Mattie K. (Whitaker) Robison (1865-1943)

ROBISON, BELCHER, FAIR, DENSMORE, JONES, LONGNECKER, MILLER, MOFFIT, PRIME, SMITH, WHITAKER, WOOD

Posted By: Sandra Breitkreutz (email)
Date: 4/30/2003 at 09:07:49

MRS. MATTIE ROBISON DIES LATE THURSDAY AT LUTHERAN HOSPITAL
(From an undated Nevada, Iowa, newspaper clipping

Mrs. Mattie Robison, 78, wife of the late E.R. Robison of Near Maxwell, passed away Thursday, September 2, at 3:45 p.m., at the Iowa Lutheran hosptial in Des Moines. Mrs. Robison had been bed fast for the past three years and entered the Lutheran hospital on July 1, for treatment and was there until the time of her death. She is survived by a daughter, Edith Robison (1), and son Clay Robison, of near Maxwell, one brother, Grant Whitaker and two sisters, Mrs. Ida Belcher(2) and Mrs. Carrie Fair(3) of Maxwell.

Funeral services will be held at the Evangelical church in Iowa Center, Sunday at 2:00 p.m., following a short service at 1:30 at the home of the daughter, Edith Robison, of near Maxwell.

Mrs. Robison, with the late E.R. Robison was a native daughter of the community in which she died and a woman of very high character and held in the highest esteem.

OBITUARY
(From the "Maxwell (Iowa) Tribune," Vol LIX, Sept. 1943)

Mattie Robison, daughter of Samuel and Harriet Miller Whitaker, was born near Iowa Center, Iowa, July 6, 1865, and passed away at the Iowa Lutheran hospital, Des Moines, September 2, 1943. She had lived 78 years, 1 month and 27 days.

At the age of five years she was orphaned by death of her mother and for a few years was cared for in the home of her uncle, Dake Whitaker, south of Nevada. She returned to her father’s home at the time of his marriage to Miss Laura Densmore.

She received her education in the rural school and served as an efficient rural school teacher for five years.

On April 4, 1888, she was united in marriage to Elsworth Roland Robison and moved with him to the farm near Maxwell, Iowa, where they lived, he for 41 years and she for 55 years.

Mr. And Mrs. Robison experienced the hardships of pioneer life, spending themselves in loyal service to neighbors in need, and often going many miles to minister comfort to the sick and bereaved. Starting out with little material means, they maintained the courage and frugality which netted them comfort and cheer.

Mrs. Robison received great joy in her long active relation with the Elwell Evangelical church, of which she was a life-long member. She gave herself devotedly to Kingdom work. Her great love for children and her deep interest in the future of the church and community is well expressed by the occasion she inaugurated 16 years ago in having the children of the community gather in her home for the annual play-day. In her last illness she was kindly remembered by these, some now, men and women, who cherish the happy memories of play-day.

She further distinguished herself as a capable teacher in the Sunday school being gifted with unusual illustrative ability.

After the passing of Mr. Robison on March 9, 1929, she continued to live in her home until October, 1940, when she was stricken with the illness which confined her to her bed for her closing days. During her illness she has been tenderly cared for in the homes of both her son and daughter, with everything possible being done to aid in her comfort. She endured the suffering patiently, never complaining, and brought much comfort and cheer to those who tried to lighten her load. She lived well her favorite scripture passage, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

She was preceded in death by Mr. Robison, an infant son, and one son, Robert Earle, aged three; one sister, Mary E. Jones(4), and a half-sister, Mrs. Emma Prime(5).

FOOTNOTES from Sandra Breitkreutz
1. Edith Robison was for a time the wife of Roscoe Longnecker but took her maiden name back after a divorce
2. Ida (Whitaker) Belcher was the wife of S.A. "Sam" Belcher
3. Carrie (Whitaker) Fair was a half-sister to Mattie Robison and was the wife of I.D. "Lou" Fair.
4. Mary Elizabeth "Eliza" (Whitaker) Jones was the wife of Al Jones.
5. Emma Marie Miller Wood was a half-sister to Mattie Robison, having been born to Mattie’s mother prior to her marriage to Mattie’s father. Emma was married to Benjamin Franklin Smith, Mr. Moffit and Mr. Prime, in that order, and was also known as Mary E. Moffit while serving as a school superintendent in Wyoming.