Robinson Woods Indian Burial Grounds Investigation

Alexander Robinson was the English surname of Chee-chee-pin-quay, Chief of the Pottawatomies, Chippewa and Ottawa Nation of Indians. The name means “blinking eyes” and was bestowed upon him because of a facial mannerism of tic. Robinson, like Billy Caldwell, was a half-breed. Hurlbut, in Chicago Antiquities cites one account relating that he was the son of an Ottawan woman (whose father was a Frenchman) and a British officer at Mackinac in 1762.

In 1866 while being questioned by secretary of the Wisconsin State Historical Society, Draper, Alexander Robinson said he was a son of an Ottawan woman and a Scotch trader in 1789.

On the rhyolite boulder marking the original graves, he was said to have died April 22, 1872, aged 110! Even Robinson himself did not know when or where he was born.

On September 28, 1826, although he already had a childless Indian wife, he was married by John Kinzie to Catherine (Cateche) Chevalier, daughter of Francois Chevalier, a chief in the confederacy of the Three Fires.

Robinson was given this large tract of land, later to be named Robinson Woods, in deep appreciation for the consistently friendly services to the Americans and their influence as loyal intermediaries with the Indians before, during and after the Fort Dearborn massacre. Billy Caldwell, Victoire Pothier, Jane Miranda and the wife of LaGramboise stood by the John Kinzie family during the massacre and it was Caldwell who saved their lives. Afterward, he and Robinson conveyed the Kinzies, Capt. and Mrs. Heald and a few other survivors around the lake in boats to St. Joseph , Michigan .

By the terms of the treaty negotiated with the Sauk, Fox, Sioux and the “Three Fires” (the allied Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomi) at Prairie du Chien on July 29, 1829, grants of land were made to several members. These included:

“To Claude LaGramboise, one section of land on the Riviere Aux Pleins adjoining the line of purchase of 1816.

“To Alexander Robinson, for himself and his children two sections on the Riviere Aux Pleins above and adjoining the tract herein granted to Claude LaGramboise.

“To Billy Caldwell, two and one-half sections of the Chicago River above and adjoining the line of purchase of 1816.

“To Victoire Pothier, one-half section on the Chicago River above and beyond the tract herein granted to Billy Caldwell.

“To Jane Miranda, one-quarter section on the Chicago River above and beyond the tract herein granted to Victoire Pothier.

“To Archange Ouilmette, a Potawatomi woman, wife of Autoine Ouilmette, two sections for herself and her children on Lake Michigan south of and adjoining the northern boundary of the cession herein made by the Indians aforesaid to the United States .”

In those grants the term “line of purchase of 1816" refers to the Indian Boundary Line. At Edwardsville , Illinois on August 24, 1816 with the support of Shabbona, Caldwell, LaGramboise and Robinson, a treaty was negotiated with the “Three Fires” whereby they ceded to the United States a strip of land from Lake Michigan to the Fox River, the Kankakee River, and the Illinois River at Ottawa . The primary purpose was to provide a corridor thru which a canal could be built to provide a navigable waterway from Lake Michigan to the head of navigation on the Illinois .

Mrs. Robinson died August 7, 1860, twelve years before her husband in 1872. The last of the Robinson’s lived on the property until their farm building burnt to the ground on May 26, 1955. Firemen rescued Mrs. Katherine Boettcher, 89, a granddaughter of Robinson; her son, Herbert, 53, and a friend, Tony Bistry, 48. Even after the forest preserve district bought the property provisions were made for the Robinson’s descendants to occupy the house and about one acre of land, rent-free for life. This fire, however, brought the Robinson occupancy to an end. The city would take over the property in 1958.

Less than five months later on October 16^th, the bodies of John and Anton Schuessler and Robert Peterson, 13, 11 and 14 respectively were discovered in a ditch bordering a parking lot in Robinson Woods about 100 feet east of the Des Plaines River and south of Lawrence Avenue. All three had been strangled and one of the boys had been beaten on the head with a revolver butt or tire iron. They were completely naked at the time of the discovery.

