James M. Robinson has been a resident of Clayton
county from boyhood and is now one of the
representative farmers and prominent and honored
citizens of Lodomillo township. He was born in Huron
county, Ohio, on the 16th of November, 1844, and is a
son of Charles and Hannah (Hare) Robinson, both of
whom likewise were natives of the old Buckeye state,
where the respective families were founded in the
pioneer days. Charles Robinson continued his
identification with farm enterprise in his native
commonwealth until about the year 1866, when he came
to Clayton county, Iowa, and purchased a farm in
Lodomillo township, where he reclaimed his land to
effective cultivation and where he achieved success
of worthy and substantial order. Here he continued to
reside during the remainder of his life, and his age
at the time of his death, on the 30th of April, 1882,
was sixty-three years, one month and six days. His
widow attained to the age of sixty-nine years and was
summoned to the life eternal on the 29th of
September, 1890, both having been earnest members of
the Methodist Episcopal church. Of their children the
firstborn, Sarah M., is deceased; Keziah F. is the
wife of Osian Crandall, of Butler county, this state;
James M., of this review, was the next in order of
nativity; Sherwood is deceased; Cynthia is the widow
of Holly Alger and resides in Delaware county; Ella
is deceased; and the youngest child, a daughter, died
in infancy.
James M. Robinson gained his rudimentary education
in the schools of Ohio and was a lad of about twelve
years at the time of the family removal to Clayton
county, where he was afforded the advantages of the
district schools of Lodomillo township and where he
continued his association with the work of his
father's farm until he was twenty-two years of age.
He then took unto himself a wife and initiated an
independent career by purchasing forty acres of land
from his father, this tract having been the nucleus
around which he had developed his present splendidly
improved landed estate of three hundred acres, in
Lodomillo township, where he is successfully carrying
forward his operations as a progressive agriculturist
and stock-grower. He is loyal in contributing to the
support of those measures and enterprises that tend
to advance the social and material welfare of the
community, has served effectively in the office of
township trustee, is a Republican in his political
proclivities, and both he and his wife hold
membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. At the
age of 18, Mr. Robinson enlisted in Company F,
Forty-sixth Iowa Infantry, with which he served four
months. He was then mustered out with his command, in
the city of Dubuque.
On December 3, 1866, was solemnized the marriage
of Mr. Robinson to Miss Cynthia Noble, who was born
in Delaware county, this state, and who is a daughter
of Daniel B. and Minerva (Peet) Noble, both natives
of the state of New York. Mr. Noble came to Delaware
county, Iowa, in 1844, and was one of the pioneers of
that section of the state. He later went to Montana
and engaged in mining operations, his death having
occurred in that state and his wife having also been
a resident of Montana at the time of her demise. They
became the parents of seven children: Eunice is
deceased; Mrs. Cynthia Robinson was the second child;
Jane is a resident of Clayton county and is the widow
of Sherwood Robinson; Worthington is deceased;
Delocia is the widow of Thomas B. Creever and resides
in the state of Montana; Herbert likewise is in
Montana; and Flora is deceased; William D., firstborn
of the children of Mr. and Mrs. James M. Robinson,
died at the age of 40 years; Charles H. is associated
in the management of the old home farm; Jennie M. is
the wife of Arthur Welch, a clergyman of the
Methodist church; Laura D. is deceased; Olive Myrtle
is the wife of Adelbert Smith, of Fayette county;
Levi Luther remains at the parental home, as does
also Minerva M.; Merton S. is deceased; and Frederick
and Worthy are the younger members of the ideal
family circle of the parental home.
