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Editor’s Note: Page 60 was omitted in the original book written by Benjamin Dean. It is included here to eliminate some confusion for the reader and retain the original page numbers for the balance of the book.

Page 61

Capt. William M. Robinson was born in Port Byron, N. Y., removed to St. Louis, Mo., in 1858, and practiced law with Governor Thos. C. Fletcher, until the breaking out of the war.

With Captain Welker he raised Company B, and was commissioned First Lieutenant. He did staff duty under Generals Hamilton and Smith. In June, 1862, he was commissioned Captain of Company A, and served as such until

the company was mustered out. Though frequently selected for staff appointments, it was his desire and pleasure to be with his company, and make it, as it was, a first-class skirmish command. General Boomer, in 1863, said of him: "He has been in the field since September 10^th, 1861; was in every battle and skirmish in which either the regiment or flanking companies have been engaged; has behaved with noted coolness and ability on every occasion, and particularly distinguished himself at Iuka and Corinth."

Captain Robinson has lived for the past twenty years in Grand Rapids, Mich., where he is now successfully engaged in the timber business.

The transaction in timber lands at the South during the past few years, have been remarked upon many times in the columns of the Timberman, and reference has frequently been made to the various timber land firms and agents, north and south, who have taken part in the location, purchase and sale of these lands from the start to syndicates and buyers throughout the country generally. It is our pleasure at this time to refer to the firm of Robinson & Lacey, of Grand Rapids, Mich., who have perhaps conducted as large a trade in this business as any other firm. A few points in regard to the history of their operations, would prove interesting. The firm of Robinson & Lacey, was established in 1882 for the express purpose of operating in southern lands. William M. Robinson has been for many years engaged in the real estate business at Grand Rapids, and Mr. James D.

Lacey did business in the same city as a merchant and manufacturer.

Realizing the value of yellow pine and cypress they displayed their wisdom by going at once into the woods of the south and without hesitating took hold of the business in earnest. The members of the firm went into the woods with a large force of Michigan woodsmen, established camps, and estimated the whole pine belt of Louisiana and Mississippi by forties. As a result of this thorough going policy they have handled in the neighborhood of two million acres of land. They lived in the woods months at a time superintending the work of their men, and after duly locating and studying the field with a thoroughness that gave complete possession of the facts in regard to the section referred to, and probable result of investments in those timber lands, they then divided their time between the timber section, and capitalists of the north, and from the start, conducted very large transactions with investors.

In connection with what we have said, it will be interesting to note that values of these yellow pine lands ranged at from 75 cents to $1 and $1.25 per acre, when Robinson & Lacey began operations, in Louisiana, nine years ago. Some of these lands have since sold as high as $12 per acre and none are for sale at the present time at less than $6 per acre, which fact demonstrates the profitableness of the investments of the gentlemen named above. In addition to this it may be said that some of these lands have been sold twice by Robinson & Lacey. They have also transacted considerable business in cypress stumpage and are now in position

to conduct large transactions in the cypress swamps of the Carolinas. The standing of the firm of Robinson & Lacey among the lumbermen is very high and their opinions and estimates go unquestioned. – The Timberman