Robinson, Ross and Ollie Bell

Lea County Families and Histories, "Then and Now" Vol II, 1984

Submitted by:

Ollie Bell Robinson

     Ross Leon Robinson was born in Mountainair, New Mexico on September 20, 1917. He was premature and so small that they wrapped him in a blanket, put him in a shoebox, and placed him in the oven of a wooden cook stove. He was the fourth of ten children born to Ross A. Robinson and his wife Beulah O'Neil. Ross finished high school in Fabians, Texas and attended college in El Paso.

     During the summer of his teenage years Ross came to New Mexico to work for his uncle, Elmer C. Hill and his wife Cora O'Neil. In 1937 he came to work for them full time on the ranch south of town (Eunice).

     Ollie Bell Henson was born February 6, 1919 on Lordsburg, Arkansas to John C. Henson and his wife Sally Cannon. She was the eighth on nine children. In 1938 she came to Eunice with her brother to visit her uncle, Jack Cannon. She stayed to go to work for the Hills on their ranch north of town. It was there she met Ross in July of 1938. They were married in April of 1939.

     Ross and Ollie Bell lived on the Hill Ranch south of Eunice for the next seven years. While living their they both acquired nicknames form the neighbors, Ross became better know as Bill and Ollie Belle as Billy. They had three children, Correne, Kay and Ross Jr.

     In 1946 it was time for Correne to go to school. The busses did not come out that far nor cross the state line. Ross then bought a farm south and east of Lovington. While there the fourth child Barbara was born. The other three small children started to school in Lovington. Deciding farming was really hard work and that ranching was his first love, Ross sold the farm and went back to ranching on the King Ranch, ten miles south of Eunice.

     All four children graduated from Eunice High School.  Two of their eight grandchildren have also graduated from Eunice.  The other six are still attending school there. They are the children of Warren and Correne Thompson, Edgar "Pat" and Kay Patterson, Ross and Pam Robinson, and Marlo and Barbara Rudd.

     Meanwhile, Ross purchased the Record and Matkins ranches adjoining the King ranch. He then retired and was elected Mayor of Eunice in 1982.

     They are members of the First Baptist Church of Eunice.