Located in southwest Iowa, The Children’s Home at Lamoni, Iowa was familiar with a good winter blizzard. So while many of us are experiencing winter weather let’s explore the Children’s Home and who ran it 1911 – 1915. Lamoni is located in Decatur County, Iowa.
The Reorganized Latter Day Saints faith was thriving in Lamoni. It was Sister Marietta Walker and the Daughter of Zion (wives of Reorganized Latter Day Saints church ministers) that started the discussion about the need for care of church members children in unfortunate situations.
In the spring of 1911, Brother Elijah Banta’s place on South State Street, Lamoni, Iowa was purchased (arranged by Bro. E.L. Kelley) and work of preparing the place for the children was started. The Banta family desired that the commodious dwelling be used as a home for homeless children. The Banta Home had 10 large airy, well-ventilated and well-lighted rooms. The house was remodeled and enlarged, so that it now had eighteen rooms, besides bath rooms and closets. The rooms were arranged to accommodate about thirty-five children. The home had a beautiful lawn and fine large trees plus a twenty-acre farm.
The Children’s Home at Lamoni opened Tuesday, August 15, 1911. Operated by the Reorganized Latter Day Saints Church, the Daughters of Zion assumed responsibility for the costs. Donations of money and items kept the Home running.
Thankfully the rLDS publications reported on the Children’s Home frequently, The Saints’ Herald, Zion’s Ensign and Autumn Leaves to name a few. At the time of the opening, two girls had already been received as inmates of the home, under the care of Brother and Sister Robinson. “On this happy occasion Bishop E.L. Kelly (sic), Sister Marietta Walker and Sister B.C. Smith, president of the Woman’s Auxiliary were the speakers. The Home Association was led by Sister B.C. Smith, President; Sister Ruth Smith, VP; Sister D. J. Krahl, Secretary; Sister Letha Tilton, Treasurer. At the formal opening, forty-one children had been admitted to the Home. Brother and Sister William P. Robinson are superintendent and matron.” [As reported in the April 17, 1912 The Saints’ Herald p. 385]
The Journal of History reported that in 1911, “Brother William P. Robinson was taken out of the missionary field (Wisconsin District) and placed in charge of the Children’s Home.” [rLDS Journal of History, Vol. 8 (1915) p. 220] There are several photos of the home on opening day.
From the time of opening, each month brought other children until in 1912 the limit of accommodations was reached. The management maintained good discipline. The assistant matron, “Sister Helen is doing all she can to help the children with their lessons. The matron, Sister Robinson was described as having “a pleasant face and loving service.”
At the incorporation of the Children’s Home, “The purpose of the Home was to receive, adopt, care for, place out for adoption, and improve the condition of destitute, abandoned, abused, ill-treated, friendless and orphan children, to secure and own suitable ground and tract of land, to erect and maintain suitable buildings where such children may be provided for education.”
By 1913 the Home was managed by a board of trustees in association with the Saints’ Children’s Home Association, it was not intended to be a boarding house, reform school or sanitarium.
The Incorporation bylaws went on to state: “The board guarantees to use all the care and inquiry possible to secure proper homes, and when placing children in homes reserves the right to take them back if those who have received them do not give them proper care.” Efforts were made to place two or more of one family together.
The Children’s Home Manager, W.P. Robinson and wife, Isabelle had two sons and one daughter. The Robinson family began to grow as son Randall was married on 20 Aug 1912 to Carrie Bennett Lester at Decatur, IA. They also worked at the Home. Son Charles E. Robinson was married in Lamoni March 26, 1913 to Edna Lucinda (Harger) Hartschen, witnessed by sister Helen I. Robinson age 25. Married by Elder W.P. Robinson.
In my quest to learn more about the Superintendent of the Home, I went to the 1915 Iowa State Census. There I found W. P. Robinson, age 46, born 1869 in Wisconsin. It states his occupation as Mang. Of Children’s Home. He had been in Iowa 4 years.
I also located Census cards for his wife Isabelle Robinson who was born 1850 and their children: Charles Robinson, Randall Robinson, and Helen I. Robinson.
Ancestry family trees helped me learn that William Perry Robinson was born in Wisconsin. His parents were John B. & Serena S. Robinson. W.P. grew up at Oregon, Dane, Wisconsin.
On 08 Apr 1879 William Perry Robinson married Isabelle L. Dick at Dane, WI.
W.P. and Isabelle lived at Oregon, WI in 1880, 1900, 1905. The 1910 census found him at Rockford, Winnebago, IL. At age 51 he was a Missionary LD Saints. With wife, Isabel and son Randall C. Robinson. (note he joined the rLDS church in 1895).
