The descendants of Agnes Hoey Sullivan have conserved 50 acres of the family homestead on Mast Road and 30 acres of woodlot between Gregory and North Territorial Roads. The Sullivan children, Chris, Kevin and Brigid conserved Agnes' property as a permanent open space tribute to her and all her family, in the rapidly developing area.

    The land has been in the family since 1835 when Daniel Hoy (the spelling was later changed to appear less Irish) took it up under the Homestead Act from Pres. Andrew Jackson. Five generations of Hoey descendants have farmed the land since then. Agnes was born and raised on the farm, went to Michigan Normal College (now Eastern Michigan), lived and taught school in Detroit for 18 years, and then returned to Webster with her husband Edward Sullivan and four children.

    The family farmed it continuously from 1835 to 2000. It contains one of the largest cherry trees in southern Michigan, rolling hills and wildlife habitat. The land has been home to sandhill cranes, great blue herons, Canada geese, Egrets, hawks, fox, raccoons, deer, rabbits, squirrels and songbirds. It will remain in farm use for the foreseeable future.

    "We are pleased that we were able to preserve the land as open space. It has been good to our family for many years. Mother loved walking out to get the cows; we all grew up on that land -- planting and harvesting crops, ice-skating or swimming at the pond, hunting, riding horses and motorcycles, walking, or just watching the sunsets.

    "We did not want to see it developed, so a conservation agreement was the right thing for us to do. We are fortunate that so many people helped us make that happen," the family said. "Mother, her siblings, Dad and John would be very happy about it."

    Under the terms of the conservation agreement, also called a conservation easement, the farm remains in private hands and will be protected as open space forever. This agreement was a post-mortem conservation agreement, donated during the process of settling the estate.

    "Not many families take advantage of the post-mortem opportunity, and we were pleased to be able to help the Sullivans to do so," said Susan Lackey, executive director of the Washtenaw Land Trust. "It is a lovely way to honor the legacy of the family in the community, while possibly lowering the tax value of the estate."

    The first land trust in Michigan, Washtenaw Land Trust is a group of over 1,000 individuals, families, and organizations working together to protect the natural areas and rural landscapes that make our community a great place to live. To date, the growing organization has protected 48 properties totaling more than 2,500 acres throughout Washtenaw, Jackson, and Ingham counties, through voluntary land conservation.

    The Washtenaw Land Trust is a private, non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit www.washtenawlandtrust.org, or contact info@washtenawlandtrust.org or 734-302-LAND (5263).

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