John Buried step mother Sippi-quay (English name was Nancy) near his mother Miss-a-quot-o-quay
life with Rix
for pics see http://skywalker.cochise.edu/vondesti/family/rix.htm
Rix Robinson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1789-1875)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rix Robinson was said to be 6 foot 6 inches tall.
Ed Niles, born in 1907: "My dad said Rix was a big, tall man."
Mrs. Josephine Burt, who came to Ada in 1854 at age three, recalled: "He was a big man, with a curly beard and curly white hair."
Seigal, Jane, A Snug Little Place: Memories of Ada, Michigan 1821-1930
Biography
Rix Robinson: Sojourner or Settler
Seigal, Jane, A Snug Little Place: Memories of Ada, Michigan 1821-1930, pub. by Ada Historical Society, 1993.
Charles C. Chapman, in "A History of Kent County" (1881), describes Robinson as a "sojourner, not a settler" -- and in this way he was most like the Indians. "Being a person without rights, and at the sufferance of the Indians, he can scarcely be called for many years a settler, but rather a sojourner....He identified himself with the Indians for purposes of trade" (Michigan History, Dec 1959, p 487).
Robinson did more than identify with the Indians; he earned their trust and friendship. He married two Indian women, the first in 1821. Pee-miss-a-quot-o-quay, or "Flying Cloud Woman," was an Ottawa chief's daughter and a lineal descendant of the great chief Pontiac. The marriage lasted the minimum of "100 moons," after which time Robinson's Indian wife left. His second wife was also an Ottawa, named Se-be-quay, or Sippy Quay "River Woman," and was with him until he died in 1875. Robinson was rumored to have two "squaw wives" simultaneously, and there were some who said five Indian women lived with Robinson at one time. According to Indian custom, and to promote negotiations with different tribes, Robinson lived a certain number of moons with each wife. Some also said Robinson had a home and a white wife in Grand Rapids, and another up north. But with all these alleged unions, Robinson had only one child -- a son, named John.
The Indians also gave Robinson an Ottawa name, "Wabesha," meaning a marten, an animal renowned among the Indians for both its valuable fur and its courage. But perhaps the most important evidence of Robinson's relationship with the Indians was the manner in which he lived his life after the Washington Treaty. Robinson returned to the station at the Grand and Thornapple Rivers and chose to stay living among the Indians. And he remained a negotiator for them throughout his life.
In 1834, Robinson closed his last trading post, one mile down the Grand River from the mouth of the Thornapple. He then began an impressive career of public service, which included membership in the Constitutional Convention of Michigan of 1850, a circuit court judgeship, and a State Senatorial seat. He was an important figure in revising the state constitution and was an advocate of woman suffrage. Popular myth has it that Robinson would have been governor, but for his shy Indian wife and the intolerance of white society. By 1862, Robinson retired from public life; he is listed in township records of that year as "running a general store."
On January 13, 1875, Rix Robinson died of "dropsy," most likely congestive heart failure, at this home at 7185 Headley in Ada. It is unclear where he was buried; some say down on the flats, the river bottom land he loved, while others say he is buried in Ada Cemetery.
A monument to Robinson in the cemetery -- land which Robinson sold to the Ada Township Board of Health -- bears the following inscription:
"Brave, Honest, Patriotic, A Loving Husband and Father, A Friend of the Indians, Their Negotiator with the Government, and a Peace Maker, Indian Trader on Grand River, 1821; Supervisor Township of Kent, 1834; Supervisor Township of Ada, 1840; associate Judge of Circuit Court for Kent County, 1844; State Senator, 1854; State Commissioner of Internal Improvements, 1846; Member of State Constitutional Convention, 1850."
The home of Rix Robinson in Ada Michigan about 1909. Years after it was torn down the property was acquired by the Amway Company and their national Headquarters is now built upon the site.
The barn of Rix Robinson in Ada Michigan about 1909. Both the house and the barn were torn down about 1915.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Obituary of Rix Robinson
Funeral Obsequies at Ada of the Venerable Pioneer, Rix Robinson.