This case went unsolved and police officers and family survivors never thought it would ever be solved. Finally in late August 1994, Kenneth J. Hansen, 61, was charged in the murder of the three boys. Hansen who was twenty-two at the time and lived in the 5000 block of North Claremont, not far from where the boys were last seen. He was sentenced to 200 to 300 years in prison.

Address: East River Road & Lawrence Avenue, Norridge, Illinois 60656

Hauntings: Soon after the disasters, strange paranormal phenomena began to be reported at Robinson Woods at all hours of the day and night. Strange lights, sounds and smells have all been reported by a variety of witnesses which vary from passing motorists, police officers on patrol, neighbors and residents just across the street, joggers running past this location and sometimes visitors to the site whether it is in the day or night.

During investigations in 1974 and 1975, two researchers, Joe Trioni and Larry Garrett, a professional hypnotist, carried out more than a dozen experiments in the area near the Robinson graves using various sophisticated recording devices and cameras. During one such succession, an unusual recording was made between two small trees very near the gravesites and likened to a dull repetitive sound. Later as the tape was played back over and over again, it became quite apparent that the closest thing the sounds resembled was the beating of an Indian Tom-Tom. Needless to say there were no Indians or Indian Tom-Toms present that night.

Lights have been seen in the woods after the park has been closed for the evening, and they have been appearing for many years, but particularly in the last twenty. The lights are almost always seen down a small trail just to the left of the large boulder. This trail leads to the Des Plaines River .

The Robinson’s used the river and often carried buckets of water back and forth to their home, sometimes in the dark while holding torches. They used the water for drinking, washing and bathing purposes. Could the lights be the ghosts of the Robinson’s still transporting water back and forth?

An audible sound has been heard out here as well. It is described as a sound made when someone is cutting down a tree with an ax. The Robinson's often used the wood they cut down to buy foodstuffs, blankets and whiskey or “fire water”. The last of the Robinson's were very heavily into drinking. Researchers have noted that people who die drunk or not in their right state of mind often make very good ghosts! So perhaps the drunken ghosts of the Robinson descendants still wander those woods at night.

A psychic smell has been experienced very near the half-boulder which marks the positions were the Robinson's are buried. It’s been described as a scent of lilacs or sometimes violets and it’s often sniffed in the dead of winter when there are no flowers or trees in bloom! The odor appears to hover seven or eight feet up and witnesses claim to be able to sniff up into the fragrance. Strangely, even though there may be a stiff breeze blowing, the odor stays in the same place and doesn’t drift away with the wind! I myself, while conducting a senior citizens tour in 1990 around Halloween in the afternoon encountered the strange odor, as did the entire group! They at first tried to blame it on someone’s cheap perfume but no one was wearing anything even remotely similar to that smell.

The Ghost Research Society last investigated Robinson Woods Indian Burial Grounds on May 29, 2021 and the team members included: Ron Lovatt, Mike Rosario, Charles Williams and Dale Kaczmarek.

Equipment setup: Full-spectrum, camcorders including 4k was used as well as digital recorders, REM Epod, Melmeter with proximity probe, K-II meter, Phasma Box app and Tri-Field Natural EM Meter.

Experiments performed: A single EVP session was conducted using the Phasma Box near the half-boulder marking the approximate location of the original Robinson Family graves. There was occasional contamination due to jet coming and going in between O’Hare Airport.

Personal experiences:

Ron Lovatt: We stopped at the Robinson Woods where the family lived and are buried even though the head stones have been moved. Dale did a background Facebook Live session and then we did an event session with the Phasma Box. We did get a lot of answers but we felt the majority of them might have been in French. One key word was the name of the wife which was Catherine.

