The Wisdom/Kroon Family

Fred Arthur (twin) ROBINSON (photo) was born on 30 Jul 1879 in Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa. He died on 13 Jun 1966 in Estherville, Iowa. Parents: John McIntyre ROBINSON and Martha ROWAN.

He was married to Cora Maloa BUCY on 3 Jun 1903 in Estherville, Iowa. Children were: Helen Eva ROBINSON, John Merrill ROBINSON, Martha Eliza ROBINSON.

Fred J. ROBINSON Parents: James ROBINSON and Chole Annabelle FRYE.

Harold ROBINSON Parents: Ira Thomas ROBINSON and Stella JEWELL.

Helen ROBINSON Parents: John Merrill ROBINSON.

Helen Eva ROBINSON was born on 15 Oct 1904 in Estherville, Iowa. She died on 14 Jun 1999 in Rose Valley, PA. Parents: Fred Arthur (twin) ROBINSON and Cora Maloa BUCY.

She was married to David Preston WISDOM on 27 May 1933 in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

Ira Thomas ROBINSON was born on 17 Aug 1875. Parents: John McIntyre ROBINSON and Martha ROWAN.

Children were: Lois ROBINSON, Harold ROBINSON.

Irwin James ROBINSON was born on 2 Nov 1870 in Rowan, Wright Co., Iowa. Parents: John McIntyre ROBINSON and Martha ROWAN.

James ROBINSON was born on 8 Aug 1830 in Enniskillen, Isle of Man, Ireland. He died on 4 Apr 1905 in Taylor County, TX. James Andrew Robinson moved to Canada from Ireland with father when he was 12 years old with a tutor. He fell in love with Chole Annabelle Frye, who was born 11 May, 1834 in Montreal, Canada. In spite of much opposition from her parents, he married her. He became a Methodist Preacher in Canada, then moved to the U.S. and switched to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and became a circuit rider, who rode horseback to make his rounds, leaving Monday morning and preaching at different ranches each night, coming home Saturday. It was said they always knew what was for supper Saturday night--scrambled eggs (eggs being given by people on the route). They moved to San Saba, TX and established a Mission, then moved toTaylor County and preached at Lemons Gap on Sundays. From there they moved to Buffalo Gap, TX.

Obit:
Brother Robinson came to Texas in 1878, joined the Little River
Presbytery,(he acted as State Clerk of said Presbytery) and later assisted
in forming the San Saba Texas Presbytery also the Buffalo Gap now Abilene
Presbytery. He acted as a missionary for said Presbytery. He heartily
favored union of the Clumberland Presbyterian and the Presbyterian Churches.
He was very anxious to see the consummation of the two churches. Such men
as Bro. Robinson will never die, though they fall asleep. We laid his body
to rest in the Buffalo Gap Cemetery on the 5 inst. A large crowd witnessed
the last of him in this world. After a funeral service by the pastor he was
buried in the I.O.O.F. honors. A good man has fallen. God bless the
bereaved.

Source: A sketch of Rev. J. A. Roberson's Life by W.J. Johnson,
Pastor, Buffalo Gap. The Western Presbyter, a Cumberland Presbyterian
Weekly, Thursday June 15, 1905, Dallas, Texas.
Parents: William M. ROBINSON and Margaret MCINTYRE.

Children were: Mary Frances ROBINSON , Fred J. ROBINSON, Abbie Lavina ROBINSON, Margaret ROBINSON, William H. ROBINSON, Ada F. ROBINSON, Amelia ROBINSON.

Jennie ROBINSON (photo) was born in 1864/65 in Windsor, Richmond, Quebec, Canada. She died after 1920 in Colebrook, New Hampshire. 1920 US Census shows Jennie entering US in 1890 and receiving her citizenship in 1893. She reports that her parents both were born in Ireland. She ran a boarding house with only one boarder in 1920, a Edd Corbett.

Kathryn Robinson Brunskill provided the picture which lists the people in the doorway as Aunt Jane and Uncle Burt. It is not Kathryn's handwriting. Helen Robinson Wisdom remembers that an aunt sent Vermont maple sugar candy at Christmastime. Kathryn remembered the candy as well. Parents: Jane ROWAN .

