Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
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WILLIAM H. ROBINSON 
 
is the pioneer merchant of Sierre Madre, and has been closely identified with 
the remarkable growth and prosperity of the colony for many years. A sketch of 
his life will be found of interest. Mr. Robinson is a native of Lowell, 
Massachusetts, and dates his birth December 1, 1856. His parents were William 
and Ann (Spencer) Robinson, both of whom were born in England. His father was a 
machinist by occupation, and came in early manhood to the United States, and 
settled in Lowell, where he established himself in business and married. The 
subject of this sketch was reared in the city of Lowell, having the advantages 
of a good schooling until fourteen years of age, when he went into his father's 
machine shops to learn the trade of a machinist. He worked at that trade until 
about 1881, when ill health compelled him to seek some other occupation, and he 
engaged in the milk business and conducted the same until 1883, when he came to 
Los Angeles County. He spent about a month in the city of Los Angeles, and in 
the fall of that year came to Sierra Madre. The winter was passed as a member of 
the family of Mr. N. C. Carter, and he was engaged in carrying the mail from San 
Gabriel to Sierra Madre. In the spring of 1884 the family of Mr. Robinson joined 
him, and he took up his residence upon a lot of about two acres in extent, on 
the west side of Baldwin avenue, north of Central avenue. In the fall of 1884 he 
opened the first store ever established in the Sierra Madre Colony. His stock of 
goods, which at first was limited, was placed in his dwelling-house. His close 
attention to his business and obliging disposition, coupled with a 
straightforward manner of dealing, secured him a fair trade, and as the colony 
increased in population, the need of larger store accommodations became 
manifest. In June, 1887, he took possession of his fine store on the corner of 
Baldwin and Central avenues. This store is in the Town Hall building. Mr. 
Robinson was one of the promoters and original incorporators of the Town Hall 
Company that erected this fine block, and is at this writing one of the largest 
shareholders and a director in the company. Upon his occupying his present 
quarters, Mr. Robinson fitted up his store with a complete stock of groceries, 
crockery, drugs and medicines, and also dealt in hay, grain, etc., gaining an 
increased patronage that was well merited. He has been an active promoter and 
supporter of the many enterprises and projects that have tended to build up the 
Sierra Madre Colony, and his straightforward and consistent course of life has 
gained him a large circle of friends and acquaintances. In politics he has ever 
been a stanch Republican. Mr. Robinson was married in 1875, to Miss Sarah A. 
Boyd, a native of Lowell, Massachusetts. Her parents, Joseph and Ann (Hawthorne) 
Boyd, were natives of Canada. The two children from this marriage are Mabel Eva 
and Albion L.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 802
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler