Dustin Henry Robbins

ROBBINS HAZELTON COE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/14/2010 at 20:10:06

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Dustin Henry Robbins
By Juanita Schultz Posey

Dustin Henry Robbins was born at Nashua, New Hampshire, June 2, 1835, and died at his farm in Union township, Woodbury County, Iowa, in 1913. Dustin was the son of Levi and Sarah (Hazelton) Robbins who were also natives of New Hampshire, as was his grandfather, Ezra. The latter was the son of a Scotchman. The Hazelton family was also of Scotch descent. At the age of seven, Dustin went with his parents to Woodstock, Vermont, where he was reared on a farm, receiving a common school education. In 1854, he came to Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he continued to own land until he came to Union Township, Woodbury County, in 1866 and lived there until death.
Dustin helped organize the Methodist Society of his neighborhood, served as a trustee, and a handsome church was erected in 1888. He was a Republican and served as a Justice of the Peace for fourteen years. In September, 1860, he married Martha, 1841-1926, daughter of William and Mary Coe, all of English birth. Martha was four years old when her family came to America. The following children were born: William, Franklin, Albert, Perry, Mabel, Martha, Paul, Henry, Reuben and Clude.

The first home built was a log cabin. On July 4, 1888, when no was at home, the family lost their house, library, and all of the furniture by fire. Gerald Goodwin, Correctionville, grandson of Dustin and son of Mabel, remembers his Grandfather Dustin as been a good hunter and fisherman, taking only what the family could eat. In those days, there was no restrictions on the amount of game caught. Gerald also remembers traveling with his Grandmother Martha to Cherokee and when they passed the landmark known as ‘Pilot Rock’, the grandmother told that the ‘path’ that pioneers followed west came to ‘Pilot Rock’ and from this point they branched out to their various homesteads.

Martha, wife of Dustin, was born in 1841, the daughter of William L and Mary Coe. William was born July 7, 1809, near Newcastle, County of Durham, England, and died October 16, 1891. His wife, Mary, was born June 27, 1811, Durham, England, and died October 21, 1878. William Coe lived in Correctionville and was a tinsmith by trade. When Dustin’s house was rebuilt following the fire, William Coe did the installation of the eaves troughs.

After the death of Dustin, his son Reuben continued to farm the land making a home for his mother, Martha, until her death in 1926.

Mrs. Bessie Robbins Schultz, granddaughter of Dustin and daughter of Albert Perry, who resides at 2604 ½ South Cedar, Sioux City, remembers attending her grandparents’ Golden Wedding celebration in the fall of 1910. Goldenrods were gathered from the ditches and fields and used as the floral arrangements. The children of Dustin and Martha gave their parents a five-dollar gold piece. They hollowed out a small Hubbard squash and put the money inside, relatives and friends adding more gold pieces.

Bessie remembers that her father, Albert, hired a neighbor who had just purchased a new gas-powered automobile to take his family to the golden wedding celebration. The auto was open (no windows) and the lights burned with a wick. But what progress from traveling with a team and wagon.

Descendants of Dustin Robbins have organized and a reunion is held the third Sunday of August in Spring Lake Park, Cherokee, Iowa. The first annual Dustin H Robbins reunion was held at Hillcrest Park in Sioux City, Iowa, on August 24, 1947, for the purpose of organizing a family reunion. The first meeting was called to order by Mrs Leone Robbins Shippy Cox. Officers elected were: President, Reuben Robbins, Sioux City; Vice-President, Aaron Denniston, Merrill; Corr Secretary, Betram Robbins, Correctionville; Registrar, Bessie Robbins Schultz, Merrill.

On August 21, 1983, the 36th annual reunion was held in Spring Lake Park, Cherokee, with ‘32’ family members attending. The current officers are: President, Juanita Schultz Posey, Sioux City; Vice-present, Harold Robbins, Pierson; Corr Secretary, Faye Utesch Goodwin, Correctionville; and Recording Secretary-Treasurer, Goldie Schultz Denniston, LeMars.