John R in Royal Oak?

**coloroflaw** · February-08-12, 12:23 PM

At my work, in Ferndale, I was looking at the circuit breaker box the other day, there is an emblem on it advertising an electrical company in Royal Oak, MI, but the address as "John R". This is obviously old as it has an old letter-system telephone number listed. Could it pre-date Hazel Park as a city? [[1941) Can anyone help me out?

**Danny** · February-08-12, 12:40 PM

Hazel Park used to be part of Royal Oak Township before its incorporated as a city. This is due the traditional farming plot dispute with growing African American settlement along W. 8 Mile Rd and Wyoming area. Other cities of Ferndale, Oak Park, Berkley, Clawson, Madison Heights, Pleasent Ridge, Huntington Woods and City of Royal Oak broke away from Royal Oak Township broke away because African American land plot dispute. Subdivisions filled with nice brick to country gable homes were being built for " whites only" middle income folks. That included Palmer Woods, Green Acres and Sherwood Forrest with the 5 foot concrete wall was built keeping black folks in the Detroit side of the neighborhood from crossing and getting into white folks business.

**Scottathew** · February-08-12, 01:41 PM

What was the name of the electrical company? What was the address? The address, if in the 5-digit format should be able to place it specifically where it was.

I suspect what you do, that it may pre-date the incorporation of a city. Perhaps more likely that city is Madison Heights, which was incorporated in 1955.

On a side note, what a funny name for a street, "John R". Not "John R." with a period, but without. Who is John R? Did he know that such a major road would forever been named for him?

For those of you not familiar with it, John R. starts at Woodward, and is broken up several times as it goes all the way through Detroit, Highland Park, Detroit again, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Troy, Rochester Hills, where it finally ends on the Rochester\Rochester Hills border.

If anyone knows where the name came from, I'd appreciate an explanation. Thanks!

**Neilr** · February-08-12, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

On a side note, what a funny name for a street, "John R". Not "John R." with a period, but without. Who is John R? Did he know that such a major road would forever been named for him?

For those of you not familiar with it, John R. starts at Woodward, and is broken up several times as it goes all the way through Detroit, Highland Park, Detroit again, Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Troy, Rochester Hills, where it finally ends on the Rochester\Rochester Hills border.

If anyone knows where the name came from, I'd appreciate an explanation. Thanks!

John R. Williams was the first mayor of Detroit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R._Williams

**pkbroch** · February-08-12, 01:50 PM

It might pre date Hazel Park as a city which did not come into being until 1939. Also Royal Oak was a village/city as long ago as as the middle 1800's. The cemetery has an 1820 date on it. Royal Oak and Ferndale had post offices so many smaller communities used their P.O. Zone.

Royal oak Township went from Eight Mile to Ten Mile.

Palmer Woods, Sherwood Forest and Green Acres were never a part of Royal Oak Twp. They were a part of Greenfield Township until 1919. Then became Detroit.

**Scottathew** · February-08-12, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by pkbroch

Royal oak Township went from Eight Mile to Ten Mile.

My understanding was that Royal Oak Township was 8 Mile to 14 Mile, Greenfield to Dequindre.

Source: http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/...1908/Michigan/

**coloroflaw** · February-08-12, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by 48091

What was the name of the electrical company? What was the address? The address, if in the 5-digit format should be able to place it specifically where it was.

Tomorrow while at work I will try to copy down the information. At any rate, still a pretty cool piece of history left behind.

Thanks for the help from everyone else.

**pkbroch** · February-08-12, 02:59 PM

You're right it looked like ten mile on my small map. What a great map.

**gazhekwe** · February-08-12, 05:09 PM

Here's an interesting article about Detroit street names that has some details about John R and his daughter, and some nostalgia for an earlier home in Albany:

http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=199

John R, Elizabeth and Columbia streets are named for personal reasons. John R. Williams was a landowner , merchant and bank president in the first half of the 19th century, who named the street after himself. Baptized John Williams, he adopted the letter "R" to distinguish himself from another John Williams in Detroit. Some of his business ventures, such as publishing an early newspaper, included his uncle, Joseph Campau. Williams was a general in the Territorial Militia, a member of the board of trustees at the "new" University of Michigan and the first elected Detroit mayor in 1824. Williams named Elizabeth after his daughter, and Columbia after a street where he lived in Albany, New York.

**Scottathew** · March-18-13, 06:32 PM

Folks,

I was able to get the information about the electric panel from ColorOfLaw. The panel said this:

"For Service Call
Oakdale Electric Co.
28645 John R
Royal Oak, Mich
Tel LI-4406"

This puts it on John R Road just south of 12 Mile where a house built in 1943 still stands today. This means that the panel was probably installed between the construction of the Royal Oak Township house in 1943 and the incorporation of Madison Heights in 1955.

Present day:

1952 DTE Aerial Photo:

**Hermod** · March-18-13, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Hazel Park used to be part of Royal Oak Township before its incorporated as a city. This is due the traditional farming plot dispute with growing African American settlement along W. 8 Mile Rd and Wyoming area. Other cities of Ferndale, Oak Park, Berkley, Clawson, Madison Heights, Pleasent Ridge, Huntington Woods and City of Royal Oak broke away from Royal Oak Township broke away because African American land plot dispute.

You don't "break away" from a township. Under Michigan law, when a village or other locale incorporates as a city, it ceases to be a part of the township. A village is subject to township taxes and governance. A city is not.

**Zacha341** · March-19-13, 04:27 AM

Interesting information D. I'd heard something to that effect relative to the creation of Royal Oak Twp... though the formation of course was actual done thru the Michigan law statutes. I'll have to look into this further....

Originally Posted by Danny

Hazel Park used to be part of Royal Oak Township before its incorporated as a city. This is due the traditional farming plot dispute with growing African American settlement along W. 8 Mile Rd and Wyoming area. Other cities of Ferndale, Oak Park, Berkley, Clawson, Madison Heights, Pleasent Ridge, Huntington Woods and City of Royal Oak broke away from Royal Oak Township broke away because African American land plot dispute.

**Danny** · March-19-13, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

You don't "break away" from a township. Under Michigan law, when a village or other locale incorporates as a city, it ceases to be a part of the township. A village is subject to township taxes and governance. A city is not.

African American farmland and homestead plots cause other white community parts of Royal Oak TWP. to form villages and become Oakland County Cities we see today. My codespeak 'broke away' means to keep blacks out of the developing white sub-divisions and its suburb

Please read my codespeak carefully before you write your comments.