The ABCs of Lowell History: R is for Robinson Family

The ABCs of Lowell History is back for another round. This popular series explores a wide variety of topics in Lowell area history in weekly online articles and is written by volunteers and staff from the Lowell Area Historical Museum.

R is for the Robinson Family

Sometimes when there is a famous family member, the rest of the family gets lost in their shadow. Rix Robinson was a famous fur trader, attorney, and negotiator for the Grand River Valley Odawa. He followed Madame LaFramboise, living at the Lowell trading post a short time in January of 1821 before moving the post to the Ada area, where he married a young Odawa girl, Pee-miss-a-qout-oquay.

Rix Robinson, born in Massachusetts was given his mother’s maiden name. The parents of the Robinson family were Edward and Eunice Rix Robinson. Rix was followed to Michigan by ‘The Robinson 44’. Forty-four family members came by boat, traveling up the Grand River from Lake Michigan at today’s Grand Haven. Though many settled in Ottawa county, some came up the river and settled in the Lowell area.

Who were the Lowell Robinsons? The brothers who continued to Lowell were Lewis in 1836, followed a year later by Rodney and Lucas, then later Nathan settled on the Ada – Vergennes township line.

The first school in Lowell was organized in 1837. The students were both pioneer settlers and the Odawa. All of the pioneer children were Robinsons.

Lewis Robinson lived from 1796 to 1873. In 1836 Lewis Robinson and Philander Tracy came to what would be Lowell. They were the first American settlers since Daniel Marsac. His wife was Julia Wheeler Robinson. They lived on the west side of the Flat River at what is today 1043 N. Hudson. His daughters Jane and Louisa attended the first school. Julia died young. At the end of Lewis’ life, he moved in with his daughter Roxanna. He is buried near her home in Novi, Michigan.

Rodney Robinson lived from 1800 – 1875. He along with Lucas first settled in Ottawa County for a short time, coming to Lowell in 1837. He settled just north of his brother Lewis, in section 35 and part of 36 in Vergennes Township on today’s Flat River Drive.

His children Hiram and Clarinda were in the first school. In 1838 he was appointed Flat River Postmaster. Rodney was politically minded and in 1840 he served as the Vergennes representative at the Kent County Convention. In 1844, he shared the responsibility with his brother Lucas. He was the first township supervisor of Vergennes. Some of Rodney’s children stayed in Lowell. His son Lucas J (went by Luke or L.J.) married Henrietta Walker, daughter of Eliab and Mary Walker, sister to Jacob Walker of the Walker Tavern.

His daughter Clarinda married Fidius Stocking. Fid was a popular fiddler and entertained the community. Rodney is buried in Fox’s Corner Cemetery.

Lucas Robinson lived from 1804 to 1876. His children in the first school included John, Seth T., and Horace. In 1844 he represented Vergennes at the Kent County presidential convention with his brother Rodney. He first settled on the west side of the Flat River where Recreation Park is now. Daniel Marsac and his trading post were across the Grand River and his closest neighbor. His son Seth worked for the federal government for several years as an interpreter at the Pentwater Reservation.

These settlers’ children grew up with the Odawa children as their neighbors and friends. Seth had learned the language and dialect of the Odawa. Son Allen fought in the Civil War and is now buried in Oakwood. Son Horace lived in South Boston Township and is buried in the South Boston Cemetery. Lucas is buried in Fox’s Corner Cemetery.

Nathan Robinson lived from 1794 to 1872. He farmed land that was divided by the boundary line between Ada and Vergennes Townships. His son William lived closer to Lowell and married Sarah Daniels and then Hattie Burch. His daughters Mina and Maria also stayed in the Lowell area. Maria’s daughter, Ruby Babcock Fox, was mentioned in a report of the 1931 Lowell Centennial Celebration. It was pointed out that Ruby was “a descendant of Nathan Robinson, of the locally famous Robinson family.” Nathan is buried in Krum-Blanding Cemetery along with several of his descendants.

The Robinson family members are divided up in area cemeteries. Fox’s Corner Cemetery has at least 7 Robinson family members, Krum-Blanding has at least 7 also, and Oakwood is the final resting place to more than 12.