Bennington ROBINSON, Daniel, David, John S., Jonathan, Moses, & Samuel (Sr. & Jr.) Biography of Samuel ROBINSON, Sr. (Captain Samuel ROBINSON) (father of Daniel, Jonathan, Moses & Samuel Jr.) Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, pp 167-168 (extracted from a section on the history of Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont) Samuel ROBINSON, Sr. [aka Captain Samuel ROBINSON] was born in 1705 at Cambridge [Middlesex County], Massachusetts, removed to Hardwick [Worcester County, Massachusetts] about 1735, and emigrated to Bennington [Bennington County, Vermont] in 1761, the acknowledged leader of the band of pioneers in the settlement of the town; and he continued to exercise almost a controlling authority in the affairs of the town during the remainder of his life. He had served as Captain in the troops of Massachusetts in the French war during several campaigns and was at the head of his company in the battle of Lake George, September 1758, when the French were defeated by Generals JOHNSON and LYMAN. He was commissioned as Justice of the Peace by Gov. WENTWORTH of New Hampshire 08 February 1762, being the first person appointed to any judicial office within the limits of this State [Vermont]. In the summer of 1764 a controversy in regard to jurisdiction arose in Pownal [Bennington County] between claimants under New Hampshire, and others under New York, in which the authority of Esquire ROBINSON as a magistrate seems to have been invoked. Mr. ROBINSON being at Pownal was together with Samuel ASHLEY a New Hampshire sheriff a deputy and two other persons arrested by the New York sheriff and his assistants and carried to Albany [Albany County, New York] jail. This collision between the Governors of the two provinces, which appears to have resulted in a sort of compromise by which Mr. ROBINSON and those with him were released on moderate or nominal bail, and though indicted for resisting the New York officers, were never brought to trial. In December 1765 when it was ascertained by the settlers New Hampshire that their lands were being granted from under them by Lieut. Gov. COLDEN, Mr. ROBINSON was deputed by those of Bennington and the neighboring towns to go to New York for the purpose of trying to persuade him to save their possessions from the grasp of the city speculators, but his efforts were unavailing. He was the next year appointed by the whole body of settlers and claimants, their agent to repair to England and present their petitions for relief to the king. He left for England late in the fall of 1766 and reached London early in February following [1767]. In conjunction with William Samuel JOHNSON, then in London as the agent of the Colony of Connecticut, and with the aid of "the Society for the Propagation of the gospel in Foreign Parts," he so far procured the ear of the crown that Lord SHELBURNE on 11 April 1757 [typo in text for 1767] addressed a letter to Sir Henry MOORE, who had then become governor of the province of New York, forbidding him in the most positive terms from making any new grants of land in the disputed territory, and from molesting any person in possession under a New Hampshire title. On 20 July following [1767], upon a hearing before the king in council an order in council was made prohibiting the governor of New York, "under pain of his majesty's highest displeasure," from making any such new grants. While Mr. [Samuel] ROBINSON [Sr.] was still prosecuting the business of his mission, he unfortunately took the small pox and died in London 27 October 1767. Mr. [William Samuel] JOHNSON in communicating the intelligence of his decease to his widow under date of 02 November 1767, says of him: "He is much lamented by his friends and acquaintances, which were many. You may rest assured no care or expense was spared for his comfort and to save his life, had it been consistent with the design of Providence. [Part of letter omitted here in the original text.] After his death as the last act of friendship to his memory, I took care to furnish him a decent funeral at which General LYMAN and other gentleman here from America attended with me as mourners. He is interred in the burial ground belonging to Mr. WHITFIELD's church, where he usually attended public worship." Capt. [Samuel] ROBINSON was an intelligent, enterprising and energetic man of exemplary moral and religious character, and well suited to be the leader of a band of emigrants to a new country. His loss was deeply felt and deplored by the whole body of settlers on the New Hampshire Grants. Capt. ROBINSON [aka Samuel ROBINSON, Sr.] left six sons and three daughters who were all born at Hardwick [Worcester County, Massachusetts], all emigrated to