California Biographies Mendocino and Lake Counties, California Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California With Biographical Sketches History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry Illustrated, Complete In One Volume Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914 JESSE B. ROBINSON. � Among the descendants of "forty-niners'" whose name will be honored as long as California is properly grateful to the early citizens who bore their share in the events of those historic days the Robinsons, of Lake county, are well known. There was a time when Jesse P. Robinson, Sr., was known to every resident of Lake county, and to many more throughout this section of the state. His public services, his association with various local interests as a business man, his capability, all combined to make him widely known, and he was universally popular, possessing an admirable personality which attracted and held friendship wherever he went. His early life was spent in Missouri, where he was born October 24, 1824. When twenty-one years old he began to learn the trade of tanner and currier in Sainte Genevieve county, that state, and after an apprenticeship of eighteen months had so far mastered the work that he was put in charge of the estab- lishment, spending another eighteen months so engaged. In March, 1849, Mr. Robinson started overland for California, crossing the plains with what was called the Missouri train, and arriving at Sacramento in September of that year engaged in hotelkeeping during the fall and winter. In the spring of 1850 he went to mining along the Feather and Yuba rivers, in the vicinity of Marysville, remaining there until the fall of 1851, at that lime settling at Plumas, on the Feather river, where the boats stopped. For the next two and a half years he kept hotel at that place, and from that time until his removal to Lake county, in 1857, was interested in farming and stock. When his brother-in-law, Michael Gray, was elected sheriff of Yuba county, Mr. Robinson became under-sheriff, in which capacity he became very well acquainted. While in Plumas he also ran a large wood yard. By the time he decided to move from Yuba county he had become quite extensively engaged in the cattle business, and he brought about three hundred head up the Russian river into Potter valley, pasturing them on what is now known as Cow mountain, on the west shore of Blue lake. He was the first white man to run cattle on that mountain, which became quite appropriately known as Cow mountain because of the great number of cows he had grazing there. His cattle were there for -a year. Leaving his stock with the herders he made his way through the forest to Upper Lake, and once in a while he came across a squatter. He found a man by the name of Moore camped on the tract of four hundred acres, and Mr. Robinson asked him what he would take for the claim. His answer was "$150." The price was agreed upon, and the money paid, Mr. Robinson stipulating, however, that the squatter remain on the land to hold it down for him until he could bring his family from Yuba county, which he knew would take probably three or four months. But when the Robinsons arrived Moore had gone. The land was there, and they pro- ceeded to make a home, in due time proving up the claim. It is now included in the government property known as the Indian Rancho, between Upper Lake and Lakeport. Mr. Robinson improved his property, and continued to follow farming and stock raising throughout his active years, being very successful in his undertakings, and associated with other interests � the various enterprises set on foot as the county was opened up and developed. He was elected supervisor and held that office for twelve years, was vice- president of the Farmers' Savings Bank of Lakeport, and never disappointed his fellow men in any position of trust. Mr. Robinson was married in Yuba county to Miss Eliza Ellen Piggott, a native of Ireland, who was brought to America in her infancy and came around the Horn to California when a little girl. She died on the old Robinson homestead in Lake county about twenty-five years ago, when fifty-seven years old, and Mr. Robinson survived her until 1905, passing away in his eighty- second year. Six children were born to them : Mary died in infancy. Thomas Bryant is at Crockett, in Contra Costa county, engaged at the sugar refinery. Emma F. is the wife of Dr. R. G. Reynolds, the veteran physician and surgeon at Upper Lake. John L. is mentioned at length in the following sketch. Lida Eliza is the wife of William O. Ruddick, of Upper Lake. Jesse B. is also represented in this history.