The 365 Project, Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Beginning in the 1970s numerous new subdivisions replaced the farm fields and cow pastures that had dominated the Troy Township landscape. This week the 365 Project will explore the people and stories behind the names of some of Troy’s residential streets and avenues.
Troy Township remained a prosperous agricultural community through the first half of the 20th century. The family names of these farmers can still be found on many street signs in Troy.
- Lamb William Lamb was born near Birmingham Michigan on August 27, 1874, the son of Frederick and Jane (Auscomb) Lamb. William lived and worked alongside his father until he was thirty years old. On March 10, 1905 he married he married Harriet E. Hawthorne and one month later was appointed postmaster at Big Beaver. He also worked as the shopkeeper at the general store in Big Beaver (intersection of Rochester and Big Beaver Roads.)
- Lovell Jamesand Mary Ann Lovell were both born in England. The date of their arrival in the United States is uncertain, but in the late 1800s they were listed as owning land at what is now the intersection of Rochester Road and South Boulevard. Together they raised eleven children. Their granddaughter, Hannah Lovell Clark, was born on March 4, 1898. She wrote about her birthday, “That day my father drove in a one horse carriage that what is now 6667 Rochester Road, to tell his mother (Mary Ann) that she had another granddaughter. The mud was hub deep, and it took him several hours to travel over and back, about 5 ½ miles each way.
Photo:
James and Mary Ann Lovell
Sources: THV Biographical files
To commemorate the City of Troy’s 60th Anniversary in 2015, we will publish a different story each day that highlights a person, discovery, or event that occurred locally, regionally, nationally, or even globally between 1955 and 2015 and that helped shape our lives and our community. We will try to post stories on important anniversary dates, but we also realize that dates are less critical than content and context. We will include the facts related to controversial stories, allowing our readers to form their own opinions. We invite you to read and comment on the stories. Your suggestions for topics are also welcome and can be posted on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TroyHistoricVillage. You can also email stories or ideas to the 365 Story Editor at ed@thvmail.org.
