He was the son of Jeptha and Mary (Fox) Hewitt, the father having been born in Vermont, Oct. 14, 1807, and the mother in Vermont also, in 1814. A complete record of the life of Jeptha Hewitt can be found elsewhere in this volume in the sketch of Frank Hewitt.

The boyhood days of Robert Hewitt were spent in Leoni, Jackson county, where he acquired his early education. Here he lived until 1855, when the parents moved to Okemos. Later our subject completed his education at Lansing under the instruction of Prof. Taylor and Prof. Olds. Not being strong, physically, Mr. Hewitt devoted himself to teaching, and was employed in Lansing, and later in Minnestoa, until 1871, when he returned to Michigan and accepted a position in the office of the Secretary of State. He assisted in the census of 1874 and had charge of the ones taken in 1884 and 1894. He was in the office of Secretary of State until the year 1900, where he gave the most efficient service.

It had always been the ambition of Robert L. Hewitt to make a model country home, and in 1902 he returned to the farm to carry out his plans. The farm consisted of one hundred and eleven acres, which he bought from his father some years before, and was the old homestead of his parents. To which he soon added forty acres.

Nov. 11, 1875, Mr. Hewitt was united in marriage with Alice M. North, daughter of one of the earliest settlers of Ingham county. Mrs. Hewitt was born in Delhi township, April 19, 1851. They were the parents of three daughters; Harriet, born Jan. 9, 1880, now teaching in Little Rock, Ark.; Alice, born May 14, 1881, at home with the mother, and Mary Eliza, born Nov. 4, 1884, at home. The mother of these girls died Sept. 15, 1885, and July 31, 1890, our subject was married to Lydia, daughter of William Samuel and Christina (Shipp) Taylor, all natives of England. Mrs. Hewitt was born January 1, 1850, while the birth of her father occurred in 1785, and that of her mother, June 1, 1808. William S. Taylor died Sept. 16, 1851, and his wife May 22, 1901.

Mrs. Hewitt is one of seven children: Jane, born April 19, 1839, the widow of N. K. Johnston, in California; Thomas, born Sept. 18, 1841, deceased; Elizabeth, born Feb. 10,1848, is the wife of Rev. J. Fletcher of Allenga county. The other members of the family are deceased.

Mr. Hewitt is a staunch Republican, though he never held office except as connected with the Secretary of State. He was a member of the Central M. E. Church of Lansign and was always found active in its works. He was also connected with the fraternal orders of Masons, Royal Arcanum and the Grange, in all of which he was counted as a valuable member. Mr. Hewitt was highly respected in his community, and the upright life which he led has left its impress upon is family and neighbors.





Taken from:
"Past and Present of the City of Lansing and Ingham County, Michigan", by Albert E. Cowles.
Published by The Michigan Historical Publishing Association Lansing, MICH., 1905.
Pages 322 - 323

Sondra Higbee

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