Robert L. B. Tobin Statue - San Antonio, TX, USA - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

Robert Lynn Batts Tobin (1936-2000) is famous for his grants and gifts his Tobin Foundation has donated to supporting the Arts commumnity in San Antonio, Santa Fe, Boston, and New York. Robert L. B. Tobin inherited his wealth from his father Edgar G. Tobin (1897-1954), who founded the Tobin Surveys Inc. in 1928. This aerial mapping company has grown to become the dominate aerial mapping and surveying company internationally. It is now called Tobin International, Ltd. From the profits of the family company and the extended family wealth, Robert L. B. Tobin has been able to fund the New York Metropolitan Opera, the Boston Public Library, the Boston Lyric Opera and Opera Boston, and the Santa Fe Opera with multi-million dollars worth of support. Robert Tobin is know for his extensive collection of theatrical scenic and operatic set designs. For more than 40 years, Robert L B Tobin collected theatrical set designs from the operas from around the world. He also collected some movie sets, especially those of director Tim Burton. Tobin also gathered a large collection of paintings and books. His personal collection was large enough to allow a PhD candidate, Morris Ray Ellis, to earn his doctorate by cataloging Robert Tobin's personal art collection as his dissertation in 1989. Tobin was interested in design when he went to study at the University of Texas, but when his father died in a plane crash in 1954, Robert L B Tobin left college and helped his mother run the Tobin Surveys Inc. On a smaller scale, Robert Tobin donated locally in San Antonio, TX as well, as evidenced by the large wing built to the Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum specifically to display his theatrical design displays. There is also his name given to the lobby of the Josephine Theater, the Tobin Center for Performing Arts at St. Mary's Hall, the Tobin studio at the local public-television station, Tobin Library wing of the San Antonio Academy and the Robert L. B. Tobin Park, made possible by a land donation to the city Parks and Recreation Department. Robert L B Tobin is not only well connected in the Arts community across the nation, his family background has deep root with Texas and San Antonio politics. Robert Tobin's pedigree begins with John William Smith (1792-1845) who came to San Antonio and in 1830 married Maria de Jesus Delgado Curbelo, whose parents were from the Canary Islands and helped settle the area that grew into San Antonio. John and Maria Smith has several children. John Smith was a successful business man and aquired several sizeable land grants. He also was supportive of Texas' fight for independence from Mexico. John William Smith was in the Alamo at the beginning of the 13 day siege but Col. Travis sent Smith as the last messenger to leave the Alamo to get reinforcements before they were defeated. After the Republic of Texas gained independence, John W Smith stayed in San Antonio and was not only elected to many Bexar County offices, but he also was elected mayor for three one-year terms. One of John Smith's daughters, Josephine A Smith, grew up and married William G. Tobin (1833-1884). William Tobin was a Texas Ranger and sheriff before becoming a Captain for the Confederate Army during the Civil War and later developed the Tex-Mex food he loved into a canning business to distribute chili con carne to the military and other parts of the country. William G Tobin produced 10 children, two of whom are historically significant. John Wallace Tobin followed his grandfather Smith's tendencies and was elected to several county and city offices, spending 20 years as Bexar County sheriff and eventually becoming the Mayor of San Antonio from 1924-1927. John's brother, William G. Tobin, the namesake of his father, has little personal history except that he had a son, Edgar G. Tobin. Edgar G. Tobin was a flying ace in WW1 and married Margret Batts of Bastrop in 1926. In 1928 he formed the Tobin Aerial Surveys to creat maps from airplane photograhy. This innovative company became the main source of oil and gas property maps. And added to the inherited wealth of Edgar Tobin. Business boomed and Tobin Maps became the preferred map of oil and gas companies. In 1934, Edgar and Margaret had a son, Robert L. B. Tobin. Unfortunately, Edgar died in a plane crash in 1954 while Robert was attending college. Robert returned home and worked with his mother to run the company. Robert not only gathered great works of art and provided funds for artists, he also managed the family's map business, continuing its success. Robert L. B. Tobin died from cancer in 2000, leaving behind several Foundations that will continue to manage the endowments for further funding of the Arts. //


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