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Benjamin Palmer Robbins
Palmer Robbins, Long-Time County Resident, Dies Today

Benjamin Palmer Robbins, a life-long resident of Matagorda County for 73 years, passed away this morning at the Matagorda General Hospital.

Robbins was born in Matagorda June 27, 1900 at the family homestead to Mr. and Mrs. Freddie Robbins. The Robbins family dates back to the early pioneer days when they were one of the first early settlers in the county.

During Palmer Robbins lifetime he was active in ranching and rice farming. He spent a brief period of his life in Boerne in the lumber business, however, returned to Bay City shortly afterwards. During the war years Robbins opened the East End Grocery Store which he operated until the end of the war. In recent years Robbins had entered into the construction business which he operated until several years before his death.

Robbins is survived by his wife, Margaret, two daughters, one son, two sisters, and one brother. Funeral services are pending at Taylor Brothers Funeral Home.

Daily Tribune, August 3, 1973

Benjamin Palmer Robbins

Benjamin Palmer Robbins, 73, a resident of Bay City, passed away August 3 at the Matagorda General Hospital. Survivors include: wife, Margaret Swagerty Robbins, 2 daughters, Melba and Janice Robbins; 1 son Benjamin Palmer Robbins Jr.; 2 sisters, Mrs. Eugenia DeWitt of Baytown and Mrs. Eva Savage of Bay City; 1 brother F. Parker Robbins of Bay City. Funeral services were held Monday August 6, at 3 p. m. at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. James Thompson and Rev. Leslie Scott officiating. Interment was at the Matagorda Cemetery with pallbearers being: Ben Thorpe, Claude Hickey, Voss McCrosky, Albert Barber, Jack Brannon, and Elton Leggett. Taylor Brothers Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Daily Tribune, August 6, 1973
 

Chloe Maria Robbins

Photo courtesy of Faye Cunningham

Chloe Maria Theresa Robbins
Oldest Citizen In County Passes On
Mrs. Chester Robbins Dies At Age of 99

Mrs. Chester Robbins, more affectionately known as “Grandmother Robbins” died last night in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Winston. Another of the makers of Texas history has gone. Mr. and Mrs. Chester Robbins came to Texas in 1854, Mr. Robbins bringing his bride to a truly new home—way out in the “West.” They were married November 13, 1854, coming on their honeymoon to the spot where now stands the old Robbins Ranch house, down near Matagorda, and where the bride of ’54 loved and lived till just a few years ago. Mrs. Robbins was nearing the century mark in her life, each year bearing its own “credit slip” of a year well spent.

The funeral will be held Thursday morning at 10 o’clock from the Rugeley home in Matagorda.

The funeral arrangements are in charge of Taylor Bros.

A more extended notice of the life of Mrs. Robbins will appear in a later issue of the Tribune.

Daily Tribune, Thursday, January 17, 1935

Chloe Maria Theresa Robbins
A Tribute

With silent tread many relatives and friends filled the F. L. Rugeley home Thursday morning, Jan. 17, 1935, to pay their last respects to one whom in life they loved, honored and esteemed and whose memory will ever linger as one of beauty and sweetness to all who knew Mrs. Chloe Maria Theresa Robbins. Until nearly the last moment before the casket was borne away beautiful floral offerings were continually brought in and placed near by them. Rev. Mr. Deutsch, pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Bay City and Dr. G. T. Storey, her former pastor and friend of many years, held a beautiful and comforting service closing with a few worlds of reference to her devotion and self sacrifice in rearing her children and service to her Master.

Mrs. Valerie Blakeway accompanied by Miss Margaret Pratt sang the sweet old song “Jesus Savior Pilot Me.” Her tired body was laid to rest in the Matagorda Cemetery. Her grave was covered with the flowers she loved. Mrs. Robbins was born in Rocky Hill, Conn., Dec. 7, 1835 and came to Texas in 1854 as the bride of Chester H. Robbins. The trip from Connecticut to Texas was made by rail and boat, covering a period of about three weeks. Mr. and Mrs. Robbins settled at Tadmor, the old ranch home near Matagorda and became one of the pioneer families of Matagorda County. Of this union  there were nine children, the first three dying in infancy. Other children preceding her to the grave were Rev. Frank Robbins of Beaumont, who had been pastor of the Presbyterian Church there for a number of years, and Mrs. Lila Robbins Rugeley of Matagorda. Surviving children are Mrs. Fannie Robbins Winston and Mr. F. S. Robbins of Bay City; Mr. S. A. Robbins of Houston and Mrs. Carrie Robbins Rugeley of Wichita Falls. There are also eleven grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren. Mr. Robbins Died in Jan 1869.