Imposing Ceremonies - A Large Number of Friends and Relatives Present
Funeral Obsequies of Hon. Rix Robinson, at Ada
Special Dispatch to the Grand Rapids Eagle, Ada, Mich., Jan.13, 1875
The funeral obsequies of the late Hon. Rix Robinson were of the most solemn and impressive kind. The attendance was large and impressive kind. The attendance was large, and the Methodist Church was crowded to overflowing. The Old Settlers' Society of Kent County, of which deceased was President, was represented by about forty members. Leading citizens of Grand Haven were present and the Rix Robinson Fire Company of that place were attendants. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Whitman of Alaska. An eloquent tribute was paid by Hon. T.B. Church, who alluded to the public services of deceased as Judge of the County, Commissioner of Public Works and Member of the State Legislature. Mr. Edward P. Ferry, of Grand Haven followed with an appropriate attestation of the honesty and true friendship of "Uncle Rix." Many of the pioneers of Ada, Cascade and Vergennes were present and the occasion was one of great solemnity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Obituary of Mrs. Rix Robinson
Daily Morning Times, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thursday, April 6, 1876. vol. 6, no. 303
The relict of the late Hon. Rix Robinson died at Ada, April 3d. Mrs. Robinson was, on her mother's side of Indian descent, the grand daughter of one of the great Chiefs of the Ottawa tribe -- the original lords of this country. She had, previous to her marriage to Mr. R., been an inmate of the family of the Rev. Leonard Slater, the Baptist missionary at the Rapids of Grand River. Mrs. R. was a woman of considerable mental ability, and of very great power of will, and manifested in some exigencies of her frontier life remarkable courage and determination. Yet, in the ordinary course of domestic affairs, she appeared to all a kind and hospitable matron, and was the object of respect from the white and of love from the red residents of this valley. No children had ever been bon to her, John R. being the son of Mr. Robinson's first wife. She is to be buried at Ada this morning; but with a view, as we are informed, to a removal of her remains hereafter in an ancient cemetery of the Ottawa Indians.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you go to: http://www.harbourviewinn.com/madame.htm you will see an article on Madame LaFramboise who sold the trading posts at Ada, Grand Haven, and Duck Lake (maybe others) to Rix. It states that "She was on Mackinac Island in April 04, 1846, when she became ill and died. Her remains are buried in Ste. Anne's churchyard." Her daughter Josette (Josephine) who married the brother of US president Franklin Pierce is buried with her. LaFramboise means raspberry in French. Also see http://www.mackinacisland.com for information on Mackinac Island.
Three pictures of Rix and his second wife Se-ba-quay/Sippy/Nancy follow. In the third photo there are three other people who may be relatives, but who are unidentified at this time.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ROBINSON FAMILY
compliments of Jean Martin at http://www.miserybay.com/robinson/r.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLICK BELOW TO SEND A MESSAGE TO MARK VON DESTINON
[email protected]
who designed this site and is reasearching the Robinson family of Western Michigan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MARK VON DESTINON'S GENEALOGY HOMEPAGE
life with Rix
for pics see http://skywalker.cochise.edu/vondesti/family/rix.htm
Rix Robinson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1789-1875)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rix Robinson was said to be 6 foot 6 inches tall.
Ed Niles, born in 1907: "My dad said Rix was a big, tall man."
Mrs. Josephine Burt, who came to Ada in 1854 at age three, recalled: "He was a big man, with a curly beard and curly white hair."
Seigal, Jane, A Snug Little Place: Memories of Ada, Michigan 1821-1930
Biography
Rix Robinson: Sojourner or Settler
Seigal, Jane, A Snug Little Place: Memories of Ada, Michigan 1821-1930, pub. by Ada Historical Society, 1993.
Charles C. Chapman, in "A History of Kent County" (1881), describes Robinson as a "sojourner, not a settler" -- and in this way he was most like the Indians. "Being a person without rights, and at the sufferance of the Indians, he can scarcely be called for many years a settler, but rather a sojourner....He identified himself with the Indians for purposes of trade" (Michigan History, Dec 1959, p 487).
