John M. Robb Biography This biography appears on page 1762 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. JOHN M. ROBB, a successful cattle raiser and farmer of Stanley county, claims the fine old Buckeye state as the place of his nativity, having been born in Lima, Allen county, Ohio, on the 28th of March, 1854, and being a son of Hon. Thomas M. and Ann M. Robb. The father of the subject was born in Pennsylvania, as was also his father, Joshua Robb, who removed thence into Ohio in the pioneer days, becoming a successful farmer and there passing the remainder of his life. Thomas N. Robb was a man of high attainments, being one of the representative members of the bar of the state, and also serving as a member of the legislature. Both he and his wife continued to reside in Lima, Ohio, until death. They became the parents of eight children, of whom five are living. John M. Robb was reared to maturity in his native city, and there completed the curriculum of the public schools, being graduated in the high school as a member of the class of 1875. After leaving school he was engaged in the banking business until 1877, when, at the age of twenty-three years, he came as a pioneer to what is now the state of South Dakota. He was a member of the government party which came here and built Fort Custer, and there he was in charge of the trader's store until the fall of that year, when he removed to Fort Bennett, where he continued in charge of the government trading store until 1890, when he engaged in the same line of business on his own responsibility. The Indians were more or less troublesome during these years, and our subject became familiar with the strenuous work demanded in keeping them in subjection to government authority. Upon the removal of the military post from Fort Bennett, in 1891, Mr. Robb became associated with Senator Douglas F. Carlin in the stock business, and about three years later he purchased the interests of his partner and has since been successfully identified with the great cattle industry of the state in an individual way, having a fine ranch of ten thousand acres, eligibly located on the Cheyenne river, while on the place is also a fine natural spring which supplies a large amount of pure water. Mr. Robb gives special preference to the Hereford type of cattle and carries on his operations upon an extensive scale. In politics he gives his support to the Democratic party, but has never aspired to public office of any description.