Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/676

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES Center streets, also operating a stage line. In 1840 he went to lan ning in Hemlock town­ ship. and from 1846 lo 1855 carried on a gen­ eral mercantile business at Bloomsburg, after which he retired, at the age o f sixty-six. In many w ays William Robison w as an enterprising citizen. H e took a great interest in all public affairs, and as an evidence o f his public spirit it is recorded that he donated a part of the land upon which the present court­ house is built. H e was a Democrat, then a ■Whig and b tc r a Republican. He was a mem­ ber of the Presb)'tcrian Church. He died in i 8(36. greatly regretted by all who knew him. On Jan. 30. t8 i6, William Robison married Betsey, daughter o f Elisha Barton, o f Bloomsbuig. She w as bom Ja n. 30. 1799, and died fan. 9, 1877. Both of them are buried in Rosemont ccmctcr>‘. T heir children w ere: ( i ) .Alexander, l>om N ov. 2. 1816. died in A pril. 1878. married Mar)* K. Thompson. (2 ) Jan e M cKee, bom Jan . 13. 18 19 . married Lynd Elliott, and d i ^ Aug. ao. 1885. ( 3 ) .Anna M aria, bom N ov. 25. 1820, married A riovistus Parclcc, and died Ja n . 25, 1892. (4 ) M artha E .. bom Jan . I. 1823. married .Andrew M . Rupert, and died A pril 4. 1874. ( 5 ) H arriet, born N ov. 6, 1824. married Charles E . Frazier, and died Sfay 9, 1903. (6 ) Ellen, bom Dec. 24. 1826, nurried Dr. Wil­ liam B. Hawkins, and died Oct. 5. 1884. {7 ) Emil):, bom Feb. 8. 1829. married George B. M arkie. and died Sc^t. 17. t888. (8 ) Isabelle, bom Feb. 15, 18 3 1. married Nathaniel I-. Campbell, and died A pril 17. 1873. (9 ) W il­ liam Barton, bom Sept. 2 1, 1833. dieil in 1837. ( 1 0 ) M ary Augusta, bom Ja n . 3, 1838, died Feb. 2. 1 ^ 2 . ( I I ) Jam es Boyd, bom Jan. 3. 1838, is mentioned below. ( 1 2 ) Isaiah B.. bom Jan . to, 1840. first lieutenant of the 28th Pennsylvania Volunteers, w as killed Ju ly 20. 1864. while at the head o f his company dur­ ing Sherman’s march to the sea. ( 1 3 ) Hanluh .Amelia, bom Jan . 13 . 1844. marrieil Fred­ erick E . Bariier. and resides at M cPhefsoii. Kansas. Jam e* Boyd Robison attended the schools o f Bloomsburg and in his sju re time assisted his father in the store. .At the age of sixteen he licgan lo leach school in Mifflin township, and after three months received the first per­ manent certificate issued hy the county super­ intendent o f Carbon county, in .August. 1854. H e also taught a seven months’ term in the Summit school district of the same county. In 185$ he served on the engineer corps cngage < in laying Ihe lines fo r the Jed<!o branch 1 of the H.izlcloii railroad, after which he

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eniered Lafayette College, at Easton, Pa., where he toolra two-year course, subsequently receiving the degree o f .A. M ., in 1867. He next worked, in the patent office at Washing­ ton, for five months, returning to Pennsyl­ vania to keep books for his brother in Mauch Chunk. In 1858 and the summer o f 1859 he taught school in Tazewell county. III., paying his way during vacations by selling books through Henry and M crccr counties. Che day a fte r the cam}iaign fo r senator between Lin­ coln and Douglas was decided by the election of the fom icr, Mr. Robison suggested the nomination o f Lincoln fo r the presidency. In August, 1859. Mr. Robison came lo M er­ cer county. Pa., and began to read law with Jason T. Gibner, paying hLs way by clerking in the sheriff’s office. In the spring o f i86t, when Fort Sum ter was fired upon, he an­ nounced his intention o f enlisting, and the following day he was the first one in the county to enlist in the M ercer Rifles, having drawn up the enlistment paper and been first to sign-. T his company was incorporated in the toth Regiment. Pennsylvania Reserve Vol­ unteer Corps, fo r a term o f three years, and was mustered into service Ju n e 19, 18 6 1, the captain being the laic General W arner. Jam es Boyd Robison was appointed sergeant. He participated in all the Seven D ays' Battles, and at the second battle o f Bull Run was wounded in the hand and sent to the hospital, being discharged on Dec. 18. iSiSz. In June, 1863, he enlisted in Company H, 33th R a ­ iment. Emergency Men, in Columbia county, and on its arrival at H arrisburg the conqtany captain was promoteil to m ajor ami Mr. R ob ­ ison was made captain. H is company was on guard duty until .August, from Gettysburg to Grccncastlc. In September Mr. Robison returned lo Mauch Chunk, kept books fo r his brother for a short time, and then resumed his studies, lie­ ing admitted to the bar o f Mercer county in November. 1863. During the rest of the winter he taught school at Sandy I .ake. and then went to Washinglon. D. C .. to lie clerk to Capt. J. T. Gibner. in the commissar)- ilcjiartmcnt, being assigncil to the 19th A rm y Corps, under Sherid.'in. in the Shenandoah valley. During his service he was captured, 5 p t. 20. « 1864, hy Confederate stragglers, and on Oct. t/ih was confined in I.ibhy prison, where he remained until Feb. 17, 18&5. M r. Robison rettimed to Mercer in 1865 and w as elected district attorney, ser-e<l one vcar. and then resigneil to enter the real estate business in St. Louis. In 1867 he locateil in