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THE LIFE OF HON. RIX ROBBINSON A PIONEER OF
WESTERN MICHIGAN BY GEORGE H. WHITE
Both of them had fully investigated it at Mackinac and Green Bay through curiosity, and become well acquainted with the good and bad qualities of furs and their values and the best modes and places of marketing them. They selected each a place to trade at with the Indians, in, I think, Wisconsin, invested their cash and their goods in goods fitted for the Indian market and incurred some considerable indebtedness. In the spring they rendezvoused together at Mackinac, disposed of their furs, etc., and paid their debts, and found that Mr. Robinson had made quite handsomely, considering the difficulties that surrounded him, and that Mr. Phelps had lost about an equal amount. This unlooked for result surprised them, and resulted in a dissolution, Mr. Phelps returning eastward. Mr. Robinson
took a portion of the money and some notes which proved to be worthless except one against Mr. Douseman, but he found his capital insufficient to fully enable him to carry on the business without incurring a very large indebtedness, which he was loath to do.
John Jacob Astor had become acquainted with Mr. Robinson before this at Mackinac, and had observed him and his personal appearance, and his ways, and had been favorably impressed. At this time Mr. Astor was really the American Fur Company, which was merely a X. Y. corporation, consisting of himself and certain named associates, but who had not put a cent into the concern, he furnishing its whole capital. At this time he was engaged in having a large number of clerks brought in, principally from Montreal, and distributing them around to the different stations. Those who showed no aptitude for the trade he would weed out and retain the others, apprentices as it were, in the trade.
Michigan
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