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Charles
Robinson has proven himself a man of unusual energy and sound
business ability, as he has in the course of his life become the
owner of four hundred and twenty-two acres of fine land and that
without aid from any one. He was born in Nottingham, England, on
the 11th of November, 1845, a son of John and Jane (Eliott)
Robinson. He accompanied his parents to the United States and the
family settled in North Fork township, this county, on the 3d of
May, 1855. They resided upon a farm in that township belonging to
their son George, who had previously emigrated to America. At the
end of two years their son William bought twenty acres of land in
Delhi township and they moved there. The father was a bricklayer
and mason and followed his trade in England, but after he came to
the United States devoted the greater part of his time to the
cultivation of his land. He and his wife were the parents of
three sons, the brothers of the subject of this review being:
George, who was born April 5, 1828, and died in Cleveland, Ohio,
in April, 1891; and William, whose birth occurred August 26,
1838, and who now lives in Earlville, this state. The father died
at the age of eighty eight years and the mother lived to the
unusual age of ninety three years.
Charles Robinson received his
education in the common schools of this county and as he was
reared in a farming community he early became familiar with the
various operations that together make up agriculture. Upon
starting out in life for himself he decided to concentrate his
energies upon the cultivation of land and the raising of stock
and also determined to become a landowner. He worked steadfastly
toward that end and success has rewarded his labors, as he now
owns four hundred and twenty two acres of fertile land within two
miles of Earlville, on section 12, Delhi township. He follows
general farming, giving especial attention to the raising of
cattle, and he has a fine herd of Herefords.
Mr. Robinson was married on the 11th of
November, 1879, to Miss Mary E. Simons, a daughter of George and
Sarah (Short) Simons, natives of Ohio who came to Delaware county
in 1860 and settled upon a farm in Delhi township. Her father
enlisted in 1861 in Company K, Twenty first Iowa Volunteer
Infantry and served at the front for three years. At the close of
the struggle he returned to his farm, where he resided until
1887, when he went to England and passed away there the following
year. His wife had preceded him in death, her demise occurring in
1882. To Mr. and Mrs. Robinson eight children were born: Kate,
the wife of Henry E. Irons, who is principal of the high school
at Clarence, Iowa, where they reside; Blanch, the wife of Lewis
Gibbs, a farmer of Delhi township; Frank B., who lives at home;
Cora, who married Robert Shearer, a farmer of North Fork
township; Jennie, at home; John E., who is in the draying
business in Earlville; and Sarah and Zora, at home. The wife and
mother passed away June 13, 1912, and was buried in the Fairview
cemetery at Earlville.
Mr. Robinson is a
republican in his political views and for many years held the
office of road supervisor and also that of school director. His
ideals of citizenship are high and not only does he faithfully
discharge his duties as an official but in his private life he
places the public, welfare before individual gain. |
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