Representative Benjamin Franklin Robinson View All Years

HON. B. F. ROBINSON

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare resolutions in commemoration of the life, character and services of the Honorable B. F. Robinson, beg leave to submit the following report:

B. F. Robinson was born January 21, 1849, in Hampton, Connecticut. Being left an orphan when a small boy, he lived with a sister in the state of Connecticut until he was fifteen years of age, when he came to Lee Center, Illinois. At that place he attended an academy, and met Elizabeth Barins who became his wife in 1869. A year later he moved to Iowa and purchased a prairie farm near Conrad in Grundy county. He taught school for six years and then became the county recorder of this county. Except for the brief time of his service as county recorder, he lived on his prairie farm and developed it until the year 1892, when he moved to Emmet county. The town of Armstrong had just been laid out. No railroad had yet been built, so materials had to be hauled from Bancroft for the bank building which housed the Armstrong Bank, later known as the First National, which was organized by Mr. Robinson and his associates. Of this bank he was president at the time of his death, which occurred on June 9, 1926.

Mr. Robinson took an active interest in every phase of the community life. He was a member of the first school board, helped to establish the churches of the community, and showed a liberal and progressive attitude in all matters pertaining to community interests. He identified himself with the Presbyterian church. Mr. Robinson held civic offices from time to time. He was elected to represent his district in the Twenty­ninth General Assembly, and was returned as a member of the Thirtieth and Thirty-first Assemblies. While a member of the Legislature he became a real factor in the development of northwest Iowa. He was one of the original supporters of the drainage bills, and did much toward bringing about the passage of the early drainage laws and the laws which made possible the movement for good roads in Iowa. Mr. Robinson was the author of the Lake·Bed bill. To him as to few other men must be given the credit for the wonderful development of the farms of northwest Iowa in recent years.

Mr. Robinson leaves as his survivors a wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Robinson, and son, Fred Robinson, of Armstrong, Iowa; to daughters, Mrs. N. W. Ruef, of Maple Hill, Iowa, and Miss Clara Robinson, of Cedar Rapids, and two grandchildren, Elizabeth and Benjamin Ruef, of Maple Hill.

In view of the splendid services to our state of Hon. B. F. Robinson, Be It Resolved, By the House of Representatives of the Forty-second General Assembly, That we take this occasion to express our appreciation of the character and public services of the deceased, and,

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the Journal of the House, and that the Chief Clerk be directed to send an enrolled copy to the members of his family.

R. B. CRONE,

FRANCIS JOHNSON,

G. W. PATTERSON,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted April 6, 1927.