Although a devout Presbyterian, Mrs. Robbins did not let her generosity end there when giving a much, Matagorda Methodists are especially, needed helping hand for churches religious institutions or charity. The grateful to her for the many times she has come to their rescue to carry on their church work. She delighted in young people and was never so happy as when mingling with them and thereby kept her self young all down the vista of years and they all loved her. As far back as can be remembered, each year she would summer in Virginia where she had relatives and friends and almost always some member of her family or one of her grandchildren accompanied her. For the past two years however, she gave up that pleasure and remained in Texas. On last Mother’s Day a program in the city auditorium at Bay City was observed. Mrs. Robbins was the eldest of fifteen mothers present over seventy years of age and she was presented with a handsome bouquet of Easter lilies and Queen Ann’s lace. The Sunday before Christmas Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Rugeley, her grandson and wife held open house for her in Matagorda in memory of her ninety-ninth birthday. She seemed so happy that afternoon as friends came with little tokens and flowers to greet her.

They too, were delighted to be with her to exchange greetings and to offer sincere birthday wishes. Not many days after she became ill and it was not long ere she passed to her reward in “That Beautiful Isle of Somewhere.”

When our dear ones slip out of our reach on their way into the valley of the shadow and we can do no more for them, it is into His hands we commit their spirits, so death is swallowed up in victory.”

“Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark;
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of time and place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.”

Matagorda County Tribune, February 21, 1935
 

Margarete Jane Swagerty Robbins

Our beloved mother, Margarete Jane Swagerty Robbins, departed this life and exchanged the earthly realm for the heavenly realm to be with God on June 30, 2001. She was born September 14, 1914 in Matagorda, Texas and was the daughter of William Harold and Inez Kain Swagerty.

She had a very happy childhood in the small historic town of Matagorda, surrounded by loving, caring family and friends who gave her a solid spiritual foundation in the Christian faith. She was always thankful to God for her Christian parents and for the Christian influence of pastors and their families who lived next door.

She graduated from Gulf High School at Matagorda and attended Southwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos.

Margarete Robbins was a devoted wife and mother, and homemaking was her career.

Margarete's life rotated around her family and her church involvement. She was a member of St. John's United Methodist Church in Austin. She married Palmer Robbins of Matagorda in 1937, and they had one son and three daughters. Her son, Benjamin Palmer Robbins, Jr. lives in Bryan with his wife Isabel. Their daughter Brenda and husband Frank Salinas have three daughters, Isabel Esperanza, Victoria, and Gabriela. They also have three great granddaughters. Daughter Melba Robbins, head of Literature and World Religions at Huntington Surrey School, lives in Austin, and daughter Janice Robbins Dobb and husband Larry Dobb live in Great Falls, Montana. Their daughter Amber is at University of Montana in Missoula

The family expresses their grateful thanks to the doctors and nurses of Seton Hospital for their compassionate care and loving concern for their mother during her hospitalization, to her friends and management of the French Quarter where mother has lived for 22 years, to Hospice Austin's Christopher House, to St. John's United Methodist Church for their love, support, and prayers in this difficult time. Special thanks to the Rev. Alice Underwood, the Rev. Linda Kessie, and Senior Pastor the Rev. Bobbi Kaye Jones whose ministry with mother has been a very special spiritual blessing to mother and to all the family.

Donations may be made to St. John's United Methodist Church, Austin, for Bibles for children and youth - St. John's United Methodist Chruch, 2140 Alandale Rd., Austin, Texas 78756.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 5, 2001 at Taylor Bros. Funeral Home with the Rev. Alice Underwood officiating. Interment will follow at Matagorda Cemetery.

Arrangements are with Taylor Bros. Funeral Home. A00011A2001JL03

The Daily Tribune, Tuesday, July 3, 2001
 

Samuel A. Robbins & Georgie L. Robbins

Photo courtesy of Faye Cunningham

Sam Robbins

Matagorda county friends were very greatly distressed over the sad intelligence of Mr. Sam A. Robbins’ death at his home in Houston Wednesday. Matagorda was and is inundated from the Colorado river overflow and all friends who desired to attend the funeral at the Matagorda cemetery Friday were unable to do so, much to their regret, owing to the awfully high water.