Mike Rosario: Equipment and Initial Investigation: Our investigation at the Robinson Woods Indian Burial Grounds located on East River Road, Chicago, Illinois, took off at approximately 2:15pm with Dale Kaczmarek, Chuck Williams, Ron Lovatt, and Mike Rosario on Saturday, May 29, 2021. Weather was around 64°, and the wind was still a bit gusty. Equipment used was my K-II meter; a Philips VoiceTracer Digital Voice Recorder; a DVC 4K Ultra HD 48mp Night Shot Digital Video Camcorder; and an Apple iPhone 8-Plus 256GB Smartphone for exterior HD pictures and videos.

For this investigation, I was accompanied by Dale, Chuck, and Ron, and we pretty much stuck together as one group for this investigation. I began by doing my usual K-II sweeps in and around a small section of the burial grounds so that I could get a base reading, which was around a low 0.1-0.4 mG, but nothing went higher than those numbers throughout the investigation.

It was very calm around the area with deer scattering about. However, there was a lot of outside contamination due to the cars passing us about every 2-5 seconds because of the usual East River Road traffic about 100 feet away from our station. I took some pictures and videos in hopes of capturing some good visual and audio evidence whilst we were there at the burial site.

The four of us stayed for a while, and each of us asked some questions pertaining to the burial site in general, and who was with us in spirit form whilst we were there. We wanted to see if those spirits (if any) who passed away wanted to communicate with us.

Evidence: Upon reviewing all of my evidence, I did not have any visual evidence on my DVC camcorder. However, I did receive some audio evidence from my digital voice recorder. The following audio evidence was taken at the burial site during a Phasma Box session:

~ “Alexander.”

~ “Catherine.”

Charles Williams: After an early lunch at Culver’s, we proceeded to the unusual cemetery on Forest Preserve land. People use this space as was evidenced by dog walking, and walkers. Another animal encounter, this time 2-3 deer, and we witnessed people leaving food for them, so that is why they are braver. This place was somber, almost expected to see a shadow person. EVP session with Phasma box conducted by Dale.

Dale Kaczmarek: I have been here numerous times in the past including as far back as 1982 with psychic Pat Shenberg. I had planned a number of events for this day so we didn’t stay very long here but only conducted a single EVP session. Numerous pictures were taken that didn’t provide any more possible paranormal evidence but there were quite a number of very interesting direct responses using the Phasma Box app.

There was some mild contamination due to cars whizzing by and jets overhead, but overall it wasn’t too bad. I would like to come back here one evening with permission to conduct some additional investigations and where the murders took place.

Evidence collected:

Alexander Robinson Woods.MP4 – while conducting a Phasma Box session, a question was asked, “Can you tell us Mr. Robinson’s first name?” A voice comes through that sounds very much like, “Alexander.”

Catherine Robinson Woods.MP4 – while conducting a Phasma Box session, a voice comes through that clearly says, “Catherine.” (Catherine was Alexander Robinson’s French wife.)

I hate him Robinson Woods.MP4 – while conducting a Phasma Box session, a question was asked, “Were you friends with Black Bird?” (Black Bird being a vicious enemy to the early settlers and led attack at Fort Dearborn.) The device responded with, “I hate him.”

I’ll sit by him Robinson Woods.MP4 – while conducting a Phasma Box session, a question was asked, “If you’re here, can you come over and sit by me, right here?” The device almost immediately responded with, “I’ll sit by him.”

Mumbling Robinson Woods.MP4 – William’s full-spectrum camcorder picking a low mumbling sound near the area that we were sitting.

Conclusions: Again a lot of what I would call intelligent responses and names came through the Phasma Box during our single EVP session. The responses are well beyond coincidence in my opinion and just solidify my trust in this form of communication with spirits. I don’t believe that these responses were residual in nature due to the fact that they answered direct questions that were posed to the possible entities still there.

I wish we would have asked questions about the murder victims and last owners of the property to see if we could have garnered a reply but we were short on time that we could spend here. It was a beautiful day with lots of deer roaming freely around us and the site in general.