John McIntyre ROBINSON (photo) was born on 22 Aug 1837 in Fermanaugh, Ireland. It could be that John was not born in the same place as his brother James. James was born in Enniskellen, Ireland, according to Hugh Cleveland and some information from IGI at LDS Family History Center he found. He died on 23 Apr 1913 in Estherville, Iowa. Helen Robinson Wisdom remembers her grandfather, John Robinson, working at the school after the family to town from the farm. He used to be the one that rang the school bell, that marked the official beginning of school. If he saw a child running to make it on time, he used to hold the bell until the child was in the school.

After moving into town, John and Martha Robinson lived in the house known to the family as "Aunt Eva's" house on 6th Street. The farm on the outskirts stayed in the family for awhile and the Helen remembers that the family used to take picnics out to the farm in nice weather. There was a tiny log cabin that the children thought was quaint and had trouble thinking of their father and his family living there. Parents: William M. ROBINSON and Margaret MCINTYRE.

He was married to Martha ROWAN in 1863 in Windsor Mills, Richmond County, Quebec. The following story was related to Kathryn Robinson by her aunt, Eva Robinson Bradley, when
Kathryn was in High School. Kathryn used it for a composition assignment. I found a carbon copy that had been typed by Helen for Eva Robinson Foremaster, a first cousin of Helen’s and Kathryn’s who had written asking for family information. I’ve added some corrections or additions in parentheses.

"How many years ago, I do not know, a young man by the name of [William] Rowan, a native of
Scotland, was left a small legacy. Being of a practical turn of mind he moved to Belfast, Ireland
when he was twenty years of age and there purchased for himself a linen factory. Due to his native
shrewdness he prospered and as his business grew he took into partnership his wife’s brother,
Alexander T. Stuart.
Two great tragedies, the burning of his mill and the sudden death of his young wife, turned his
thoughts toward America which was then the Land of Promise and in the year of 1823 [1841],
accompanied by his brother-in-law, Mr. Stuart, he set sail for America in an open sailboat. For
fourteen weeks they were tossed about by the ocean. At one time a terrible storm arose and they
wandered far from their course and thought for a time never to see land again. Mr. Rowan, who was
my great-grandfather, became acquainted on the trip across with an Irish lad who was but seven
[four] years of age by the name of John Robinson, my grandfather, who with his parents [and
brothers and sisters] was going to Canada.
When the little boat finally landed in New York, [Canada] great-grandfather Rowan and Mr. Stuart
started a business in linen trading—traveling from New York to Chicago. They finally agreed to
separate and Mr. Stuart settled in New York and the Rowans (for great-grandfather had remarried)
moved to Canada where they settled on a tract of land ninety miles from Montreal [in the village of
Windsor Mills, Quebec]. For neighbors they had his friends of the boat, the Robinsons.
The young people of the two families were constantly together. That romance should flourish in such
conditions is natural and the result was the marriage of Martha Rowan to John Robinson in 1865.
They decided to make their home in the West and traveled by train to Iowa Falls and then by
stagecoach to Wright County where they settled on a farm near Rowan. [The newly weds settled
close to Martha’s uncle and a cousin. The town was named for her uncle, as it was on his land.]
Twenty years later they moved to Estherville and settled about four miles southeast of town. Their
log cabin housed a happy family consisting of six children Eva, William, Ira, Irwin and the twins
Fredrick and Edward. After farming for eight years they moved to town. Fredrick, my father, came
to town with his parents and entered the service of the Government as a postal employee. In the year 1903 he married Miss Cora Bucy."

Passing on stories from one generation to the next tends to lead to distortions—either exaggerating or
minimizing what happened. Many accounts of the passage from Ireland to America are truly horrific.
The severity of the passage was probably why the Rowan and Robinson families bonded so closely together. A graphic account of ships arriving in Canada from Ireland, at the height of the Irish potato famine, is given by Andrea Barrett in Ship Fever. It is written as if by a physician in charge of
clearing the ships’ occupants for landing in Montreal, like Ellis Island. Most of the ships arrived with
rampant sickness, dead and half-dead travelers. Since the small craft that the Robinsons and Rowans came on was lost at sea provisions must have been short and many were probably lost.

