Nellie Robinson Reid

Nellie Robinson Reid, widow of Mathew Reid, a former teacher and in his late years a baliff of Judge Alexander's Court of Domestic Relations in Lucas County, is a resident of Holland, Ohio. She will celebrate her ninetieth birthday on February 5, 1976.

Nellie Reid is the granddaughter of Chester Robinson, a native of Southern Canada, migrated to Haverhill, Massachusetts. He came to Henry County in approximately 1828-1830. He homesteaded a forty acre tract of land in Freedom Township. He built a log cabin, then returned to Haverhill for his wife and family. Mrs. Reid relates many interesting stories of her grandparents' experiences. They had eleven children: Len, Ann, Edward, Sarah, Peter, Albert, Lucy, Electa, Esther, Rebeccah, and Harriet.

The tract of land was a wilderness and swamp area, that required years of hard work, tolerance, and fortitude that made it productive and self sustaining. Open and wooden ploughs were used to till the soil. They took their grain to the mill in Grand Rapids, Ohio, to be ground; it was a trip of two days; the flat top wagon was drawn by oxen.

Their life in the log cabin of one room was a beehive of industry where the daily needs of the eleven children were provided. The furniture was hand made; the spindle back chairs had woven seats of bass wood bark. The bunk beds were built along the walls; ropes interwoven held the straw ticks; they snuggled under feather beds to keep them warm.

Nellie Robinson Reid

The gardens supplied the vegetables; wild game and farm animals provided meat, milk, cheese, and butter was churned by hand, often Nellie's grandmother would prepare pumpkin butter for their home baked bread. The food was cooked in large iron kettles over the fireplace, then served to the children who sat on benches at a long hand made table.

Grandma Robinson's neighbor, Mrs. Tietje, spun the yarn and wove the material from which Nellie's grandmother hand fashioned the clothing for her family.

A great spirit of cooperation prevailed during these trying times. The neighbors worked together digging ditches for drainage, clearing the land, raising the cabins and barns. The work times were followed by group dinners and evenings of fun, singing, and square dancing. Peter Robinson, Nellie's father, played the violin and John Tietje the bass viola for the frivolity.

Later the grandfather, Chester, built a new frame house from walnut trees on the homestead.

After the death of Chester Robinson, Peter Robinson bought the homestead and cared for his mother, Marea, until her death.

Mrs. Reid and her brother Earl were born in this house. Earl was born in 1878 and was married to Dorcas Thorne. They had four children:

Cloyce, Mildred, Phyllis, and Betty. Cloyce died in 1932.

Nellie was born in 1886 and married Mathew Reid in 1908. They had three children: Thelma, Pauline, and Paul. Thelma died in 1962.

Lorenzo Robinson, the oldest son of Chester Robinson, was one of the originators of the Ridgeville Memorial Union. For years this group sponsored the annual Chicken Pie Supper held on the Saturday nearest Washington's birthday. Mrs. Reid looks forward to, and enjoys this festive occasion.

Submitted by Nellie Reid