William J. Robinson

A Story of a Little Lad

7 Jan 1937

The father of this lad was a pioneer who came from England to Nauvoo in 1843, and then to Utah in 1849, with his father's family in Ezra T. Benson's Company. Edward Robinson the grandfather of this lad we are talking about was the conductor on the first railroad train in the world. It ran between Manchester and Liverpool, England. The mother of this lad was Mary Ann Levens, born in Far West, Missouri, and also a pioneer who came to Utah about the same time as the Edward Robinson family came. In due time this lad was blessed and christened. Eight other children, four sons and four daughters were later born to this splendid family. At this writing only two remain alive, this lad and Minnetta Robinson Walker of Union.

At the death of his mother, 12 FEB 1875, this lad , then 15 years old, went from Grantsville, the home of his parents, to American Fork, Utah, where he worked in the harvest fields in the summer, and attended school in the winter, thus acquiring a desire for an education. When nineteen years old he moved to Grantsville, Tooele County, and fitted out a four horse team wagon, and began to freight food supplies to Cherry Creek and Ruby Valley, Nevada. He was quite successful in this venture and acquired money enough to take upon himself the responsibility of a family.

On 16 DEC 1880, he married Marintha Drucilla Birch in the Endowment House, who so splendidly aided him in the early development of his manhood. From this union they were blessed with six splendid children, one daughter and five sons.

He graduated from the University of Deseret, now the University of Utah, in 1887, and was principal of the schools in Grantsville and later was elected Superintendent of Deseret Schools of Tooele County. He was very successful in properly organizing and bringing the schools of his county up to standard requirements.

In 1890 he organized the mercantile business of Sutton Bros., and Robinson, and made it the leading general merchandise business of Grantsville. During this time he was elected Alderman of the City Council and helped to draft it's ordinances. He was also City Attorney and Justice of the Peace.

On 1 JAN 1893, his splendid companion died leaving him six children, the baby was only 5 days old. With splendid hired help he kept his family together and on 20 JUN 1894, he married, in the temple, Mary Ann Blomdahl, a graduate of the University of Utah, and who came from Sweden of that splendid Norse stock, who loved and cared for his children as she did her own. She brought into the world nine other very choice sons and daughters, 4 sons and 5 daughters.

This lad and his brother George Levens Robinson, organized the clothing, furnishing and shoe firm of Robinson Bros., of Logan, and after the death of George, JAN 1902, this lad closed up his grantsville business and moved to Logan, to take charge of Robinson Bros., which business he closed up and moved to the Eighth Ward in Salt Lake City. He moved to the 18th Ward to his present home on 22 JUN 1913.

Since he closed up the Robinson Bros. store in Logan, this lad has been actively engaged in organizing and financing companies, among them the Utah Consolidated Plaster Company, the Eureka Nevada Mining Company and a number of other companies, and he is now President and Manager of the Eureka Nevada Mining Company, which mine is being developed by lessees. At this time he is helping to finance the Mutual Coal Company, by placing 6% bonds. He also helped to organize the Alberta Land & Sock Company, and was largely interested in it until it was sold 27 JAN 1931.

His splendid wife Mary passed to the other side on 27 JAN 1931. He married in the Salt Lake Temple, Florence Kimball Hyde, who was born 15 JUN 1875 and who is a daughter of Joseph Kimball and a granddaughter of Heber C. Kimball and Orson Pratt, and the mother of Lawrence W. Hyde, and a graduate of the U.S.A.C of Logan. This marriage to Florence has been a very happy one and they are very well mated. They have been doing lots of Temple work, perhaps for considerable over one thousand people consisting of the Robinson line, the Levens line, the Birch line, the Blomdahl line that Mary started, the Kimball line and the Pratt line, and others.

This lad that started seventy seven years ago has had three lovely companions, they have born him 15 children, who have given him 34 grandchildren, who have given him 20 great-grandchildren, making a group of 69 souls that have been brought to this world because he came here.

At this writing he and his lovely wife are in the best of health and expect to sojourn here still doing good things for many years to come. And now I don't mind telling you that this lad is William Jarvis Robinson, your dad, now celebrating his 77th birthday, in splendid health and vitality and he with his devoted companion who is in her heart your devoted mother, are looking forward to many years of health, vitality and usefulness and doing much good in Church activities.

Your dad has been active since he was a young man, first in the Retrenchment Society then in the Mutual Improvement Association, then in the Priesthood Quorums, first as Elder, Second as Seventy , then as High Priest. I have been a ward teacher for 55 years. I sang in the ward Choir in Grantsville, Logan and Salt Lake and in the Tabernacle Choir. I have done lots of home missionary work also. My sweetheart has sung in Choirs perhaps for 50 years and in the Tabernacle choir 25 years. She is still a member of the 18th ward Choir.

We are very grateful to you all for the kind expressions of good cheer and the nice gifts you have given us during these holidays, and we sincerely extend to you our love and best wishes and blessings, and hope that his year may be a happy and prosperous one for you all.

Signed:

William Jarvis Robinson

Florence K. Robinson