The account given by Kathryn, told by Aunt Eva, had the ship landing in New York. That is unlikely. The Robinsons and Rowans both settled in Quebec Province, Canada. (The price of going from Ireland to New York was twice as expensive as that to Canada.) The Rowan family made a short stab at living in Connecticut after William Rowan remarried and had a family, but emigration to the United States and elsewhere was made by a later generation.

A different version of that story comes from Martha Rowan Robinson’s obituary written by the editor
of the newspaper. His mother, Mrs. Carpenter, was Martha Robinson’s good friend and a neighbor
when both families farmed four miles south of Estherville and after moving to town. Excerpts from the
paper, The Democrat:

"Martha Rowan Robinson was born at Montreal, Canada, March 14, 1843. She was the oldest child of a family of seven children born to William and Catherine Rowan, of whom one brother and one
sister survive her. During her youth her parents moved to Waterbury, Connecticut, where was
located a Shaker school which she attended for some time. Later they returned to Canada and settled at Windsor Mills. Here she continued her education for awhile.
On November 4, 1863 she was married to John M. Robinson. Their acquaintance dated from their early childhood, and in later years Mr. Robinson remarked that he clearly remembered rocking her in her cradle, as they were near neighbors. They settled in a home at Windsor Mills where they continued for two years. In 1865, they moved to Iowa and settled at Rowan, which town was named after her uncle on whose place the town site was located. After a residence of thirteen years [1878], they moved to a farm near Clear Lake, Iowa. In the fall of 1886, they came to Estherville and settled about four miles southeast of town. Eight years later they moved into town where for thirty-two years they have made their home.
Their family consisted of six children: Mrs. Eva C. Bradley, Estherville; William J. and Ira Thomas,
California; Irwin J. and Frederick, Estherville; Edward J., who died but a short time after his father
passed away in 1913. Mrs. Robinson was from a long lived sturdy stock, from Ireland. She had a
strong constitution and looked well after her family and home."

The Canadian census data for Windsor Mills, Quebec shows the Robinson family grew and moved
around in Canada. Four more children were born in two different locations—Lachin[e], a suburb of
Montreal, now; and Sherbrooke, a town located south of Windsor Mills on the same river. The
Rowan family had also grown. William remarried to a woman named Catherine Morris. Their first
child is Martha. The 1871 census data shows the families growing up after Martha and John had left
for Iowa.

John and Martha Robinson with children Eva, 4, and Willie, 2, are in the 1870 census for Wright
County, Iowa. Robert Rowan, with wife Elizabeth and a child Katie Rowan, 7 are also in the area.
This is probably the uncle referred to in the obituary. In addition, it appears that Martha’s brother,
James Rowan, and his family are there.
When John and Martha Robinson moved to Clear Lake, Iowa, they were in the company or joined
John’s older brother James Robinson and family. James had probably been on the boat with the
Rowans too, but not mentioned in Aunt Eva’s story. He came as a surprise to most members of the
Estherville branch of the family. However, James’ daughter, Abigail, moved to Estherville with her
aunt, uncle and cousins. There she married Gus Peterson. Christmas was always celebrated at Aunt
Abbie and Uncle Gus’ house. Here is what Helen wrote about it when she was 92:

There were between 25 and 30 members of the family that got together on holidays. Christmas was
always at the Peterson house on North 7th Street. The celebration was on Christmas Eve with dinner
first and then the tree. The tree was so beautiful—tall and ablaze with many white, lighted candles. It
stood in the hall and the children sat on the lower steps. Uncle Gus was Santa Claus. He arrived with
bells and a bag of toys. He called our names and gave us our gifts, then started on the older members
of the family. When he came to a package for himself he would call “Gus, Gus. Where is Gus?”
Then he’d put the gift to one side and say, “Too bad he’s late. I’ll keep it for him.” Christmas itself
was a dull day at home. We had stockings but all the excitement was the previous night.