Robinson did more than identify with the Indians; he earned their trust and friendship. He married two Indian women, the first in 1821. Pee-miss-a-quot-o-quay, or "Flying Cloud Woman," was an Ottawa chief's daughter and a lineal descendant of the great chief Pontiac. The marriage lasted the minimum of "100 moons," after which time Robinson's Indian wife left. His second wife was also an Ottawa, named Se-be-quay, or Sippy Quay "River Woman," and was with him until he died in 1875. Robinson was rumored to have two "squaw wives" simultaneously, and there were some who said five Indian women lived with Robinson at one time. According to Indian custom, and to promote negotiations with different tribes, Robinson lived a certain number of moons with each wife. Some also said Robinson had a home and a white wife in Grand Rapids, and another up north. But with all these alleged unions, Robinson had only one child -- a son, named John.
The Indians also gave Robinson an Ottawa name, "Wabesha," meaning a marten, an animal renowned among the Indians for both its valuable fur and its courage. But perhaps the most important evidence of Robinson's relationship with the Indians was the manner in which he lived his life after the Washington Treaty. Robinson returned to the station at the Grand and Thornapple Rivers and chose to stay living among the Indians. And he remained a negotiator for them throughout his life.
In 1834, Robinson closed his last trading post, one mile down the Grand River from the mouth of the Thornapple. He then began an impressive career of public service, which included membership in the Constitutional Convention of Michigan of 1850, a circuit court judgeship, and a State Senatorial seat. He was an important figure in revising the state constitution and was an advocate of woman suffrage. Popular myth has it that Robinson would have been governor, but for his shy Indian wife and the intolerance of white society. By 1862, Robinson retired from public life; he is listed in township records of that year as "running a general store."
On January 13, 1875, Rix Robinson died of "dropsy," most likely congestive heart failure, at this home at 7185 Headley in Ada. It is unclear where he was buried; some say down on the flats, the river bottom land he loved, while others say he is buried in Ada Cemetery.
A monument to Robinson in the cemetery -- land which Robinson sold to the Ada Township Board of Health -- bears the following inscription:
"Brave, Honest, Patriotic, A Loving Husband and Father, A Friend of the Indians, Their Negotiator with the Government, and a Peace Maker, Indian Trader on Grand River, 1821; Supervisor Township of Kent, 1834; Supervisor Township of Ada, 1840; associate Judge of Circuit Court for Kent County, 1844; State Senator, 1854; State Commissioner of Internal Improvements, 1846; Member of State Constitutional Convention, 1850."
The home of Rix Robinson in Ada Michigan about 1909. Years after it was torn down the property was acquired by the Amway Company and their national Headquarters is now built upon the site.
The barn of Rix Robinson in Ada Michigan about 1909. Both the house and the barn were torn down about 1915.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Obituary of Rix Robinson
Funeral Obsequies at Ada of the Venerable Pioneer, Rix Robinson.
