Alexander Macomb (1748-1831) was the father-in-law of James Dinsmore, a very successful merchant in Detroit and New York City, and a great land speculator. Macomb, of Irish decent, emigrated to New York in 1755 with his parents and siblings, first settling in Albany. In 1766, Macomb traveled to frontier Detroit and established a very successful trading post with his brother William. Government contracts during the American Revolution spurred the success and growth of their business, and soon Macomb looked to New York for additional business contracts. By 1783, Macomb had shifted