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.
