ROBSON, John

ROBSON, RATHIE

Posted By: Nettie Mae
Date: 1/18/2003 at 13:05:07

Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.

JOHN ROBSON.

John Robson, deceased, came to Clinton county, Iowa, in 1862, and as an agriculturist was for many years prominently identified with its growth and development, but his last years were spent in retirement from active labor in the village of DeWitt where, after a useful and well-spent life, he passed away on the 31st of March, 1900, honored and respected by all who knew him.

Mr. Robson was born in Roxburyshire, Scotland, April 8, 1825, of English parentage. After his marriage his father, William Robson, removed to Scotland and reared his family in Roxburyshire. On reaching manhood our subject married Miss Isabella Rathie, a daughter of George and Margaret Rathie, who belonged to a good old Scotch family.

Mr. & Mrs. Robson continued their residence in Scotland for several years after their marriage, but in 1854, started for America in company with their two children and Mrs. Robson’s father, two sisters and a niece. It was a long and trying voyage of thirteen weeks, during which both of our subject’s children died and also his wife’s sisters, and he suffered the anguish and despair of seeing them buried at sea. At length they arrived in New York, and went up the Hudson river to Albany, in the suburbs of which city Mr. Robson engaged in gardening for eight years.

At the end of that time he came west to Iowa and joined his father-in-law, who had located in Clinton county about 1856, and through whom Mr. Robson had previously purchased a little place of forty acres in Welton township with a log house upon it. On arriving here he retained the house and made it his home for a few years while developing his farm. Later he erected a good residence, barn and other outbuildings and made many substantial improvements upon the place, which added greatly to its valuable and attractive appearance. As the years passed and he prospered in his farming operations, he added to his farm until he had two hundred acres in the home place and another farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He was a very successful and thrifty farmer and continued to engage in agricultural pursuits until 1888, when he removed to DeWitt and lived retired until his death.

There were eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Robson, but as previously stated, two died while coming to the new world, these being Margaret, aged four years, and William, aged two. Those born in this country were George, who grew to manhood and died on the home farm at the age of twenty-four years; John, who is a well-educated man and is now engaged in business in Albany, Oregon; Fred, who died in DeWitt, Iowa, at the age of twenty-six; Samuel, a railroad man who lived in Davenport, Iowa; and James, who resides with his mother in DeWitt and oversees the operation of the farm.

Mr. Robson was a stanch Republican in politics, and two of his sons, John and Samuel, also support that party, while James is identified with the Democracy. On coming to America our subject had but little means, but he always made the best use of his opportunities, and being industrious, enterprising and ambitious, he steadily prospered, and at his death left his family in comfortable circumstances. He was well and favorably known throughout this county, and his upright, honorable course in life commended him to the confidence and respect of all with whom he came in contact either in business or social affairs. Mrs. Robson still survives her husband and continues to make her home in DeWitt, where she has a large circle of friends and acquaintances. She is a consistent and faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church of that place, and a most estimable lady.