Biographical Souvenir of the counties of Delaware and Buchanan Iowa.
Chicago: F. A. Battey & Company. 1890.  pgs. 554-555

R. R. Robinson (Robert Ray).  The subject of this sketch is one of Delaware county's native-born citizens.  He resides in Prairie  township, near where he was born twenty-eight years ago, or more accurately speaking, June 29, 1862.  He is the son of one of Delaware county's first settlers, James Robinson, who is still one of that county's most highly esteemed citizens, a sketch of whom will be found in another place in this volume.

The subject of this notice was reared in Adams township, growing up on his father's farm, and dividing his time in his earlier years between his duties as a farm boy and his attendance at the district schools of the locality where he was reared.  He went from the public schools of Delaware county to Epworth seminary, at Epworth, Dubuque county, where he took a finished literary and scientific course, and went thence to Bayless' commercial college, at Dubuque, from which he graduated in 1882.

On quitting school he began business for himself as a merchant at Masonville, Delaware county, where he was successfully engaged for about a year and a half. But having been reared on the farm Mr. Robinson found that agricultural pursuits were more to his taste, and he closed out his mercantile interests after the lapse of the time mentioned and went on his farm in Prairie township.  He has been actively engaged in farming since, and indeed, was actively engaged at it before he quit the mercantile business.  He owns a farm of three hundred and twenty acres in
section 17, Prairie township, most of which he has under cultivation and well stocked.  He has owned this place for ten years has done most of the improving on it.  He has neat and comfortable buildings and everything is in a thrifty, prosperous condition.  Mr. Robinson is a progressive
farmer, one who reads and thinks, who has been about and jostled by events, and has profited by his opportunities for observation.  He takes
the best periodicals relating to the agricultural interests, attends the meetings of his farmer friends and discusses, with a spirit and understanding, those questions which affect their common interests.  He is a hard worker, yet he works by system.  He takes a comprehensive view of things around him and moves always towards a fixed end.  He is a shrewd manager and does what most farmers are continually trying to do, but which unfortunately they do not always succeed in doing well, and that is, "in making the ends meet."  An industrious, wide-awake, level-headed young man he is, and it is no flattery to him for us to say so; for many have said so before these lines were penned.

January 25, 1888, Mr. Robinson married Miss Mabel F. Hixon, residing then in Masonville, Delaware county, she being the daughter of Avory and Caroline (Adams) Hixson, who moved from Vermont to Delaware county some years ago.  Mrs. Robinson was born in Vermont, and reared in Delaware county, Iowa.  One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, a son, Robert Ray, named for the father.

Mr. Robinson is by no means a public character, but like all intelligent men and good citizens, he possesses his own opinions on matters relating to governmental policy.  He votes the republican ticket and is a staunch supporter of the principles of his party.  He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to Lodge No. 149, Encampment and subordinate, at Manchester, Iowa.  He was reared in the Methodist church and supports the interests of that church as a well as the general cause of religion.

 

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