Detroit tribune. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1933, 1933-07-29
Dramatic Life Story
OF Robert j. Willis
by BENJAMIN +. Butler

alleviate the sufferings of thci
people.
| shall not attempt to go into de
tail about the early changes tina
were constantly being made in In,
educational life OF the Willis chill
dren. Suffice to say. that the ad
vantages and disadvantages wer,
the result of the times Then wer,
many events occurring so rapid,
as to shake the economical foun
dation of the United States. The eff
fects OF this financial and politica
upheaval were felt not only il
Canada. but also in EnCiad.
The cotton industry. the back
bone OF the economical solidar;t,
OF the South, was being discussed
IN the House of Parliament in Eng
land. Millions of dollars aud mil
lions OF souls were being weighed
In the scales OF public sentiment
and the results of this condition
could not be determined by the
best minds of that period. The
struggle for existence was intensi.
fed in the rural district to the
point OF semi-starvation. People,
who owned farms were leaving
them in order to obtain work in
the towns and cities. Only those
who could devise some means OF
eking out living remained. Eli
jah Willis was one of that num-
Der. He built. on the Willis farm
which was located on corner OF
eighth concession and Drake Road
two story house of hewn logs.
That same house stands to this
very day. a, monument to the soul
OF a pioneer
After he had established his
family In this home, he erected an
ash hopper for the manufacture of
black salts. an ingredient used In
the production OF baking powder.
An ash hopper Is an apparatus
built of split logs. II Is arranged
so as to receive ashes that accu-
mulate from the burning of the
logs Of elm wood trees. When a
sufficient quantity of ashes have
been put into the hopper. water is
poured upon II. and allowed to
drain into huge kettles. This solu-
ton is called lye. II is in turn boil
ed down to crystalline state. and
becomes what is known as black
salts. This product sold for six
shilllngs pound.
This industry was carried on In
Indiana and certain sections OF
Canada. II required certain
amount OF skill and attention to
produce satisfactory results. Rob-
ert ]. became an expert In the
handling OF his fathers business.
1t was he who superintendent the
the tapping of the maple trees and
the manufacturing of mapl, sugar
and syrup with the results that
when he was called a few years
later to the colors, he was physi-
cally and mentally equipped to
cope with any emergency. Neces-
sity is the mother of invention;
this holds true in every country
and cline. The pioneers of any
country eventually find ways and
means of overcoming many adj
vesre conditions which never con-
front those residing in the heart
Of civilization.
Out door life is conducive to the
physical development OF race.
and in the period befoe the war.
the men of the white race in the
south were very powerful. They
we're used TO hunting and fishing
and INDUCED in physical exercises
with Their slaves. Consequently
when the conflict came between
the North and South. the south
erners we're more than able to take
care of themselves. They worsted
the northerners in nearly every
battle until Abraham Lincoln was
in despair as TO the outcome OF the
issue.
1t was general Cameron who
brought Lincoln to his senses
Frederick Douglass. Sojourner
Truth and many of the abolition
lists had been advising Lincoln to
free the slaves. and let them fight
for their own freedom. Elijah Will
| lis. Greenberry Hold and Mary
schadd Carry had organized In
1861 the first Michigan Volunteer
Colored Soldiers, but Lincoln re-
fused to adhere to their demands
that these soldiers be accepted be-
cause he did not think 1t was righl
for slaves TO be injected into con-
flict which he considered was
white mans issue. When General
LCameron had an earnest talk with
Lincoln, and showed him thai
many of the southerners we're be
ing followed to war by their loya
and faithful slaves. Lincoln realiz
cd that he had a serious problem
-. ,ra. nhaea alaveR WHIT