Richard Francis Robinson, M. D. Biography


	This biography appears on pages 763-764 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	RICHARD FRANCIS ROBINSON, M. D., has the distinction of being a 
native of the city of Boston, Massachusetts, where he was born on the 
2d of January, 1868. His father, Richard Tremaine Robinson, was one of 
the pioneers of what is now the state of South Dakota, having come here 
in June, 1879, and taken up his residence in Firesteel, Davison county. 
He is engaged in the general merchandise business at Egan, South 
Dakota, at the present time. He served with distinction in the Civil 
war, as a member of Company C, Forty fourth Massachusetts Volunteer 
Infantry, and is a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic, 
while his wife, whose maiden name was Emma Frances Fisher, is past 
department president of the Woman's Relief Corps of the state. William 
Day Robinson, the paternal grandfather of the Doctor, came to the 
United States from Nova Scotia, about 1852. His father, Dr. Henry 
Robinson, was a surgeon in the English army. He was assistant surgeon 
in the Sixty-fourth Foot, from May 8, 1801, to June 15, 1804, and from 
that time was incumbent of a similar position in the Seventh Foot until 
December 15, 1804, when he was made surgeon of the regiment, in which 
capacity he served until August 29, 1811, when he resigned and 
thereafter lived retired in Halifax, Nova Scotia, this record being 
given in the war office in the city of London. Amos Sargent, great-
grandfather of the mother of the subject, was a soldier in the war of 
the Revolution and also a seaman on the privateer brigantine, "Hazard."  

	Dr. Robinson was about twelve years of age at the time of his 
parents' removal to what is now South Dakota, and here he attended the 
country schools of Davison county until he had attained the age of 
twenty years, when he returned to his native state of Massachusetts, 
locating in the city of Cambridge for the purpose of learning a trade. 
The outlook in this line, however, did not satisfy his ambition and he 
determined to prepare himself for the medical profession. He rounded 
out his preliminary education by attending night schools in Cambridge, 
and in 1890 was matriculated in the College of Physicians and Surgeons 
in the city of Boston, where he was graduated on the 4th of May, 1893, 
receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine. Later he took a post-
graduate course in Tufts' Medical College, in the same city. He began 
the practice of his profession in Cambridge, where he remained until 
1894, when he returned to South Dakota and established himself in 
practice in Ethan, Davison county, whence he later removed to the city 
of Mitchell, where he was in practice until June 20, 1895, when he came 
to Egan, which has ever since been his home. Here he has built up an 
excellent professional business, his ability gaining to him distinctive 
recognition and a representative supporting patronage. The Doctor is a 
progressive and public spirited citizen and enjoys marked popularity in 
the community. He was appointed captain and assistant surgeon in the 
Third Regiment of the South Dakota National Guard, on the 23d of April, 
1903. In April, 1902, he was elected a member of the board of education 
of Egan, serving one year. He is treasurer of the board of pension 
examining surgeons for Moody county, having been a member of the board 
since 1897, and from July, 1895, to the present time he has served as 
vice-president of the board of health of the county. He served as 
county physician from June, 1895, to January, 1902, and in 1899 and 
1900 he was county coroner, having been elected on the Republican 
ticket. The Doctor has been a staunch supporter of the Republican party 
from the time of attaining his majority, and has taken an active 
interest in its cause. He has been a member of the Modern Woodmen of 
America since 1896, and has held the office of clerk of the local camp 
since January, 1898, while he has been clerk of the state camp since 
February, 1901, and in 1899 was a delegate to the head camp of the 
order. He is a charter member of the local lodge of the Modern 
Brotherhood of America, organized in 1899, and is secretary of the 
lodge at the present time, having previously served two years in this 
office, while he was a delegate to its first supreme convention, in 
October, 1900. In November, 1903, the Doctor was raised to the degree 
of Master Mason in Tyrian Lodge, No. 100, Ancient Free and Accepted 
Masons. While a resident of Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Doctor became 
a member of the Wood Memorial Congregational church, and in the same he 
served as president of the Young People's Society of Christian 
Endeavor, while at the present time he is superintendent of the Sunday 
school of the Methodist Episcopal church in Egan, of which he has been 
a member since taking up his residence here.  

	On the 18th of August, 1897, in Egan, Dr. Robinson was united in 
marriage to Miss Jennie Brennan, who has been a resident of Moody 
county since her childhood, her parents having here taken up their 
residence in March, 1878. Her father, Roger Brennan, has been the 
leading lawyer of the county for a quarter of a century and also one of 
the most influential men in the local ranks of the Republican party. Of 
the three children of Dr. and Mrs. Robinson we enter the names with 
respective dates of birth: Richard Tracy, May 15, 1898; Ada Frances, 
June 15, 1901; and Roger Chesley, December 21, 1902.