Asa John Robbins - Jackson Family Cemetery - Double Bayou, Chambers County, TX - Woodmen of the World Grave Markers/Monuments on Waymarking.com

A pink rectangular granite monument, etched with the Woodman of the World Seal, sits atop a concrete grave cover.

ASA JOHN ROBBINS
Dec. 12, 1886
Dec. 7, 1913

From Find A Grave

Asa John Robbins

BIRTH: 12 Dec 1886 Chambers County, Texas, USA
DEATH: 7 Dec 1913 (aged 26) Bryan, Brazos County, Texas, USA
BURIAL: Jackson Cemetery Double Bayou, Chambers County, Texas, USA

The Eagle, (Bryan - College Station, TX) 09 Dec 1913, Tue, First Edition, Page 6

Asa John Robbins, a member of the party of three who died from exposure, while engaged in rescue work on the Brazos river, was a son of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Robbins of Smith's Point, Texas. He was 27 years of age, his birthday being the 27th of this month. Mr. Robbins was well known In Bryan, having worked here the greater part of five years. He was a graduate of the A. and M. College, being a member of the 1911 class, and finishing mechanical engineering. He worked his way through school, earning the greater part of his expenses in Bryan, having been one of the first motormen on the Bryan-College Interurban and being the night clerk at the Central Hotel for three years. He was a member of the W. O. W., of the Methodist Church and of the Young Men's Sunday School class at the Methodist Sunday School, the members of which are taking care of his remains. Mr. Robbing had a large number of friends In Bryan and was noted for his quietness and dignity of manner. At the time of his death he was in the employ of the Bryan Motor Car Co. and McKenzIe's Jewelry store jointly. He was the first of the trio to succumb and his death, like the others, was of the greatest heroism. The relatives have the deepest sympathy of all in their great sorrow. Mr. Robbins had just returned from a visit home, where he had gone to attend his sister's wedding, and had told of a narrow escape from drowning he had while crossing the bay from Smith's Point to Galveston on his return, and making the remark while telling it that he could not swim. The remains will be shipped to his home as soon as possible.

Life on the Brazos River

Floods of the Brazos River in Texas

The flood of 1899 was bad, but apparently the flood of 1913 was worse.

1913 - 7 AM Dec 1 to 7 AM Dec 5, 1913 - Widespread heavy rain with 15.50 in. center at San Marcos, 13.80 in. at Bertram, 13.60 in. at Somerville, 11.80 in. at Waco, 11.70 in. at Kaufman - Obviously a classic El Nino year - rainfall totals 20 to 25 in. had fallen in the previous 3 months in the area, and water stood in the fields between storms.

Very likely a long wave stalled over west Texas or New Mexico Dec 1-5 and sent a series of storms around its southern periphery.

The Colorado and Brazos Rivers merged below IH-10 to the Gulf because of the very widespread heavy rain, no flood-control reservoirs on the Colorado or Brazos River, and debris dams on the Colorado and Brazos Rivers.

The Colorado River dam was from river mile 28 above Bay City to river mile 52 just below Wharton - The dam wasn't successfully blasted out by the Corps of Engineers until between 1925 and 1929.

There were 180 drownings - Water was waist deep in downtown Bay City - The Colorado River went over the right bank above Columbus and made an island of the town.

Brazos River -

• near Highbank - 42.0' Dec 1913
• near Bryan (State Hwy 21) - 61' Dec 5, 1913
• near Hempstead - 66.1' Dec 8, 1913
• at Richmond - 61.2' Dec 10, 1913
• at Rosharon - 56.4' - Dec 11, 1913

Colorado River -

• at Bastrop - 53.3' Dec 4, 1913
• at Smithville - 47.4' Dec 4, 1913
• above LaGrange - 56.4' Dec 5, 1913
• at Columbus - 51.6' Dec 6, 1913 (river split above town and made into island)
• at Wharton - 51.9' Dec 8, 1913
• near Bay City - 56.1' Dec 10, 1913

The flood of 1913 was the worst because this area received a lot of rainfall at a time when the Brazos was in flood The level of the Brazos was 56.4ft in 1913 with water covering everything. The Brazos and Colorado joined. The water level was 56.3ft in 1992 but the flooding was only near the Brazos.

Was the inscription legible?: Yes Location of Marker/Monument: Cemetery

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