Monongalia County, West Virginia Biography of Charles C. ROBISON This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. 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. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 212-213 CHARLES C. ROBISON. In preparing a review of the prominent men of West Virginia whose careers have been devoted to persistent effort, and who through pluck and ability of a high order have battered down the obstacles which ever stand in the path of the ambitious and risen to positions of distinction, the record of Charles C. Robison, treasurer and general manager of the Morgantown Lumber Company, and president for 1920, 1921 and 1922 of the Mor- gantown Chamber of Commerce, is one that is worthy of more than passing mention. Mr. Robison is one who essentially belongs to the men of action of his state, and that he has not overlooked his opportunities is shown in what he has accomplished. His success has been the natural sequence of the logical unfolding and development of his native powers, and close application, indefatigable energy, integrity and determination have constituted the foundation of his achievements. Mr. Robison was born July 25, 1886, on the home farm near Stewartstown in Union District, Monongalia County, West Virginia, and is a son of the late James and Sarah Jane (Hare) Robison, natives of Grant and Union dis- tricts, respectively, the former of whom died in 1894 and the latter in 1909. Mr. Robison remained on the home farm until he reached his fifteenth year, and in the mean- time attended the district schools. In 1902 he entered the employ of Robe & Rightmire, cabinet makers of Morgan- town, which firm later became merged into that of Chaplin, Warman & Rightmire Company, a concern with which the youth was connected until the plant was destroyed by fire and the company went out of business. He next became one of the organizers and secretary-treasurer of the Gen- eral Woodworking Company, but sold his interests in that company in 1915 and became treasurer of the Monongahela Supply Company, in which concern he had previously acquired an interest, and of which he continues treasurer. In August, 1920, he took charge as vice president of the Seaman Mill & Lumber Company, which was later reor- ganized as the Morgantown Lumber Company, of which he has since been treasurer and general manager. He is a member of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee of the Union Savings and Trust Company and has various other important business interests. Mr. Robison joined the West Virginia National Guard in 1904, and rose to the rank of captain. In 1916 he was selected by the United States War Department and sent to the Mexican border as assistant chief of staff of the Four- teenth Division, and as such was in active service on the border for four months. He returned to his home in the early part of December, 1916. On March 28, 1917, he was ordered to duty by the War Department and placed in command of Company L, First West Virginia Infantry, mobilizing at Fairmont, West Virginia, and six days later was ordered to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in which city he took charge of the Pittsburgh Storage and Supply Depot, a branch of the Philadelphia Depot, U. S. A. On July 23, 1917, he was ordered back to Fairmont, and then ordered to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to take a course of training in building fortifications in the engineering department, a school of arms. Upon the completion of his course he was given the best grade to be obtained and given credentials as an instructor. He was then ordered to report for duty to the Thirty-eighth Division, then being formed at Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he was as- signed to duty with the 150th Regiment of Infantry, and was also instructor in the Division Engineering School, where he continued until August 1, 1918. At that time he was commissioned major and assigned to the Eighty-fourth Infantry, stationed at Port Beauregard, Louisiana, at which camp he was on duty in different capacities (at one time being in command of the regiment) until February 9, 1919, at which time he was honorably discharged at his own request. Before the signing of the armistice Major Robison made application to the adjutant-general's department for overseas duty, but this was refused for the reason that his services were needed in the capacity in which he was acting. He was recommended to be retained in commission after the close of the war, but retired to his home and his busi- ness interests. Major Robison organized the ex-soldiers of Monongalia County who had returned from war into a post, of which he was made commander, and this post joined the American Legion. He served as commander for two terms, and also was a member of the Executive Committee of the West Virginia State American Legion, which he helped to organize. Mr. Robison was elected president of the Morgantown Business Men's Association in the early summer of 1919, and in the same year was active in the organization of the Morgantown Chamber of Commerce, of which he was elected president. He has continued in office to the present. With his family he belongs to the Methodist Protestant Church. As a fraternalist he holds membership in the local lodges of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias. On November 7, 1912, Mr. Robison married Miss Goldie M. Pixler, daughter of J. C. and Addie Pixler, of Morgan- town, and to this union there have come a son and daughter: James C., born November 10, 1914; and Dorothy Grace, born September 4, 1918.