Joseph Paul Robles was born on February 14, 1842 in Hernando County, then called Benton County.  Joseph Paul Robles was born on the 160 acre farm and homestead of his father Joseph Robles (1817-1907) who had settled there in August of 1843.  The Robles homestead in Hernando County is furher described as being located in S21 & S22, T23, R20.  At the time of Joseph Paul's birth Hernando County was still occupied by Indians and the Robles were in the Chocacahatee Hammock, which was preiviously occupied by the Seminoles. When Joseph Paul became old enough to take a straightrazor to his face he made his decision to fashionable and grew a goatee, it never left his chin.  Joseph Paul was only 14 years old when the Civil War broke out so he was unable to enlist right away.  When Joseph Paul reached age 16 he enlisted with the Confederate States.  It was in October of 1864 that Joseph Paul enlisted in Tampa with Capt. Leroy G. Lesley's Company of Munnerlyn's Battalion. According to Robles' own writing he was transferred to Capt. W.W. Wall's Company in about December of 1864 and sometime in Feruary of 1865 John Parsons became commander of the company.  Most of Robles' service is said to have been guarding Confederate cotton boats along the Gulf Coast.  For a time Joseph Paul was detailed and engaged in the gathering of beef cattle in the Hernando and Hillsborough County areas. In May of 1865 Joseph Paul was discharge in Brooksville as a result of the Civil War ending.  Robles says that "people were running up and down the streets with dismay and disbelief on their faces.  After entering town I asked someone: What the matter?  The answer was: We've stopped fighting. The next day we were discharged and we scattered for home."  Immediatly following the war its believed that Joseph Paul lived on his father's property in Hernando County.  On Feb. 5, 1870, he married Martha Ann Boyett.  \Soon after he and his wife then settled on a 160 acre homestead in Hillsborough County where they raised 12 children and Joseph engaged in farming, living a simple life. On February 28, 1951, at the age of 104, Joseph Paul had a heart attack and passed away while living at his home located at Rt. #8, Box 911 in Tampa, his original 160 acre homestead.  At the time of his death Joseph P. Robles was among the last 20 Confederate Veterans to still be living and was among the last 38 Civil War Veterans.