Hiram F. Robbins

    Hiram F. Robbins, farmer, Monroe Township, was born in Worcester County, Massachusetts. His parents were Rufus Robbins and Harriet Farnham, both natives of Massachusetts. His father died when he was eight years old. He lived a few years with a man named Smith, who was a man of wealth and influence; while here he was educated in business and chose a guardian, Daniel Fisk. He began to learn the trade of a carpenter with a man named Wilson, in Southbridge, and served as an apprentice for three years and saved all his money. He then went to work at farming. He attended the manual labor school at Worster, it being so constituted that boys could work their way to education. While here he worked at stone masonry. He then went to work at his trade and built a house for a cotton manufacturer.

    After that he started to New Orleans to work at his trade of carpenter, but at Steubenville, Ohio, he met with a Mr. Cook, who was a contractor, and was employed by him, He was made the superintendent of the work by Cook. He came to Madison, Indiana, December 13, 1838, on the old steamboat "Columbia."

    Here he was employed by the civil engineers of the railroad which was being constructed at that time. Next he began to work at house building; he worked on the First Presbyterian Church on Main street (this church stood on eh south side of Main street and the west side of the alley)., and on many other houses well known to old citizens.

    In 1841 he married Miss Amanda Cosby, the daughter of Archibel Cosby, a native of Kentucky. From this marriage came five children: Charles, Benjamin, William H., Edward and Amanda Eliza. William H. died when five years old and Amanda Eliza while an infant. Mrs. Robbins died September 20, 1856, aged thirty-one years one month and eighteen days.

    In 1860 he was married a second time to Miss Ella Crittenden, of Columbus, Indiana. There were two children born of this marriage, Willie C. and Albert B. Willis is married to Miss Alice Hilbert, and lives in Monroe Township. Albert B. is unmarried and lives in Illinois. Mr. Robbins was contractor for and built more houses in Madison than any other man who worked in the city. From 1840 to 1852 he carried on a shop as builder and contractor. In 1852 he built a furniture manufactory, the second built in the State. He operated this for twenty-eight years, shipping furniture all over the country. In 1877 he bought a farm in Monroe Township and settled down on it. There are 133 acres of it. His wife died here.

    Mr. Robbins has been an Odd Fellow and is a member of the Christian Church.

Source: Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana. By John M. Gresham & Co., 1889.