The Rowan family stayed in touch with each other even though they were far apart. Here is a letter
from Martha’s half-brother who was living in Port Lincoln, South Australia:

Port Lincoln
October 29, 1871
Dear Brother,
I received your kind and welcome letter date August the 6th on Oct. the 27th that is just two days ago
so you see that I have not lost much time in answering it. we were glad to hear that you were well, but
sory for the hear that Joseph had been so ill, we are all well here at present thank God, and we hope
that this will find you still enjoying good health we were thinking that something was wrong for I
have received no letters from Father nor any of the rest since you wrote before, that last letter that I
had from Robert Duffy was dated September 16th, 1869 and the last from Father was dated Feby the
11th 1870 so you see it is more than 18 months since he last wrote to me, and it is over 16 months
since Martha last wrote to me, I am afraid that I never will see America again, you want to know
what I do for a living. I have been employed amongst seep for a good many years, this is a great
country for sheep I was employed for about 5 years by two brothers by the name of Browne they
were both Doctors but in place of their profession they ware owners of about 200,000 sheep I am on
a sheep run now but not for them there is 16,000 sheep on this run, the wages at present is 5 dollars
per week and we are all found in food, two years ago I had 7-1/2 dollars a week and all found in
food, but the prise of wool has been so low in England for a good while that the wage has been
lowered, the runs in paddocks of about 3,000 sheep in each paddock. the most of the work is to keep
the fenses in repair and to muster the sheep ocasionly and class then before putting the Rams among
the Ewes, then the most be mustered again for to cut the Lambs, and then mustered again at
Shearing time we are just in the middle of the Shearing now, the mustering all done on horse back
there is 20 saddle horses for 5 men so they get spelled abut so that they wont knock up, so there is a
great deal of riding done here then besides the 20 that belongs to the Station each of us has his own
Horse and Saddle and Bridle so that if we want for to go any plase on our own business we take our
own Horse, we got your Portrait all right and much oblidged to you for it, but I am sory for to have
to say that we cannot send the wifes nor Mary Anns yet for we have had no chance for to get them
taken as yet, but you must have patiance and continue writing so that we may know whare you are, so
that when we do get them taken that we may know whare for to send them to I wrote to Father also to
Martha and to Robert Duffey at the same time that I wrote to you the last letter that was on the 21st
of January 1871, so we are expecting letters from Some of them every mail, we have had a very fine
winter here I supose you know that this is one of our Spring months for when it is winter with you it
is Summer with us as we are in the opposite side of the world we have to look north for the Sun a 12
o’clock while you have to look South, I cannot think of any more at present give our kind love to
Father and Mother and all the rest and let them know that we are quite well We join in Sending our
love to you
From your Afft. Brother
W. J. Rowan
Address
W.J. Rowan
Port Lincoln
South Australia Write Soon Children were: Eva C. ROBINSON , William John ROBINSON, Irwin James ROBINSON, Ira Thomas ROBINSON, Fred Arthur (twin) ROBINSON, Edward Joseph (twin) ROBINSON .

John Merrill ROBINSON was born on 6 Feb 1906 in Estherville, Iowa. He died after 1962 in Washington, DC area. Parents: Fred Arthur (twin) ROBINSON and Cora Maloa BUCY.

Children were: Helen ROBINSON, Martha ROBINSON, Lynn ROBINSON.

Lois ROBINSON . Parents: Ira Thomas ROBINSON and Stella JEWELL.

Lynn ROBINSON . Parents: John Merrill ROBINSON.

Margaret ROBINSON. Parents: James ROBINSON and Chole Annabelle FRYE.

Martha ROBINSON. Parents: John Merrill ROBINSON.

Martha Eliza ROBINSON (photo) was born on 22 May 1916 in Estherville, Iowa. She died on 11 Sep 1978 in Estherville, Iowa. Parents: Fred Arthur (twin) ROBINSON and Cora Maloa BUCY .

She was married to Robert Frederick SEYLAR on 15 Jun 1950 in Little Brown Church, Nashua, Ia..

Mary Frances ROBINSON Parents: James ROBINSON and Chole Annabelle FRYE.

William ROBINSON was born in 1844 in Windsor, Quebec, Canada. Parents: William M. ROBINSON and Margaret MCINTYRE.

William H. ROBINSON Parents: James ROBINSON and Chole Annabelle FRYE.

William John ROBINSON was born on 1 Nov 1867 in Rowan, Wright Co., Iowa. Parents: John McIntyre ROBINSON and Martha ROWAN.

