California Biographies 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 the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time. Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905 Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176 J. R. ROBINSON. Many and varied have been the experiences of this well-known pioneer of Tulare county, who for more than twenty-years was the most extensive stock-buyer in the upper part of the San Joaquin valley, but who now to some extent is retired from active busi- ness cares. Two and one-half miles north of Visalia, on the St. John's river, lies his stock farm of three hundred and twenty acres, the value of which is greatly increased by sub-irriga- tion. Throughout all this section of country he has a reputation as a judge of stock, and often now his counsel is sought by those desirous of making purchases, but he no longer con- ducts the large enterprises of former years, when he was accustomed to ship stock by the train load from Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and California. During his long and active career he made thousands and lost thousands, his largest losses being caused by cholera breaking out among his hogs. At one time he lost $20,000 from that disease alone. However, many of his ventures in the hog industry were most profitable. It is still a matter of history in the San Francisco stock market that at one time (1880) he cornered the hog market so completely that the city dealers were obliged to come to him for purchases, large San Francisco buyers paying him seven and three-fourths and even eight cents per pound for hogs, of which he had more than ten thousand head. In buying wool his first experience was with a Mr. Beach of Nevada, with whom he bargained for the clip from seventeen thousand sheep, amounting to about thirty thou- sand pounds. Two days later he sold the wool to Mr. Lovejoy of Boston at an advance of eight cents a pound, clearing over $2,400 in the deal. Mr. Robinson was born in Richland county, Ohio, August 14, 1835, and was third in a fam- ily of two sons and three daughters, of whom he and one sister survive. His father, George, a native of Ohio, and a pioneer farmer of Iowa, took up land from the government near Farm- ington and for a long period made his home there, eventually in the spring of 1883 coming to Cali- fornia, where he died in the home of his son. Previous to this he had lost his wife by death ; she was Margaret Snellbecker, a native of Ohio, and died in Iowa. After 1838 J. R. Robinson was reared on an Iowa farm twenty-five miles northwest of Keokuk, where he attended a sub- scription school and learned to write by the aid of an old-fashioned quill pen. At the age of six- teen he left home and secured work on a farm and two years later he began to trade in stock. During 1861 he crossed the plains with a bullteam. The party preceding his own lost thir- teen persons killed by Indians, but his company made the journey without molestation or harm. After a journey occupying exactly six months he reached the Carson river. Later he went to the Washoe valley, where for two years he was employed in logging and saw-milling with Mr. Mus- grove. July 13, 1863, he arrived in Tulare county. Not only was he without any means, but he was further handicapped by the extreme drouth of that year rendering work difficult to secure and payment uncertain. To add to his difficulties his wife was suffering with consump- tion. However, after several years of discouragements his finances began to improve, and he was able to take up farming and stock-raising on a tract of one hundred and sixty acres which he homesteaded. Later he turned his attention to shipping stock, making his home and headquar- ters in Visalia. From 1883 to 1885 he was engaged in the wholesale butchering business in San Francisco and Oakland and later again turned his attention to the shipment of stock, in which he continued until 1901. Endowed with remarkable judgment, he carried to success plans and speculations that would have brought many a buyer to financial ruin. Allied with keenness of judgment was firmness of will. Indeed these two traits are his most prominent characteristics, and have been the principal factors in his success, securing for him a position of influence among the stock buyers of the west. The first wife of Mr. Robinson was Elizabeth Denny, who was born in Clark county, Mo., and died in Tulare county, Cal., in 1873. Six children were born of their marriage, of whom the following survive: Mrs. Mary Shippy, of Santa Clara ; Mrs. Alice Shively, of San Francisco ; Josephine, of Sacramento; Mrs. Olive Black and Rose, both of San Francisco. At Visalia, Sep- tember 4, 1883, occurred the marriage of Mr. Robinson and Miss Mathilda Kibbler, a native of St. Johns, New Brunswick, and a daughter of James and Catherine (Burns) Kibbler, natives re- spectively of London, England, and New Brunswick. On crossing the ocean to New Bruns- wick Mr. Kibbler settled on a farm near St. Johns and continued in the same locality until he died. In his family there were thirteen children who attained mature years and seven are now living. Mrs. Robinson was the eighth in order of birth and is the only member of the family living in California. At fourteen years of age she went to Boston, Mass., where she at- tended the public schools. In 1869 she came to California and followed the occupation of a nurse in San Francisco, remaining there until 1883, when she removed to Visalia. In religion she is of the Methodist faith, taking a warm interest in the work of the church, as well as in all movements for the uplifting of humanity. Politically Mr. Robinson votes the Democratic ticket, but has never been an active partisan and at no time has he sought the emoluments and honors of official positions.