Amos H. Robinson, extensively engaged in farming upon over four hundred acres of land situated on section 15, Dayton township, has since 1857 lived in Cedar county. His memory compasses the period of early development here as well as of later progress. He can remember when much of the farming was done with machinery that was very primitive in comparison with that in use at the present time; when the homes were small and contained little more than the necessities of life.
Mr. Robinson was born in LaSalle, Illinois, March 19, 1855, and is of English lineage. His grandfather, John Robinson, was a native of England and on emigrating to the new world settled in Canada. His son, W. T. Robinson, also born in England, was a lad at the time when the voyage across the Atlantic was made and continued a resident of Canada until after he had attained his majority. He was married in that country to Miss Anna Ernest, a native of New York. He had previously learned the wheelwright’s trade and while living in Canada he built and operated mills. Thinking to find better opportunities elsewhere he removed to La Salle, Illinois, where he also worked at his trade until 1857, when he came to Cedar county, Iowa, and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. Making his home in Dayton township, he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government and at once began the development of the farm. Upon that place his remaining days were passed, his death occurring in June, 1902, while his wife, surviving him for five years, was called to her final rest in 1907. Their family numbered but two sons, the brother of our subject being W. E. Robinson, who owns and operates the old home farm.
It was upon that farm that Amos H. Robinson was reared, there living with his father and operating the place for twenty-five years. He has always carried on general agricultural pursuits and his life has been crowned with the success that always follows persistent effort, intelligently directed.
Mr. Robinson was married in Clinton, Iowa, on the 14th of May, 1875, to Miss Mary J. Watkins, a native of Clarion county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Jesse Watkins, who was also born in Clarion county, as was his wife, who bore the maiden name of Catherine Hyle. Mr. Watkins was a soldier of the Civil war, enlisting in 1861 and dying in the service. His widow came west to Iowa in 1865, settling in Clinton, where Mrs. Robinson was reared and educated.
Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Robinson began their domestic life on the old home farm but later removed to Clarence, where he did carpentering and concrete work for five years. He afterward rented the Scott farm near Clarence and continued its cultivation for three years, while in the spring of 1910 he removed to the farm upon which he now resides, the place which he rents embracing more than four hundred acres situated on section 15, Dayton township. All the features of the model farm of the twentieth century are there found—good buildings, the latest improved machinery, well kept fences and fine stock. He makes a specialty of raising hogs and from the sales annually derives a good income.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Robinson has been blessed with ten children: Silas, who is now living in Clarence; Pearl, who is married and resides in Clarion, Iowa, where he is manager of the Iowa Telephone Company; Rollie E., now in Wisconsin; Ralph, who is married and resides upon the Scott farm; John; James; Anna Belle, the wife of Charles E. Cole, a practical printer of Grand Junction, Colorado; Nellie, the wife of Frank Thompson, a farmer of Red Oak township; Gladys May, who is attending school in Clarence; and a son, Clarence, who died in 1897 at the age of thirteen months.
With firm belief in the principals of the republican party, A. H. Robinson gives his support thereto save at local elections, when he does not consider party ties in casting his ballot. He has served as road boss and on the petit jury but has never been an office seeker. He has felt that his time and attention were fully occupied by his business affairs, in the control of which he has made steady progress until success in large degree crowns his efforts, making him one of the men of affluence in Dayton township.