Imposing Ceremonies - A Large Number of Friends and Relatives Present
Funeral Obsequies of Hon. Rix Robinson, at Ada
Special Dispatch to the Grand Rapids Eagle, Ada, Mich., Jan.13, 1875
The funeral obsequies of the late Hon. Rix Robinson were of the most solemn and impressive kind. The attendance was large and impressive kind. The attendance was large, and the Methodist Church was crowded to overflowing. The Old Settlers' Society of Kent County, of which deceased was President, was represented by about forty members. Leading citizens of Grand Haven were present and the Rix Robinson Fire Company of that place were attendants. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Whitman of Alaska. An eloquent tribute was paid by Hon. T.B. Church, who alluded to the public services of deceased as Judge of the County, Commissioner of Public Works and Member of the State Legislature. Mr. Edward P. Ferry, of Grand Haven followed with an appropriate attestation of the honesty and true friendship of "Uncle Rix." Many of the pioneers of Ada, Cascade and Vergennes were present and the occasion was one of great solemnity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Obituary of Mrs. Rix Robinson
Daily Morning Times, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thursday, April 6, 1876. vol. 6, no. 303
The relict of the late Hon. Rix Robinson died at Ada, April 3d. Mrs. Robinson was, on her mother's side of Indian descent, the grand daughter of one of the great Chiefs of the Ottawa tribe -- the original lords of this country. She had, previous to her marriage to Mr. R., been an inmate of the family of the Rev. Leonard Slater, the Baptist missionary at the Rapids of Grand River. Mrs. R. was a woman of considerable mental ability, and of very great power of will, and manifested in some exigencies of her frontier life remarkable courage and determination. Yet, in the ordinary course of domestic affairs, she appeared to all a kind and hospitable matron, and was the object of respect from the white and of love from the red residents of this valley. No children had ever been bon to her, John R. being the son of Mr. Robinson's first wife. She is to be buried at Ada this morning; but with a view, as we are informed, to a removal of her remains hereafter in an ancient cemetery of the Ottawa Indians.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you go to: http://www.harbourviewinn.com/madame.htm you will see an article on Madame LaFramboise who sold the trading posts at Ada, Grand Haven, and Duck Lake (maybe others) to Rix. It states that "She was on Mackinac Island in April 04, 1846, when she became ill and died. Her remains are buried in Ste. Anne's churchyard." Her daughter Josette (Josephine) who married the brother of US president Franklin Pierce is buried with her. LaFramboise means raspberry in French. Also see http://www.mackinacisland.com for information on Mackinac Island.
Three pictures of Rix and his second wife Se-ba-quay/Sippy/Nancy follow. In the third photo there are three other people who may be relatives, but who are unidentified at this time.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ROBINSON FAMILY
compliments of Jean Martin at http://www.miserybay.com/robinson/r.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLICK BELOW TO SEND A MESSAGE TO MARK VON DESTINON
[email protected]
who designed this site and is reasearching the Robinson family of Western Michigan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MARK VON DESTINON'S GENEALOGY HOMEPAGE
John Buried step mother Sippi-quay (English name was Nancy) near his mother Miss-a-quot-o-quay
life with Rix
for pics see http://skywalker.cochise.edu/vondesti/family/rix.htm
Rix Robinson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1789-1875)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rix Robinson was said to be 6 foot 6 inches tall.
Ed Niles, born in 1907: "My dad said Rix was a big, tall man."
Mrs. Josephine Burt, who came to Ada in 1854 at age three, recalled: "He was a big man, with a curly beard and curly white hair."
Seigal, Jane, A Snug Little Place: Memories of Ada, Michigan 1821-1930
Biography
Rix Robinson: Sojourner or Settler
Seigal, Jane, A Snug Little Place: Memories of Ada, Michigan 1821-1930, pub. by Ada Historical Society, 1993.
Charles C. Chapman, in "A History of Kent County" (1881), describes Robinson as a "sojourner, not a settler" -- and in this way he was most like the Indians. "Being a person without rights, and at the sufferance of the Indians, he can scarcely be called for many years a settler, but rather a sojourner....He identified himself with the Indians for purposes of trade" (Michigan History, Dec 1959, p 487).
Robinson did more than identify with the Indians; he earned their trust and friendship. He married two Indian women, the first in 1821. Pee-miss-a-quot-o-quay, or "Flying Cloud Woman," was an Ottawa chief's daughter and a lineal descendant of the great chief Pontiac. The marriage lasted the minimum of "100 moons," after which time Robinson's Indian wife left. His second wife was also an Ottawa, named Se-be-quay, or Sippy Quay "River Woman," and was with him until he died in 1875. Robinson was rumored to have two "squaw wives" simultaneously, and there were some who said five Indian women lived with Robinson at one time. According to Indian custom, and to promote negotiations with different tribes, Robinson lived a certain number of moons with each wife. Some also said Robinson had a home and a white wife in Grand Rapids, and another up north. But with all these alleged unions, Robinson had only one child -- a son, named John.
