Howard-Marion County IN Archives Biographies.....Robey, Ellsworth E. 1870 - 
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Author: Jackson Morrow

PROF. ELLSWORTH E. ROBEY.

   The life of the scholarly or professional man seldom exhibits any of those
striking incidents that seize upon public feeling and attract attention to
himself. His character is generally made up of the aggregate qualities and
qualifications he may possess, as these may be elicited by the exercise of the
duties of his vocation or the particular profession to which he belongs. But
when such a man has so impressed his individuality upon his fellow men, as to
gain their confidence and through that confidence rises to high and important
public trust he at once becomes a conspicuous figure in the body politic of the
community and state. The subject of this review is one of the scholarly men of
his county, who, not content to hide his talents amid life's sequestered ways,
has by the force of will and a laudable ambition forged to the front in a
responsible and exacting calling, and earned an honorable reputation as the head
of one of the most important branches of public service. His life has been one
of hard study and research from his youth and since maturity of laborious
professional duty in the several relations in which he has been placed; and the
high position to which he has attained is evidence that the qualities he
possesses afford the means of distinction under a system of government in which
places of honor and usefulness are open to all who may be found worthy of them.

   Ellsworth E. Robey, superintendent of the public schools of Howard county and
one of the leading educators of the state, is a native of Indiana, born in the
county of which he is now a worthy citizen, and honored official, on the 4th day
of December, 1870. His father, David H. Robey, also an Indianaian by birth, was
brought to this county by his parents when he was two years old. and grew to
maturity in Howard township, where the family settled as early as 1846, moving
to this part of the state from Henry county.

   Subject's grandfather, who was one of the pioneer settlers of Howard
township, purchased a tract of land from the government at the time indicated
and at once addressed himself to the task of its improvement, but did not live
to finish the undertaking, having died the following year while serving as a
soldier in the war with Mexico. He was a native of Virginia, but came west in a
very early day and lived for a number of years in Henry county, Indiana, where
he followed agricultural pursuits and became a most estimable and praiseworthy
citizen. His children, nine in number, five sons and four daughters, were born
in Henry county, the youngest of the family being David, who, as already stated,
was reared in Howard county where he still lives, residing at this time in the
city of Kokomo. He spent the greater part of his life in Howard township, where,
in addition to farming and stock raising he worked for some years at carpentry
and earned the reputation of a very skillful and successful mechanic. Since
moving to the county seat, however, he has devoted his attention principally to
dealing in timber which he buys and ships quite extensively, doing a very
satisfactory business. In his young manhood he married Catherine Learner, of
Howard county, who bore him one child, Ellsworth E., the subject of this review,
and died when her son was only eight years of age, thus depriving him of a
mother's loving care and tender guidance.

   For sometime after the death of his mother young Ellsworth made his home with
his aunt who lived in the country, and while a member of her household he
enjoyed all the privileges accorded the rest of the family, making himself
useful as soon as old enough to be of service, during the winter and spring
months attending the district schools. Being of a studious habit and fond of
books, he made the most of his opportunities in the way of study and by eagerly
reading such books as came to his hand, he made rapid progress and while still a
mere youth was far in advance of most boys of his age besides being well
informed on a wide range of subjects. After finishing the common branches in the
country schools he attended for some time the graded schools of Greentown, the
training thus received being afterwards supplemented by a full course in the
Indiana State Normal School at Terre Haute, from which he was graduated with the
class of 1897. While prosecuting his studies in the latter institution, Mr.
Robey devoted his vacations to teaching and was thus engaged for three years in
his home township, during which time he earned an honorable reputation as a
successful instructor and strict but kind disciplinarian. Having decided to
devote his life to educational work, he spared neither pains nor expense in
fitting himself for the profession and to this end he attended the State Normal
where he made a creditable record as a diligent and critical student. With the
thorough discipline acquired at this institution he entered upon his work with
renewed zeal in Kokomo, where he taught very successfully for a period of two
years and at the expiration of that time accepted a position as ward principal
in Tipton where he also remained two years, to the entire satisfaction of the
board of trustees. Resigning his principalship at the latter place he took
charge of the schools of Irvington, a suburb of Indianapolis and the seat of
Butler University, but after one year there resigned his position to make a race
for the superintendency of schools in his own county, to which office he was
duly elected in 1899 and to the duties of which he has since devoted his
attention, having been twice re-elected in the meantime.

   Prof. Robey's nine years of service as the head of Howard county's public
school system have been characterized by a series of advancements in educational
methods which demonstrate his ability as a man of progressive ideas besides
winning for him an honorable place among the leading superintendents of the
state. Possessing great force of character and executive ability of high order,
he has brought the schools to a high standard of efficiency and by weeding out
incompetent teachers and insisting that only those of recognized scholarship and
professional experience be employed, he looks hopefully forward to still greater
improvement in the future. As an educator he is widely known throughout Indiana
and his suggestions pertaining to matters educational command respect in all the
institutes, associations and conventions of superintendents which he attends. In
recognition of his high official and professional standing he was appointed by
Governor Durbin in 1904 a member of the state .board of education, and so
efficient did he prove in this responsible post that he was reappointed by
Governor Hanly, and stills holds the place. His duties in this connection
include oversight of all educational matters not especially provided for by law,
which requires his presence in various counties for purpose of inspecting high
schools and Normal schools and lending his influence and educational experience
in raising the professional standing of the teachers of the state. In his
official capacity he has much to do in mangaging [sic] and otherwise working for
the best interests of the State Teachers' Association, in addition to which
important body he is also identified officially with the National Educational
Association of which he is one of the eleven vice-presidents from as many
different states, being Indiana's representative in the greatest body of
distinguished educators on the American continent. Prof. Robey has served with
marked ability as president of the county superintendents' section of the State
Teachers' Association where his well known success as a school manager and wide
practical experience in general educational matters have been of special value
to his fellow associates,, among whom he is held in the highest personal esteem.
He is still a young man in the very prime of vigorous physical and mental powers
and in possessing genial manners, superior scholarship, which, with his years of
practical experience from country school to city principalship, county
superintendency and membership with some of the highest educational bodies of
the land, it is eminently proper to bespeak for him a future of still greater
efficiency and distinguished service in his chosen field of endeavor.

   Aside from the duties of his office Prof. Robey finds time to devote to the
general welfare of the city and county in which he lives, being interested in
all laudable enterprises that make for their advancement and an earnest advocate
of measures and movements having for their object the moral good of his fellow
men. Like all enterprising citizens he is a politician and takes an active part
in the deliberations of the Republican party to which he belongs, being widely
and favorably informed on the leading questions and issues of the day with the
courage of his convictions when it becomes necessary for him to express them. He
has served his party as a delegate to the state conventions in which bodies his
opinions have been listened to with respect. Although a recognized party leader
and an aggressive worker, he does not permit political affairs to interfere with
his official duties, being first of all a school man and making every other
consideration subordinate to his interests as such.

   Prof. Robey, on June 20, 1899, was happily married to Isabel Ross, an
accomplished young lady of Heyworth, Illinois, who has borne him one child, a
son by the name of David Lawrence Robey, a bright and interesting young American
in whom his parents have centered many fond hopes for the future. Prof. and Mrs.
Robey are consistent members of the Methodist church of Kokomo. They are deeply
interested in the literary and club work of the city, in addition to which he is
identified with the Pythian Fraternity.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA
BY
JACKSON MORROW, B. A.
ILLUSTRATED
VOL. II
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

(circa 1909)


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