Bennington [Bennington County], and all became heads of families. His descendants are very numerous, some of them are to be found in almost every state and territory of the Union. Of the sons [of Samuel ROBINSON, Sr.], Leonard, the oldest, and Silas, the fourth, removed from Bennington to Franklin County [Vermont], and died there. Marcy, the eldest daughter, married Joseph, son of Deacon Joseph SAFFORD; Sarah, the second daughter, married Benjamin, son of Stephen FAY, and after his death Gen. Heman SWIFT of Cornwall [Litchfield County], Connecticut. Anna, the youngest, married Isaac WEBSTER of Bennington. The other children were Samuel [Samuel Jr., aka Col. Samuel ROBINSON], Moses, David, and Jonathan. [Summary: the six sons of Samuel ROBINSON, Sr. (1705-1767) were Leonard, Silas, Samuel Jr. (1738-1812), Moses (1741-1813), David (1754-1843), and Jonathan (1756-1825), and the three daughters of Samuel ROBINSON, Sr., were Marcy, Sarah, and Anna.] Biography of Samuel ROBINSON, Jr. (Colonel Samuel ROBINSON) Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, p 168 (extracted from a section on the history of Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont) Col. Samuel ROBINSON, son of Samuel ROBINSON, Sr., was born 15 August 1738 at Hardwick [Worcester County], Massachusetts, was one of the first company of settlers who came to Bennington [Vermont] in 1761, [Samuel ROBINSON, Jr.] married Esther, daughter of Deacon Joseph SAFFORD, and [Samuel ROBINSON, Jr.] died 03 May 1812 in Bennington [Bennington County, Vermont]. He was an active man in the New York controversy and in the other early affairs of the town; in 1768 [Samuel ROBINSON, Jr.] was chosen [to the] town committee in place of his deceased father, commanded one of the Bennington companies of militia in Bennington battle, performed other important military services during the war, and rose to the rank of Colonel. In 1777 and 1778 he had charge as "overseer" of the Tory prisoners and in 1779 and 1780 represented the town [Bennington] in the General Assembly and was for three years a member of the Board of War. He was the first justice of the peace appointed in town, under the authority of Vermont in 1778, and was also during the same year one of the judges of the Special Court for the South Shire of the County, and in that capacity sat on the trial and conviction of REDDING. Col. ROBINSON was a man of good natural abilities and of much activity and enterprise in early life, upright and honorable in all his dealings, possessing undoubted personal courage, and beloved by all for the kindness, generosity and nobleness of his nature and conduct. He left numerous worthy and respectable descendants, some of whom reside in this town [Bennington], and others in different parts of this and the United States. Biography of Moses ROBINSON (Governor Moses ROBINSON) (son of Samuel Sr.) Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, pp 168-169 (extracted from a section on the history of Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont) Gov. Moses ROBINSON, son of Samuel, Sr., was born 26 March 1741 at Hardwick [Worcester County], Massachusetts, married Mary, daughter of Stephen FAY, and after her death Susanah HOWE; and [Moses ROBINSON] died 26 May 1813 at Bennington [Bennington County, Vermont]. He was chosen Town Clerk at the first meeting of the town March 1762, and held the office nineteen years, until March 1782. In the early part of 1777 he was Colonel of the militia and was at the head of his regiment at Mount Independence on its evacuation by Gen. St. CLAIR. He then became a member of the Council of Safety, which held continued sessions for several months afterwards, and was succeeded in his military rank by Col Nathaniel BRUSH of Bennington. On the first organization of the Supreme Court in 1778 he was appointed Chief Justice; which office he held (with the exception of one year) until 1789, when there being no choice of Governor by the people he was elected by the Legislature to that office, but was succeeded the next year by Thomas CHITTENDEN, the former governor. He [Moses ROBINSON] had in 1782 attended the Continental Congress as one of the agents of Vermont, and on the adjustment of the controversy with New York was in January 1791 elected one of the Senators to Congress (Stephen R. BRADLEY being the other). Gov. ROBINSON was a political friend of JEFFERSON and MADISON, and when in Congress united with them in their favorable views of the French revolution and government, and in their hostility to JAY's treaty with England. He not only voted against the treaty in the Senate in June 1795, but after its ratification by that body, was instrumental in procuring its condemnation by a Bennington