Oliver A. Robinson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1037-1038 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				OLIVER A. ROBINSON. 

	Oliver A. Robinson is a well known and greatly respected resident 
of Spink county, where he owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres 
located on section 31, Harmony township. In addition to the cultivation 
of his farm he follows his trade of carpentering to some extent and is 
known as a capable and reliable workman. He was born in St. George, 
Quebec, Canada, on the 22d of February, 1867, a son of Francis Xavier 
and Emily (Russeau) Robinson. The family are of Scotch descent, but 
have been in the new world for many generations. The father came to 
South Dakota with his family from Iowa, where he had lived for thirteen 
years, and after coming here took up a homestead in Brown county, which 
he improved and where he lived for ten years, after which he removed to 
Spink county, but subsequently went to Parker and resided there for a 
time. Still later he took up his residence in Jefferson and is now a 
resident of that place. He is eighty-six years of age, but is in better 
health than many a man ten years his junior. His wife passed away in 
1892 and is buried in Aberdeen, this state. 

	Oliver A. Robinson received his education in Iowa, but left 
school when a youth of seventeen. He then assisted his father upon the 
farm until he had reached the age of twenty-four years, when for two 
years he rented a farm, after which he purchased a relinquishment. He 
still owns that farm and raises both grain and stock, keeping eleven 
head of cattle, nineteen horses and a number of hogs. In connection 
with farming he works at the carpenter's trade and has built a number 
of residences, barns, etc., in his locality. Whatever he does is done 
well and his labors return him a good annual income. 

	Mr. Robinson was united in marriage, on the 6th of June, 1893, at 
Frankfort, South Dakota, to Miss Barbara Valder, a daughter of Peter 
and Matilda (Duren) Valder, the former a hotel proprietor at Frankfort. 
Her father passed away in 1901 and was buried in Frankfort, but her 
mother still resides in that city. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have ten 
children, namely: Loretta, the wife of Merritt Sheldon, a farmer of 
Spink county; Ermena, at home; Loraine and Louis helping their father; 
Stephen, who passed away in 1914, at the age of thirteen years and is 
buried at Frankfort; Callist and Alma, who are attending school; and 
Audrey, Eulalia and Maurice. The father is independent in the exercise 
of his right of franchise, voting for the man rather than the party. He 
is a member of the Catholic church and is ever ready to aid in the 
furtherance of its work. For three decades Mr. Robinson has farmed in 
South Dakota and has always been among the first to adopt new machinery 
or new methods that promise to be of value. His progressive spirit and 
his industry have brought him prosperity and he is one of the 
substantial farmers of Spink county. Those who know him best esteem him 
most, as his character is based upon those admirable qualities which 
stand the severest tests of life.