WI BIO - Kenosha Co - ROBINSON, Dwight

History of Kenosha and Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Lyman. Chicago: Clarke 
Publishing, 1916, vol II, pp 204-210; portrait Dwight ROBINSON p 206; 
portrait Mrs. Dwight ROBINSON (Frances Sarah nee HIGGINS) p 207

Dwight ROBINSON, who was closely associated with the history of agricultural 
development in Kenosha County [Wisconsin], and whose death was the occasion 
of deep regret because of the place he had made for himself in public regard, 
was born 26 July 1832 in Tolland County, Connecticut, his parents being 
Gurdon and Lucy (EDSON) ROBINSON.

The father [Gurdon ROBINSON] was born 21 July 1788 in Connecticut, a son of 
Sabin and Doreas ROBINSON. He served as a soldier in the War of 1812 and was 
actively engaged at New London [New London County], Connecticut. He [Gurdon 
ROBINSON] devoted his life to farming and passed away 03 April 1867, when 
seventy-nine years of age. His wife [Lucy (EDSON) ROBINSON], a native of 
Stafford, Tolland County, Connecticut, was a daughter of Levi and Molly 
EDSON. She [Lucy (EDSON) ROBINSON] died 10 April 1867 at Stafford, Tolland 
county, Connecticut when seventy-five years of age.

Mr. and Mrs. ROBINSON [Gurdon and Lucy (EDSON) ROBINSON] had a family of 
eleven children: (1) Sally, born 11 March 1815, married and had a daughter 
and one son; (2) Roxana, born 11 March 1815, married and had one son and one 
daughter; (3) Lucy C. was born 30 May 1816; (4) Daniel E. was born 29 
November 1817; (5) Elijah was born 08 February 1819; (6) Giles was born 15 
April 1821; (7) the next child, born 08 June 1823, died unnamed; (8) Maria, 
born 14 August 1825, was married and had three sons; (9) Dwight, born 03 May 
1828, died in early [p 209] childhood; (10) Angeline, born 18 November 1830, 
became the wife of William G. PARKER and had one son; and (11) Dwight, the 
second of that name, was born 26 July 1832 and was married and had four sons 
and two daughters.

Dwight ROBINSON spent the days of his boyhood and youth in Tolland County, 
Connecticut, and dating his arrival in Wisconsin from April 1856, when 
twenty-four years of years of age, first visited Wisconsin in 1856 to look 
after the interests of his brother, Elijah ROBINSON, who had invested in land 
in Kenosha County. In 1860 he [Dwight ROBINSON] was married in this county 
[Kenosha County, Wisconsin], after which he returned to Connecticut, where he 
remained until the death of his parents. At that time he once more came to 
Wisconsin and purchased land from John OLIVER, continuing its development and 
cultivation until his death. He also purchased an adjoining tract of fifteen 
acres. He was actively and successfully engaged in general agricultural 
pursuits for many years, and the careful management of his business affairs 
brought him substantial success.

On 28 October 1860 [in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, as stated in the previous 
paragraph] Dwight ROBINSON married Miss Frances Sarah HIGGINS, a 
representative of an old New England family. Her great grandfather, Timothy 
HIGGINS, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and died 12 July 1829 in 
Wolcott [New Haven County], Connecticut, at the age of seventy-five years, 
while his wife, [Mrs.] Hannah [HIGGINS], passed away 05 March 1833 in Wolcott 
[New Haven County, Connecticut], in her seventy-sixth year.

Their son, Fitch A. HIGGINS [son of Timothy and Hannah (----) HIGGINS], was 
born 11 July 1793 at Milford [County], Connecticut, and became one of the 
first settlers of Kenosha County, securing a tract of government land in 
Pleasant Prairie Township, whereon he built a log cabin and reared his 
family. [Kenosha County was created 26 January 1850 from part of Racine 
County, a territorial county formed in 1836. The Territory of Wisconsin was 
created 20 April 1836 from land belonging to Michigan Territory, and the 
State of Wisconsin was created 29 May 1848 from land formerly in Wisconsin 
Territory.]

