IAGenWeb Project - Clayton co.

James H. Robbins

James H. Robbins has been a resident of Clayton county from the time of his birth to the present, is a member of one of the well known pioneer families of the county and his personal popularity as well as his influence in community affairs is indicated by his incumbency of the office of township trustee of Mendon township, of which position he has been in tenure for a number of years, besides which he formerly served as a member of the school board of his district. He is the owner of a well improved farm of ninety- nine acres, and now gives his attention principally to the raising of small fruits and the raising of fine poultry.

Mr. Robbins was born in Highland township, this county, on the 10th of March, 1869, and is a son of Francis K. and Christina (Peters) Robbins, the former of whom was born in Vermont, near the beautiful Lake Champlain, and the latter of whom was born in northern Pennsylvania. Francis K. Robbins came to Clayton county in an early day and here became a successful farmer in Highland township, where both he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives.

He whose name introduces this review gained his early education in the schools of his native township and his independent career was initiated when he rented his father's farm, to the operation of which he gave his attention five years. In the same township he then purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, and there he continued his activities until 1912, when he purchased his present eligibly located homestead, in Mendon township. He has been specially successful in the propagating of small fruits, and in the season of 1915 he produced on his farm seven thousand quarts of raspberries of the finest type and quality. He has been specially successful also in the raising of poultry of the Rhode Island Red variety, and also grows live stock on a minor scale, besides devoting a portion of his land to diversified agriculture. As previously stated, he is serving as township trustee, in which capacity he puts forth his best efforts to promote the progress and prosperity of the township, along both civic and industrial lines, his official service giving unequivocal satisfaction. He and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and in the same he is serving as trustee, as well as superintendent of the Sunday school. The political allegiance of Mr. Robbins is given to the Republican party, and in a fraternal way he is affiliated with the camp of Woodmen of the World at McGregor.

On the 21st of January, 1889, Mr. Robbins wedded Miss Nellie Lamph, daughter of Myron and Emily (Murdock) Lamph, of Volga, this county, and she was summoned to the life eternal on the 4th of March, 1910. The four children of this union are: Harold, who is now a resident of McGregor; Zelma, who lives at Elkader, the county seat; and Ruth and Wyman, who remain at the paternal home. In November, 1911, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Robbins to Mrs. Bell (McKellar) Smith, a daughter of Archibald McKellar, of McGregor. Mrs. Robbins had two children by her first marriage— Muriel, who now resides at Fayette, in the Iowa county of the same name, and Bessie, who is wife of Harold Robbins, eldest of the children of the subject of this review.

source: History of Clayton County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical Times Down to the Present; by Realto E. Price, Vol. II; pg. 352-353

-OCR scanned by S. Ferrall

 

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