William M. ROBINSON died between 1849 and 1861 in Windsor, Richmond, Quebec, Canada. He was born in Northern Ireland. Windsor, Quebec, Canada is in the atlas, 91 miles from Montreal. Aunt Eva told Kathryn Brunskill that they lived 90 miles from Montreal. Obituary lists the place as Windsor Mills. Wm. was a merchant in Ireland who became a bookkeeper in Canada. e-Mail from Olwyn Robinson states that Robinson was spelled 7 different ways by the army because Wm. could not write and signed with an X. How does a bookkeeper do that?

Children were: James ROBINSON, John McIntyre ROBINSON, William ROBINSON, Emma ROBINSON, Erwin ROBINSON.

Grietje ROUENDAL.

Children were: Berend DE VOS.

ROWAN . Parents: William J. ROWAN and Mary UNKNOWN.

Catherine ROWAN was born in 1861 in Windsor, Richmond, Quebec, Canada. Parents: William ROWAN and Catherine MORRIS.

Daniel ROWAN was born in 1848 in Connecticutt. Parents: William ROWAN and Catherine MORRIS.

Estella ROWAN was born in 1868 in Iowa. Parents: Joseph ROWAN and Georgeanna UNKNOWN.

James ROWAN was born in 1844 in Lachine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. James and his wife Lucinda appear in the 1870 Federal Census , living in Wright Co., Iowa. Living in the same location as John M. Robinson and wife Martha Rowan. Parents: William ROWAN and Catherine MORRIS .

Jane ROWAN was born in Windsor, Canada or Ireland. This is surmise. Aunt Jane was supposed to live in NH or VT. Picture found of Jennie R. Covell and Uncle Bert Covell. Census data makes Jennie & Bert too old to be same generation as other Robinsons in family. Parents: William ROWAN and Catherine MORRIS.

Children were: Jennie ROBINSON.

John ROWAN was born in 1855 in Sherbrook, Canada. Parents: William ROWAN and Catherine MORRIS.

Joseph ROWAN was born between 1847 and 1849 in Connecticutt. Joseph, age 25, is living in Wright Co., IA with brother James and sister Martha at the time of the US Federal Census of 1870. In 1870 Joseph Rowen is living in Rowen, IA with James, Martha and an Uncle Robert. There is a discrepency in the dates between the Canadian census and Iowa census. It is possible this is a cousin, but there was a Joseph Rowan born in CT, brother of James and Martha of approximately the same age. Parents: William ROWAN and Catherine MORRIS.

Children were: Estella ROWAN .

Katie ROWAN was born in 1863 in Iowa. Katie may not be the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth. They are a little old to be her parents. Elizabeth would have been in her late fifties at the time of Katie's birth. Parents: Robert ROWAN and Unknown ELIZABETH.

Martha ROWAN (photo) was born on 14 Mar 1843 in Lachine, Montreal, Quebec. She died in Estherville, Iowa. See notes under John Robinson family. Unlike Eliza Jane Lohr Bucy, Martha Rowan Robinson did not tell stories about her adventures as an Iowa pioneer. The notes that follow are from an obituary, most of the information supplied by a long-time friend who happened to be the editor's wife.

Parents: William ROWAN and Catherine MORRIS.

She was married to John McIntyre ROBINSON in 1863 in Windsor Mills, Richmond County, Quebec. The following story was related to Kathryn Robinson by her aunt, Eva Robinson Bradley, when
Kathryn was in High School. Kathryn used it for a composition assignment. I found a carbon copy that had been typed by Helen for Eva Robinson Foremaster, a first cousin of Helen’s and Kathryn’s who had written asking for family information. I’ve added some corrections or additions in parentheses.

