Obituaries
OLIVER P. ROBINSON
Owen County Leader; September 21, 1921
Submitted by Kathy Bargerhuff
The body of Oliver P. Robinson, who died in Ogdensberg, NY was brought here Wednesday and funeral services were held Friday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Emma Dunn. Interment was made in Riverside Cemetery. The following obituary was read:
Oliver Perry Robinson, second son of Joseph W. Robinson and of Catherine Reese Robinson was born June 27, 1870 on the farm near Vandalia, Indiana where he received his early education in the country school and finished high school in Spencer in the spring of 1890. After teaching school at Carp, north of Spencer for one winter, he entered Depauw University from which he graduated receiving his Bachelor of Philosophy or Ph.B. degree in the year of 1897 and soon after he taught in the Spencer High School for two years. Four successful years were spent as superintendent of the schools of Cannelton, Indiana. For the express purpose of gaining a more finished education he attended Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts in the years 1901 and 1902 studying English. He held the chair of English on the faculty of Weslyan University of Lincoln, Nebraska from which he transferred in the same branch of service to the St. Louis high school.
He was married to Grace G. Dunn in Spencer, Indiana June 23, 1903 and they spent the summer months in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he attended the university studying languages and he could speak five tongues fluently. He entered the government immigration service through competitive civil service examination June 27, 1903 where he was stationed at Port Townsend, Washington, remaining there almost four years at which time he transferred in the same branch of government service to Ogdensburg, NY in April 1907 where he soon became the head of the department on the northern border along the St. Lawrence River from Cape Vincent to Nyando with thirteen men working under his supervision, the work was hard and nerve wracking. After a long period of over-work without a rest necessary in such a position the constant strain wore into his body and mind until the strain became too great before he or his near ones realized it and the cord of reason snapped and the mind suddenly became deranged and on September 11, 1921 he departed this life after eighteen years of honorable service and commendable service for the government of the United States. His home was blessed with two children, both boys, James D. Robinson, age 17 was born in Spencer, Oliver William Robinson, age nine was born in Ogdensburg, NY.
Mr. Robinson leaves in life his wife and two children, his mother, Mrs. Catherine Robinson of Spencer, a brother, James Robinson, Portland Oregon, a sister, Mrs. May Pryor of Little Rock, Arkansas and a brother, Charles Robinson of Clay City, Indiana and a host of relatives and friends who fully realize that a useful life has suddenly departed- but know that such a life has not been in vain. Oliver Robinson was in every sense of the word, a perfect man, a true and loving husband and father. His every thought was for the welfare of his loved ones and he always considered the comfort of others in preference to himself. His faith was in God and his feet planted on the solid rock, Jesus Christ and he lived a constant, consistent Christian life to the last as his daily life endures as a living testimony in every community where he sojourned. Such a life is not lost but lives on and on in this world in the lives which have received his personal touch and will continue to reverberate from life to life, and in the life eternal where soul expansion for him will be his glory and crown of reward.