Samuel Robb

The Fairfield Ledger
August 27, 1879
Page 2 column 6

OBITUARY. SAMUEL ROBB was born in Pennsylvania, December 4th, 1801, removed to Clermont County, Ohio, with his parents in early childhood, where he remained until he removed to Jefferson County, Iowa, in 1841, where he resided until the time of his death. He was married to MARY L. HITCH in the year 1826, whose death occurred twelve years prior to his.

He was a correspondent of several newspapers...was an advocate of temperance all his life...The houses were, in 1841, in Jefferson County, built of logs. When ready for his house-raising, as was the custom, the usual dram of whiskey was called for, then he informed them he did not use it himself nor would he give it to his neighbors to drink. The consequence was there was not enough help left to raise a log. He then went again inviting his neighbors, telling them there would be no whiskey at the raising, and finally, though with much difficulty, there was enough help procured to raise the house. This was the first instance of a house raising without whiskey in Jefferson County.

Samuel married Mary Hitch, daughter of Thomas P. Hitch and Jane* Smullen, on 20 Dec 1827 in Clermont Co., OH. (Mary Hitch was born in 1802 in KY, died in 1867 in IA and was buried in 1867 in Moorman Cemetery, Fairfield, Jefferson Co., IA.)