Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Homer Robinson
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
HOMER A. ROBINSON. In reviewing the
early settlement of Exeter Township, Clay County, the name of Mr. Robinson will be
found among its leading pioneers. His
career has been one honorable and praiseworthy,
filled in with industry and perseverance amid difficulties,
during which time he battled with the hardships
of life on the frontier and made for himself a
good homestead from a wild and uncultivated tract
of land. He may now usually be found at his
headquarters on section 4, surrounded by all of the
comforts and many of the luxuries of life. He has
been quite prominent in local affairs and is the
present Trustee of the township.
A native of Mercer County, Pa., Mr. Robinson
was born Sept. 16, 1847, and is the son of Benjamin
and Elizabeth (Spangler) Robinson, the former a
native of Ohio and the latter of Virginia. It is believed
that his paternal ancestors were of Scotch-
Irish descent, while the mother probably descended
from the German. Grandfather Robinson is credited
with having served in the War of 1812. To
Benjamin and Elizabeth Robinson there was born
a family of seven children, viz. : Homer A.,
Thomas H., a resident of DeKalb County, Ill.;
Lee D., a resident of Washington, Iowa; Miles and
James H. living in Sedgwick County, this State;
Ithaner T., residing in Ellsworth, and William. The
family, when Homer A. was a lad of ten years,
removed to Louisa County, Iowa, settling among
its earliest pioneers and there the father died Jan.
5, 1861. The mother later removed to DeKalb
County, Ill., where her decease occurred in 1883.
Mr. Robinson was reared to man's estate in
Louisa County, Iowa, becoming familiar with agricultural
pursuits and acquiring a good education
in the common schools. Later he attended two
different colleges in Pennsylvania, paying his way
himself, after having served as a soldier during the
Civil War. He enlisted Feb. 22, 1864, in Company
F, 25th Iowa Infantry, which was assigned to
the Army of the Tennessee, and participated in
many of the important battles which followed,
going all through the Atlanta campaign and with
Sherman on his march to the sea. He was wounded
at the battle of Bentonville and for a short time
was confined in the hospital at Goldsboro. Later
he was taken to the hospital at Troy, N. Y., and
received his Honorable discharge June 26, 1865.
Returning now to Iowa, Mr. Robinson resided
for a time in Louisa County, then in the fall of
1869 came to Clay County, Kan., and homesteaded
a quarter of section 4 in Exeter Township, making
the entry December 9. This entry is believed to have
been the second in the township. The land, it is
hardly necessary to say was in its primitive condition,
but by the exercise of untiring energy and
industry he brought it to a high state of cultivation
and added to his possessions, so that he is now the
owner of 200 acres, upon which he has erected
convenient buildings and has about him all the
comforts of life. He has done his full share of
pioneer labor and experienced the various hardships
and difficulties of life on the frontier. He is
serving his fifth year .as Township Trustee, and
officiated as a Justice of the Peace for five years.
In religious matters he belongs to the United Presbyterian
Church at Idana, and politically, uniformly
supports the Republican party.
St. Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, 1872, was appropriately
celebrated by Mr. Robinson, it being the
occasion of his marriage with Miss Mary McGinnis.
This lady was born in 1849, in Pennsylvania, and
by her union with our subject has become the
mother of four children, three of whom are living:
Nellie, Lee, and William N.; Ada M. died when
one year old. Mr. Robinson during his younger
years taught school two terms in Louisa County,
Iowa. He may be considered a successful man and
is still in his prime, with, it is to be hoped, many
more years of usefulness and enjoyment. Mrs.
Robinson died Dec. 22, 1882.