I would like to also include the very first investigation I conducted here back in 1982 with professional psychic Pat Shenberg and share with you her psychic impressions.

Robinson Woods Investigation

September 26, 1982

Present at investigation: Pat & Jay Shenberg, Stephanie Willis and Dale Kaczmarek

Equipment used: Two 35mm SLR cameras and two portable tape recorders. One tape recorder was used for dictation and the other was employed for possible spirit communication with an open microphone.

Film used: One camera was equipped with 400 ASA color slide film and the other was equipped with Tri-X Panatomac black and white high-speed print rated at 400 ASA.

Observations: Pat picked up a number of energy fields and spirits associated with the area. These included: an Indian, a girl who was murdered near the Des Plaines River about 20 years ago, three men who could have been the culprits of the murder, a settler who was very close to the Indian, and other energy fields. Even one that had a horizontal slash dividing it. She also picked up a stockade which might had been in the area at one time and numerous screams. Both photographic and audio tests were inconclusive. Possibly use diode recordings at a future date. Infrared film could also be used instead.

Pat – This side of the tree with the face on it. He’s an Indian. I don’t think he belongs here.

Dale – To the left or right of the tree?

Pat – To the right, about a foot from the tree. Standing on the ground, almost full-figured again. Now he’s changing from an Indian to a person who looks like a settler. Which one do you want? The Indian or the settler?

Dale – Why, are there two of them?

Pat – Yes. It’s an overlay. I’m not exactly sure what that means. (Pictures) It could be a man who is very close to an Indian. My normal explanation for that would be, a reincarnated state but I don’t sense that. They’re like brothers. I also see children now, which have strange clothing on. They’re small. Doesn’t fit what I would call a normal pattern. They shouldn’t be that small.

Dale – They related to the...

Pat – The settler.

Dale – His children?

Pat – Yes. Two girls. I don’t see these things physically. I can only see them psychically. What do you want me to ask them?

Dale – What are they still doing here?

Pat – They are visiting as we are visiting. Indians?

Dale – Do you pick up any names?

Pat – I get a John. I don’t want to put any names on them because I have already seen what was written over there. Very interesting, the Indian is saying no, that that’s not correct. The man isn’t correcting me, the Indian is. He doesn’t speak exactly what I would call good English. He’s saying something in two syllables. It sounds like aury, but I think he’s saying a Lorrie or a Laura.

Dale – Is he spiritually there or are you just picking this up telepathically?

Pat – Now they are still there physically and I see an energy field there. Somewhat unusual. An unusual energy field.

Dale – What color is it?

Pat – Lighter than usual. The energy field that I am use to looking at it normally grayer. That tree has some type of spirit within it. I don’t know how to explain that to you.

Dale – Is it sort of trapped in the tree?

Pat – They’re there for a purpose. Again, it is a guardian type of spirit. It is of the woods though. It is not of the angelic type, but it is good.

Dale – Will I pick up on film anything that you are seeing?

Pat – I don’t know. Why don’t you give it a try?

Dale – It almost looks like a face on that tree.

Pat – Yes. There’s a reason for that. That is to show people that there is something there. Gnarled trees, I want you to stay away from when they’re heavily gnarled or twisted. There is also a light which wasn’t here when we first walked in which is beginning to show around the tombstone. Why don’t you wait a few minutes though? It was not there before.

Dale – Right here?

Pat – Around the front. Is it true then that the Indian was a friend of the settler?

Dale – Yes.

Pat – Now there’s also an energy field forming over there in front of those bushes (indicating an area just to the right of the tombstone and down the right trail) and it’s a strange energy field in that sort of right through the middle, it’s cut in half. I have never seen that before, an energy field cut in half.

Dale – Is it one in the same or is it two different entities?

Pat – The cut isn’t that way. The cut is through the middle, horizontally. It may change. The relationship I felt between those men was like brothers. The Indian and the settler. I also have the feeling of a girl who is crying. This would be the specter that would remain in this area. It is very upset about the fact that it’s not allowed to live it’s life as long as it wanted to. The girl looks to be about 16 or 17.

