I can think of 2 ways, there are probably more. Michigan was a state by 1858 and the city of Detroit was a city founded by 1700. The northern route would have been through northern Ontario to Sault Ste.Marie, crossed the river (St. Mary's) to Michigan's Upper Penninsula then went due west. Detroit is actually north of Ontario, so the traveler would of went southwest through Ontario and crossed the Detroit River into Michigan then south to Ohio and west through Indiana, Illinois etc. Detroit was a French outpost till the French-Indian war and had a large French speaking community until the late 1800's. Also, I believe shipping was established in the great lakes by the time. Sincerely, Jayne A. Hebert