The Indians also gave Robinson an Ottawa name, "Wabesha," meaning a marten, an animal renowned among the Indians for both its valuable fur and its courage. But perhaps the most important evidence of Robinson's relationship with the Indians was the manner in which he lived his life after the Washington Treaty. Robinson returned to the station at the Grand and Thornapple Rivers and chose to stay living among the Indians. And he remained a negotiator for them throughout his life.
In 1834, Robinson closed his last trading post, one mile down the Grand River from the mouth of the Thornapple. He then began an impressive career of public service, which included membership in the Constitutional Convention of Michigan of 1850, a circuit court judgeship, and a State Senatorial seat. He was an important figure in revising the state constitution and was an advocate of woman suffrage. Popular myth has it that Robinson would have been governor, but for his shy Indian wife and the intolerance of white society. By 1862, Robinson retired from public life; he is listed in township records of that year as "running a general store."
On January 13, 1875, Rix Robinson died of "dropsy," most likely congestive heart failure, at this home at 7185 Headley in Ada. It is unclear where he was buried; some say down on the flats, the river bottom land he loved, while others say he is buried in Ada Cemetery.
A monument to Robinson in the cemetery -- land which Robinson sold to the Ada Township Board of Health -- bears the following inscription:
"Brave, Honest, Patriotic, A Loving Husband and Father, A Friend of the Indians, Their Negotiator with the Government, and a Peace Maker, Indian Trader on Grand River, 1821; Supervisor Township of Kent, 1834; Supervisor Township of Ada, 1840; associate Judge of Circuit Court for Kent County, 1844; State Senator, 1854; State Commissioner of Internal Improvements, 1846; Member of State Constitutional Convention, 1850."
The home of Rix Robinson in Ada Michigan about 1909. Years after it was torn down the property was acquired by the Amway Company and their national Headquarters is now built upon the site.
The barn of Rix Robinson in Ada Michigan about 1909. Both the house and the barn were torn down about 1915.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Obituary of Rix Robinson
Funeral Obsequies at Ada of the Venerable Pioneer, Rix Robinson.
Imposing Ceremonies - A Large Number of Friends and Relatives Present
Funeral Obsequies of Hon. Rix Robinson, at Ada
Special Dispatch to the Grand Rapids Eagle, Ada, Mich., Jan.13, 1875
The funeral obsequies of the late Hon. Rix Robinson were of the most solemn and impressive kind. The attendance was large and impressive kind. The attendance was large, and the Methodist Church was crowded to overflowing. The Old Settlers' Society of Kent County, of which deceased was President, was represented by about forty members. Leading citizens of Grand Haven were present and the Rix Robinson Fire Company of that place were attendants. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Whitman of Alaska. An eloquent tribute was paid by Hon. T.B. Church, who alluded to the public services of deceased as Judge of the County, Commissioner of Public Works and Member of the State Legislature. Mr. Edward P. Ferry, of Grand Haven followed with an appropriate attestation of the honesty and true friendship of "Uncle Rix." Many of the pioneers of Ada, Cascade and Vergennes were present and the occasion was one of great solemnity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Obituary of Mrs. Rix Robinson
Daily Morning Times, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thursday, April 6, 1876. vol. 6, no. 303
The relict of the late Hon. Rix Robinson died at Ada, April 3d. Mrs. Robinson was, on her mother's side of Indian descent, the grand daughter of one of the great Chiefs of the Ottawa tribe -- the original lords of this country. She had, previous to her marriage to Mr. R., been an inmate of the family of the Rev. Leonard Slater, the Baptist missionary at the Rapids of Grand River. Mrs. R. was a woman of considerable mental ability, and of very great power of will, and manifested in some exigencies of her frontier life remarkable courage and determination. Yet, in the ordinary course of domestic affairs, she appeared to all a kind and hospitable matron, and was the object of respect from the white and of love from the red residents of this valley. No children had ever been bon to her, John R. being the son of Mr. Robinson's first wife. She is to be buried at Ada this morning; but with a view, as we are informed, to a removal of her remains hereafter in an ancient cemetery of the Ottawa Indians.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you go to: http://www.harbourviewinn.com/madame.htm you will see an article on Madame LaFramboise who sold the trading posts at Ada, Grand Haven, and Duck Lake (maybe others) to Rix. It states that "She was on Mackinac Island in April 04, 1846, when she became ill and died. Her remains are buried in Ste. Anne's churchyard." Her daughter Josette (Josephine) who married the brother of US president Franklin Pierce is buried with her. LaFramboise means raspberry in French. Also see http://www.mackinacisland.com for information on Mackinac Island.
