My Genealogy Hound

Robert Robyn, the present popular cashier of the Hermann Savings Bank, was born at St. Louis, Mo., March 24, 1852, and is the second of seven children born to Henry and Alvine (Angelrodt) Robyn. The former was born near Emrich, in Holland, September 9, 1824, the son of Deidrich Robyn, a cloth dealer of that place, and in 1841 he immigrated to America, locating at St. Louis, where he followed the profession of music teaching, teaching in the public schools a number of years, and also in the State Blind Aslyum, where he adopted the now universal Braille system to music, for the blind, and invented the type for printing the same. In November, 1878, he started to return to his old home on a visit, but, while en route, the vessel on which he took passage collided with another, and he was drowned. The mother of Robert was born at Carlsruhe, Baden, May 15, 1831, the daughter of Ernst C. Angelrodt, of Baden, who for several years was the Baden German consul at St. Louis, and later consul general for the Grand Duchy of Baden. He was quite prominent in St. Louis affairs, platted and laid out the town of New Bremen, as an addition to the city of St. Louis, and was one of the incorporators and an original director in the Missouri Pacific Railway, etc. Returning to his native country, he died there in 1872. Mrs. Robyn now resides in New York City, where she moved in 1879. The subject of this sketch was reared at St. Louis, obtaining a good education in the public schools, and in March, 1866, accepted a position in a commission house. Later he entered the employ of the Traders’ Bank, and afterward was appointed messenger of the St. Louis city council. In 1870 he commenced rail-roading as brakeman on the Missouri Pacific, came to Hermann in February, 1875, and since that time has been variously engaged. In 1876 he was occupied in the grocery business; in 1877 was appointed justice of the peace, and the same year was also appointed town clerk and elected to the school board; in 1878 he discontinued the grocery business; in April, 1879, was re-appointed town clerk and re-elected to the school board. In May, 1879, he entered into the real estate business with Mr. E. Neuenhahn, and purchased a set of title abstracts of Gasconade County; in April, 1880, was a delegate to the Missouri Immigration Convention; on the 19th of the same month was appointed cashier of the Hermann Savings Bank, and in May, 1883, elected a director; in 1884 was made president of the school board, and again in 1885; in September, 1884, was elected chairman of the Eleventh Congressional District Republican Committee, and in 1886 served as chairman of the Congressional Convention at Rolla. In April, 1886, he was elected treasurer of the school board, and in 1887, president. Mr. Robyn was married August 22, 1874, to Carolina Wesselhoeft, who was born in New York, January 11, 1851, the daughter of CarlWesselhoeft.. They have one son, Hans Bodo, born September 9, 1877.