave the council responsibility for determining the apportionment of seats.
The council apportioned the seats as follows in an 1828 act:
DistrictCountyNamePartyNotes
1WayneWilliam Bartow
1WayneWilliam Brown
1WayneWilliam A. Fletcher
1WayneJohn McDonellDemocratic
2Lenawee
Monroe		Laurent DurocherDemocratic
2Lenawee
Monroe		Abraham EdwardsDemocratic
2Lenawee
Monroe		Wolcott Lawrence
3Macomb
St. Clair		John StocktonDemocratic
4OaklandThomas J. DrakeWhig
4OaklandDaniel LeRoyDemocratic
5WashtenawJames KingsleyDemocratic
6Brown
Chippewa
Crawford
Michilimackinac		Robert Irwin Jr.Did not appear at second session.
6Brown
Chippewa
Crawford
Michilimackinac		Henry R. SchoolcraftDemocratic