Payette County ID Archives Biographies.....Robinson, Henry Elsworth 1871 - 0000
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Cheryl Hanson ihansonb@fmtc.com January 19, 2006, 1:01 am

Author: Hiram T. French

History of Idaho
By Hiram T. French, M.S.
The Lewis Publishing Co
Chicago & New York 1914

HENRY ELSWORTH ROBINSON

To have the healthful advantages of Idaho’s climate was the controlling 
incentive that brought Henry Elsworth Robinson to this state with his family, 
but here he has found both health for his loved ones and splendid business 
opportunity for himself, being now well established in a thriving mercantile 
business at Fruitland, Canyon county.  He has not been the only gainer in this 
arrangement, for Idaho has won in him a loyal and worthy citizen and a 
business man who makes business and is therefore an upbuilder of his 
community, likewise of the state.

Henry Elsworth Robinson was born in Delaware county, Iowa, March 26, 1871, a 
son of James Robinson and Mary Ann (Gregg) Robinson.  The father was born in 
Ireland to parents that had become settlers of that country as early as 1844 
and were pioneer farmers there.  He also followed agriculture as his life’s 
vocation and departed life at the old homestead in Delaware county in June, 
1908.  At one time during the Civil war when there were yet few settlers in 
Delaware county, he was the only man in that county that was not drafted for 
service, but he arranged to act as substitute for another party.  When the 
Union officers learned of this condition upon the arrival of the men at 
Dubuque, they sent Mr. Robinson back to care for the settlers’ families.  He 
was successful as a farmer and was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church,  the first religious services in that county having been held in his 
log cabin.  Mary Ann Gregg, who became the wife of James Robinson, was a 
native of Ireland and passed to rest at the old Delaware county homestead in 
1880, at the age of forty-six.  Thirteen children were the issue of these 
parents and of these, Henry Elsworth was eleventh in birth.

He was educated at Upper Iowa University, the Methodist Episcopal school 
located at Fayette, Iowa, where he also completed a business course and was 
graduated at the age of twenty-one.  Up to that time his life had been spent 
on the farm, but he then became bookkeeper and manager of the wholesale 
department of the Hollister Lumber Company at Manchester, Iowa, and continued 
in the service of this firm twelve years.  From his savings he then purchased 
a farm in Delaware county and for five years he followed agriculture there 
very successfully.  On account of his wife’s ill health he removed with his 
family to Idaho shortly after that and first settled at Mountain Home, but in 
a short time he changed his location to Fruitland, Canyon county, his present 
home.  He took up his residence in Fruitland on November 27, 1910, and at once 
rented a store and engaged in the general merchandise business.  It proved a 
profitable venture from the start.  The sales of 1911 were $12,000 and the 
business of 1912 thus far show an increase of seventy-five per cent, over the 
previous year.  The political tenets of Mr. Robinson are those of the 
Republican party, of which he is and always has been a stalwart supporter, and 
both here and in Iowa he has been actively identified with party affairs, 
being at the present time precinct central committeeman of this district.  He 
is affiliated with the blue lodge and chapter of the Masonic order at 
Manchester, Iowa, and has filled all the offices of those branches except that 
of worthy master.  He is a member and secretary of the Fruitland Commercial 
Club and is active and consistent in church work, being a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal denomination and having been a teacher of a Sunday school 
class for the last seventeen years.

His wife, whom he wedded September 10, 1894, at Manchester, Iowa, was Miss 
Ursula A. Hills before her marriage, a native of New York state and a daughter 
of L. C. Hills.  The three children of this union are named Marion Esther, 
Mabel and Sidney.  Mr. Robinson began his independent career with no financial 
help, but his father’s reputation for strict honor and integrity frequently 
stood him in good stead in securing him standing and credit while getting his 
start, and in his own conduct he has ever maintained the same probity of 
character.  He is more than satisfied with his life and business prospects in 
Idaho.

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