Ira Mansfield fishing, Darlington area industrialist nature lover and miner of Cannel coal in the Cannelton area

Ira Mansfield (on left) and friends fishing in the Little Beaver Creek. Mansfield was a Darlington area industrialist, naturalist, and coal miner in the Cannelton area (Darlington Township, Pa). Local historian Michael Kishbucher: “This photo, dated 1908, is called “The Last Outing.” It includes two of the three original Robin Hood Club founding members, Ira F. Mansfield and Henry K. Morse (a relative). The third man’s name is Donnelly. Ira wrote that in the following spring Morse and Donnelly “were called to another world,” leaving Ira and Cecil Hines as the remaining members of the men’s version of the club. Ira transformed the group into a women’s organization, promoting natural science and especially the women’s suffrage movement. The first iteration of the Robin Hood club lasted from October 1865 (a few months after Ira returned from the War) to the spring of 1909. The Second Robin Hood club likely ended in June 1919, probably due to the passing of its benefactor. Ira’s obituary says that he died in June 1919 following a brief illness. There is no mention of what disease he succumb to, but he died during the great Spanish Flu pandemic. The US ratified the 19th Amendment the following year. Image source: unknown.