Obit: Robinson, Emma Frances (1838 - 1916)

Contact: Ann Stevens
Email: ann@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Robinson, Newell, Brown, O’Neill, Hewett, Marshall, Klopf, Calway, Wells, Mason, Chandler, Longenecker

----Source: Neillsville Times (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 5/25/1916

Robinson, Emma Frances (6 OCT 1838 – 17 May 1916)

Emma Frances Robinson was born at Winslow, Maine, Oct. 6, 1838, the daughter of Royal and Charlotte Newell Brown. She died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James O’Neill, in Neillsville, Wis., May 17, 1916.

She was married to David Hudson Robinson in Maine, June 19, 1857. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson came to Clark County in January, 1859. They drove from La Crosse to Weston’s Rapids, two miles north of Neillsville, and were four days making the journey. They resided at Weston’s Rapids until the death of Mr. Robinson, which occurred Feb. 14th, 1895. Since that time Mrs. Robinson has lived principally with her daughters, Mrs. O’Neill and Mrs. Hewett.

Mrs. Robinson leaves surviving her four daughters, Mrs. Marion O’Neill, wife of Judge James O’Neill; Mrs. Blanche Hewett, wife of Sherman F. Hewett, of this city; Mrs. Jennie Marshall, wife of William N. Marshall, and Charlotte E. Klopf, both now residents of Spirit Lake, Idaho. There are six grandchildren, Mrs. Marion O. Calway and Miss Helen Hewett, both of Neillsville, and James Marshall, Cyril Marshall, Miss Beulah Klopf and Miss Leonore Klopf, all now residents of Spirit Lake, Idaho. There are also two great-grandchildren, the children of James and Carrie Marshall, at Spirit Lake, Idaho. A sister of the deceased, Mrs. Rose Wells, lives at Clinton, Maine, and a brother, David Brown, resides at Waterville, Maine.

In the passing away of Mrs. Robinson, Neillsville loses one of the very few remaining early pioneers. She came long before the railroad was built here, in the days when the dusky Indians still prowled about the forest and were frequent visitors at the farmer or lumberman’s home. She came here when good roads were not very many, when travel was a matter of time and patience and toil. She entered fully into the life of the pioneer, shared the simple pleasures, and endured with cheerfulness the hardships.

Reading matter was greatly prized in those early days, and books and papers were gladly exchanged among the neighbors, until a good little district library was started. Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Melvin Mason and Mrs. Chandler were the committee who selected the one hundred books that formed this first library.

In her reminiscences she speaks of the part the church played in the life of the early times, and of the need it filled in her own life. While enjoying the pleasures of life, she was also profoundly religious, and entered with joy into the worship afforded by the early church. This interest in religion deepened and intensified through the years. It meant to her walking with God, and life of purity and unselfish devotion for the good of others. Unselfish and charitable, she labored to the extent of her strength for the building of character. A member of the Congregational Church, she shared in all its activities. She taught in the Bible School till the last. Her devotion to her class of boys during the last two years of her life was wonderful. She seemed so young in spirit that a stranger would have been unable to guess of the years which her life covered.

Cheerful, hopeful, faithful, charitable, lovable, beautiful, as a queen among women she lived, and the world was better because of her presence. The influence of her personality still remains. She died as she had lived. Graciously she departed to be with her Lord and His redeemed ones.

Though apparently not very ill when she retired at night, she was found in the morning peacefully sleeping the last sleep. In her own handwriting were found the words of verses 9, 10, and 11, of the 91st Psalm which she had chosen for her funeral:

“Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, the habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling, for He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”

The funeral services were held at the residence of Judge James O’Neill May 20th, 1916. Her pastor, G.W. Longenecker, used the above text as the basis of his remarks. The class of boys she loved attended the funeral in a body, also the W.C.T.U., of which she was a member. She was buried by the side of her husband in the Neillsville Cemetery.

As she made her habitation with God, no evil could come to her, only angels came and carried her to the heavenly home while we slept.