town meeting, and by a convention of the county, in order, in connection with similar demonstrations in other parts of the country, to induce Congress to withhold the necessary appropriations for carrying the treaty into effect. In June 1791 Mr. JEFFERSON, then Secretary of State, and Mr. MADISON, a member of the House of Representatives, in making a horseback tour through New England, stopped in Bennington and spent the Sabbath with Gov. [Moses] ROBINSON, who had then been recently elected to the Senate. Gov. ROBINSON was a zealously pious man and scrupulously exact in the performance of his religious duties, while his visitors, especially Mr. JEFFERSON, were accused of not only sympathizing with the French republicans in politics, but also in religion, or rather the want of it. This visit of these distinguished gentlemen, in connection with the subsequent political course of Gov. ROBINSON, was afterwards made the occasion of sundry newspaper squibs of the opposite party, particularly in reference to his intercourse with his guests during the Sabbath. According to one of them, Gov. ROBINSON, who was a little proud (as Bennington people are still apt to be) of the performance of the choir of singers, insisted upon having their opinion upon its merits and especially how it compared with the church music in other places, upon which it was said both of them were obliged to confess, that they were no judges of the matter, neither of them having attended church before in several years! Another rather characteristic story was told of him [Gov. Moses ROBINSON] by his political opponents. It ran this wise: At the close of the session of Congress in which he had voted against the appropriations for JAY's treaty and had given other votes which it was thought indicated hostility towards WASHINGTON's administration, he rode on his way home from Philadelphia in the carriage in company with a portion of the Connecticut delegates, among whom was Uriah TRACY, then a member of the house, long noted for the sarcastic keenness of his wit. In the course of the journey to New York, Gov. ROBINSON as was his wont fell to discoursing upon religious matters, and particularly upon doctrinal points, insisting with great earnestness upon the truth of the doctrine of total depravity. TRACY's patience being somewhat tried he suddenly broke in upon him with the question, "Gov. ROBINSON, do you think you are totally depraved?" The Governor appeared somewhat confused, but after a little hesitation felt obliged to answer that he thought he was, to which TRACY promptly replied, "I know that your friends have though so for some time past, and I am glad you have become sensible of it yourself." This sharp reply is said to have changed the subject of conversation. Gov. ROBINSON, though sustained in his political views by his neighbors of the town and county, found himself in a minority in the state, and accordingly resigned his office of Senator in October 1796, a few months before the expiration of his term, and was succeeded by Isaac TICHENOR. He [Moses ROBINSON] represented the town [Bennington] in the General Assembly in 1602 [1802], and was not afterwards in public life. Gov. ROBINSON was a man of exemplary moral and religious character, intelligent and upright in the performance of all his duties, both as a public man and private citizen, always possessing the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. He [Gov. Moses ROBINSON] died 26 May 1813, in the seventy-third year of his age, and was extensively lamented. By his first wife, Mary FAY, Governor [Moses] ROBINSON left six sons. Moses, the oldest, was a member of the Council in 1814 and was several times in 1820 and afterwards representative of the town [Bennington] in the General Assembly. He [the younger Moses ROBINSON] died 30 January 1825, aged sixty-two. Aaron, the second son [of the elder Moses], was Town Clerk seven years, in 1815 and afterwards, a justice of the peace twenty-three years, a representative to the Assembly in 1816 and 1817, and Judge of Probate in 1835 and 1836, and [Aaron ROBINSON] died in 1850, aged eighty-three. Samuel ROBINSON, the third son [of the elder Moses], was clerk of the Supreme Court for the County [of Bennington] from 1794 to 1815. He [Samuel ROBINSON, son of Gov. Moses ROBINSON] died 07 January 1820, aged fifty-three. Nathan ROBINSON, another son, was a lawyer by profession, represented the town [Bennington] in 1803, and [Nathan ROBINSON] died 27 September 1812, aged forty. The other sons were Elijah and Fay. [Summary: the six sons of Moses ROBINSON (1741-1813) and Mary FAY were: Moses (1763?-1825), Aaron (1767?-1850), Samuel (1767?-1820), Nathan (1772?