Three pictures of Rix and his second wife Se-ba-quay/Sippy/Nancy follow. In the third photo there are three other people who may be relatives, but who are unidentified at this time.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ROBINSON FAMILY
compliments of Jean Martin at http://www.miserybay.com/robinson/r.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLICK BELOW TO SEND A MESSAGE TO MARK VON DESTINON
[email protected]
who designed this site and is reasearching the Robinson family of Western Michigan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MARK VON DESTINON'S GENEALOGY HOMEPAGE
life with Rix
for pics see http://skywalker.cochise.edu/vondesti/family/rix.htm
Rix Robinson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1789-1875)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rix Robinson was said to be 6 foot 6 inches tall.
Ed Niles, born in 1907: "My dad said Rix was a big, tall man."
Mrs. Josephine Burt, who came to Ada in 1854 at age three, recalled: "He was a big man, with a curly beard and curly white hair."
Seigal, Jane, A Snug Little Place: Memories of Ada, Michigan 1821-1930
Biography
Rix Robinson: Sojourner or Settler
Seigal, Jane, A Snug Little Place: Memories of Ada, Michigan 1821-1930, pub. by Ada Historical Society, 1993.
Charles C. Chapman, in "A History of Kent County" (1881), describes Robinson as a "sojourner, not a settler" -- and in this way he was most like the Indians. "Being a person without rights, and at the sufferance of the Indians, he can scarcely be called for many years a settler, but rather a sojourner....He identified himself with the Indians for purposes of trade" (Michigan History, Dec 1959, p 487).
Robinson did more than identify with the Indians; he earned their trust and friendship. He married two Indian women, the first in 1821. Pee-miss-a-quot-o-quay, or "Flying Cloud Woman," was an Ottawa chief's daughter and a lineal descendant of the great chief Pontiac. The marriage lasted the minimum of "100 moons," after which time Robinson's Indian wife left. His second wife was also an Ottawa, named Se-be-quay, or Sippy Quay "River Woman," and was with him until he died in 1875. Robinson was rumored to have two "squaw wives" simultaneously, and there were some who said five Indian women lived with Robinson at one time. According to Indian custom, and to promote negotiations with different tribes, Robinson lived a certain number of moons with each wife. Some also said Robinson had a home and a white wife in Grand Rapids, and another up north. But with all these alleged unions, Robinson had only one child -- a son, named John.
The Indians also gave Robinson an Ottawa name, "Wabesha," meaning a marten, an animal renowned among the Indians for both its valuable fur and its courage. But perhaps the most important evidence of Robinson's relationship with the Indians was the manner in which he lived his life after the Washington Treaty. Robinson returned to the station at the Grand and Thornapple Rivers and chose to stay living among the Indians. And he remained a negotiator for them throughout his life.
In 1834, Robinson closed his last trading post, one mile down the Grand River from the mouth of the Thornapple. He then began an impressive career of public service, which included membership in the Constitutional Convention of Michigan of 1850, a circuit court judgeship, and a State Senatorial seat. He was an important figure in revising the state constitution and was an advocate of woman suffrage. Popular myth has it that Robinson would have been governor, but for his shy Indian wife and the intolerance of white society. By 1862, Robinson retired from public life; he is listed in township records of that year as "running a general store."
On January 13, 1875, Rix Robinson died of "dropsy," most likely congestive heart failure, at this home at 7185 Headley in Ada. It is unclear where he was buried; some say down on the flats, the river bottom land he loved, while others say he is buried in Ada Cemetery.
