BIOGRAPHY: George S. Robbins; New York co., NY
surname: Robbins

submitted by Elizabeth Burns (burns at asu.edu) 
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Submitted Date: June 3,2005
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Author: Walter Barrett

George S. Robbins
Page 167
Old Merchants, 
by Walter Barrett,Clerk,
Knox and Sons, 1885

George S. Robbins started the dry good business in Pearl Street at No. 211 on 
his own account in 1822. The next year he moved to 148 Pearl Street and there 
he kept until the great fire of 1835.  His firm for a few years had been 
Robbins and Painter.  The fire fixed George S. Robbins. Insurance companies 
were ruined and did not pay their losses.  

George Robbins, like George Griswold, came from the banks of the Connecticut 
and they were good friends.  After 1837 his affairs were at very low ebb. He 
scratched his head often and vigorously, without producing any new commercial 
idea. At that time, 1837 , he was back at a new store, at the old number, and 
in 1838 he moved to 114 Water-Robbins, Painter and Company==there they kept 
until 1840 when Mr. Robbins moved to 54 William Street, above.  In these years 
and long after, there were no regular note-brokers, as now. A few large broker 
houses, such as Prime, Ward and King and John Ward and Company did this kind 
of business to a limited extent.  

George Robbins paid George Griswold a visit to take his advice.  He got advice 
and he also got $30,000 as a loan at 6 per cent interest per annum without any 
security being asked.  With this capital George S. Robbins commenced business 
at the corner of Pine and William where once William Niblo had his "Bank 
Coffee house" and in latter years the great auction house of Haggerty, Draper 
and Jones flourished.