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The

Nicholas Robbins Family

OLIVE AUGUST (ROBBINS) DRESSER

OLIVE AUGUSTA (ROBBINS) DRESSER (Biographical notes from the family history records of James Bruckman) Re: The Nicholas Robbins Family, No. 7.96.4

 

Olive Augusta Robbins, the daughter of Jacob G. Robbins was born on 25 May 1832 at North Yarmouth, ME. She married William Knight Dresser; their intention was published on 8 Sep 1856 at Portland, ME.

 

Olive's sister Elizabeth married William Dresser's brother James and the two couples moved to Door County Wisconsin. This occurred between about 1858 and 1860, based on the birth dates and locations of their children Annie and William. The family lived for a short time on Washington Island in Door County, and moved to Sturgeon Bay in the same county about 1861.

 

William K. Dresser was active in the Sturgeon Bay community. He was elected County Clerk in 1860 and served until 1864. In 1864 he was elected Clerk of Circuit Court, and in 1868 was elected District Attorney. William 

was a charter member of the Sturgeon Bay Library Association, a group that started the first library in the area.  He was also instrumental in bring the railroad to Sturgeon Bay in about 1869. Boat building and logging mill work were his primary occupations. The entire community was shocked when he died from a gruesome accident at the logging mill in 1878. He was 48 years old at that time.

 

Olive outlived her husband by 12 years, dying on 13 Sep 1890 in Sturgeon Bay, WI. Both are buried in Bayside Cemetery, Sturgeon Bay, WI.

 

Children of William and Olive (Robbins) Dresser are:

 

i. Annie B Dresser, b. about 1858, Cumberland County, ME, m. Legrand D. Henderson on 22 Feb 1876, Sturgeon Bay, WI

 

 ii. William L. Dresser, b. 27 Aug 1860, Washington Island, WI, d. 26 Sep 1896, Sturgeon Bay, WI

 

 iii. Nellie Augusta Dresser, b. 14 Mar 1862, Sturgeon Bay, WI, m. Charles Edward Smith on 31 Jul 1881, Sturgeon Bay, WI

 

 iv. George Dresser, b. about 1865, Sturgeon Bay, WI, moved to the West Coast after 1870

 

Submitted by James Bruckman of Delafield, WI, who may be contacted by email at jbruckman1@wi.rr.com.

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