My Genealogy Hound

William H. Robb, publisher and one of the owners of the Morning American, is a man of much more than local influence in his section of Iowa and one whose labors have been discerningly directed along well defined lines in support of many progressive public movements. He was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, on Christmas day of 1847.

His father, Henry Robb, who was descended from Irish ancestry and from a family represented in the colonial army of the Revolutionary war, was born in Pennsylvania and in early manhood learned and followed the carpenter’s trade. In 1856 he arrived in Iowa, locating near Afton in Union township on land which he purchased from the government, also entering a tract adjoining. There he spent his remaining days and was regarded as a substantial farmer and an alert and enterprising business man. He broke and cleared most of the land himself, bringing his fields under a high state of cultivation, and he also raised some cattle and horses and fed a large number of sheep. He belonged to the Episcopal church and at Highland organized what was probably the first Sunday school in the county, at which time Highland was about as large as any town in the county. In politics he was an old line whig, afterward became an ardent abolitionist and when the republican party was formed to prevent the further extension of slavery he joined its ranks, voting for Fremont and successive presidential candidates. Among his friends and neighbors he occupied an enviable position up to the time of his death, which occurred in the spring of 1864. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Margaret Ann Harris, was a native of Pennsylvania and died in June, 1905, at the very advanced age of eighty-five years. The lineage of her family is traced to Scotland. Mrs. Robb was a member of the Episcopal church but as there was no organization of that denomination in this county she joined the Methodist church. By her marriage she became the mother of six children: Mary Jane, who is the widow of William H. H. Bliss, who was a farmer and stock-raiser at Greeley, Colorado, where she is now living; William H.; Samuel E., a farmer of Greeley, Colorado; Charles W., who follows carpentering in Des Moines; Alonzo P., who is managing his sister’s property at Greelly, Colorado; and Amelia, now deceased.

William H. Robb was reared to farm life and attended the country schools. Subsequently he became a pupil in the Nebraska City College and for five winters he engaged in teaching school. He also taught in Nebraska College while pursuing his studies there and when he had acquired a good literary education to serve as the foundation upon which to rear the structure of professional learning he took up the study of law in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He afterward returned to the farm to assist his widowed mother and was thus engaged until 1876, when he entered the newspaper field, in the spring of 1877 establishing the Independent American at Afton. In the spring of 1878 he removed the plant to Creston and in 1893 he established the Morning American. This paper was incorporated in 1893 and is now conducted by the Independent American Publishing Company. A semi-weekly and a daily paper are published by the company and the paper is democratic in its political affiliation. It has an extensive circulation and a large advertising patronage, being well supported by the merchants of the city. The daily is a six column quarto and the semi-weekly is an eight column folio. Since becoming connected with journalism Mr. Robb has made steady progress in this great field of activity and is now one of the best known newspaper men in his section of the state.

In 1872 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Robb and Miss Catherine A. White, they being the first couple married in Creston. Mrs. Robb was a daughter of Mrs. Minerva White, who, having lost her husband in Pennsylvania, brought her family to Iowa in 1867, locating in Afton. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Robb were born five children: Alice, now deceased; Jessie, the wife of William M. Hyland, a court reporter of Osceola; Cecil B., the wife of Edward K. Milmine in the auditor’s office of the Union Pacific Railroad Company at Omaha; Harry, a merchant of Nampa, Idaho; and William Gladstone, who is with his brother Harry. The wife and mother died in 1893 and in 1896 Mr. Robb was again married, his second union being with Ida M. White, who was born near Sigourney, Iowa, in 1867, a daughter of Hon. Fred E. White, ex-member of the congress from the sixth Iowa district. He is now living in Keokuk county, and is a farmer and stockman, Unto Mr. and Mrs. Robb has been born a daughter, Rosalind Ruth, now in school.

The parents are members of the Episcopal church and Mr. Robb is serving as chairman of its board of trustees. His fraternal affiliation is with the Odd Fellows and with the Elks and of the latter he is present exalted ruler. In politics he is a stanch and uncompromising democrat and has represented the second ward on the board of aldermen. He was also a member of the legislature from the fourteenth district for two terms and was first assistant clerk of the lower house through one session. In 1896 he ran against Colonel Hepburn for congress and succeeded in greatly reducing the republican majority. Colonel Hepburn was elected by only eight hundred and twenty-seven while at the previous election he received a majority of four thousand one hundred and thirty-four, a fact which indicates Mr. Robb’s personal popularity and the confidence and trust reposed in him. He is now serving for the third term as clerk of Creston and his well known devotion to the interests of the city leads to his re-elections, which are expressions of popular approval concerning his official policy. He started out upon his business career with little assistance but has risen step by step through indefatigable industry to success, honor and influence. He is held in the highest respect by young and old, rich and poor, and his example is well worthy of emulation by those who have regard for a life devoted to the principles of honor and honesty.