Ventura County Biographies

T. J. Robison

Submitted by Sandy Neder

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
T. J. Robison, one of the prominent ranchers of the beautiful Ojai Valley, was 
born in Bloomington, Indiana, July 22, 1838. His father, Andrew Robison, was 
born in Kentucky, July 4, 1800, removed to Indiana in 1826, bought a farm and 
there reared his family. He was a consistent member of the Church of Christ. His 
death occurred in 1872. Mr. Robison's mother, Nancy (Smoot) Robison, was a 
native of Kentucky, and the mother of four children, of whom the subject of this 
sketch is the youngest. Mr. Robison received his education in the public schools 
of his native State, and also in the Indiana State University. He learned the 
blacksmith trade, removed to Ellis County, Texas, in 1859, and there opened a 
shop which he successfully conducted for twenty-six years. In 1882 he sought a 
milder climate, arrived in Los Angeles, purchased ninety-five acres of land at 
Azusa, which he improved by planting fruit trees and a vineyard, and also 
erecting buildings, and resided there three years. At the end of that time he 
sold out and returned to Texas. A year later, however, he came back to 
California, and in May, 1886, came to his present locality in the Ojai Valley, 
and moved his family here in November of the same year. Mr. Robison is a very 
successful horticulturist, and is the owner of a fine fruit ranch of 115 acres; 
three acres are devoted to peach trees, six to apricots, sixteen to French 
prunes, two to pears, and a variety of other fruits. Twelve acres are in 
almonds, two in olives, six in raisin grapes, and one in figs. All these Mr. 
Robison planted, and he has also erected a comfortable residence. He intends to 
prepare his fruit for market by drying it. The rest of his ranch is devoted to 
the cultivation of oats, wheat and barley.
    Mr. Robison was united in marriage, in 1867, with Miss Laura Douglas, a 
native of Tennessee, and a daughter of N. L. Douglas, who was born in 
Charleston, south Carolina. Her grandfather, James Douglas, came from Scotland. 
Her father was born in 1801, and was a soldier in the Seminole war, enlisting 
when he was seventeen years of age. During his residence in Texas he was elected 
to the office of Assessor and Collector. He died in 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Robison 
have a family of six children, all natives of Texas, viz.:  James M., Cynthia E. 
and Julie E. (twins), Annie, Marion, Ethel and Clara O. Both Mrs. Robison and 
his wife are members of the Church of Christ. He is a Republican. Was a Southern 
man, but was for the Union. Through the force of circumstances he served in the 
Confederate army during the war. People who differ from him in political views 
give him credit for the honesty of his convictions.
 
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES OF SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS 
OBISPO, AND VENTURA, CALIF. by Ida Addis Storke, 1891, p 509