USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River, Vol. II > Part 67
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Frank S. Robinson, who is one of the representative farmers of Wayne township, is well upholding the prestige of a family name that has been most prominently and worthily linked with Allen county history since the time when this section of the state was little more than an untrammeled wilderness and when the present city of Fort Wayne was represented only by a frontier fort and Indian trading post. It is thus a matter of consistency, even as it is of definite gratification, to be able
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to record in this publication definite recognition to this honored pioneer family of which Frank S. is a scion of the third generation in the county. Horney Robinson, grandfather of him whose name introduces this article, was born in Fayette county, Ohio, on June 22, 1806, a son of Thomas Robinson, who likewise was a native of Ohio, his father having been one of the very early settlers in the Buckeye state and having been a valiant soldier in the war of 1812. Horney Robinson was a vigorous youth of about twenty years when, in 1826, he came to Allen county, Indiana, and numbered himself among its early pioneer settlers. He was well fortified for the labors and responsibilities of pioneer life in a virtual wilderness, and in 1832 obtained one hundred and twenty- six acres of heavily timbered land in what is now Aboite township. Here he applied himself vigorously to the reclaiming of a farm, here he did well his part in the furtherance of civic and material development and progress, and with the passing years prosperity attended his well ordered activities. He was one of the successful farmers and best known and most honored citizens of Aboite township, and on the old homestead place, now one of historic interest, he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives. In 1829 was solemnized his marriage to Miss Catherine Freshour, who was born in Pennsylvania, and she preceded him to eternal rest by more than twenty years, her death having occurred February 27, 1864, and he having been one of the most venerable pioneer citizens of the county at the time of his death, July 22, 1887. They were most devout and zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church and were prominently concerned in establishing its pioneer organization in Allen county, their home having been always open to extend welcome and generous hospitality to the itinerant clergymen who visited the county in the early days. Of the children of this sterling pioneer couple it is possible to give brief record at this juncture: Sarah J. is the wife of Milton N. Ward, of Topeka. Kansas; Warren, father of Frank S., immediate subject of this review, will be more specifically mentioned farther on in this context; William is deceased; Frank became a clergy- man of the Methodist Episcopal church and is a resident of Muncie; and Samantha is the wife of Dr. Moffett, a well known physician long engaged in practice in the city of Lafayette, Indiana. Warren Robinson was born in Pleasant township, this county, on November 30, 1834, and his early education was gained in the pioneer schools and in the old Methodist College, which was in its day a leading educational institu- tion of northern Indiana, established at Fort Wayne. He became a man of strong intellectual force and in early years was a successful and popular teacher in the schools of this section of the state, his activities in the pedagogic profession having continued six years. In 1861 he turned his attention to farming and to the buying and shipping of live stock and was very successful in both lines of enterprise. He was known and honored as one of the upright, steadfast and loyal citizens of his native county, was influential in community affairs and com- manded the unqualified esteem of all who knew him. At the time of his death he was the owner of a valuable landed estate of two hundred acres, principally in Aboite township. He was a well fortified and earnest advocate of the principles of the Republican party and was a lifelong and earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His death occurred May 11, 1908, and his wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Fields, is now deceased. He is survived by one son and one daugh-
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ter, children of his first marriage. Frank S. Robinson, to whom this review is dedicated, was born in Wayne township, this county, on No- vember 29, 1869, and is indebted to the public schools for his early educa- tional discipline. He continued to assist his father in the work and management of the latter's extensive farm property until he was about twenty-one years of age, and thereafter was engaged in farming in the state of Iowa for fourteen years and for two years in Colorado. He turned to Allen county in 1914 and from his father's estate inherited a portion of his present fine farm, which comprises one hundred and thirty-seven acres. Mr. Robinson has naught of inertia or apathy in his make-up and has always been a vigorous worker, his success having been in large measure achieved through his own ability and efforts. On his farm he has erected a commodious house of modern design and facilities, besides which he has remodeled the barn and made other sub- stantial improvements. He is one of the progressive farmers of Wayne township, gives special attention to the raising and feeding of good live stock, and in his native county his circle of friends is limited only by that of his acquaintances. He is affiliated with the Masonic and Odd Fellows fraternities, is a Republican in his political proclivities, and both he and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. On February 20, 1895, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Robinson to Miss Olive B. Schannon, who was born in Muscatine county, Iowa, February 20, 1876, daughter of Danicl and Sarah (Raupe) Schan- non, who were born. in New Jersey and became pioneers of Iowa. Mr. Schannon, who is now living retired in the Hawkeye state, was for many years engaged in farming and stock-raising on an extensive scale and is a veteran of the Union service in the Civil war, his wife being deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have one daughter, Zetta S., who is the wife of G. Herbert Lopshire, associated with her father in the management of the home farm, and they have one son, Warren R., named in honor of his maternal grandfather.
