Statewide County HI Archives Biographies.....Robinson, William Joseph 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
J. Orr jessicanorr@gmail.com December 21, 2011, 3:26 pm

Source: The Story of Hawaii and Its Builders, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Ltd. Territory of Hawaii, 1925
Author: Edited by George F. Nellist

WILLIAM JOSEPH ROBINSON, Lawyer and Jurist. William J. Robinson bears the 
double distinction of having been the first U. S. Commissioner in Hawaii after 
annexation of the islands by the United States, and of sitting upon a circuit 
court bench in the Territory for a longer period than any other judge.
 Coming to Honolulu with the late M. M. Estee just after the Organic Act 
became effective in 1900, Judge Robinson held the position of U.S. 
Commissioner until 1902 under Judge Estee, the first United States district 
judge in the Territory, and during this period was in law partnership with the 
late William Austin Whiting, one time an associate justice of the Supreme 
Court of the Republic of Hawaii. For the twelve-year period from 1902 to 1914, 
Judge Robinson was judge of the First Circuit Court of Hawaii, establishing a 
record for length of service.
 In 1915 and 1916 he practised law in Honolulu, and for the next two years was 
manager of the law and abstract department of the Trent Trust Co., Ltd., 
returning to private practise in 1918, in which he is still engaged.
 Judge Robinson is president of the Territorial Mercantile Service, Ltd., an 
Elk and a member of the Redmen. On the mainland he was secretary of the 
Alameda Bicycle Athletic Club and a member of the Oakland Reliance Club.
 Before coming to the Territory, Judge Robinson was educated at the Brothers 
of St. Mary’s College in Cleveland and later attended St. Ignatius College in 
San Francisco from 1879 to 1882, leaving that school to become a clerk and 
student in the law office of Estee & Boalt in San Francisco from 1882 to 1889. 
He was admitted to the California bar on Jan. 13, 1891. From 1889 to 1898 he 
was with James Christopher Martin, Oakland attorney, becoming a member of the 
firm of Martin & Robinson in 1898 and of Robinson & Miller in Oakland from 
1898 to 1900.
 Judge Robinson has three children, Mrs. Joseph Petrowski of Honolulu, William 
Joseph Robinson, Jr., now in an insurance office in San Francisco, and Paul 
Robert Robinson, a student in Alameda High School.

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