The Campau family of Detroit, Michigan, was established when brothers Michel and Jacques Campau settled in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

, Michigan in 1707 and 1708, respectively. Jacques,

Joseph Campau Joseph Campau (February 20, 1769 – May 13, 1863) was among the leading citizens and wealthiest landowners in Detroit, Michigan, at the beginning of the 19th century. Campau had three trading posts and a store in Detroit until the early 1800s. He ...

, and Barnabé Campau are among the Barons of Detroit, according to Richard R. Elliott, because they had "ancestral virtues most worthily perpetuated." Michigan's Indian trails

Joseph; Louis Sr.; Louis Jr.; and Barnabas Campau were fur traders, first selling their furs in Canada and then New York. Joseph was a merchant in Detroit and several trading posts and the others operated a number of trading posts in "Indian country". They were also involved in treaties between the Native Americans and the federal government, which were very lucrative endeavors. Joseph made millions as real estate promoter and was a civil servant for Detroit. Other family members established trading posts in places that came to be known as

Manlius The gens Manlia () was one of the oldest and noblest patrician houses at Rome, from the earliest days of the Republic until imperial times. The first of the gens to obtain the consulship was Gnaeus Manlius Cincinnatus, consul in 480 BC, and for ...

(1825),

Eaton Rapids Eaton Rapids is a city in Eaton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,214 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the south of Eaton Rapids Township, on the boundary with Hamlin Township, though it is politically indep ...

Muskegon Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expans ...

, Manistee, Lowell, and

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

. George established a trading post at Maple Rapids. Louis Campau Jr. established trading posts at

Saginaw Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...

(1816) and

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

(1826). The descendants of Jacques and Michel, the 18th-century settlers of Detroit, were located in three cities: Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Chicago by the 20th century. The coat of arms for the Campau family shows that they descended from a Baron of the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

. The surname is sometimes spelled "Campeau".

First generation

Michel and Jacques Campau

Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit in 1701 and sold 68 land grants between 1707 and 1710, two of which were sold to the Campau brothers. Michel Chapau left

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

and settled at

Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit or Fort Detroit (1701–1796) was a fort established on the north bank of the Detroit River by the French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and the Italian Alphonse de Tonty in 1701. In the 18th century, Fr ...

on August 3, 1707. He lived at the settlement with his wife, Jeanne Maas, and worked as a farmer. The couple had daughters named Jeanne and Marguerite (b. 1708) and a son, Paul Alexander (b. 1709). Michel died before 1740. On September 3, 1708, Jacques Campau (1677–1751) settled in Detroit. He was a blacksmith. Jacques and his wife Cecile Catlin had a son, Louis (1702–1744). Jacques was buried on May 14, 1751. Many of their descendants are buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit. The brothers parents were Etienne Campau and Catherine Paulo of Montreal. Their descendants were located by the 20th century in three cities: Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Chicago.

Third generation

Joseph Campau

Jacques' great-grandson,

(February 2, 1769 – July 23, 1863) was among Detroit's leading citizens and wealthiest landowners at the dawn of the 19th century. Joseph was the state's first millionaire. He made millions in the real-estate industry and served in several public offices for the city. Campau held multiple public office positions in Detroit. He was City Trustee in 1802, City Treasurer, City Inspector of water barrels and City Assessor, appraiser, and over-seer of the poor. In 1802, he was an original trustee of Detroit and its incorporation. His daughter Catherine married

Francis Palms Francis Palms (1809–1886) was the largest landholder in Michigan during the mid-1850s. He had major business interests as well and was given the nickname "Croesus" because of his wealth. Life and career He was born in Antwerp, Belgium December ...

, the largest landowner in Michigan during the mid-1850s.

Cecile Campeau

Jacques' great-granddaughter and Joseph's sister, Marie-Cecile (Cecile) Campeau, was married to Thomas Williams by

Arent DePeyster Arent Schuyler DePeyster (27 June 1736 – 26 November 1822) was an American-born military officer best known for his term as commandant of the British controlled Fort Michilimackinac and Fort Detroit during the American Revolution. Following t ...

, commandant of Fort Detroit on May 7, 1781. It was one of Detroit's early Protestant marriages. Her father was Jacques Chapeau and her brothers were Barnabas, Denis, Joseph, Louis, Nicolas and Toussaint Chapeau. Williams was a trader and licensed merchant, justice of the peace, and notary. Cecile and Thomas had three children: Catherine, Elizabeth, and

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

Elizabeth taught in a Catholic school that she co-founded under the auspices of

Gabriel Richard Gabriel Richard (pronounced rish-ARD) October 15, 1767 – September 13, 1832, was a French Roman Catholic priest who ministered to the French Catholics in the parish of Sainte Anne de Détroit, as well as Protestants and Native Americans liv ...

, a Detroit priest. John R. Williams was the first mayor of Detroit. The Williams family remained in Detroit from that time. Thomas Williams died on November 30, 1785, and in July 1790, Cecile married Jaques Leson (also spelled Loson and Lauson) and they lived in what is now St. Clair County, Michigan. They had a daughter, Angelique. Cecile died on June 24, 1805, and was buried in the St. Anne's church cemetery.

Third and/or fourth generation

Pierre Michel Campau

Pierre Michel Campau was the first white settler in

Southgate, Michigan Southgate is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 30,047 at the 2020 census. Southgate was incorporated as a city in October 1958, which was one of the last remaining portions of the now-defunct Ecorse Town ...

