WIXOM, MI, USA

As with every great city, there is a beginning.  The saga of Wixom began in 1830 when Lewis Norton came to Oakland County from New York State and settled in the southern portion of what is now Wixom.  He soon built a home and sawmill on the creek beyond the school playground.  Today, as then, the creek bears his name.  Norton Creek is an offshoot of the Huron River, which meanders through much of southern Michigan.  Mr. Norton’s years in Wixom were few - two or three to be exact.  He moved on to Williamston where he was killed by lightning while taking shelter under a tree during an electrical storm.

About a year after Mr. Norton arrived in Wixom, another pioneer from New York State settled the northeast section of Wixom.  This man was to play a crucial role in the development and prosperity of Wixom.  His name was Alonzo Sibley.  At the age of twenty-one, he migrated to Michigan on a line boat on the Erie Canal to Buffalo, then to Detroit.  Upon arriving in Detroit, he started on foot to Royal Oak.  From there he went to Rochester, then Romeo, and finally Pontiac, which was but a small village.  He then proceeded to Commerce Township where he selected his land.  Mr. Sibley returned to Detroit to purchase the land - 80 acres - from the Government at $1.25 an acre.

After choosing an appropriate site, Mr. Sibley built his home from logs he obtained in the process of clearing his land.  Soon after his home was built, he hired a team of oxen to clear and break up about five acres of his land on which he planted potatoes and corn.

During the fall of 1831, Mr. Sibley returned to New York to work during the winter for wages of $12.00 a month.  In the spring of 1832, he returned to Wixom, purchased a team of oxen and proceeded to clear more land.

1832 brought several more settlers to the community:  Ahijah Wixom settled in the northern portion of Wixom and is the person after whom the town was named; Ephraim Burch, a Canadian; Reuben Wright, a native of New York; and Dr. Henry K. Foot, Wixom’s first physician.

These early settlers received mail via the first Post Office in this territory, which was established in Walled Lake in 1832.  Mail reached Walled Lake from Farmington by horseback and was carried either in the rider’s pocket or in a tall hat.

While in New York for the winter of 1832, Mr. Sibley married Mary Heath of Perrington, New York, and brought her with him in the spring to his home in the west.

Mr. Sibley built the first fences in Wixom in 1833.  Most surprised with these strange structures were the Indians whose trail ran thru Mr. Sibley’s property.  While fencing a section of his land, Mr. Sibley happened to cross their trail.  Within a few days after the fences were built, about 40 Indians came along the trail in their peculiar single file with the men riding and the squaws walking.  When they arrived at the fence, they halted, looked it over thoroughly, and then finally proceeded alongside of it muttering “no meeshin”, meaning they didn’t like it.

Wixom saw its first road in 1833, which extended from Romeo to Ann Arbor Road.

During late 1833 and early 1834, Wixom welcomed four new neighbors:  Jesse Clark, Patrick Gillick, John W. Carnes, and William Holmes.

On March 7, 1834, the first township meeting was held and Commerce Township came into being.  In April, elections were held and many of the offices were filled by Wixom residents.  Noted Wixom names were:  Hiram Barrett, Clerk; George Spencer, Assessor; Daniel Dutcher, Commissioner of Highways; Justin Walker, Commissioner of Common Schools; Reuben Wright and Dr. Henry Foote, Inspectors of Common Schools; Christopher Shy and Ephraim Burch, Overseers of Highways and Fences; Hiram Barrett and Alonzo Sibley, Justices of the Peace.

In 1836, Wixom lost two of their fellow neighbors, Mary Sibley and John W. Carnes.  Later the same year, Ahijah Wixom married a widow who had one son and two daughters.

The first cemetery was established opposite Alonzo Sibley’s home in 1838.  It was named “South Commerce Burying Ground”.  The officials were:  Alonzo Sibley, President; Ahijah Wixom, Secretary; and Justin Walker, Treasurer.

The first Wixom resident to be buried in the cemetery was Mrs. J. Walker who passed away shortly after it was initiated.

Elder Cephos P. Goodrich organized the village’s first church in 1838, the First Free Will Baptist Church of Commerce.  Constituent members were:  Mr. & Mrs. Alonzo Sibley, Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Curtis, Mr. & Mrs. James Baird, Mr. & Mrs. Moody Fletcher, Mrs. Electa Burch, Mr. Symon Bennett.