To my surprise the 1915 census list included names of twenty one children “in the Children’s Home.” More about them next time.
What a treat to find a photo of W.P. Robinson in an online Archive of rLDS ministers.
[Ministry and Workers Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ, Ensign Publishing House, Independence, MO http://www.latterdaytruth.org/pdf/101221.pdf]
Why my curiosity regarding the Children’s Home? My biological grandfather, Robert E. Lee Hays was sent to the Children’s Home in Lamoni, Iowa after his mother died. More about Robert next time.
A United States report “Children Under Institutional Care 1923 reported that the Saints’ Children’s Home was founded in 1911:
This photo in the History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People by Prof. J.M. Howell and Heman C. Smith, 1915, p. 156. Could this be our Robert playing in the front yard of the Home?
When the operating policy appointed a board of seven trustees to the Children’s Home the following were selected. Richard Bullard and Callie B. Stebbins, Heman C. Smith, Lucy L. Rossenguie, Joseph Roberts, Oscar Anderson and Minnie B. Nicholson. “The Home is still operated under the superintendencey of Brother W.P. Robinson and family.”
In this picture a happy crowd is on the front lawn of Children’s Home at Lamoni – date unknown http://iagenweb.org/decatur/earlydecDocs/lamoni.html
[p. 364 Journal of History. Vol 16 Journal of History, January 1923 on Google Books]
As you may recall from my last post, the Christmas of 1913 was quite a night at the Children’s Home. The Zion’s Ensign magazine reported “On Christmas night an entertainment was given at the Children’s Home by those living there. The long dining room was beautifully decorated, and a lare gathering of those interested in the home witnessed the excercises by the little folks, under the skillful managemnt of Sr. Helen Roginson (sic), daughter of Br. And Sr. W.P. Robingon (sic), who conduct the dailylife there. Sr. Helen has the tact, ability and preserverance so much needed in training, directing, and getting good results. Then the tree was unloaded of the presents for each child.
So what happened to W.P. Robinson? In October 1915 after leaving the Children’s Home he went to Tulsa where he went to work for the church again – having charge of the Order of Enoch House in Oklahoma.
27 Dec 1918 Mrs. Isabelle Robinson, 69 years old died at her home, 131 South Willis Avenue, Independence. Mrs. Robinson came to Independence three years ago from Tulsa, OK. She and her husband had charge of the Order of Enoch House, and institution of the Reorganized Latter Day Saints’ Church for a year ending last September. Surviving are the husband, W.P. Robinson; a daughter, Helen Robinson of the home address, and two sons, Charles Robinson of Independence and Randall Robinson of Lamoni, IA. [Kansas City Times (Kansas City, MO) 29 Dec 1918, Sat, p7]
The 1920 US Census puts William P. Robinson age 60 living at 131 S. Willis, Independence, Jackson, MO. His occupation is Preacher. His daughter Helen I. age 36 is working clerical office. Clyde P. age 7 is with the family. His wife Isabelle had died in 1918.
Death of Willie Perry Robinson: was born in Footville, WI, January 22, 1859. He married Isabelle L. Dick April 8, 1879, and to them four children were born, one dying in infancy. The surviving are Charles Edward, West Plains, MO; Mrs. Frank Knight, Oregon, WI.; and Randall Claremont, of Lamoni, IA. In the early years of his life, after attending the meetings of Moody and Sanky, he joined the Baptist Church but afterward he and his wife became members of the Methodist Church. In 1895 he and his entire family united with the Latter Day Saints Church. Elder E.M. Wildermuth being the officiating ministry. In August of that year he was ordained an elder and later a seventy. He began his work in the missionary field in 1906 and continued his labor there until forced to give it up by a serious affliction which finally caused his death. He was a patient sufferer for many years and March 14, 1929, in the afternoon, passed from mortal life. The funeral was from the Stone Church, Independence, sermon by Joseph Luff, assisted by W.D. Bullard. Interment in Mount Grove Cemetery. [Saints Herald vol 076, page 383]
Do you have anything to add? I’d love to hear from others that know the History of the Children’s Home.
Geneographer 
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The DuRose Room at Graceland University once held the Children’s Home logbook, a large 11×15 ledger said to include records of residents, staff, and possibly finances. In the 2000s the collection was moved around to make room for offices, and with staff changes the logbook seems to have been misplaced. One retired staffer thought it might have been loaned to an LDS archivist for preservation and never returned, while another suggested it may have gone missing during the upheaval when security was lax. Hopefully it’s just tucked away somewhere, waiting to be rediscovered.
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