Mrs. Mary E. Robinsen was born in Union township, Wells county, Indiana, on August 6, 1862, daughter of Charles and Margaret (Cart- wright) Carl. Her father was a successful stock buyer in his com- munity and shipped to both home and foreign markets. She was the youngest child in a family of twelve, the others being James, John, Henry, Earl, Freeman, George, Robert, Charles, Stephen, Frank and Sarah Jane. All are living but the second, fourth, seventh and tenth in order of naming. Mary, the youngest child and the subject of this family review, was reared on her father's farm and in young womanhood mar- ried William M. Robinson, who was born in Pleasant township on March 2, 1860. He was a son of William L. and Nancy Viola (Kemel) Robin- son, and was reared on the farm of his parents and educated in the district schools of his day and age. He was for years associated with his father in farm life and when he launched out independently he bought a seventy-acre farm and applied himself to its management. Later he acquired the old homestead farm and that became his home for the remainder of his life, during which time he made many sub- stantial and commendable improvements about the place. Mr. Robinson was a Democrat in politics and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. To him and his wife were born five children. Samuel is living in Pleasant township. He is married and has three children-Julia Marie, Will Edmund and Viola. Charles Cleveland farms the old home
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place and his children are Virginia May, and Mary Emula. Edith May married Guy Brindes and they have two children-Vadoma Almeda and Jule Woodrow. Lula Jane is the wife of Jay Wickliff and they have six children-Ralph Irwin, Blanche May, Clarence William, Zola Marie, Earl Clifford, and Clara Almeda.
Henry A. Rockhill .- Success finds fertile ground along every avenue of endeavor. A healthy ambition will take root anywhere, and he who is possessed of such ambition will overcome the obstacles of time and place and make for himself a place of independence. He whose name introduces this review has been significantly one of the world's workers and has depended entirely on his own resources in making his way to the goal of success and definite prosperity. He is a native son of Allen county, is now numbered among its successful exponents of agricultural industry, and is a scion of a pioneer family of the county. His early advantages were most limited, he had early fellowship with arduous toil and endeavor, and he permitted nothing to curb his indomitable energy and ambition, so that advancement came to him as a natural prerogative. He has overcome the handicaps of earlier years, is a man of mature judg- ment and sterling character, is influential in community affairs of a public nature and has been called upon to serve in township offices of trust. His well improved farm is situated in Section 35, Lake township, on rural mail route No. 5 from the city of Fort Wayne. Mr. Rockhill was born January 21, 1859, a son of Joseph and Sarah J. (Russell) Rock- hill. His father came to Allen county in 1830 and became one of the pioneer farmers on the Goshen road, where he cleared what is known as the Hoboken farm, to the improvement and cultivation of which he gave his attention for ten years. IIe took and completed the contract for the construction of the original Leesburg plank road and in pay- ment for this service received one hundred and sixty acres of land in Green township, Noble county. He removed to this place, reclaimed and improved the same, and there he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, his death having occurred in March, 1892, when he was of venerable age, and his old homestead farm being now owned by James Russell. Of the eight children those now living are Edward W., James W., Henry A., Mary Rebecca, and Louise, who is the wife of R. K. Erwin, of Fort Wayne. The names of the deceased children are as fol- lows: Charles, John and Thomas. The boyhood and early youth of Henry A. Rockhill were marked by close application to work, much of which was of arduous order, and his early educational advantages were limited to a desultory attendance in the Hadley school. In the austere school of experience and hard knocks he matured the judgment that now indicates him as a man of strong mentality and well poised individuality, and he has made the best of every opportunity that has been presented. For thirty-five years he gave his attention to teaming, logging and the operation of a threshing outfit finally, his having been the first steam thresher in the local fields. Through well ordered incidental transac- tions he was ultimately able to assume the ownership of his present fine farm, which comprises one hundred and fourteen acres of the fertile land of Lake township. He has made excellent improvements on the homestead, including the erection of good farm buildings, and is one of the progressive and successful representatives of agricultural and live-stock enterprise in his native county. He has been active and influ- ential in the local councils of the Democratic party, has secure place in
