Sutter-Yuba County Biographies


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


 
 
ANDREW A. ROBSON
 
            A native son who, by concentrated and well-directed energy, has 
risen to a prominent and influential place among the agriculturists of Northern 
California, where he is specializing as a wool-grower, is Andrew A. Robson, who 
was born in Nevada County, November 2, 1875, a son of William and Deborah 
(Stuart) Robson, natives respectively of Durham, England, and Nevada County, 
Cal., whose interesting life history is presented on another page in this 
history.  The oldest in a family of four children, he was reared on the  home 
ranch in the Linda district, Yuba County, and attended the local public school.  
After he reached the age of eleven years, he assisted his father on the ranch, 
and in caring for the flocks of sheep, in which they were specializing.  Andrew 
Robson was only sixteen years old when his father died and it was up to him to 
take charge of and carry on the stock business established by his father.  So he 
manfully assisted his mother; and the result of their combined efforts has been 
very satisfactory.  Mr. Robson has of necessity made a study of the wool 
industry; and his close observation, coupled with these years of experience, has 
resulted in the accumulation of much valuable knowledge, which is of material 
aid to him in directing the large and increasing affairs connected with the 
management of the Robson sheep ranch.  The Robson ranch embraces about 2500 
acres in Yuba County, with about the same acreage in the Nevada County ranch, 
and is devoted to raising sheep and cattle.  Mr. Robson usually has from 5000 to 
8000 sheep and from 200 to 300 head of cattle.  His brother, William G., looks 
after the cattle, while our subject has charge of the sheep department.
            Mr. Robson is an excellent judge of mutton and wool, both as to 
quality and as to weight.  His years of experience and acquired accuracy in this 
direction brought him to the notice of large packing houses; and in 1914 he was 
offered and accepted the position of buyer for the Western Meat Company, owned 
largely by Swift & Company, and traveled over the State as their buyer for two 
years; and then for the Nevada Packing Company, a branch of the Western Meat 
Company, traveling for two years more through Nevada and buying mutton lambs and 
wool.  Then wishing to be nearer home so that he could look more thoroughly 
after the growing stock interests of the Robson ranch, he quit the Nevada 
Packing Company; and since then he has been buyer for the Sacramento Wool 
Company throughout Superior California.  He thoroughly enjoys buying, and it is 
the consensus of opinion that he is one of the best judges and most reliable men 
in his line in the State.  Having traveled extensively in the various Western 
States, Mr. Robson has a large and favorable acquaintance among the stockmen of 
the West.
            Noting the havoc wrought in the flocks of the county by coyotes, as 
early as 1914 Mr. Robson interested stockmen, particularly sheep men, in hiring 
a man who would devote all of his time to catching and killing coyotes, making 
it an object by paying the man $20 besides the county bounty of $5 for each 
coyote killed.  There being about 33,000 head of sheep in the district, an 
estimate of three cents for each head would be sufficient to pay the expense the 
first year.  The next year the government Biological Survey, recognizing their 
good work, came in with them and paid half the expenses.  The following year the 
State, being desirous of seeing the good work go on, came to their aid and paid 
one-third of the expenses.  This made the amount for each sheep man to pay very 
small for the third year, probably only about one-half cent for each sheep 
owned.  Then the next step was to interest the board of supervisors of Yuba 
County in the matter.  This the stockmen succeeded in doing, convincing the 
board of the justice of the expenditure and inducing them to take the burden off 
their hands; for the board agreed to take care of the balance and thus relieve 
the local stockmen.  Thus the object in view, the ridding the county of coyotes, 
has been practically attained, greatly benefiting the stockmen. The original 
name applied to these  activities was the Coyote Bounty System; and the meetings 
of the sheep men were found so interesting, as well as beneficial, that as a 
result the Marysville Wool Growers� Association was organized, and from this 
grew the California Wool Growers� Association.  Mr. Robson was a charter member 
of the Marysville District Wool Grower�s Association, and its first president.  
In the fall of 1923 he was again selected as its president.  He is also  a 
member and director of the California Wool Grower�s Association, and a member of 
the National Wool Grower�s Association.
            Mr. Robson was married in Marysville, on April 1, 1901, to Miss 
Minnie Davey, who was born at Mooney Flat, Nevada County, the daughter of 
William Henry and Marie (Monk) Davey.  When she was a year old, her parents 
removed to Anthony House, in Pleasant Valley, Nevada County, and here the 
daughter Minnie was reared and educated.  Mr. and Mrs. Robson are very proud of 
their little daughter, Alice Lorraine.  When he was twenty-one years of age, Mr. 
Robson was made a Mason in Nicolaus Lodge No. 129, F. & A.M., at Wheatland.  He 
is a member of Washington Chapter No. 13, R.A.M., Marysville, and of Marysville 
Commandery No. 7, K.T.; is a life member of Islam Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S., San 
Francisco; and with his wife is a member of Wheatland Chapter No. 48, O.E.S.; 
and Marysville Lodge No. 783, B.P.O.E., also claims him as one of their popular 
members.  A believer in protection as the fundamental principle for Americans 
and American industry, Mr. Robson is an active supporter of the Republican 
party.  He is a member of the Elizabeth-Lone Tree Center of  the Yuba County 
Farm Bureau; and being greatly interested in local civic and social matters, he 
was one of the prime movers in the building of the Community Hall at Erle, that 
affords so much pleasure to the citizens of the district.  Liberal, enterprising 
and hospitable, Andrew Robson�s life demonstrates that he believes in and lives 
by the Golden Rule; and the Robson ranch continues to dispense the good old-time 
California hospitality.  He is well and favorably known for his 
straightforwardness, honesty, and integrity of purpose; and his word is 
everywhere as good as his bond.
 
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p. 1107-1108