The Rivards of Warren Twp.

Leander and Francis Rivard were descendants of some of the earliest French Quebec families to settle in Detroit. They each owned small farms on French Road, near Van Dyke and Lynch Roads and around 1870 they each bought larger farms in Warren Township. Leander's farm was at the southeast corner of Hoover and Thirteen Mile Roads and Francis' farm was exactly one mile to the east of his brother's.

This turn-of-the-century photo taken at Leander's farm in Warren Twp. shows his son Joseph's wife and children. Two of the cute little tykes on the right would grow up to become owners of a well-known business on Van Dyke in Baseline. Follow this link to where Lynn (Rivard) Ferencz does a great job of telling the story of her Rivard ancestors using plenty of old photos.

Send me an e-mail if you have any old photos and/or stories of Warren or Center Line that you'd like to share.