Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Mary M. (Hocker) Robinson, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Mrs. Mary M. (Hocker) Robinson, one of the noble pioneer women of Johnson county, was born January 31, 1844 in Grover township, Johnson county. She is the daughter of a pioneer family, who settled in this county in 1834. Her parents, Larkin and Eliza J. (Thornton) Hocker, were both natives of Kentucky. Larkin Hocker was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky and in 1834 moved from Kentucky to Missouri, where he located on a farm comprising 700 acres of land, which he entered from the government, situated 8 miles north of Knob Noster. The Hockers came by boat up the Missouri river to Missouri and then drove through Johnson county. In those early days, wild game was in abundance and the Hocker children often saw herds of wild deer and flocks of prairie chickens, wild turkeys and wild geese. To Larkin and Eliza J. Hocker were born the following children: Martha Ellen, who was the wife of Willis Huff and is now deceased; Harrison, who died at the age of 3 years; Amanda J., who was the wife of James K. Tyler, and is now de- ceased; Mary M., the subject of this review; Henrietta T., who was married to Stanton Feagans in 1866, who is now deceased, and she is residing in the brick house which was built in 1850 on the old Hocker homestead in Grover township; and Larkin, Jr., who was born in 1848 and is residing at Knob Noster, Missouri. Larkin Hocker, Jr. is un- married. All the children were born in a log cabin, which their father built in 1834. The cabin consisted of one and a half stories with a "lean-to" and shed, making three large rooms, two below and one above. Mr. Hocker brought four slaves with him, when he moved from Kentucky, and he was owner of 20 at the time the slaves were made free. Mrs. Hocker died December 3, 1894 on the home place and she was followed in death by her husband on January 31, 1899. Mr. Hocker was at the time of his death 87 years of age. Mary M. (Hocker) Robinson was attending school in Warrensburg when the Civil War began. Dr. Warden was teach- ing in Warrensburg at that time. The school house was north of the old court house in the old town of Warrensburg, and is standing to this day. The Hocker family remained on the farm during the war, keeping the blacks with them until the close of the war, when they were set free. Mary 27, 1867 Mary M. Hocker and John E. Robinson were united in marriage at the Hocker home in Grover township. John E. Robinson was born August 23, 1841 in Grover township. He was the son of Jehu and Julia Ann (Oglesby) Robinson, who moved from Saline county, Mo. to Johnson county in 1833. A sketch of Jehu and Julia Ann Robinson appear in connection with the biography of James L. Robinson, which is given in this volume. John E. Robinson was one of six children born to his parents, as follow: Mary, deceased; Mrs. Louisa Hull, deceased; John E., who was the husband of the subject of this review and is now de- ceased; Dr. J. F., Nevada, Mo.; Mrs. Sallie B. Reynolds, who resides near Leeton, Mo.; and James L., Warrensburg, Missouri. John E. Robin- son enlisted during the Civil War, at Warrensburg with Company A, 5th Missouri Infantry, and was assigned to McCowan's regiment, 1st brigade, serving under Gen. Bowen. Mr. Robinson was with that division 2 years, then he was assigned to Company I, 10th Missouri Cavalry, Marmaduke's brigade, with whom he served 2 years. He was first lieutenant in the latter company and had charge of a company when the war ended. Mr. Robinson was wounded October 4, 1862 in the right shoulder by a burst- ing shell, but as he was in fine physical condition and possessed a splendid, robust constitution, he soon recovered and was not handicp- ped in later life from the effects of his wound. When the war closed, John E. Robinson returned to the home of his father, who was at that time living in Boone county, Missouri, and assisted him in recovering from the losses inflicted by the war. Jehu Robinson had been financi- ally ruined. Then in 1867 he was married to Mary M. Hocker. John E. and Mary (Hocker) Robinson were the parents of four children: Dr. Jehu F., who died January 10, 1896 at the age of 26 years, leaving a widow and a daughter, three weeks old, Margaret Finis Robinson, who now re- sides with her mother, Mrs. George Gilham; Larkin H., who died at the age of 31 years, June 30, 1907, leaving a widow; Eliza A., the wife of Henry E. Vitt, of Warrensburg; and Mary Margaret, who died March 26, 1888 at the age of 3 years, ten months and one day. Mrs. Henry E. Vitt the only child now living of the four born to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, attended the Warrensburg State Normal School, where she specialized in music. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Warrensburg, Mo. and of the Daughters of the Confederacy, Francis M. Cockrell Chapter, Warrensburg. John E. Robinson was a prominent and influential stockman of Grover township for many years. In August, 1896, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson moved from the farm to Warrensburg and one year later Mr. Robinson died, November 10, 1897. Interment was made at the Hocker cemetery in Grover township, in which burial ground both his parents and the parents of Mrs. Robinson rest. John E. Robinson was a highly esteemed citizen of Johnson County, a man who possessed many qualities worthy of the greatest respect. His death was a source of universal regret and though a score of years have passed his friends still miss with sadness his familiar form and voice. Mrs. Robinson re- sides in the handsome, modern residence at 212 East Market street in Warrensburg, among a host of friends. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================