. He moved into the area in 1795, which subsequently became a farming community. Other people from the Detroit area at the

Rouge Rouge is the French word for "red" and may refer to: Compounds * Rouge (cosmetics), a cosmetic used to color the cheeks and emphasize the cheekbones * Jeweler's rouge or iron(III) oxide * Rouging, a form of corrosion applicable to stainless ...

and

Detroit River The Detroit River flows west and south for from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie as a strait in the Great Lakes system. The river divides the metropolitan areas of Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, Windsor, Ontario—an area collectively refe ...

s followed him to Southgate.

Louis Campau

Louis Campau (August 11, 1791 – April 13, 1871), sometimes spelled Campeau, was son of Louis Campau Sr. He began working the fur trade as a boy for his father and his uncle,

. During the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

, he served under the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

. Campau was an important figure in the early settlement of two important

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

cities. He established the first trading post at what is today

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...

, as early as 1815. He played a key role in negotiating the

Treaty of Saginaw The Treaty of Saginaw, also known as the Treaty with the Chippewa, was made between Gen. Lewis Cass and Chief Mash Kee Yosh, Chief John Okemos, Chief Wasso and other Native American tribes of the Great Lakes region (principally the Ojibwe, bu ...

in 1819 between Gen.

Lewis Cass Lewis Cass (October 9, 1782June 17, 1866) was an American military officer, politician, and statesman. He represented Michigan in the United States Senate and served in the Cabinets of two U.S. Presidents, Andrew Jackson and James Buchanan. He w ...

and Native American tribes of the Great Lakes region in which Native Americans ceded more than six million acres (24,000 km²) in the central portion of the Lower Peninsula of the state. In 1826, Campau moved westward and established a trading post in what is today

. In 1831, he bought land for what is now the downtown business district of that city from the federal government for $90. Along with fellow pioneer

Lucius Lyon Lucius Lyon (February 26, 1800September 24, 1851) was a U.S. statesman from the state of Michigan. Along with Louis Campau, Lucius Lyon is remembered as one of the founding fathers of Grand Rapids, Michigan, the state's second-largest city. A ...

, Campau is remembered as one of the founding fathers of Grand Rapids.

Antoine Campau

Antoine Campau, like his brother of Louis, was a fur trader. Between 1815 and 1816, he was at the Saginaw trading post. According to James M. McClurken, Antoine has been believed to be the father of

Odawa The Odawa (also Ottawa or Odaawaa ), said to mean "traders", are an Indigenous American ethnic group who primarily inhabit land in the Eastern Woodlands region, commonly known as the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. They ha ...

chief Cobmoosa, who first lived near

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...

. Cobmoosa led the

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

, of a band of the

Ottawa people The Odawa (also Ottawa or Odaawaa ), said to mean "traders", are an Indigenous American ethnic group who primarily inhabit land in the Eastern Woodlands region, commonly known as the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. They ha ...

, in

Ionia, Michigan Ionia is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Ionia County, Michigan, United States. The population was 13,378 at the 2020 census. Every July it hosts what is said to be the world's largest free-admission fair. The city is mostly within ...

, and sold their crops to the initial settlers of Ionia in 1833. He was also among those who went with

Rix Robinson Rix may refer to: Places * Rix, Jura, a commune in France * Rix, Nièvre, a commune in France People * Rix (surname) * Rix Robinson (1789–1875), Michigan pioneer Other uses * ''Rix'', a Gaulish word meaning "king"; cognate with the ancient ...

to negotiate a treaty for removal to Indian Territory, but he like other Ojibwe resisted that removal. In 1855 he signed a treaty with the federal government to relocate to Oceana County, Michigan, in exchange for $540,000 in cash and goods. The government built a log cabin for him in

Cobmoosa, Michigan Cobmoosa was a location in Oceana County, Michigan. It was named for Cobmoosa, the Odawa leader who the federal government built a log cabin for here in 1858 during the relocation of the Odawa here from Ionia County, Michigan. There was a store o ...

, and he along with 1300 others relocated by 1858.

Other

Charles Columbus "Count" Campau

Charles Columbus "Count" Campau (October 17, 1863 – April 3, 1938) was a professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

player whose career spanned the years 1885 to 1905. He played for the

Detroit Wolverines The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th-century Major League Baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant (and winning the pre ...

St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...

, and Washington Senators in July 1894. He was the

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

leader in 1890 and was also the Browns' manager for 41 games that season. Campau was also a manager in minor league baseball for 19 years, including stints with the

New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...

, Kansas City Blues, Detroit Tigers/Wolverines,

Seattle Yannigans/Rainmakers The Seattle Yannigans/Rainmakers were a Minor League Baseball team in the New Pacific League. They were based in Seattle, Washington and lasted only one season, folding along with the league during mid-season, . They finished last place. Record ...

Grand Rapids Bob-o-links The Grand Rapids Baseball Club was a minor league baseball team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA that played under several different names at various times between 1883 and 1951. They played mostly in the Central League (baseball), Central Le ...

Rochester Bronchos The Rochester Bronchos were a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and ...

, and Binghamton Bingoes. Although minor league records from the 1880s and 1890s are incomplete, Campau is known to have tallied at least 2,115 hits, 1,305 runs, 597

stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...

s, 157 triples, and 125 home runs in his minor league career.