Dale – Is she related to anyone here?

Pat – The answer is no and the reason is, she’s very distraught now. She’s saying she was murdered. I believe that she was stabbed with a knife.

Dale – Do you pick up any date? Any time?

Pat – I have a number. Now I don’t know if the number was supplied or that she said it. It’s very hard for me to speak to her because she’s in a very distressed state. Twenty is what she said. Twenty years ago.

Dale – That wasn’t the Laura you were picking up before was it?

Pat – No. I see three men now. The Indian seems to feel that it’s his prerogative to guard this area against three men. I think this girl was raped and stabbed and murdered not far from here. That area is still growing and other one still emits the strange slash in the middle. I will be interested to see what shows up on the film also.

Dale – Should I try a picture over there?

Pat – I see a lot of flames. I see burning. I see people screaming. Again I think we’ve gone back again to the Indian and the settler. I see water, I see canoes, I see boats. And everything is burnt to the ground. I smell cinders. Now the Indian is crying.

Dale – Are all of these things aware of each other?

Pat – The Indian is aware of everything that happens in any time period, he’s very spiritual and highly evolved. Screaming.

Dale – Do you just hear the screams or do you see the people?

Pat – Again, it’s a stockade building similar to what I had seen before, but it is burning to the ground. I think that this way of death more than anything else, was the burning rather than being murdered.

Dale – How does the Indian feel about that?

Pat – He said it shouldn’t have happened because the man is his brother. I don’t understand that. He must be speaking about an emotional tie. It has to be a very peculiar tie between the two men because they look almost like one. The Indian has two feathers. He has moccasins on and has leather on his legs. He’s almost full-figured down to the ground. He has some kind of bones hanging from his neck. He also has some other strange things hanging from his neck that are various colors, and he has around him a blanket that is red with some strange looking stripes. I cannot believe that an Indian would have a blanket like that. Looking what I’m looking at.

Dale – Do you believe he might have been a medicine man? Or a chief?

Pat – He had the ability to have been a medicine man. His hair is long and straight. It’s braided in the front but it hangs straight all around.

Dale – Is he the most powerful figure?

Pat – Yes.

Dale – So the others that you see aren’t figures just energy fields?

Pat – I believe he has the ability to transmit images at will and I’m not sure all those images have power of their own. Though the image of the woman who said she was murdered not far from here, I don’t see how he could possibly have contrived that because it is within this century. Is there water down there that you know of?

Dale – The Des Plaines River .

Pat – How far, about?

Dale – About a half mile maybe.

Pat – That’s where he said she was found. The girl.

Dale – Do you pick up a name for the girl?

Pat – I am going say her name begins with an M, because I’ve been seeing a name with an M since I’ve been here. He is very willing to speak in his native tongue. My communications with him have been telepathic. I am going to try translating in my head what he is saying. The settlers came here for purposes of trading. I’m not sure it’s the settlers that were close to him but instead they realized the richness of the land and they sought to steal it from his people. He said they never understood that we could have lived in peace. There will never be peace until everyone understands that everything belong to everyone. No man has ownership over the land. He suggests that that is something pertinent to every man alive today.

Dale – How does he feel about who owns his land now?

Pat – Again he is eluding back to papers that give one the ownership of the land. He says that no one can own the land. The land belongs to all.

Dale – So he’s unhappy about that?

Pat – No, he’s not unhappy; he just says that there will be no peace.

Dale – Is that why he is still around?

Pat – He says he is still here to keep what is left, to save it for the future. Not angry. The jets do not seem to affect him.

Dale – Does he know what they are?

Pat – He says he does. He says he is not tied to this place; he can go where he chooses. He says if he could have the knowledge of the machines of man, he wouldn’t want it. He is smoking something but it is not typical of what I think an Indian would smoke. He is smoking something that looks like a cigar. It’s not a pipe or anything like that.