Reuben Atwater

Reuben Atwater, also known as Reuben Attwater (May 11, 1768 – February 1831) was the Secretary of Michigan Territory and served as acting governor during 1811–1812.

Biography

Reuben Atwater was born in 1768, in Vermont,^[1] the son of Reuben Attwater and Mary Russell.^[2] He married Eliza Williard, and after her death married Sarah Lamb, daughter of General John Lamb.^[2] Atwater had two children: Catharine Atwater and Clinton Edward Atwater.^[3] Atwater was the Secretary of Michigan Territory from March 18, 1808, to October 15, 1814,^[4] and was at the same time collector for the port of Detroit.^[1] He directed the 1810 census of the Michigan Territory,^[1] acted as Land Commissioner until 1811, and served as acting governor during the absence of Governor William Hull in 1811–12.^[3] Atwater Street in Detroit was named after him.^[5]

Reuben Atwater died in 1831.^[2]

Notes

1. Bingham, Stephen D. (1888). Early History of Michigan: with Biographies of State Officers, Members of Congress, Judges and Legislators. Thorp & Godfrey. pp. 12, 49.
2. Stocking, William; Miller, Gordon K. (1922). Burton, Clarence Monroe (ed.). The City of Detroit, Michigan, 1701–1922, Volume 2. S. J. Clarke Publishing. p. 988. OCLC 2587456.
3. Burton, Mary Agnes; Burton, Clarence Monroe, eds. (1915). Governor and Judges Journal: Proceedings of the Land Board of Detroit. Michigan Commission on Land Titles. pp. 204–5. OCLC 3691294.
4. Famer, Silas (1884). The History of Detroit and Michigan; or, The Metropolis Illustrated, a Chronological Cyclopaedia of the Past and Present, Including a Full Record of Territorial Days in Michigan, and the Annals of Wayne County. Detroit: Silas Farmer & Co. pp. 88–89. OCLC 2823136.
5. Bailey, Mary (February 17, 2000). "Detroit's Street Names Honor Early Leaders". The Detroit News.