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Belgians in the Civil War

Emigrants arrival

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BELGIANS IN AMERICA:    Biographies of Belgian settlers  

Lavinus DE SMET P. O Center Line, son of L. and Celia (Fromdefelia) De Smet, was born at Holst, Belgium, December 25, 1818, his father died in November, 1821, and his mother in 1829; from this period until 1839 he lived with his uncle; there he learned the wagon-maker's trade, and worked at it for about three years; he immigrated in 1845; arrived at Detroit and located in Warren Township the same year. on a forty-acre tract of unimproved land; this land he cleared and drained, raised dwelling house and farm buildings, planted an orchard, vinery, etc.; he was accompanied by his sister, who was married in Belgium. Mr. De Smet married Miss Elizabeth Dunne, daughter of John and Rosie (O'Brien) Dunne, natives of Ireland, to whom were born five children - Maggie, Julia, Elizabeth, Phillip and Peter. After the death of his first wife, he married Miss D. King, a native of Holland, to whom two children were born. The family belong to the Catholic Church. Mr. De Smet is a practical agriculturist, fruit and vine grower, and also superintends a wallop and blacksmith shop.

Source : (collective work) : History of Macomb County, Michigan : containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources, an extensive and minute sketch of its cities, towns and villages, their improvements, industries, manufactories, churches, schools and societies, its war record, biographical sketches, portraits of prominent men and early settlers : the whole preceded by a history of Michigan, statistics of the state and an abstract of its laws and constitution and of the Constitution of the United States.; Chicago: M.A. Leeson & Co., 1882, 935 pgs.