"How many years ago, I do not know, a young man by the name of [William] Rowan, a native of
Scotland, was left a small legacy. Being of a practical turn of mind he moved to Belfast, Ireland
when he was twenty years of age and there purchased for himself a linen factory. Due to his native
shrewdness he prospered and as his business grew he took into partnership his wife’s brother,
Alexander T. Stuart.
Two great tragedies, the burning of his mill and the sudden death of his young wife, turned his
thoughts toward America which was then the Land of Promise and in the year of 1823 [1841],
accompanied by his brother-in-law, Mr. Stuart, he set sail for America in an open sailboat. For
fourteen weeks they were tossed about by the ocean. At one time a terrible storm arose and they
wandered far from their course and thought for a time never to see land again. Mr. Rowan, who was
my great-grandfather, became acquainted on the trip across with an Irish lad who was but seven
[four] years of age by the name of John Robinson, my grandfather, who with his parents [and
brothers and sisters] was going to Canada.
When the little boat finally landed in New York, [Canada] great-grandfather Rowan and Mr. Stuart
started a business in linen trading—traveling from New York to Chicago. They finally agreed to
separate and Mr. Stuart settled in New York and the Rowans (for great-grandfather had remarried)
moved to Canada where they settled on a tract of land ninety miles from Montreal [in the village of
Windsor Mills, Quebec]. For neighbors they had his friends of the boat, the Robinsons.
The young people of the two families were constantly together. That romance should flourish in such
conditions is natural and the result was the marriage of Martha Rowan to John Robinson in 1865.
They decided to make their home in the West and traveled by train to Iowa Falls and then by
stagecoach to Wright County where they settled on a farm near Rowan. [The newly weds settled
close to Martha’s uncle and a cousin. The town was named for her uncle, as it was on his land.]
Twenty years later they moved to Estherville and settled about four miles southeast of town. Their
log cabin housed a happy family consisting of six children Eva, William, Ira, Irwin and the twins
Fredrick and Edward. After farming for eight years they moved to town. Fredrick, my father, came
to town with his parents and entered the service of the Government as a postal employee. In the year 1903 he married Miss Cora Bucy."

Passing on stories from one generation to the next tends to lead to distortions—either exaggerating or
minimizing what happened. Many accounts of the passage from Ireland to America are truly horrific.
The severity of the passage was probably why the Rowan and Robinson families bonded so closely together. A graphic account of ships arriving in Canada from Ireland, at the height of the Irish potato famine, is given by Andrea Barrett in Ship Fever. It is written as if by a physician in charge of
clearing the ships’ occupants for landing in Montreal, like Ellis Island. Most of the ships arrived with
rampant sickness, dead and half-dead travelers. Since the small craft that the Robinsons and Rowans came on was lost at sea provisions must have been short and many were probably lost.

The account given by Kathryn, told by Aunt Eva, had the ship landing in New York. That is unlikely. The Robinsons and Rowans both settled in Quebec Province, Canada. (The price of going from Ireland to New York was twice as expensive as that to Canada.) The Rowan family made a short stab at living in Connecticut after William Rowan remarried and had a family, but emigration to the United States and elsewhere was made by a later generation.

A different version of that story comes from Martha Rowan Robinson’s obituary written by the editor
of the newspaper. His mother, Mrs. Carpenter, was Martha Robinson’s good friend and a neighbor
when both families farmed four miles south of Estherville and after moving to town. Excerpts from the
paper, The Democrat:

"Martha Rowan Robinson was born at Montreal, Canada, March 14, 1843. She was the oldest child of a family of seven children born to William and Catherine Rowan, of whom one brother and one
sister survive her. During her youth her parents moved to Waterbury, Connecticut, where was
located a Shaker school which she attended for some time. Later they returned to Canada and settled at Windsor Mills. Here she continued her education for awhile.
On November 4, 1863 she was married to John M. Robinson. Their acquaintance dated from their early childhood, and in later years Mr. Robinson remarked that he clearly remembered rocking her in her cradle, as they were near neighbors. They settled in a home at Windsor Mills where they continued for two years. In 1865, they moved to Iowa and settled at Rowan, which town was named after her uncle on whose place the town site was located. After a residence of thirteen years [1878], they moved to a farm near Clear Lake, Iowa. In the fall of 1886, they came to Estherville and settled about four miles southeast of town. Eight years later they moved into town where for thirty-two years they have made their home.
Their family consisted of six children: Mrs. Eva C. Bradley, Estherville; William J. and Ira Thomas,
California; Irwin J. and Frederick, Estherville; Edward J., who died but a short time after his father
passed away in 1913. Mrs. Robinson was from a long lived sturdy stock, from Ireland. She had a
strong constitution and looked well after her family and home."