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popular esteem and has served one term as township assessor, besides having been for one term township trustee. Both he and his wife are active communicants of the Catholic church at Arcola. On February 21, 1882, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Rockhill to Miss Mary Cavalier, who was born and reared in this county and is a daughter of Victor and Marie (Manier) Cavalier, the former of whom is deceased and the latter now resides in Fort Wayne. Of the seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Rockhill four died in infancy and one, Mary Maria, at the age of seven years. Of the two surviving children the elder is Joseph V., who is a resident of Aboite township, and the younger, Frank H., is telegraph operator for the Pennsylvania Railroad station at Arcola, this county.
Howell C. Rockhill is not only a native of Fort Wayne and promi- nently identified with the industrial and commercial interests of the city but his is the distinction also of being a scion of a family whose name has been influentially identified with the history of Allen county for more than ninety years. He himself has been a leading figure in the furtherance of the industrial prestige of Fort Wayne, where his capitalistic and executive interests have been of broad scope and im- portance and where he has effectively upheld the honors of the name which he bears, both as a successful man of affairs and as a liberal and progressive citizen. Howell Cobb Rockhill was born within the present corporate limits of Fort Wayne, and the date of his nativity was January 10, 1856. He is a son of William and Elizabeth (Hill) Rockhill, the for- mer of whom was born at Burlington, New Jersey, February 10, 1793, and the latter at Baltimore, Maryland, on June 28, 1820. The paternal grandparents were Joseph and Mary (Davis) Rockhill, the former of whom was born in New Jersey, in 1765, a descendant of the Rockhill family that settled in the new world about the middle of the seventeenth century. Mary Davis was born in 1768. Joseph and Mary Rockhill died in Fort Wayne. William Rockhill became one of the pioneer settlers of Allen county, Indiana, where he established his home in 1822, when he was a young man of twenty-nine years. Here he entered claim to a large tract of government land, the eastern limit of which is now Broad- way in the city of Fort Wayne. Here he instituted the reclamation of his land from the virtual wilderness and became eventually one of the leading exponents of agricultural industry in the county. Of him the following estimate has been written: "He was a man of great strength of character and integrity of purpose, and he took a leading part in the early organization of the county government as well as in the city government of Fort Wayne, a few years later." This sterling pioneer was well equipped for leadership in popular sentiment and action and he became one of the most honored and influential citizens of the county. In 1844 he was elected to the state senate, and in the following year was elected representative of his district in the United States Congress, his service in each of these offices having been rendered with character- istic ability and fidelity. Mr. Rockhill was a staunch advocate of the principles of the Democratic party and in addition to having served in the state senate and as a representative in congress he held also the position of representative of Allen county in the lower house of the legislature and served as county commissioner, as trustee of Wayne town- ship and as member of the school board of the city of Fort Wayne, in which he was deeply interested. He died on January 15, 1865, about one month prior to the seventy-second anniversary of his birth, and his
HORPacchiel
THI I 1 PUBUC LI
ASTOR, LEIC TELDEN FOUNDATION
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wife was called to the life eternal May 9, 1859, in her thirty-ninth year. Of their seven children the subject of this review is the youngest of the five who attained to years of maturity. William Wright was born August 2, 1849; Ann Maria was born December 7, 1851, and was the wife of Edward L. Craw; and Hugh McCulloch and Jesse David Bright, twins, were born July 31, 1853. All the brothers are residents of Fort Wayne. Howell C. Rockhill acquired his early education in the public schools of Fort Wayne and it has been his privilege to witness and aid in the development of the mere village into a fine city of metropolitan signifi- cance. He was graduated in the Fort Wayne high school as a member of the class of 1873, and thereafter attended