Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 760.

JOHN W. ROBINSON

     a merchant of Ashwood, Oregon, was born in St. Johns, New Brunswick, on
September 23, 1857. His father, James T. Robinson, was born in the northwestern
part of Ireland and settled in St. John, New Brunswick, where he followed ship
carpentering and building. While thus occupied, he took a voyage to England and
many other parts of the world. He married Susan Wiggins, on December 23, 1847,
who was of English and Irish parentage. Our subject was left an orphan when
quite young, his mother dying in 1867 and his father in 1868, leaving him to be
cared for by relatives. He was educated at Canterbury, in York county, New
Brunswick, by his cousin, the Hon. Robert Robinson, M. L. C. In 1874, he
returned to his native city and went to sea as ship steward, which he followed
for two years. During this time, he had one of the most thrilling experiences of
his life. In the fall of 1875, while steward of the schooner, Rubina of St.
John, Captain James Secord, while on a voyage from Pictou, Nova Scotia, to
Boston, Massachusetts, loaded with coal, they were caught in a southeast gale
off Cape Sable, Nova Scotia. The little vessel was driven before the gale, the
sails being "wing and wing," shipping heavy seas, one of which broke over the
stern, carrying away the only boat, snapping the three inch iron davits like
pipe steins, unshipped the wheel causing the vessel to broach too, jibing the
mainsail, which threw the vessel on her beam end nearly capsizing her. The main
boom broke in two at the jaws. The vessel was now laboring very hard in the
trough of the sea and it took prompt and heroic work to save her. The wheel was
put in place and orders given to cut away and let the main boom and sail go by
the board. The foresail was also blown into ribbons, watercasks and everything
were swept off the decks, the main boom was carried along the deck, tearing off
the hatch bars and tarpaulins, leaving the hatches perfectly loose, which had
not been caulked down as is customary, as they had not anticipated such heavy
weather. It looked for awhile like the voyage would end, using a sailor's
phrase, "In Davy Jones' Locker." They got the hatches nailed down, but the seas
sweeping the decks poured lots of water into the hold.through the uncalked
hatches. Their wooden pump heads had been split by the main boom, which were
repaired with difficulty. They had to keep the pumps running constantly to keep
afloat while driven before the gale "under the gib only" across the mouth of the
Bay of Fundy toward the coast of Maine. They made Owls Head harbor.  Striking a
reef going in caused the ship to spring a leak. They were then towed to
Rockland, Maine, where the cargo was discharged and the vessel repaired. After
this voyage, our subject shipped before the mast, following the coasting trade.
On March 19, 1877, he shipped from New York and sailed around Cape Horn on the
ship Freeman Clark, under James Dwight, captain, having a rough and tedious
voyage encountering many gales and much head wind. The principal mishap occurred
during a gale in the South Pacific when the block on the foreweather brace
broke. The foreyard carried away, causing the loss of the foresail and fore
lower topsail. The seas were so rough it was over a week before a new yard could
be rigged up. They arrived in San Francisco September 5, 1877, being at sea five
months and sixteen days, having put into no port on the voyage and sighting no
land after rounding Cape Horn until they sighted the Golden Gate. He settled in
Jackson county, Oregon, and followed farming and mining until 1891, when he
engaged in the mercantile business at Winter in that county, until 1898. In that
year he took up mining, following that for a year. In 1899, he came to Ashwood,
Crook county, Oregon, and erected the first building on the new townsite. Here
he has been engaged in general merchandising. He has a large store and carries a
complete line of general merchandise and is a leading and prosperous business
man.
     Mr. Robinson is a member of the Woodmen of the World, Circle of Woodcraft,
and Ancient Order of the United Workmen. In politics, he is a Democrat, but not
radical, while in church relations, he and his wife are members of the Christian
church.
     Mr. Robinson married Malinda A. Rush, November 13, 1878, who was born in
the Willamette valley, October 11, 1859, the daughter of Samuel Rush, whose
biography appears in this work. The fruit of this union is two children, James
C. and Lenna B., wife of Lee Wood. His only brother, James T. Robinson, resides
on his farm near Culver, Crook county, Oregon.


*******************

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2011 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.