A monument to Robinson in the cemetery -- land which Robinson sold to the Ada Township Board of Health -- bears the following inscription:
"Brave, Honest, Patriotic, A Loving Husband and Father, A Friend of the Indians, Their Negotiator with the Government, and a Peace Maker, Indian Trader on Grand River, 1821; Supervisor Township of Kent, 1834; Supervisor Township of Ada, 1840; associate Judge of Circuit Court for Kent County, 1844; State Senator, 1854; State Commissioner of Internal Improvements, 1846; Member of State Constitutional Convention, 1850."
The home of Rix Robinson in Ada Michigan about 1909. Years after it was torn down the property was acquired by the Amway Company and their national Headquarters is now built upon the site.
The barn of Rix Robinson in Ada Michigan about 1909. Both the house and the barn were torn down about 1915.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Obituary of Rix Robinson
Funeral Obsequies at Ada of the Venerable Pioneer, Rix Robinson.
Imposing Ceremonies - A Large Number of Friends and Relatives Present
Funeral Obsequies of Hon. Rix Robinson, at Ada
Special Dispatch to the Grand Rapids Eagle, Ada, Mich., Jan.13, 1875
The funeral obsequies of the late Hon. Rix Robinson were of the most solemn and impressive kind. The attendance was large and impressive kind. The attendance was large, and the Methodist Church was crowded to overflowing. The Old Settlers' Society of Kent County, of which deceased was President, was represented by about forty members. Leading citizens of Grand Haven were present and the Rix Robinson Fire Company of that place were attendants. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Whitman of Alaska. An eloquent tribute was paid by Hon. T.B. Church, who alluded to the public services of deceased as Judge of the County, Commissioner of Public Works and Member of the State Legislature. Mr. Edward P. Ferry, of Grand Haven followed with an appropriate attestation of the honesty and true friendship of "Uncle Rix." Many of the pioneers of Ada, Cascade and Vergennes were present and the occasion was one of great solemnity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Obituary of Mrs. Rix Robinson
Daily Morning Times, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thursday, April 6, 1876. vol. 6, no. 303
The relict of the late Hon. Rix Robinson died at Ada, April 3d. Mrs. Robinson was, on her mother's side of Indian descent, the grand daughter of one of the great Chiefs of the Ottawa tribe -- the original lords of this country. She had, previous to her marriage to Mr. R., been an inmate of the family of the Rev. Leonard Slater, the Baptist missionary at the Rapids of Grand River. Mrs. R. was a woman of considerable mental ability, and of very great power of will, and manifested in some exigencies of her frontier life remarkable courage and determination. Yet, in the ordinary course of domestic affairs, she appeared to all a kind and hospitable matron, and was the object of respect from the white and of love from the red residents of this valley. No children had ever been bon to her, John R. being the son of Mr. Robinson's first wife. She is to be buried at Ada this morning; but with a view, as we are informed, to a removal of her remains hereafter in an ancient cemetery of the Ottawa Indians.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you go to: http://www.harbourviewinn.com/madame.htm you will see an article on Madame LaFramboise who sold the trading posts at Ada, Grand Haven, and Duck Lake (maybe others) to Rix. It states that "She was on Mackinac Island in April 04, 1846, when she became ill and died. Her remains are buried in Ste. Anne's churchyard." Her daughter Josette (Josephine) who married the brother of US president Franklin Pierce is buried with her. LaFramboise means raspberry in French. Also see http://www.mackinacisland.com for information on Mackinac Island.
Three pictures of Rix and his second wife Se-ba-quay/Sippy/Nancy follow. In the third photo there are three other people who may be relatives, but who are unidentified at this time.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ROBINSON FAMILY
compliments of Jean Martin at http://www.miserybay.com/robinson/r.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLICK BELOW TO SEND A MESSAGE TO MARK VON DESTINON
[email protected]
who designed this site and is reasearching the Robinson family of Western Michigan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MARK VON DESTINON'S GENEALOGY HOMEPAGE
Inscription
(River Woman) Second wife to Rix Robinson, related to chief Hazy Cloud
Gravesite Details
Wf#2-Riz Robinson
Family Members
Advertisement
Advertisement
