Clark, Robert Carlton, Ph.D. "History of the Willamette Valley Oregon." Vol. 2. Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1927. p. 21. J. M. ROBY One of the most successful chain store systems in the United States is that of the J. C. Penney Company, which has had a most remarkable record. Starting in 1902 with one store in Kemmerer, Wyoming, James C. Penney gradually established branch stores, until in 1908 he had twelve in operation, while in 1927 the number has increased to seven hundred and seventy-three, which in 1926 did an aggregate business of one hundred and sixteen million dollars. One of the most successful of these stores is at Eugene, where it is under the personal management of J. M. Roby, who has shown himself a man of sound judgment, excellent taste and energetic methods. Mr. Ruby is a native of Oregon, having been born in Linn county in 1886, and is a son of E. P. and Jeanette (Leach) Roby, the former having been born near Salem, Oregon, a member of one of the pioneer families of Marion county. He was a manufacturer and died in 1926, while his widow now resides in Portland. J. M. Roby secured a public and high school education, also taking a course in a business college, and then went to work in the furniture and undertaking business. Later he went to Pendleton, Oregon, where he clerked in a dry goods store until 1913, when he became identified with the J. C. Penney Company at Pendleton, becoming manager of the shoe department. On April 6, 1916, Mr. Roby came to Eugene and established a J. C. Penney Company store at Seventh and Willamette streets. The venture proved successful from the beginning and business increased to such an extent that it outgrew its original quarters and in 1921 was moved to 940-2-4-6 Willamette street, where it occupies a splendid room, forty by one hundred and sixty feet in size, with balcony. It is a department store. carrying ladies', men's and children's ready-to-wear garments, and the Eugene store is the second largest in the state of Oregon. In 1912 Mr. Roby was united in marriage to Miss Lenore Thompson, of Athens, Oregon. He belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. the Eugene Country Club, the Kiwanis Club, of which he is a past director, and the Chamber of Commerce. In his political views he is a stanch republican and during the years that he has resided in Eugene he has always shown a disposition to cooperate with his fellow citizens in all measures for the advancement of the city's material interests and its betterment along civic and moral lines. For these reasons he has gained a high place in the estimation of all who know him. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2016 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.