Mr. Robbins was a descendant of one of Matagorda county’s first pioneer families and many old friends all over the county are in deep sympathy with his excellent wife, over her great bereavement.

Daily Tribune, August 4, 1938

Georgie Lawson Robbins
Services Held For Long-Time Resident Of Matagorda County

Funeral services for Mrs. S. A. Robbins, 88, long-time resident of Matagorda County, were held Sunday at Taylor Brothers Funeral Home chapel. Officiant was the Rev. A. C. Maxted.

Mrs. Robbins died Friday at a Wharton hospital of a heart ailment. She had been an invalid since breaking a hip in a fall last year.

Mrs. Robbins’ parents settled in Matagorda in 1850 on a Spanish land grant.

She was buried in the Matagorda Cemetery.

Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Sally Matthews of Bay City and Mrs. Maude Stewart of San Antonio; one brother, Frank H. Lawson of Houston.

Matagorda County Tribune, December 20, 1951
 

P. F. Robidoux Of Matagorda Dies Early Thursday

P. F Robidoux, 76, a resident of Matagorda, died at 2 a. m Thursday in the Matagorda County Hospital following an illness of several days.

Funeral services will be held at the Matchett-Newman Funeral Home at 10 a. m. Saturday with Rev. Mouzon Bass officiating. Interment will be in the Matagorda cemetery with Matagorda Lodge No. 7 A. F. & A. M. conducting Masonic rites at the graveside.

Robidoux is survived by one daughter, Mrs. E. E. Broughton, Bay City; two sons, F. T. Robidoux, Houston, and R. F. Robidoux, Carmen, Mexico.

Daily Tribune, July 2, 1948

Funeral Services For Matagorda Resident Held Here Saturday

Funeral services for P. F. Robidoux, 76, were held Saturday morning at the Matchett-Newman Funeral Home with the Rev. Mouzon Bass officiating and burial in the Matagorda Cemetery with Matagorda Lodge No. 7 A. F. & A. M. conducting Masonic rites.

Mr. Robidoux, who had been a resident of Matagorda for many years, died after a few days illness.

He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. E. E. Broughton of Bay City, and two sons, F. T. Robidoux of Houston and R. P. Robidoux of Carmen, Mexico.

Daily Tribune, July 8, 1948

H. G. Roe, Sr. & Flora E. Roe

Photo courtesy of Faye Cunningham

Henry Griffin Roe Sr.

Funeral services for Henry Griffin Roe Sr., 82, of Matagorda, are scheduled for 2 p. m. Saturday at Taylor Brothers Funeral Home chapel of Bay City with the Rev. Kay Lindloff officiating. Burial will follow in Matagorda Cemetery in Matagorda.

Mr. Roe was born Aug. 25, 1911, in Olathe, Kan., to Henry D. and Effie Belle Spivey Roe and died March 16, 1994 at his residence.

A member of the Baptist church, he as a resident of Matagorda since 1978 and formerly of Pasadena. He was a retired pipefitter for Shell Oil Co.

Survivors include a daughter, Minnie Belle Looney of Matagorda; a son, Henry G. Roe Jr. of Selkirk Island; a sister, Ella Mae Drinnon of Calfax, Calif.; five grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his wife Flora E. Roe in 1988.

Arrangements are with Taylor Brothers Funeral Home of Bay City.

Daily Tribune, March 18, 1994

Flora E. Roe

Funeral services for Flora E. Roe, 76, of Matagorda will be held 8 a. m. Saturday at Bay City Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. C. J. Molmen of Matagorda. Burial will be in Matagorda Cemetery.

Mrs. Roe was born Dec. 30, 1911, in Weatherford, Texas, and died June 30, 1988, at her residence.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Matagorda.

Survivors include her husband, Henry Griffin Roe Sr. of Matagorda; a son, Henry G. Roe Jr. of Matagorda; a daughter, Penny Wilson of Matagorda; a brother, Jim Griffin of Bay City; a sister, Lessie Mock of Wharton; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Services are under the direction of Dick R. Elkins, Bay City Funeral Home.

Daily Tribune, July, 1988