Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/776

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

and Mrs. Finch are the parents of three chil- dren : Thora Woodis, Helen Goode and George Boyd.

Clarence Welmore Robinson. Clarence Welmore Robinson, circuit judge of New- port News, descends from a very ancient Virginia family, which came originally from England. The first of the name of whom knowledge is now obtainable was a Robin- son who resided at Crostwick, in the parish of Rumbald Kirk, England, whose wife was a Miss Savage. Their son, John Robinson, resided at the same place, and married Ann Dent, also of Crostwick. Their second son, George Robinson, lived at Cleasby, where he was born before 1634. He married Fran- ces Layton, of Cleasby, who died in Lon- don, and was buried in St. Peter's church- yard, April 13, 1648. Their son, John Rob- inson, of Cleasby, died there in 1661, and was buried there. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher Potter. She died in 1688. Their second son, John Robinson, born 1650, was bishop of Bristol, and for some years British envoy to Sweden. Dur- ing this service there he wrote a history of Sweden. Later he was plenipotentiary at the congress of Utrecht, in 1712, the last cleric to be thus engaged. Following this he became bishop of London, which position he occupied at his death, April 11, 1723. Their third son, Christopher Robinson, re- moved to Virginia in i566, and died there in 1693. ^^ came from Hewick, near Ripon, Yorkshire, and settled on the Rappahannock river, in Virginia, where he called his estate "Hewick." He was secretary of the colony in 1692, and died in that office early the fol- lowing year. In 1691 he was a member of the house of burgesses, and in the same year was appointed a inember of the privy council. He was one of the first vestrymen of the parish embracing Middlesex county, Virginia. He married (first) Agatha, daugh- ter of Bertram Obert. She died January 25, 1686, and he married (second) Catherine, widow of Major Robert Beverly. His son, Christopher Robinson, born 1681, inherited the paternal plantation, and was also the heir of his uncle, the bishop of London. He was educated at William and Mary College, was a member of the house of burgesses in 1710 and 1714. and was a naval officer of the Rappahannock river. He died February 20, 1727, at Hewick, in Middlesex county, and

his estate was appraised March 28 of that year at one thousand and sixty-three pounds ten shillings and three pence. He married. October 12, 1703, Judith, widow of William Beverley, and daughter of Colonel Christo- l-her W'ormeley, born May 25, 1683, in .Middlesex. Their fourth son was William Kobinson, born March 5, 1716, educated in England, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts at Oxford in 1740. He was ordained a priest in June, 1743, returned to Virginia the following year, and became rector of the parish of Stratton Major, in King and Queen county. In 1761 he was appointed commis- sary of the bishop of London, and died in 1767-68. He married a daughter of Benja- min and Alice Needier (probably named Alice), of King and Queen county, and had four children recorded in Middlesex county, namely : Christopher, Benjamin, Needier and Alice. Christopher Robinson, son of Commissary William Robinson, resided in Middlesex county, where his will made No- vember 20, 1784, was proved July 23, 1787. He had sons: William. Charles and Ches- Icy, and daughters: Elizabeth and Nancy. Charles Robinson, son of Christopher Rob- inson, had a wife Ann, and sons William, born 1770, and Charles. The last named, sen of Charles and Ann Robinson, married, in 1802, Elizabeth Wood, and they were the parents of Lewis Wood Robinson, who moved, when a young man, to Fluvanna county, Virginia. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Joseph Holt, of Hanover county, formerly of Hog Island, Surry ccun- t}, and they were the parents of Constan- tnie Holt Robinson, who married Mary Ann Shepherd.

Clarence Welmore Robinson, son of Con- stantine Holt and Mary Ann (Shepherd) Robinson, was born in Albemarle county, \"irginia, January 24, 1870, and educated in public and private schools, and Rivanna Academy. He graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1S96. with the degree of Bachelor of Law, was admitted to the bar. and located in practice at Newport News. There he served as commonwealth's attorney from 1900 to 1908, and in the latter year was elected circuit judge, which posi- tion he now fills, with credit to himself and honor to the district. He served many years as a trustee of the State Female Normal School at Farmville ; is a member of the Vir- ginia Historical Society, the Virginia Bar