Sam the Builder

By Karen Walk

If you have little boys, or even grandsons, you may have heard of “Bob the Builder.”  Well, at the historical society, we have learned about “Sam the Builder.”

Earlier, in researching records at the court house, we found that the Washington Ames House was on the tax rolls in 1900, and there was no information earlier than that. By the Victorian style of the house, I wondered if it might have been a little earlier than that. But, we couldn’t prove anything different.

Recently, while reading the Wichita County History Book Vol 1, page 203, I came across some information to document the building of the “Big House!”  In the history book’s story of the Samuel Anderson Robison family, written by Mildred Robison, it says Samuel Robison was a builder and that at the time the history book was written, (1980) there were two homes still standing that Sam had built.  One being the W.B. Washington house, and the other the Felix Jones house, respectively the Margie Ames Taggert and the Buddy Allaman houses.   Then it goes on to say that after his wife passed away, Sam left Wichita County, in 1896 and went to Oregon and did not return to Wichita County until he was brought back for burial.  So, we now know the house had to have been built before 1896.

There it was right before our eyes!  This very same article had been copied several years ago because Samuel Anderson Robison was a Civil War Veteran, so, stories, clippings, and pictures had been copied and put  into the Civil War Veteran notebooks.  And we missed the information because we were not yet researching the Washington house.

The story says that Samuel and his second son, Winfred built the house. Winfred was called Fred.  Fred was the father of Galen Robison, and Samuel was his grandfather.

Also, we have a small article written in the Leoti Standard in October 13, 1892, which says, “County Attorney Washington is still enhancing the value and beauty of his home, by the judicious and liberal application of fresh paint.”   We wondered was it the house at 110 North 3rd street or another house?  Finding the history book story now tells us that, it is probably the present day house and it was built before 1892. 

Then in the Leoti Standard on April 23, 1896, it says…..”S.A. Robison is building quite an extensive chicken house for W.B. Washington.”  

In an envelope, along with the Deed to the house, was a small scrap of paper in Margie’s hand writing.  The names of Samuel Robison and Fred Robison are written on it.  We didn’t really know what that meant at the time, but, now we do.  Then, Lorna found some blueprints.  What a find!  She was so excited until she looked at them and realized it was two proposal for remodeling the home, not the original blueprints.  There were no dates on the blueprints, but the name of the owner of the house was Herschel Washington.  It had to have been after 1934 when W.B. passed away and he inherited it.  

And again pops up the Robison name.  The Architect on the blueprint was Emmit M. Robison.  So, was he related to the other Robisons?  Researching that name, I find that in the 1930 Federal Census, Herschel and Emmit M. were room mates in Jackson Co., Missouri. And at that time the occupation of Herschel was a Magazine Editor and Emmit was a Draftsman/Architect. 

We are very happy that the extensive remodeling project was never done and the house has retained its historical integrity.  So now, do you suppose it may have been Sam the builder, or maybe the 19 year old son, Fred, that painted the “face on the parlor wall?” Hmm!