Person:Oscar Robbins (10)

Birth

-- Oscar was born on Wednesday 9 February 1876 in Hamilton County, Indiana. He was the second of four children, and the second of three sons of Isaac and Keziah Tomlinson Robbins -- His middle name "Clifton" has been carried down through four generations through his second son, grandson and great grandson.

Avocations

-- Oscar played the violin, and his brother Christopher played the guitar at dances on Saturday nights in Westfield before he was married. He relayed this information to his second oldest son but would never play for the children. He kept the violin and it was seen by Robbhaas as a youth. S11, The violin is in the possession of Living Robbins ID0186, daughter of Myron ID0016.

-- Oscar, being a farmer, raised hogs and chickens. He prided himself in raising prize-winning Poland China hogs and White Rock chickens that won numerous blue ribbons at the Indiana State Fair. These ribbons were kept in the family Bible.

Occupations

Woodcutter His family had been farmers but they also were wood cutters. They would cut trees, Cut up the logs and split it into firewood which they would sell for income. "His family was poor - they cut wood and sold it to make money"

Bridge Builder In his youth Oscar also worked for a man that built bridges. He was a large man and very strong so he was able to carry the large timbers used in the construction of the bridges. He also manned the large wheelbarrows of concrete used in the building process. Oscar was later described as “Tall and Stout, with grey eyes and Brown hair” according to his World War I Draft Registration card.

Farmer

Foremost, Oscar was a farmer. He rented and farmed numerous farms during his lifetime. He was a hard worker and farming in his day was a labor-intensive pursuit. He would work from before daylight until dark on most days. He did not, however, work on Sundays as was the custom at the time.

Ina [ID0197] said that Grandpa [ID0014] raised Poland China Hogs and White Rock chickens that he took to the Indiana State Fair and won several ribbons for them This was also confirmed by Dad [ID0005]. He kept these ribbons in the family bible. Ina didn't know what ever happened to the bible and neither did dad [Id0005]. He won mostly blue ribbons but also had some red ones as well. There is a picture showing Ina and Grandpa in the barn lot with some of the hogs.

Pony/ western horses: Grandpa got some "western" horses [according to Ina ID00197 and ID0005]. They were mainly used for pulling farm machinery and other work around the farm. They were a feisty lot, but one in particular was very mean and was not able to be used as a work horse. It would rear up in its stall and try to smash Grandpa if he went into its stall to attempt to saddle it. They also had a pony for the kids to ride. Mary [ID0052] would try to ride it and it would lay down and not go anywhere. Mary would stand there and cry. Dad [ID0005] said he rode it probably the most. Ina rode it quite a bit as well. Myron did not ride the pony much, preferring another horse. The pony had been loaned to them and the owner took it back after a year to raffle it off.

Farming in his time was a dangerous undertaking. He told of being gored in the leg by a boar hog leaving a large gash in his upper leg. It bled a great deal but he merely bandaged the wound instead of having it attended to by a doctor.

He also told of his brother William’s death in a binder accident in July 1900. While working on the binder the horses bolted throwing him into the path of the machine. He was seriously injured and died as his brother and others were taking him home. Oscar felt partially responsible because he had been attending to other horses and was not in the vicinity to help his younger brother.

Residences

In 1880 Oscar was living with his parents in Adams Township, Hamilton County, Indiana. By 1900 the family had moved to Washington Township. Oscar's father Isaac had died in August of 1909 so he and his mother were living with his older brother Christopher in Wayne Township in Hamilton County according to the 1910 US Census

Oscar and Grace were married in Sept 1910 and lived in a great many different locations in Hamilton, Henry and Delaware Counties of Indiana. The various farms and their stories are related on the family page of Oscar and Grace.

Misc

According to Ina [ID0197] Grandpa got his first car in 1910 because he wanted to go faster than the horses could take him. Grandma preferred to stick with the horses but Grandpa overruled. Ina didn't know what kind it was or what it looked like since she was very young at the time. [Ina wasn't born until 1913]

Description 12 Sept 1918: Tall, Stout, Grey eyes, Brown hair - No physical deformities

Oscar's Signature - Sept 1918

According to his second son, Oscar never attended church

Death

Oscar passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday 8 February 1959. He had been ill for quite some time and was recently hospitalized but had been released and gone home.

Transcription of Death Record: Oscar C Robbins - Died: Sunday, February 8, 1959 9pm - Place: R R #1 Muncie, Indiana (Home) - Age: 82 - DOB: February 09, 1876 - Male, White, Married - Primary cause of Death given was: A - Arteriosclerosis B - Coronary Occlusion - Signed by: Robert J Lutz, MD - Place of Burial: Gardens of Memory Muncie, Indiana - Funeral Director: Bryan W Pitman Eaton, Indiana - Date of Burial: February 11, 1959 - Registered No: 1959-0005.

The funeral was held at the Pittman Funeral Home in Eaton, Delaware County, Indiana on 11 February 1959 at 2 pm.

He was laid to rest on 11 Feb 1959 in the Garden of Hymns section of the Gardens of Memory Cemetery located on the west side of Indiana State Highway 3 about one mile north of Indiana State Highway 28.

1. ↑ 1880 US Census for Isaac Robbins Family.