The Canadian census data for Windsor Mills, Quebec shows the Robinson family grew and moved
around in Canada. Four more children were born in two different locations—Lachin[e], a suburb of
Montreal, now; and Sherbrooke, a town located south of Windsor Mills on the same river. The
Rowan family had also grown. William remarried to a woman named Catherine Morris. Their first
child is Martha. The 1871 census data shows the families growing up after Martha and John had left
for Iowa.

John and Martha Robinson with children Eva, 4, and Willie, 2, are in the 1870 census for Wright
County, Iowa. Robert Rowan, with wife Elizabeth and a child Katie Rowan, 7 are also in the area.
This is probably the uncle referred to in the obituary. In addition, it appears that Martha’s brother,
James Rowan, and his family are there.
When John and Martha Robinson moved to Clear Lake, Iowa, they were in the company or joined
John’s older brother James Robinson and family. James had probably been on the boat with the
Rowans too, but not mentioned in Aunt Eva’s story. He came as a surprise to most members of the
Estherville branch of the family. However, James’ daughter, Abigail, moved to Estherville with her
aunt, uncle and cousins. There she married Gus Peterson. Christmas was always celebrated at Aunt
Abbie and Uncle Gus’ house. Here is what Helen wrote about it when she was 92:

There were between 25 and 30 members of the family that got together on holidays. Christmas was
always at the Peterson house on North 7th Street. The celebration was on Christmas Eve with dinner
first and then the tree. The tree was so beautiful—tall and ablaze with many white, lighted candles. It
stood in the hall and the children sat on the lower steps. Uncle Gus was Santa Claus. He arrived with
bells and a bag of toys. He called our names and gave us our gifts, then started on the older members
of the family. When he came to a package for himself he would call “Gus, Gus. Where is Gus?”
Then he’d put the gift to one side and say, “Too bad he’s late. I’ll keep it for him.” Christmas itself
was a dull day at home. We had stockings but all the excitement was the previous night.

The Rowan family stayed in touch with each other even though they were far apart. Here is a letter
from Martha’s half-brother who was living in Port Lincoln, South Australia:

Port Lincoln
October 29, 1871
Dear Brother,
I received your kind and welcome letter date August the 6th on Oct. the 27th that is just two days ago
so you see that I have not lost much time in answering it. we were glad to hear that you were well, but
sory for the hear that Joseph had been so ill, we are all well here at present thank God, and we hope
that this will find you still enjoying good health we were thinking that something was wrong for I
have received no letters from Father nor any of the rest since you wrote before, that last letter that I
had from Robert Duffy was dated September 16th, 1869 and the last from Father was dated Feby the
11th 1870 so you see it is more than 18 months since he last wrote to me, and it is over 16 months
since Martha last wrote to me, I am afraid that I never will see America again, you want to know
what I do for a living. I have been employed amongst seep for a good many years, this is a great
country for sheep I was employed for about 5 years by two brothers by the name of Browne they
were both Doctors but in place of their profession they ware owners of about 200,000 sheep I am on
a sheep run now but not for them there is 16,000 sheep on this run, the wages at present is 5 dollars
per week and we are all found in food, two years ago I had 7-1/2 dollars a week and all found in
food, but the prise of wool has been so low in England for a good while that the wage has been
lowered, the runs in paddocks of about 3,000 sheep in each paddock. the most of the work is to keep
the fenses in repair and to muster the sheep ocasionly and class then before putting the Rams among
the Ewes, then the most be mustered again for to cut the Lambs, and then mustered again at
Shearing time we are just in the middle of the Shearing now, the mustering all done on horse back
there is 20 saddle horses for 5 men so they get spelled abut so that they wont knock up, so there is a
great deal of riding done here then besides the 20 that belongs to the Station each of us has his own
Horse and Saddle and Bridle so that if we want for to go any plase on our own business we take our
own Horse, we got your Portrait all right and much oblidged to you for it, but I am sory for to have
to say that we cannot send the wifes nor Mary Anns yet for we have had no chance for to get them
taken as yet, but you must have patiance and continue writing so that we may know whare you are, so
that when we do get them taken that we may know whare for to send them to I wrote to Father also to
Martha and to Robert Duffey at the same time that I wrote to you the last letter that was on the 21st
of January 1871, so we are expecting letters from Some of them every mail, we have had a very fine
winter here I supose you know that this is one of our Spring months for when it is winter with you it
is Summer with us as we are in the opposite side of the world we have to look north for the Sun a 12
o’clock while you have to look South, I cannot think of any more at present give our kind love to
Father and Mother and all the rest and let them know that we are quite well We join in Sending our
love to you
From your Afft. Brother
W. J. Rowan
Address
W.J. Rowan
Port Lincoln
South Australia Write Soon Children were: Eva C. ROBINSON , William John ROBINSON, Irwin James ROBINSON, Ira Thomas ROBINSON, Fred Arthur (twin) ROBINSON, Edward Joseph (twin) ROBINSON .