Reverend Goodrich served as its Pastor from 1838 to 1843.

As Wixom continued to grow and prosper, a school became necessary.  In 1854, Mr. Sibley donated land and a one-room brick building was constructed where the cemetery is now located.  The school building served many purposes for the village; among them, a meeting place for Sunday worship services that were conducted each Sunday by Elder Samuel Wire.  Our local historians tell us that this school contained but one chair, and this was used exclusively on Sundays by Deacon Wright who was 93 years old and lived in the woods south of Ed Hart (where Lloyd Croft’s home stands).  Elder Wire served as Pastor from 1853 to 1860 and during that time built the house now occupied by Charles and William Tiffin to use as a parsonage and later as a retirement home.

In 1855, sorrow once more swept across the village.  Ahijah Wixom passed away.  His loss was felt by every citizen of the village.  He was, undoubtedly, “Mr. Wixom” and one of the greatest pioneers of the west.

The youngsters soon began to outgrow the small one room schoolhouse and in 1857 another school was built north of the original one.  The old school was eventually razed.

In 1860, the township asked Dr. Foote to be their 4th District Representative in the Legislature.  Dr. Foote had the initiative and fortitude to fulfill both of his jobs successfully.

1862 brought with it another family to the village, the Pittengers.  They built a home less than a quarter of a mile from the crossing of Buno Road and the Holly, Wayne and Monroe Railroad.

Wixom’s first church appeared in 1865.  It was built close to the school and named “Free Will Baptist Church of Commerce Township”.  Following the dedication service, Harriet Sibley and James D. Drew were married.

A new railroad, the Flint and Pere Marquette, reached Wixom in 1871.  During its construction, many townspeople took food to the workers and provided sleeping quarters.

In the fall of 1871, Willard C. Wixom (son of Ahijah Wixom) platted on both sides of the railroad.  His land extended into the boundaries of Novi.  After settling, he and Judson L. Sibley (son of Alonzo Sibley) built a warehouse along the railroad that developed into a thriving business for some time.

Willard Wixom built a fine home west of the warehouse.  Mr. Sibley built an equally nice home east of the railroad.  This settlement became known as Sibley’s Corners.

During 1871, much growth and prosperity came to the village and it was decided that a town meeting should be called to select a new name for the town.  It was agreed that Sibley’s Corners would be called Wixom after Ahijah Wixom, and so it has been ever since.

Among the exports of Wixom in 1876 were 35,000 bushels of wheat and 40,000 pounds of wool grown by Willard Wixom and Judson Sibley.

By 1876 Wixom had formed a local choir and band whose members were:  Frank Munshaw, Baritone; John Law, Alto; William Chambers, Alto; S. W. Arms, Alto; James Estes, Bass; Frank Madison, Band Leader, Coronet and Clarinet; George Madison, Coronet; Oscar Kelsey, Coronet; George Pittenger, Coronet; Eugene Furman, Bass Drums and Cymbals; Dave Calhoun, Snow Drum; Ben Munshaw, Trombone; John Garte, Coronet; George Dickerson, Clarinet; Gilman Madison, Drum Major.

1877 brought the first town council with the following officers:  Alonzo Sibley, President; Mark Furman, Secretary; and Ephraim Burch, Treasurer.

Wixom’s first barbershop was built around 1880 and was located between the Co-op building and the hardware.

Looking at Wixom in 1887 we saw:  A general store and post office, built by S. W. Arms; a jewelry store; a large wheat, plastic and lumber warehouse, built and managed by Mr. Wixom and Mr. Sibley; a foundry and machine shop, built and managed by C. P. Larcom; a copper and blacksmith shop; a depot, telegraph and express offices; 27 homes; and approximately 200 inhabitants.

In the early 1890’s a new school was constructed where our present school is now located.  This building consisted of two rooms, and later a basement.  When our new school was built, the old school was purchased by Mr. J. Parvu and was used as a general store.

The Baptist church was moved in 1897 from its original site to its present location.  Elders tell us that sealed in the cornerstone, which is located on the southeast corner of the building, are the papers of the original organization of the building.

Information taken from A Pictorial History, Wixom Michigan, 1871-1971