the Shattuck Military Academy at Faribault, Minnesota. After leaving school, together with his brothers, he began farming and stock-raising on a tract of unbroken land just outside the city limits of Fort Wayne and was extensively engaged in raising trotting horses and Holstein cattle under the firm name of Rockhill Bros. & Fleming. Later he assumed the position of manager of the Journal Company, publishers of the Fort Wayne Journal- Gazette. He long continued his alliance with this representative news- paper enterprise in his native county and in the meanwhile had extended his interests into other important fields. He had become a director of the Fort Wayne Iron & Steel Company and, in September, 1905, resigned his position as manager of the Journal Company to assume that of re- ceiver for the industrial corporation just mentioned. He gave vigorous assistance in the reorganization of the concern under the present title of the Fort Wayne Rolling Mills Company and became vice-president, treasurer and active manager of the new corporation, in which position he has since continued to serve, the while he has brought to bear much executive resourcefulness in the upbuilding of one of the important industrial and commercial enterprises of his native city. He is likewise an interested principal in several other representative financial and manu- facturing institutions of Fort Wayne, being a director of the Fort Wayne Box Company, the Citizens' Trust Company, the Fort Wayne Transfer Company, vice-president and general manager of the Lake Erie and Fort Wayne Railroad Company, an industrial road serving with switching facilities a large factory district at the junction west of Fort Wayne, besides which he is treasurer of the Lincoln National Life Insurance Com- pany, of which he was one of the organizers. Mr. Rockhill is an ap- preciative and valued member of the Fort Wayne Commercial Club and the Rotary Club, holds membership also in the Country Club, and is em- phatically progressive and public-spirited in his civic attitude, though he has manifested no ambition for public office. In politics he supports the Democratic party in a generic way but does not permit himself to be hedged in by strict partisan lines. On November 21, 1906, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. Rockhill to Miss Ophelia Valette Rurode, who likewise was born and reared at Fort Wayne, and their two children are: Elizabeth Oglesby, born February 20, 1908, and William Rurode, born November 28, 1911. The residence of Mr. Rockhill is at 1337 West Wayne Street.
Wesley S. Roebuck .- Much credit attaches to Wesley S. Roebuck because of his achievements in the field of agricultural activities in St. Joseph township, where he has one of the finest farms to be found in the state. His place is unique in that it is one among a very few irrigated farms to be found east of the Mississippi river, and that he has labored
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progressively and effectively is evidenced by the fact that Purdue Uni- versity recognizes his farm as one of the finest examples of modern agriculture in the state in point of soil productiveness and general up-to- dateness. Wesley S. Roebuck was born in Mercer county, Ohio, Novem- ber 4, 1861, son of Ransom and Rebecca (Scoles) Roebuck. The father was born in Fayette county, Ohio, and the mother in Knox county, Ohio. Both were of Scotch descent and came of sturdy and honorable families who had been identified with the pioneer development of the state of Ohio in most creditable manner. Ransom Roebuck accompanied his family from Fayette county into Mercer county, Ohio, when he was a small boy and saw phases of pioneer life that were matters of fact with him and his generation but which would be thrilling adventures to the youth of the present day, who find much enjoyment in the perusal of those tales relating to the life and experiences of the men of two gener- ations ago. As a boy young Roebuck, father of the subject, was wont to accompany his father on many adventurous trips. The father oper- ated a reel or push boat on the Maumee river in those days, and young Ransom was frequently his companion on his trips to old Fort Wayne, in 1819 and 1820, when the present thriving city was merely the site of the fort and boasted a few bark shanties here and there in the vicinity of the main buildings. The elder Roebuck was a government agent and his duties comprised those of looking after the locating of immigrants, as well as looking out for the Indians. He personally handled the money with which the government paid the Indians, and his son Ransom often assisted him in bringing it to Fort Wayne. The money was always gold, tied up in packages of about what an average man could lift with ease, and it was sent through without guards of any sort. Never, in the years that Mr. Roebuck had charge of that work, was there any