-1812), Elijah, and Fay, their approximate years of birth calculated from the years of death and ages at death given in the biography.] Biography of John S. ROBINSON (Gov. John S. ROBINSON) (son of Nathan, grandson of Moses, great grandson of Samuel Sr.) Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, p 170 (extracted from a section on the history of Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont) Gov. John S. ROBINSON was the son of Nathan and grandson of Gov. Moses ROBINSON, and was born 10 November 1804 at Bennington [Bennington County, Vermont]. His great grandfather, Samuel ROBINSON [Sr.], served several campaigns as captain of Massachusetts troops, in the vicinity of Lakes George and Champlain, in the French war which terminated in the conquest of Canada; was leader of the band of pioneers in the settlement of Bennington, and [Samuel ROBINSON, Sr.] died in London in 1767, while on a mission to implore the aid of the crown in behalf of the New Hampshire settlers against the oppressions of the New York government. John S. ROBINSON graduated at Williams College in 1824, was admitted to the Bennington County bar in 1827, and was in the active practice of his profession in his native town during the remainder of his life. He was twice elected a representative of Bennington in the General Assembly; was twice a member of the State Senate, and in 1853, on the failure of an election of Governor by the people, was chosen to that office by joint ballot of the two houses. Mr. [John S.] ROBINSON belonged to the Democratic party, and was frequently supported by his political friends for Member of Congress, Governor, and other important offices, but his party being generally in the minority, he was unsuccessful except as before stated. In April 1860 he attended the National Democratic Convention at Charleston, South Carolina, was Chairman of the delegation from Vermont, and [John S. ROBINSON] died in that city [Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina] of apoplexy on the twenty-fourth of that month [24 April 1860]. The legal attainments and high order of talent of Mr. [John S.] ROBINSON placed him at an early day in the front rank of his profession, which position he always maintained. Generous of heart, amiable in disposition, and with integrity undoubted, he, by his uniform courtesy and kindness, endeared himself to all with whom he had business or intercourse. His remains were brought for interment to his native town [Bennington], where his funeral was attended by the members of the bar as a body, as mourners, and by a large concourse of acquaintances and friends, an impressive funeral discourse being delivered by President HOPKINS, with whom he had received his college education. In October 1847 Governor [John S.] ROBINSON was married to Julietta STANIFORD, then widow of William ROBINSON, who survives him. [In other words, John S. ROBINSON married Mrs. Julietta (STANIFORD) ROBINSON, the widow of William ROBINSON.] He [John S. ROBINSON] left no children. [Were William ROBINSON and John S. ROBINSON related? Did Julietta (STANIFORD) ROBINSON have any children with her first husband, William ROBINSON?] Biography of David ROBINSON (General David ROBINSON) (son of Samuel Sr.) Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, p 169 (extracted from a section on the history of Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont) Gen. David ROBINSON, (son of Samuel, Senior) was born 22 November 1754 [at Hardwick, Worcester County, Massachusetts], and came to Bennington with his father in 1761. He was in the battle of Bennington as a private in the militia and afterwards rose by regular promotion to the rank of Major General, which office he resigned about 1817. He was Sheriff of the County [of Bennington] for twenty-two years ending in 1811, when he was appointed United States Marshal for the Vermont district, which office he held for eight years until 1819. Gen. ROBINSON was a very active, energetic man, and well fitted for the executive offices he was called upon to fill. He sustained through life an unexceptionable moral and religious character, and [David ROBINSON] died 12 December 1843, at the advanced age of eighty. By his wife, Sarah, a daughter of Stephen FAY, he had three sons who became heads of families: David, a lawyer by profession, who died in March 1858, aged eighty-one; Stephen, who was successively a member of the Assembly, for several years, a Judge of the [Bennington] County Court, and a member of he Council of Censors in 1834, and died in 1852, aged seventy-one; and Heman, who died 20 February 1837, aged fifty, the two latter [Stephen and Heman ROBINSON] left numerous descendants. [Summary: the sons of David ROBINSON (1754-1843) and Sarah FAY were: David (1777-1858), Stephen (1781?