Ada Township was founded by fur trader Rix Robinson of New York
who built the Township's first trading post in 1821, and later
made the first land purchase in 1833. Robinson became the first
non-native American to live in the Village. A post office was
established in 1837. The early settlement was named after Ada
Smith, the daughter of the first postmaster. Ada served as a
station along the 189-mile Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad (later
part of the now defunct Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee
Railway). A plat was recorded in 1857. According to history,
Robinson purchased the trading post from Magdelaine LaFramboise,
the granddaughter of Ottawa Indian Chief Kewinaquot (Returning
Cloud) and daughter of French-Canadian Fur Trader, Jean Baptiste
Marcot. Ada Township was Kent County's first official
settlement. In 1834, Robinson closed his last trading post, one
mile down the Grand River from the mouth of the Thornapple. He
then began an impressive career of public service, which
included Supervisor for the Town