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THE LIFE OF HON. RIX ROBBINSON A PIONEER OF
WESTERN MICHIGAN BY GEORGE H. WHITE
The nomination to the office of governor of the state, with a certainty of election, was in his power while the democratic party was in the zenith of its power in this state. He declined to allow his name to be used, solely because of the fact that his wife was an Indian (for whom he had the tenderest affection) and would be unable and unwilling to perform the social duties that were then required of the governor's wife. She was by no means an uneducated woman and was an excellent housekeeper, but not fitted to shine in social life. She would not even use the English language in ordinary conversation, although well acquainted with it. She was proud of her Indian blood and ancestry, and hardly deemed the generality of white blood up to its level.
Mr. Robinson was possessed of cultivated tastes, read a good deal and kept himself well posted on the topics of the day. He was a quiet man, reserved, but not shy; not given to talking much about himself, and was a very careful, conscientious, truthful man in making statements. His insight into human nature was quite extraordinary. He had great love of his home, his family and his kin, and was always the red men's friend, to whom they went in difficulty for counsel and advice.
He had much quiet humor, as was shown by his famous proclamation against the logs; was a good story teller, when with intimate friends; had a very retentive, ready memory, was. energetic and sympathetic. He took up the wrongs of the Indians always, and had them redressed, as in the case of the trial and conviction of Miller for the murder, in 1842, of the squaw, Ne-ga. In the detection and arrest of the fugitive sheriff, Hon. T. D. Gilbert won for himself laurels and evinced considerable skill as a detective, as seemingly he had no starting clue.
Michigan
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