In the 1880s, James A. Robb and brother Herbert C. Robb worked in various San Francisco foundries and machine shops. The two men also designed and patent sawmill machinery, such as gang edgers. Beginning in about 1888, James A. Robb began manufacturing their patent woodworking machinery, working out of the Simonds Saw Co. premises at 513 Mission in San Francisco, while is brother worked at first for Simonds and then for his brother. By 1890 James had taken on a partner, one John Mitchell, and they operated as Robb & Mitchell, operating out of the premises of George Mixer's Novelty Foundry on Main Street. By early 1891 Mitchell was gone and James was again running the business under his own name. The business soon failed, however, leaving Robb bankrupt. Robb left town, ending up in Philadelphia. Herbert continued on for at least 15 more years as a machinist in San Francisco.

Information Sources

• 1880 Langley's San Francisco directory lists "Robb James, coremaker, Steiger & Kerr, h 1027 Alabama". Elsewhere is listed "Steiger & Kerr (Charles R. Steiger and James W. Kerr) proptrs Occidental Foundry, 137 and 139 First". There is no listing for H. C. Robb.
• 1882 Langley's San Francisco directory lists "Robb J.H., salesman Tatum & Bowen, r. 30 Kearny". Compara the residence address to that for James A. Robb in the 1883 directory, it seems likely that this "Robb J.H." is actually our James A. Robb. Elsewhere is listed "Tatum & Bowen (Henry L. Tatum and J. Joseph Bowen) machinery, engineers' and printers' supplies, 12 California". There is no listing for H. C. Robb.
• 1883 Langley's San Francisco directory lists "Robb James A., superintendent machine works Tatum & Bowen, r. 30 Kearny". Elsewhere is listed "Tatum & Bowen (Henry L. Tatum and J. Joseph Bowen) machinery, engineers' and printers' supplies and lubricants, 25-31 Main". Also listed is "Robb Herbert C., foreman Tatum & Bowen, r. 30 Kearny".
• 1884 Langley's San Francisco directory lists "Robb James A., supt sawmill machinery Fulton Works, r. Russ House". Elsewhere is listed "Fulton Iron Works, Hinckley, Spiers & Hayes, proprietors, works Fremont, Howard and Beale, office 220 Fremont". There is no listing for H. C. Robb.
• 1885 Langley's San Francisco directory lists "Robb James A., machinist, r. 114 Twelfth", and "Robb Herbert C., machinist, r. 114 Twelfth".
• 1886 Langley's San Francisco directory lists "Robb James A., foreman machinist Risdon I. and L. Works, r. 114 Twelfth". Elsewhere is listed "Risdon Iron and Locomotive Works, William H. Taylor president, Robert S. Moore vice-president and superintendent, Lewis R. Mead Secretary, SE cor Howard and Beale". Also listed is "Robb Herbert C., machinist, r. 9 Rausch".
• 1887 Langley's San Francisco directory lists "Robb James A., draftsman Risdon I. and L. Works, r. 9½ Rausch". Elsewhere is listed "Risdon Iron and Locomotive Works, William H. Taylor president, Robert S. Moore vice-president and superintendent, Lewis R. Mead Secretary, SE cor Howard and Beale". Also listed is "Robb Hubert E., machinist Risdon I. and L. Works, r. 9½ Rausch".
• 1888 Langley's San Francisco directory lists "Robb James A., engineer and millwright, r. 227 Thirteenth". Also listed is "Robb Herbert C., machinist Empire Foundry, r. 227 Thirteenth".
• 1889 Langley's San Francisco directory lists "Robb James A., manufacturer Robb's patent saw mill machinery, 513 Mission, r. 227 Thirteenth". Also listed is "Robb Herbert C., machinist Simonds Saw Co., r. 227 Thirteenth". Simonds Saw Co. was at 513 Mission. Elsewhere in the issue is an illustrated 1/2 page ad for H. C. Robb's and J. A. Robb's patent sawmill machinery; the ad is vague on the name but says, "Address all Orders to H. C. Robb, 513 Mission St." In the Classified section, under Sawmill Machinery is listed "Robb James A., 513 Mission". Listed under Saw Manufacturers is Simonds Saw Co., 509, 511 and 513 Mission St. There are dozen listings for a John Mitchell and about twenty listings for a John X. Mitchell where X is any letter. None of them have a residence at 1904 Market, which is where our John Mitchell was in 1890.
• 1890 Langley's San Francisco Directory lists "Robb & Mitchell (James A. Robb and John Mitchell) machinists and engineers, and manufacturers Robb's patent saw mill machinery, 117 and 119 Main". Also listed is "Robb Herbert C., machinist Simonds Saw Co., r. 241 Ninth", which is the same residential address as James A. Robb. Also listed is "Mitchell John, (Robb & Mitchell) r. 1904 Market".
• 1891 Langley's San Francisco Directory
lists "Robb James A. Robb machinist and engineer and manufacturer Robb's patent saw mill machinery, 117-119 Main, r. 241 Ninth". Also listed is "Robb Herbert C., machinist, r. 241 Ninth", which is the same residential address as James A. Robb. There is no listing for a John Mitcheell residing at 1904 Market. Also listed at 117 Main St. are the American Mercantile Union, the Union Fence Manufacturing Co., and George R. Mixer's Novelty Foundry. Herbert C. Robb was a machinist residing at 241 Ninth.
• 1892 Langley's San Francisco Directory
does not have a listing for James A. Robb, or any listing for a company with Robb in its name, nor is a sawmill machinery maker listed at 117 and/or 119 Main st. This directory lists "Robb Herbert C., machinist, r. 241 Ninth".
• 1893 Langley's San Francisco Directory
does not have a listing for James A. Robb, or any listing for a company with Robb in its name, nor is a sawmill machinery maker listed at 117 and/or 119 Main st. This directory lists "Robb Herbert C., machinist, r. 241 Ninth".
• In re Robb (No. 15,096) at the Supreme Court of California, "Petition by J. A. Robb, an insolvent debtor, asking to have set aside, as exempt to him from execution, a lathe, and certain appliances used in running it." The lower court had ruled in Robb's favor and the state Supreme Court upheld the ruling. "A turning lathe, which is easily turned by one man, and such as is ordinarily used by mechanics, is exempt from execution, to a mechanic... Evidence that a journeyman machinist, when working for others, is not usually required to provide a lathe, is insufficient to show that it is not exempt, since the law does not require that a mechanic shall be employed as a journeyman... The fact that such mechanics used the lathe to manufacture machinery does not make him a manufacturer, instead of a mechanic, so as to render it liable to execution, where is appears that he did not employ others to use such tool in manufacturing."
• 1894 Langley's San Francisco Directory
does not have a listing for James A. Robb, or any listing for a company with Robb in its name, nor is a sawmill machinery maker listed at 117 and/or 119 Main st. This directory lists "Robb Herbert C., machinist, r. 241 Ninth".
• Subsequent city directories and genealogical searches show that Herbert C. Robb remained in San Francisco and James A. Robb moved to Philadelphia by 1900. Herbert was still in San Francisco in 1907.