On 08 March 1815 in Middlebury [New Haven County], Connecticut, he [Fitch A. 
HIGGINS] wedded Amanda ROYCE [a maiden name?], who was born 31 May 1793 in 
Walllingford [New Haven County], Connecticut , and died 31 May 1840 at 
Southport, Wisconsin. [Southport became the City of Kenosha on 07 February 
1850, Kenosha County having been created from part of Racine County on 26 
January 1850.] Their children [the children of Fitch A. and Amanda HIGGINS] 
were (1) Emeline Tuttle, (2) William Royce, (3) Mary Angeline Taylor, (4) 
Harriet Eliza Richards, and (5) Hannah Amanda Foster. [Submitter does not 
assume here that Tuttle, Taylor, Richards, and Foster are married surnames, 
since later in this biography the names of married female offspring are 
listed as "Mrs."]

For his second wife, Mr. [Fitch A.] HIGGINS chose Lucretia SIBLEY, who died 
11 July 1886 at the age of seventy-four years, six months and twenty-six 
days. They had two children, (1) Charles Timothy and (2) Frederick 
Filmore. The father, Fitch A. HIGGINS, had served as drummer boy in the War 
of 1812. He [Fitch A. HIGGINS] died in Pleasant Prairie [Pleasant Prairie 
Township, Kenosha County, Wisconsin] on 01 March 1882, at the age of 
eighty-eight years.

William Royce HIGGINS, the father of Mrs. ROBINSON, was born 14 May 1817 in 
Wolcott [County], Connecticut, and died 01 April 1874 at Bailey's Harbor, 
Door county, Wisconsin, at the age of fifty-seven years. He [William Royce 
HIGGINS] married Cynthia Doreas CASE, who was born 23 January 1847 at 
Westfield [County], New York, and was one of a family of eight children, 
three daughters and five sons.

The CASE family trace their lineage down from the Earl of Angus, third son of 
a Scottish nobleman, who lived in England in 1400. The American progenitor 
was John CASE, who wedded Sarah SPENCER. One of this family, Alma CASE, 
became the wife of George RANDALL, who during the Revolutionary War was 
captured while fighting with General Burgoyne. The parents of Mrs. William 
Royce HIGGINS [the parents of Cynthia Doreas (CASE) HIGGINS], on leaving the 
east, removed to Kankakee [Kankakee County], Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. William 
Royce HIGGINS became pioneers of Wisconsin, and he carried on farming to 
provide for the family. Mrs. [William Royce] HIGGINS [Cynthia Doreas nee 
CASE] died 14 February 1888 at Sturgeon Bay [Door County], Wisconsin.

She [Cynthia Doreas (CASE) HIGGINS] was the mother of [William Royce and 
Cynthia Doreas (CASE) HIGGINS were the parents of] twelve children: (1) 
Fitch Allan; (2) William R., who died in infancy; (3) Sarah Frances, now 
Mrs. ROBINSON; (4) Mrs. Mary Alana MOWERY; (5) Timothy; (6) Mrs. Laura 
Amanda ROSS; (7) Mrs. Florence Amelia OVERHOLT; (8) Frank William [p 210]; 
(9) George Valentine; (10) Mrs. Dora Capitola KALAMBACK; (11) Clara Viola; 
and (12) Frederick.

Mr. and Mrs. Dwight ROBINSON [Dwight and Frances Sarah (HIGGINS) ROBINSON] 
became the parents of six children: (1) Florence Emogene, the wife of 
Thomas F. BLANKLEY, a resident of Litchfield [probably Litchfield in Kankakee 
County, but could be Litchfield in Montgomery County], Illinois, by whom she 
has seven children, Charlie, Fred, Mrs. Mary STUTTLE, Mrs. Elsie ELVIDGE, 
Thomas, Stella and Floren; (2) George W., who married Stella MELVILLE and 
has two children, Howard and Mary; (3) Giles, who married Agnes ANDERSON and 
has three children; (4) Bert J., who married Laure [Laura?] H. KULCKIG; (5) 
Willard E., who married Mabel LEARNED and has three children, Marjorie, Verna 
and Doris; and (6) Mina E., who is the wife of Edgar ABER and has two 
children, Margaret Elizabeth and Ellen Ruth.

Mr. [Dwight] ROBINSON passed away 05 May 1888, and although many years have 
since come and gone, he is yet remembered by his neighbors and friends. He 
had long been a resident of the county [Kenosha County, Wisconsin], had taken 
an active part in its development, and had contributed to its progress along 
agricultural lines. He was always upright and honorable in his dealings with 
his fellowmen, and his many sterling traits had established him firmly in 
public regard.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly