The Robinson Brothers were an American success story from the start, and luckily their business acumen carried over to the American Saddlebred breeding operations that they owned. Born in County Antrim in Northern Ireland in the mid 1870's, they immigrated to the America as young men in the late 1890's to join their older brother Sam Robinson in the grocery business. Settling in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, they prospered and expanded from owning single stores to operating a chain of grocery stores in the area. By 1917, the three brothers and a friend founded American Stores Company, which grew into the fourth largest grocery chain in America. Their financial success allowed them to pursue an interest in horses, and two of the brothers began breeding operations in nearby Chester County, Pennsylvania.
William M.M. Robinson purchased a farm near Paoli, Pennsylvania in 1928 and founded Nawbeek Farm. One of his early stallions was Nawbeek Peavine, a son of Rex Peavine that he purchased in 1930 and sold in 1936. He enlisted the aid of Robert McCray to locate a suitable breeding stallion, and the result of the search was the purchase of American Born for a record setting $12,000 in 1933. Two other fine stallions owned by William M M Robinson were Nawbeek's Highland King by Edna May's King and Colonel Sport by Kalarama Colonel. He also assembled a group of broodmares to ensure the success of his operations. As in the grocery business, William Robinson was a great success as a breeder.
Just 10 miles away in West Chester, Pennsylvania, older brother James K. Robinson Sr bought 300 acres to start Crebilly Farm in 1935. Gathering a fine band of broodmares including BHF's May Genius, Born to Delight, Sweet Emma, Kalarama Lorelei, Meadow Vanity and Wild Wind, Robinson also purchased two stallions of note. Sensation Rex was acquired in 1940, and Beau Fortune made the news in 1946 when he was purchased for the record setting price of $50,000 just one day after Lloyd Teater and Harold Ressler bought him for $40,000 from the JL Younghusband (Valley View Farm) sale.
James K Robinson passed away at age 75 in February of 1949, followed 11 months later by his brother William M. M. Robinson who was also 75 at the time of his death. Nawbeek Farm held a dispersal sale in 1950, however James K. Robinson Jr continued breeding horses at Crebilly for several more years. A partial list of horses they owned and/or bred is below, which highlights the fact that the Saddlebred industry owes a great debt to the two Robinson Brothers.
The stallions of Nawbeek Farm
- Nawbeek Peavine, Rex Peavine X daughter of Montgomery Chief. He was purchased in 1923 and his name changed to Nawbeek Peavine. He was resold in 1936.
- American Born, Guided by Love X Lena Jemison BHF. Before he moved to Nawbeek Farm, he sired WGC's Moreland Maid & Belle Le Rose and RWGC's Etta Kett, Sweet Lavender and Flashing American. He was purchased in 1930 from Robert Moreland and lived out his days at Nawbeek Farm.
- Nawbeek's Highland King, Edna May's King X CH Nancy Highland. He was purchased in 1941 before he won the Stallion Stake at the Kentucky State Fair. He sired CH The Encore and CH The Replica, and Mountain Highland Dawn BHF.
- RWC Colonel Sport, Kalarama Colonel X daughter of King's Sport. He was purchased in 1946 and sold at Nawbeek's dispersal sale in 1950.
- CH Ameican Buntee, 1943 m. sired by American Born out of Edna May's Delight BHF
- American Dictator, 1937 S. sired by American Born out of Kate Peavine BHF
- American Honeysuckle BHF, sired by American Born out of Jane Knox by Nawbeek Peavine
- American Masterpiece 1944 S, sired by American Born out of Edna May's Delight BHF
- WC American Maytime 1935 M, sired by American Born out of Kate Peavine BHF
- American Victory, 1943 S, sired by Nawbeek's Highland King out of Hazele Love
- WC Charming Camelia, 1934 M, sired by American Born X Kate Peavine BHF
- RWGC CH Garrymore, 1949 G, sired by Colonel Sport X WC American Maytime
- Highland Heart BHF, 1949 M, sired by Heart of Glory X Highland Lola
- WC Ina Walker BHF, 1931 M, sired by American Born X granddaughter of Rex Peavine
- WC Mary Wallace of Nawbeek, 1929 M, sired by American Born X Jane Ware
- RWGC CH Sweet Lavender, 1942 M, sired by American Born X Kate Peavine BHF
- Sensation Rex, Rex Firefly X Ware's Sensation BHF. He was purchased from Leatherwood Farm in 1940, and lived out his life at Crebilly Farm.
- Beau Fortune, Sun Beau X Anacacho Princess BHF. He was purchased in 1946 and remained there until his sale in 1958.
- Crebilly's Futurity Girl, 1950 M, sired by Beau Fortune X Crebilly's Whirlwind BHF
- RWGC Crebilly's Daring Sensation 1951 G, Sensation Rex X Kalarama Lorelei BHF
- Crebilly's Gust of Fortune, 1953 M, sired by Beau Fortune X Crebilly's Whirlwind BHF
- Crebilly's Hazel's Fortune, 1955 M, sired by Beau Fortune X Crebilly's Whirlwind BHF, she would later become the dam of WGC CH Valerie Emerald
- WC Crebilly's Hi Note 1950 M, sired by Beau Fortune X Kalarama Lorelei BHF
- Crebilly's Mimi 1947 M, Sensation Rex X Carefree
- WCC CH Crebilly's Precision, 1952 G, Sensation Rex X May Genius BHF
- CH Crebilly's Sweetheart of Devon, 1952 M, Sensation Rex X Sweet Emma BHF
- Crebilly's Whirlwind BHF, 1944 M, Sensaton Rex X Wild Wind BHF
- CH Kathleen of Crebilly, 1945 M, Sensation Rex X May Genius BHF
- CH Heavenly Daze, 1949 M Beau Fortune X Wild Wind BHF
- Crebilly's Plumb Beautiful BHF 1956 M, Beau Fortune X Crebilly's Whirlwind BHF
- Vanity's Sensation of Crebilly, 1947 S, Sensation Rex X Wild Wind BHF
What ever happened to Kathleen of Crebilly, anyway? She was a lovely mare who had a bright future ahead of her.
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