-1852), and Heman (1787?-1837). Note that David ROBINSON married Sarah FAY, and his brother, Moses ROBINSON, wedded Mary FAY.] From page 166 of the same source: "David ROBINSON, Jr., son of Gen. David ROBINSON, was born 12 July 1777, admitted to the bar in December 1800, and died in March 1858. He was in reputable practice for many years." Biography of George Wardsworth ROBINSON (son of Heman, grandson of David, great grandson of Samuel, Sr.) Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 339-340 (portrait p 339) George Wardsworth ROBINSON, late of Bennington [Bennington County, Vermont], son of Capt. Heman and Betsey (WARDSWORTH) ROBINSON, was born 14 January 1819 in Bennington Centre, grandson of Gen. David ROBINSON, who took part in the battle of Bennington [and great grandson of Samuel ROBINSON, Sr.]. He [George W. ROBINSON] was educated in the public schools and academy of Bennington, and when he arrived at man's estate he departed for New York City, where he was employed as clerk in a carpet store, but at the solicitation of his grandfather returned to Bennington in 1843, taking charge of the general's estate. [The author implies, but does not state, that he took charge of Gen. David ROBINSON's estate.] Later he [George W.] became proprietor of the Walloomsac House, and was also employed as an auctioneer. Politically Mr. [George W.] ROBINSON was a Democrat, and was formerly postmaster at Bennington Centre. He was a charter member and first president of the Bennington Historical Society, to which he devoted much time and labor. He was also much interested in the erection of the Bennington battle monument, and he is the fortunate possessor of a very fine collection of relics relating to the battle which are of much historical interest. On 08 April 1840 Mr. [George Wardsworth] ROBINSON was married to Jane E., daughter of Joseph N. HINSDILL, of Hinsdillville [a part of Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont, where the HINSDILL family owned much of the property, and where several HINSDILL are buried in the old cemetery]. To them [to George W. and Jane E. ROBINSON] nine children were born: David, Mrs. Fannie HARRISON, of San Francisco [San Francisco County, California], Chester H., Heman, Agnes J., Sarah Fay (Mrs. Samuel B. HALL), Carrie H., Jennie E., and George A. Biography of Jonathan ROBINSON (Judge Jonathan ROBINSON) (son of Samuel, Sr.) Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, pp 169-170 (extracted from a section on the history of Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont) Judge Jonathan ROBINSON (the youngest son of Samuel, Senior) was born 11 August 1756 at Hardwick [Worcester County], Massachusetts, and came to Bennington as one of his father's family, in 1761. He was admitted to the bar in June 1793 and was early in public life; was Town Clerk six years from 1795, represented the town [Bennington] thirteen years prior to 1802, was chief judge of the Supreme Court from 1801 to 1807, when he was chosen Senator to Congress to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Israel SMITH then elected governor of the state, and was also Senator for the succeeding term of six years which expired 03 March 1815. In October 1815 he became Judge of Probate and held the office for four years, and in 1818 again represented the town in the General Assembly. He [Jonathan ROBINSON] died 03 November 1819 in the sixty-fourth year of his age. Judge ROBINSON was a man of pleasant and insinuating address, and by his talent and political shrewdness occupied a leading position in the republican party of the State for many years. While in the Senate he was understood to have the ear and confidence of President MADISON, and to have a controlling influence in the distribution of the army and other patronage of the administration within this state, which in consequence of the war with England was then very great. He [Jonathan ROBINSON] married Mary, daughter of John FASSETT, Senior. His [Jonathan ROBINSON's] children were Jonathan E., who was a lawyer by profession, was Town Clerk nine years, Judge of the County Court in 1828, and died 27 April 1831; Henry, who was successively paymaster in the army, Clerk of the Pension office, Brigadier General of the Militia, and for ten years Clerk of the County and Supreme Court, and died in 1856; a daughter, Mary, married to Col. O. C. MERRILL, but now deceased; and another son Isaac T. ROBINSON, is still living in Bennington. [Summary: the children of Jonathan ROBINSON were Jonathan E., Henry, Mary, and Isaac T.] From page 166 of the same source: Jonathan E. ROBINSON, son of Jonathan ROBINSON, was admitted to the bar in December 1800. Submitted by Cathy Kubly