 Strang crowned himself king of his church in 1850, and he was also elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in the 1853 and again in 1855.Due in large part to fear of and animosity towards Strang's religious sect, and concerns over the political strength his following gave him, petitions were presented to the legislature to detach Beaver and the Fox Islands from Emmet and form them into a separate county.This was granted in 1855.