Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/140

 ROBINSON

KOBINSON

erty on thf» Hudson river. At the outbreak of the Revolution Major Robinson removed to New York, where he became colonel of the American Loyal regiment, which he had himself raised, and also commanded the corps of '• guards and pioneers." He was frequently engaged in the service of the royalists, and his home, known as the Beverly mansion, sheltered Andre while carrying out Arnold's plans. Colonel Robinson interceded for Andres release through corres- pondence with Washington, and subsequently for his life at the latter's headquarters. (The Beverly mansion, containing many valuable historical relics, was burned in 189'2). At the close of the Revolutionary war. Colonel Robinson removed to New Brunswick. Canada, where he refused a seat in the first colonial council, and finally made his permanent home in Thorn bury, near Bath. England. His wife's property having been confiscated, he was awarded £17,000 sterl- ing by the British government. Of his children, Beverly (1755-1816). a graduate of King's college, 1773. was lieutenant-colonel of his father's rogi- raent: Morris (17.59-1815). served in the war of the Revolution as a captain in the Queen's Rangers: John (1761-18".i5), was a lieutenant in the Loyal American regiment; Sir Frederick Phillipse (1763-1852), was temporarily in charge of the government of Upper Canada, 181.5-16; became general of the British forces in the West Indies, and also a Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, and William Henry (1766-1836), was head of the commi-ssariat de- partment of the British army. Col. Beverly Robin<;on died in Tliornbury. England, in 1792.

ROBINSON, Charles, governor of Kansas, was bom in Hardwick, Mass.. July 21, 1818; son of Jonathan and Huldalx (Woodward) Robinson, and a direct descend- ant from John Robin- son the Pilgrim, and . ,. through his paternal

•^ ' ^n grandmother, Piiebe

Williams, a descend- ant in direct line from Charlemagne and Pepin. He attended Hadley and Amherst / academies and also

^ Amherst college,

/ earning his living by

/ making school desks

^ j^y, a"<i by teaching

"^ /fc*^^*^K^*40 school winters, and

after a varied medi- cal education received the degree of M.D. from the Berkshire Medical college, Pittsfield, Mass., 1843. Ho wa.H married Thanksgiving day, 1843, to Sarali, daughter of William Adams of West

Brookfield, Mass. Two children were born to them — a boy and a girl, botii dying in infancy. He began practice at Belchertown, Mass., Sep- tember, 1843, where he also served on the scliool committee, and took an interest in i»ub- lic affairs, and in 1845 he opened a hospital for practice in Springfield, Mass., in association with Dr. J. G. Holland. His wife died in 1840 and he joined his brotlier Cyrus in Fitchburg, Mass., where he practised until 1849, when he went overland to California as physician to the Boston company. He arrived at Sacramento, Aug. 12. 1849. where with othei-s he kept a res- taurant; continued his profession, and on Aug. 11, 1850, issued a manifesto denouncing the atti- tude of the courts, the gamblers and the specu- lators toward the settlers, and opposed the divis- ion of the territory into two states, one to be free and one slave. In a subsequent riot he was shot, imprisoned and charged with murder and other crimes. During his confinement he was elected to the legislature and after he was bailed, edited the Settlers' and Miners' Tribune until he took his seat in the legislature in 1851, when he worked and voted for John C. Fremont for U.S. senator. His case was subsequently dismissed and he was exonerated by the legislature and by the district court. He returned to Fitchburg. Mass., in 1851; was married, Oct. 30, 1851, to Sara Tappan Doo- little, daughter of Myron and Clarissa (Dwight) Lawrence; edited the Fitchburg Neus. and June 28, 1854, went to Kansas as confidential agent of the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid society, settling in Lawrence. In the struggle which was waged against the pro-slavery party, he was made com- mander-in-chief of the Free-State party and aa such constructed forts and rifle pits, but at the same time worked to secure the freedom of the state under the forms of law. He was a member of the Free-State convention, Aug. 14-15, 1855. and of that at Topeka, Oct. 23, 1855, being twice appointed chairman of the executive committee, and was twice elected governor of Kansas under the Topeka constitution which was rejected by the U.S. senate. He resij^ led the office tempo- rarily in order to seek aid in the East, and on his way to Boston was arrested at Lexington, Mo., on the charge of "usurping office and for high treason," and imprisoned. His house was burned. Mrs. Robinson (q.v.) continued the journey ea.st. and he was a prisoner at Lecompton from May till September, 1856. Governor Shannon was re- called and Governor Geary api)ointed his succes- sor, and at Robinson's trial, Aug. 18-20, 1857, the jury reported that "since there was no state of Kansas, there could be no governor of state, and therefore no usurpation of office." He was a member of the Free-State convention at Grass- hopper Falls, Aug. 26, 1857; presided at the