Santa Clara County
Biographies
AMOS ROBINSON
AMOS ROBINSON. In 1867 Amos
Robinson embarked in a tinning and plumbing business in Gilroy, a line of
endeavor which engrossed his attention for nearly forty years, or until his
death, January 18, 1904. This business continued to increase in scope
and importance from year to year and about 1896 a line of hardware was added.
At the time of his death Mr. Robinson ranked among the most prosperous
merchants in his locality.
In tracing the ancestry of Mr. Robinson we find him
to be of English descent on the paternal side, and the family records show an
unusual state of preservation, whereby the ancestry is traced back to an early
day – 1750. The grandfather, Jonah Robinson, who was born
November 3, 1750, in New Jersey, died at the age of sixty-two years
in New Lisbon, Ohio. He was a hero of the Revolutionary war. His wife, whose
maiden name was Johanna Daniels, was born in New Jersey
October 26, 1760, and her death occurred in New Lisbon, Ohio, when she
had attained the advanced age of eighty-two years. In 1803 Jonah Robinson
left the Keystone state, whither he had removed, for a home in Columbiana county, Ohio, and in 1807 he purchased government land in
that county, the deeds being signed by President Thomas Jefferson and
Secretary James Madison. His children, however, were all born in Bedford
county, Pa., except the two youngest.
One of these children, Hinsey,
the father of Amos, was born in Bedford county, Pa.,
February 11, 1798, and during his long and useful life he followed
farm pursuits in Columbiana county, Ohio, and later in Gallia county, and it
was upon a farm near Gallipolis that he and his wife passed the closing years
of their lives. His wife, formerly Miss Hannah March, of German
extraction, was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, her
parents being natives of Pennsylvania. She was born in 1806, and lived to be
about fifty-five years of age. A family of thirteen children came to bless
their home, but all are now deceased except Joseph M., the latter a
resident of Elkton, Douglas county, Ore.
Amos Robinson first saw the light of day in New Lisbon,
Columbiana county, Ohio, February 6, 1833, and his early education
was received in the little log schoolhouse near his father’s farm in Gallia
county. When he attained the age of seventeen years he left home as an
apprentice in the tinner’s trade, serving a
three-year apprenticeship at Middleport, Meigs
county, Ohio. In the fall of 1853, having mastered his trade and reached
manhood’s estate, he went west to seek his fortune. Although he started for
California, he spent the first winter in Lexington, Mo., and the following
spring he fell in with a party who anticipated crossing the plains and arranged
to drive some cattle for them, thereby working his way. At the time he landed
at Marysville, Cal., September 1, 1854, his
worldly possessions consisted of but five cents. Proceeding on to Comptonville he recuperated his fallen fortunes by working
diligently at his trade for a few months, and in the spring of 1855 he took up
mining. Following the miner’s life until 1861 he then resumed work at his trade, being thus employed in Marysville, Timbuctoo and La Porte.
Thoroughly homesick, he returned to Ohio in 1867 with the
full intention of staying there, but in three months he again started for the
golden west, going this time by way of the Isthmus. Reaching Gilroy in October
of that year he engaged in the hardware business, and one year later admitted a
partner, the firm name being Robinson & Hitchcock. At the end of four years
Mr. Robinson purchased his partner’s interest and the business was
afterward known as the Robinson Hardware Company. About 1902 he took his son,
Herbert, in as a partner, the latter taking a keen interest in the business and
practically managing the same.
By his marriage, October 22, 1869, in Sparta, Monroe county, Wis., Mr. Robinson united his fortunes with
those of Miss Matilda Cline, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1832.
Herbert Eugene, their only child, was born in September, 1874. Aside from
his personal affairs Mr. Robinson, like all good citizens, found time to
take a fitting interest in municipal affairs, as his term of service as town
councilman testified. He was quite prominently connected with a number of
fraternal orders, especially with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a
charter member of Gilroy Lodge No. 154. He passed through all the chairs,
and upon several occasions represented his local lodge at the Grand Lodge. He
was also a charter member of Lodge No. 26, A. O. U. W., of
Gilroy, having also passed through all the chairs in this organization, and
officiated as master of the local lodge for four years. In his political
affiliations he was a stanch supporter of the
Republican party and principles, and in all respects
was a citizen of whom any community would be proud.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard 14 November 2015.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages
889-890. The Chapman Publishing Co.,
Chicago, 1904.
© 2015 Marie
Hassard.