Mary Ann ROWAN Parents: William J. ROWAN and Mary UNKNOWN.

Robert ROWAN was born in 1803 in Ireland. Robert Rowan is apparently the uncle that the three younger Rowan families went to join when they emigrated from Canada. Also living in the Robert Rowan household was a Katie Rowan, age 7, born in Iowa. Not clear whose child she might be. Possibly a granddaughter. Parents: Unknown ROWAN and UNKNOWN .

Children were: Katie ROWAN.

Thomas ROWAN was born in 1846 in Lachine, Montreal, Quebec. Parents: William ROWAN and Catherine MORRIS.

Unknown ROWAN

Children were: William ROWAN, Robert ROWAN.

William ROWAN was born in 1799 in Ireland or Scotland. He immigrated in 1840 to Ireland. He died on 3 May 1890 in Lachine, Montreal, Quebec. He 's family originally came from Scotland. Family may have come from Glascow, Scotland. Remembrance of family history that was written sometime before WWI, recollection of Helen Robinson.

Grandson, Wm. Robinson might have gone to Scotland in search of family holdings. Wm. Rowan invested in Irish lace mill that burned. Not poor to do that.

Parents: Unknown ROWAN and UNKNOWN.

Children were: Jane ROWAN, Martha ROWAN, James ROWAN, Thomas ROWAN, Daniel ROWAN, Joseph ROWAN, John ROWAN, Catherine ROWAN.

Children were: William J. ROWAN .

William J. ROWAN was born in Ireland. William Rowan emigrated to Port Lincoln, South Australia and was a sheep herder. Two of his letters to a brother were found and the text will be added here later. The letters detail the life in Australia on a sheep station pretty well.

Letters were found and sent to some family members by Elaine Calvert, granddaughter (?) of Ed Robinson, twin of Fred Robinson.

One letter twice mentions a Robert Duff(e)y as if he were a member of the family. Parents: William ROWAN and UNKNOWN.

Children were: Mary Ann ROWAN, ROWAN, ROWAN, ROWAN .

Jantje RUCHTI (Private).

Children were: Hermina Lammechina HENDRIKS.

Margaret RUTHERFORD.

She was married to Daniel WATEROUS in 1825 in New York NY.

Anna SAMMS was born on 2 May 1761 in Moreland Twp., Montgomery County, PA. She died on 19 Apr 1836 in Miami County, OH. Parents: Nathaniel SAMMS and Ann KIRK.

She was married to Joseph PRESTON in Nov 1800 in Horsham Meeting, Montgomery Co., PA. Children were: Rebecca PRESTON.

Nathaniel SAMMS

Children were: Anna SAMMS.

Amlie SANDERS.

Annetje SCHUIJT was born on 3 Apr 1810. She died on 22 Jul 1847. Parents: Cornelis SCHUIJT and Jacoba KORVER.

Children were: Reinoutie BOS.

Cornelis SCHUIJT.

Children were: Annetje SCHUIJT.

Rebecca Marie SEVERNS.

Children were: George COOPER , Lola COOPER, William Wager COOPER, Elmer COOPER, Harry COOPER, Francis COOPER, Bessie COOPER.

Fred SEYLAR was born in Swea City, Iowa (?).

Children were: Robert Frederick SEYLAR, Maurice SEYLAR, Kenneth SEYLAR.

Kenneth SEYLAR. Parents: Fred SEYLAR.

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