Peter Van Every

American politician

Peter Van Every

Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the Wayne County district
In office
November 2, 1835 – January 1, 1837
Personal details
Born| (1795 -01-03)January 3, 1795
near Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Died| December 20, 1859(1859-12-20) (aged 64)
Political party|

* Democratic (until 1837)
* Whig
* Republican

Peter Van Every (January 3, 1795 – December 20, 1859) was an American farmer, merchant, and politician who served in the Michigan House of Representatives in the first years of Michigan's statehood.

## Biography[edit]

Peter Van Every was born near Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, on January 3, 1795. His parents moved the family to Michigan when he was an infant. He served as a private during the War of 1812, and was promoted to the position of quartermaster of a regiment.[1] He was present when General William Hull surrendered Detroit to the British.[2] Following the war, Territorial Governor Lewis Cass commissioned him as a colonel in the militia.[1]

Van Every lived on a 400-acre (160 ha) farm in Hamtramck, Michigan,[1] where he engaged in the meat and hotel business. He served for several years on the Michigan Territorial Council.[2] He was a delegate to Michigan's first state constitutional convention in 1835, and was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives and served during its first session. He was a Democrat until 1837, when he switched parties and became first a Whig and later a Republican.[1]

In 1837, Van Every exchanged his Detroit property for land near Franklin, Michigan, the owner of which had been forced to give it up due to financial failures.[3] On his tract of 1,500 acres (610 ha), he farmed, built a grist mill, and carried on mercantile trade.[2] The grist mill was for two years was the only one in Oakland County where farmers could sell their wheat. He also built a distillery in 1837, and a potashery the next year.[3]

Van Every died on December 20, 1859, and is buried in Franklin Cemetery.[4]

### Family[edit]

Van Every was married to Amy Deer, and they had 15 children: Peter, Polly, William, Martha, James, Andrew J., Susan, Amy, John, George, Louisa, Lavinia, Walter, and one who died as an infant.[5]

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Bingham 1888, p. 654.
2. ^ a b c Chapman Bros. 1891, p. 619.
3. ^ a b Durant & Peirce 1877, p. 325.
4. ^ Find A Grave 2011.
5. ^ Chapman Bros. 1891, pp. 619–620.

## References[edit]

* Bingham, Stephen D. (1888), Early History of Michigan: With Biographies of State Officers, Members of Congress, Judges and Legislators, Lansing: Thorp & Godfrey, retrieved 2018-11-30
* Durant, S. W.; Peirce, H. B. (1877), History of Oakland County, Michigan, Philadelphia: L. H. Everts & Co., retrieved 2018-11-30
* Michigan Manual (1877–78 ed.), Lansing: W. S. George & Co., 1877, retrieved 2018-11-30
* Portrait and Biographical Album of Oakland County, Michigan, Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1891, retrieved 2018-11-30
* "Tombstone of Peter Van Every", Find A Grave, May 25, 2011, retrieved 2018-11-30