miscarriage of his plans, the delivery of the gold always being made promptly and safely. Ransom Roebuck was active in farm life in Mercer county for many years and was fairly prosperous all his days. He had a family of twelve children. Wesley Roebuck had his education in the common schools of Mercer county, Ohio, and taught in the schools of his com- munity for a time, as did many of the wide-awake young men of his period, after which he went to Colorado and there settled on a govern- ment claim on which he lived long enough to get a government patent to it. Returning to his home, he settled a little later in Mercer county and, in 1894, located at New Haven, where he engaged in commercial gardening. For eight years he operated on rented land, after which he bought eighty-two acres in St. Joseph township, and there has con- tinued engaged in active farming on a highly developed scale of action. As has been said, his farm is one of the few irrigated places to be found east of the Mississippi river, and it is an example of what may be accom- plished along those lines with a little well-placed effort. Mr. Roebuck has a number of modern hot houses and his cement reservoir has a capacity of 350,000 gallons. The reservoir is filled from the river one- half a mile distant, a six-inch pipe carrying the water in and a 20-horse- power gas engine being employed to do the work. The entire farm is piped with miles of smaller pipe, and the mellow waters of the Maumee river are distributed at will over the land. Mr. Roebuck married Eliza- beth Yokum, daughter of Milton and Mary H. Yokum, who were born and reared in Ohio. Two children have come to them. Ada is the wife of Kelly Blume, of St. Joseph township, and Bransom lives at home with
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his parents. Mr. Roebuck is a Mason of the Scottish Rite branch and is a member of the Shrine at Fort Wayne. Politically he is a Socialist of the best type. All his life he has combined thinking with doing, and the results are highly creditable to him.
Carl J. Roemke is a native son of Allen county, born in Milan town- ship on September 14, 1892, and his parents were Conrad and Wilhelmina Roemke, concerning whom definite and more extended mention will be found elsewhere in this publication. The subject was educated in Allen county schools and had a thorough training in the business of agriculture under his father, and is at this writing operating a farm he rents from the elder Roemke. It is a place of one hundred and twenty acres, and under Mr. Roemke's management is helping to maintain the general high standards set in agricultural circles in the county. Mr. Roemke was married on September 20, 1914, to Miss Dora Reckeweg, daughter of Diederich and Louise (Cartie) Reckeweg, both native-born Germans who came to America as young people. They married in Fort Wayne and have spent practically all their lives as farmers in Milan township. They were the parents of ten children, named William, Louisa, Wilhelmina, Carrie, Fred and Carl, who are twins, Emma, Anna, Dora and Arthur. All are living at this writing. Mr. Roemke and his wife have one child -Willard, born August 8, 1916. They are members of the German Lutheran church and active workers in the parish. Mr. Roemke has no political affiliations, and holds no offices or no lodge memberships.
Conrad Frederick Roemke .- Another of the prosperous and energetic sons of Conrad and Wilhelmina Roemke is Conrad F., born in Milan township, Allen county on May 26, 1883, and much of his life a resident of his native community. He had his education in the district schools of the county and early initiated his career as a farmer in Maumee town- ship, where he operated for three years. He then went to Kansas where he spent ten years in farming activities, afterward returning to Maumee township and is there engaged in the management of a rented farm of eighty acres. He has prospered and has a creditable standing among his fellow citizens as a farmer of no little enterprise. He was married on April 5, 1909, to Belva, daughter of Charles and Rachel (Fritts) Lloyd. Charles Lloyd is an Ohioan by birth and his wife is a native of Indiana. They were married in Kansas, where they had gone with their parents, and there they spent the greater part of their lives. They had six chil- dren-Arthur D., Maude Ethel, Roy Wesley, Frank Wesley and Belva, wife of the subject. To Mr. and Mrs. Roemke have come four children. Marjorie Lavon was born January 20, 1910; Georgia Pearl, February 22, 1912; Charles Conrad, September 26, 1914, and Evelyn on August 12, 1916. Mr. Roemke is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Woodburn and of the Kriesstolznau Verein, also at Woodburn. He and his family have membership in the German Lutheran church, and Mr. Roemke is a Republican in his political affiliations.
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