Obituary for JOHN ARMISTED ROBINSON

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JOHN ARMISTED3 ROBINSON (JOSHUA OWEN2, ROGER1) was born November 18,
1830 in Pruntytown Va., and died 1898 in Patterson Creek W.Va..  He married
HANNA P. MCNARY 1854 in Cumberland, MD.

Obituary for JOHN ARMISTED ROBINSON:

At 6:00 on Saturday morning after a illness of about three weeks, Passed
away at his home at Patterson Creek W.Va. Eight miles Below this city, Col
John A. Robinson, in the 68th year of his age. Until about three months ago
Colonel Robinson enjoyed his usual good health and was occupied with his
customary avocations until he took to his bed , he was thought to be only
to be slightly indisposed but upon his return from Chicago, about the
middle of January, he suddenly brook down and never afterward able to leave
his bed. His illness seemed to be a general prostration traceable in part
to the exposure and hardships of his Military life.

He was able up to the last few days to recognize his friends and always
gave them the cordial and hearty greeting that made meeting with him ,when
in health, so pleasant.  He suffered no bodily pain or mental anguish and
seemed  just to be gradually fading away. He was surrounded by his children, 
and grandchildren, and his sister Mrs. Ison, and his brother Capt.
William J. Robinson, of Parkersburg W.Va., they served together in the
field afterward were always closely associated. 

John Armistead Robinson -- was born near Pruntytown in what was then
Harrison Co. Virginia on November 18, 1830 of American parentage, being of
English descent. His education, commenced in the common schools, was
completed  at Rector Collage under the principalship of the Reverend Doctor
Wheeler. He early gave evidence of a talent and inclination for business
pursuits, and in these he was always successful, but when called upon for
service in the army or in public civil life he developed a marked capacity
for both, the foundation of which was his loyalty and high sense of duty.

When the Civil War broke out, he was a merchant at Fetterman, living there
from 1852 to 1861, and being Postmaster for the last five years of his
residence there.  Col. Robinson at once cast his lot with his State and
locked up and abandoning his store without waiting to settle his business
he entered the Confederate Army in May of 1861 and served with it, except
when absent to attend to his duties as a member of the Legislature of 
Virginia, until the close of the war. He was made Captain of Company A,
25th Regiment of Virginia Infantry and later promoted to the Colonelcy of
the same regiment, for "gallant and meritorious service." Bravely Fought by
His Standard.   Early`s Brigade, which  was a part of Stonewall Jackson's
Division, and with it he saw hard and active service, partisipating in all
the principal engagements of the Army of Northern Virginia. He was at
Winchester, Cross Keys, Port Republic, the seven days fight around Richmond,
and the battles of Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and at the engagement at
Antietam he was stationed in command of his regiment on the extreme left of
the line near the Little Dunkard Church, where the fighting was severe and
the loss of his regiment was very heavy. Though so often under fire he
escaped serious wounds, but at Gettysburg part of his clothing was torn
away by the bullet of the enemy.  The Confederacy needed its best men in
the Legislature as well as in the field, and Col. Robinson served in the
sessions of the Legislature  of Virginia of 1863, 1864 and 1865, Returning
to the army as soon as the sessions were over and resuming his command.


GOES BACK TO THE COUNTER   

The war ended, Col. Robinson immediately re-entered business life and his 
store at Fettermen having been destroyed during the war, he moved to 
Patterson Creek W. Va., where he carried on merchandising and farming, 
acting also as agent of the B&O railroad and thus establishing himself in 
the confidence of the latter corporation and serving it in more and more 
responsible  capacities until his death. In 1872 he was elected a member of 
the Constitutional Convention of West Virginia which met in the old M.E. 
Church building at Charleston, in which body his practical experience in 
legislation, his sound judgment and conservative temperament gave him great 
influence and he served as a member of the committee on executive officers. 

A FRIEND OF EDUCATION

In the same year he was made a member of the Board of Regents of the State
University at Morgantown and served until about a year ago, when he
declined a reappointment. As chairman of the Executive Committee a great
part of the work of management fell upon him, and that this work was well
done is sufficiently attested by the increase strength and usefulness of
that university. During his service the attendance of students increased
from about nearly 500, and the standard for admissions and for degrees was
raised. 

MAKER OF LAWS

In 1877 he was elected to the House of Delegates of West Virginia and was 
chairman of the committee on privilege and elections and of the joint 
committee to investigate charges against the B.&O. railroad of tariff 
discriminations. He was married to Miss. H.P. McNary at Cumberland, who died 
several years ago . Seven children were born to them, of only three survived, 
Claude E. Robinson , J. Hunter Robinson , and Mrs. J. Humbird Smith all of 
Paterson Creek. 

A CHRISTIAN GENTLEMAN 

Col. Robinson was an active and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, South, and was frequently a delegate to the annual conference of 
that church. In politics he was a Democrat. His active and varied life public 
and private, had made his acquaintances an unusually large one and his 
unassuming ways and cordial manners. The outward Expressions, as they were, 
of a mature, simple, true and sound, easily made his acquaintances his friends. 
He was a frequent visitor to Cumberland where he had business interests and 
his friends were numerous and hospitable home was always open.  

THE FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS 
The funeral will take place on Tuesday morning at about 10:00, from the
Methodist church on his place at Patterson Creek, and the interment will be
in the family lot at Frankfort. Friends from Cumberland desisting to attend
the service may take train #2 on the B.O. railroad at 8:57 am. which will
be stopped at Paterson Creek. The accommodation train 11:05 o'clock.