"Portrait & Biographical Record of the Willamette Valley Oregon."  Chicago:
Chapman Publishing Company, 1903. p. 109.
 
PROF. REUBEN F. ROBINSON

     Early representatives of the Robinson family in America identified
themselves with the colonists of Virginia, and from that commonwealth sent forth
of their bravest and best to fight for the patriot cause during the Revolution.
Reuben Robinson, who was a nephew of Col. William Robinson of the Revolutionary
army, left Virginia and settled in east Tennessee, and from there went to
Missouri. He possessed the hardihood and dauntless courage of the frontiersman
and it was but natural, when the tide of emigration turned toward the Pacific
coast, that he should decide to seek a home beyond the Rocky mountains. With ox
teams in 1852 he started across the plains. The long and eventful journey came
to an end near Junction City, Lane county, Ore., where he took up a donation
claim and made it his home the remainder of his life. He not only managed his
farm but taught school for several terms during the early period of Oregon
settlement.
     Prior to the removal of Reuben Robinson to the west, his three sons, George
D. Washington and William, in 1849 had crossed the plains toward the setting
sun.  Washington died in California and afterward William settled at
Jacksonville, Ore. The other son, George D., who was born in the Cumberland
mountain region of east Tennessee, engaged in mining for a year in California,
but in 1850 came on horseback to Oregon, swimming his horse across rivers and
camping out at night wherever he happened to be. After arriving in Lane county
he seized the opportunity of attending school for several short terms, but
Oregon's school facilities in the early '50s were not such as to hold ambitious
young men long. He afterwards engaged in farming and in hauling produce to the
miners of Southern Oregon. About 1865 he, with his family, moved to Polk county
and improved a farm near Dallas. In the spring and summer of '68 he drove a
large band of cattle to Bitter Root Valley, Mont. Returning the same year, he
bought land and continued his farming interests near Dallas, sending his older
children to the Dallas school. Believing that a change of climate would prove
beneficial to his wife, who was in ill health, in 1880 he removed to Washington
and settled near Spokane, where he bought and brought under cultivation a
desirable tract of land, on which he lived for a number of years.  Being
physically unable to continue the hard work of the farm, he sold it and returned
to his home in Dallas. His wife died in the spring of 1900 and was buried in the
Odd Fellows cemetery at Dallas.  Since 1900 he has made his home with his
children in Portland and Dallas, where he takes a lively interest in municipal
affairs, favors educational improvements and reforms, believes thoroughly in the
public school, the free library and other agencies for uplifting humanity, and
casts a Republican vote at every general election.
     The marriage of George D. Robinson in Lane county in 1854 united him with
Sarah Richardson, a native of Iowa and the granddaughter of a Revolutionary
soldier from Pennsylvania. Her father, William Richardson, was born in
Philadelphia, Pa., of Scotch descent, and settled in Iowa during the early days.
He served in the Black Hawk war. Accompanied by his family, he crossed the
plains in 1852 and settled in Lane county, Ore., but later removed to Polk
county, where he died in 1885.
     In the family of George D. and Sarah Robinson there were the following
named children: John W., who is now a farmer in Polk county; George Washington,
who died in infancy; Reuben F., county superintendent of schools of Multnomah
county; S. Elvira, Mrs. C. M. Cahill, of Spokane, Wash.; Abraham L., who is
engaged in the grain business at Waverly. Wash.; S. Grant, who is connected with
the Union Market Company in Portland; Mary A., wife of J. Card, of Dallas;
Georgia, who died in infancy; and J. Curtis, who is with the Great Northern
Railroad Company in Spokane.
     While the family were living near Junction City, Ore, R. F. Robinson was
born December 9, 1861. As a boy he attended district schools in Polk county and
for four years (1880-84) was a student in La Creole Academy, the intervening
vacations being devoted to teaching in Polk county. During the last two years of
his academic course he not only kept up with his classes, but also acted as
instructor in mathematics.  After his graduation he was chosen first assistant
teacher in the academy and in 1885 became principal. This position he resigned
in 1886 in order to accept the office of county superintendent of schools of
Polk county, to which he was elected on the Republican ticket. On the expiration
of his term, in 1888, he was elected principal of Central school and the East
Portland high school. On the consolidation of the city, the latter school was
merged into the Portland high school, and he continued as principal of Central
school until 1900, when, he was elected superintendent of schools, on the
Republican ticket, by a majority of about three thousand. The duties of the
office he assumed, in August of 1900, for a term of four years. 
     During the first year of Mr. Robinson's service as superintendent of
schools of Polk county he continued to act as academy principal as well, but
finding his new office required constant attention, he resigned his
principalship, and then gave much attention to the organization of the school
system there, re-writing the records of the school districts. Since then no
county superintendent in Polk county has ever divided his time, but has devoted
his attention exclusively to official duties. As a teacher his experience has
been varied. He has taught in country schools, has been principal of an academy
and principal of a high school, besides acting as superintendent of schools. In
the latter capacity he made a special study of methods of instruction for
institute work, and since 1900 he has acted as an instructor in a large number
of institutes in Oregon and Washington. He has closely organized the schools of
the county and carefully guards the educational interests wherever industry and
close attention will avail. He is a member of the executive committee of the
State Teachers' Association and is the regular instructor of the Multnomah
Teachers' Progress Club, an organization of teachers formed for the study of
methods and practical school problems.
     Aside from his educational work, Professor Robinson has taken a course in
law at the University of Oregon, from which he was graduated in 1898, with the
degree of LL. B., and during the same year was admitted to the bar. He has not
practiced law, but studied it for the benefit that would accrue to his regular
work. This knowledge of law he finds of importance to him in his chosen
profession. Politically he is a Republican and always takes an active part in
the county affairs. While at Dallas he was made a Mason in Jennings Lodge No. 9,
but is now connected with Washington Lodge No. 46, of Portland; also Washington
Chapter, R. A. M. In the Ancient Order of United Workmen he is connected with
Fidelity Lodge No. 4, of which he has been a leading officer. For five years he
was a member of the finance committee of the Grand Lodge of Oregon and is now
connected with the board of arbitration.  The Woodmen of the World also number
him among their members. His marriage occurred at Dallas in 1885 and united him
with Ella E, Hallock, who was born and educated in this state. Her father, Ezra
Y. Hallock, a native of Long Island, came via the Horn to Oregon in 1852 and
settled in Polk county, where he engaged in milling. The family of Professor and
Mrs. Robinson consists of six children, namely: Carl H., Earl N., Frank L.,
Reubey Faye, Warde and Claude.

     
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2009 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.