The Best Known Man

Hou. John J. Robison. the best known man in Washtenaw county, died at his home in Sharon, after a long illness at 6 o'clock last Tuesday morning, aged 73 years. At one time he knew nearly every citizen of this county and could call them by name. He was a companionable man and delighted to meet all his old friends. Of recent years, however, his health had broken down so that he was unable to get around to the various parts of the county as of old. Mr. Robison was bom in Palmyra, N. Y., August 13, 1824. His father was Andrew Robison who was born in Phelps, N. Y., in 1800, and bis grandfather was John Robison who was the first settler of Phelps, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. The grandfather of thig first Phelps settler was the first of the race to emigrate to this country and his soo, the great grandfather of the subject of our sketch, was a captain in the revolutionary army. Hon. Andrew Robison was a tanner and by trade and afterwards married Miss Gertrude Houg, of English Dutch ancestry in 1823. He removed to Sharon with his family in 1843, where he resided until his death in , his wife having died a year previous. He was a member of the Michigan legislature in 1859 and also served as supervisor of Sharon and justice of the peace. John J. Robison passed his school days in Ontario and Wayne counties, New York and was a stndent at Palmyra academy. After coming to Sharon vith his parents he taught sohool for 18 terms iu Manchester village and fownship and in Sharon. He turned bis attention to farming in Sharon. On May 3, 1847, he was married to Miss Altha E. Gillett, of Sharon, who still survives him. Five children blessed this union, four of whoru snrvive; George F. , a prominent attorney of Wayne county; Charles C, a farmer of Sharon ; Gertrnde, wife of James T. Eamans, of Detroit, and James A., a newspaper man, at present private seccretary of Mayor Maybaiy, of Detrot. Another son, Einrnet J.-, a Detroit newspaper man of the brighte&t promise, died in 1887, when bnt 24 years of age. Mr. Robison was very prominent in politics and was for mauy years one of the principal leaders of the democratie party in this cousty. He held many political positious bnt always boasted of the fact that he had never solicited a nomination froru any delégate. He was well known in state conventions to which he was often sent and was a delégate to the naticnal conveuton in 1872 which nominated Greely. He was a candidato for pnblio office 14 times and was 11 times successful, the times when he was defeated beiug republican years when be made creditable mus. His rirst political run was for connty clerk in 1860 when he was defeated by 8á4 votes by BTobert J, Barry, who was running for re-election and w:s a very popular man, the county goiug repnblicau. Iu 1862 he was elected state senator by 122 ity over J. Webster Childs aud was re-eleoted over the same opponent in 1864 by 93 majority. He was teuominated for a third term iu 1866 but declined the nominatiou. Iu 1867 aud again in 1868 he was elected supervisor of Sharou township. In November 1868 be defeated his first opponent Robert J. Barry for oounty clerk by 204 majority, Seymour's majority for president that year beiug 33. He was re-elected county clerk iu 1870 by 348 majority over Byron R. Porter, receiviug the largest majority of any of the candidates at that election. In 1874 I aud in 1876 he was the democratie didate for congress in this republican district beiug defeated by Henry Waldron and Edwiu Willitts - the election in 18T6 being a very close one. Mr. Robison's ruajority in this county in 1874 was 681, being considerable ahead of the state ticket. In 1876 his rnajority was 605 in this county and be lead his ticket. In the spring of 1878 he was elected supervisor of Sbaron and in the fall of that year he was elected a representativo in the state legislatnre by 388 plurality over Emil Zincke, republican and Horatio Burch, greenback. While in tbe legislatnre be was coinplemented by his party with the nomination for speaker, making him the democratie leader of the honse. In 1882 he was elected connty clerk by 269 majority over John A. Palmer aad was re-elected to this offioe in 1884 by 1050 over Charles F. Bates. His last run for office was in 1886,when he was eleoted mayor of Ann Arbor by the largest plurality ever received by any candidato for mayor in tbis city at a contested eleotion. His public service may be snmmed up as three terms as supervisor, four terms as county clerk, two terms as state senator, one term as representative and one term as mayor, a record practically unequalled in this county. He was a Masón and was a member of the Manchester lodge and chapter and of Ann Arbor Commandery, Knights Ternplar. The funeral services were held yesterday afternoon under Masonic auspices. Tbe court house flag was placed at half mast. Mr. Robison helped many a man during his long career, not only with his purse, but by good advice, timely given and in forcible words He was a famous story teller and his friends were always delighted with his conversation. In driving through the country, everyone stopped to greet him and generally he left some remark for them to chuckle over as he drove on. He was a man of strong and winnng personality. Many stoiies will be told Ilustrativa of his characteristics. When mayor of the city he oaught two men fighting in the street, he grabbed each by the back of the collar and holding theru at arms length shook them well and gave them their choice of going home peaceably or to jail, When Judge Joslyn changed the spelling of his name and announced to tbe assembled bar from the bench, that hereater his name was to be spelled Joslyn instead of Joslin, Mr. Robison gravely arose and solemnly announced that thereafter his name shooid be spelled Robyson. When Prince Miebael of Flying Roll fame wa in jail awaiting sentence, Mr. Robisun paid him avisitand was greeted sanctimonionsly by Prince Michael with the remark "It is a consolation to be visited in this my hour of tribulation. My dear brother - " "Stop right there Mike, " interrupted Mr. Robison, "I don't allow any wretch like you to cali me 'brother,' you don't belong to the human family. " The family have the sympathy of the entire county in their bereavement, and many a man will miss the friendsbip of the strong man, who after years of sickness succambed Tnesday to disease.