Albemarle-Richmond City-Rockbridge County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Biographies.....Robinson, Edward Trent 1865 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 24, 2008, 7:01 pm Author: Leonard Wilson (1916) EDWARD TRENT ROBINSON EDWARD TRENT ROBINSON, one of the foremost figures in the present day life of the flourishing little city of Lexington, was born in Richmond, Virginia, on July 28, 1865, son of Samuel Couch and Margaret Ann (Graham) Robinson. Mr. Robinson's father was a prominent business man in his time, an iron manufacturer, a furnace owner and president of the Planters Bank of Richmond. An expert mining engineer, who rendered great service to the Confederate Government during the Civil War as a member of the Nitre and Mining Bureau of the Confederate Government, he visited many places in the discharge of his duties, making reports to the Confederate Government. A part of his time was spent superintending the manufacture of fire arms, such as muskets and carbines for the soldiers in the field. His services in this direction were so much more valuable than they could have been as a soldier at the front that he was exempted from active military duty. Mr. Robinson is a lineal descendant of Christopher Robinson, a native of Cleasby, Yorkshire, England, who was born in 1645; he came to Virginia probably in 1662. Some of the old Colonial records have the date "1642," which is perhaps a misprint for 1002, as he was not born until 1645. He prospered in the new country, becoming secretary of the Colony, and being one of the original trustees of William and Mary College, that venerable institution yet doing good work, and which divides with Harvard the honor of being the oldest institution for higher learning in the United States. Christopher(2) served as a naval officer on the Rappahannock River. John, son of the immigrant, born in 1683, was one of the most prominent men of his day. He became President of the Council and Speaker of the House of Burgesses under Sir William Gooch. When Gooch left for England on June 20, 1749, John Robinson, then President of the Council, became Acting Governor, in which capacity he served until his death, September 5, 1749. Duriug the brief months of his administration some very important laws were enacted which, being displeasing to the King, were repealed by him three years later. Governor Robinson married Catherine Beverley, daughter of Robert Beverley, author of "The History of Virginia"; and John Robinson(2), their son, also became speaker of the House of Burgesses and was treasurer of the Colony. Noting the careers of successive descendants, Anthony Robinson, Jr., was cashier of the Bank of Virginia in 1812. Another distinguished member of this family was Fayette Robinson, who died in 1859. He was an accomplished linguist and author. Returning to the immigrant, Christopher, it is found that he had a younger brother, the Rt. Rev. John Robinson, born in 1650, died in 1723. He was one of the foremost Englishmen of his day-a Fellow of Oxford University and a clergyman by vocation. He drifted, it might be said "by accident" into the diplomatic service. He was sent to Sweden as chaplain of the Legation, and out of that grew more than twenty years of splendid diplomatic service rich in good results for his country. This service was rendered as Envoy to Sweden first, and later to Sweden and Poland. His diplomatic service resulted in his being appointed Bishop of Bristol, from which See he was transferred to that of London as successor of Bishop Compton. He would probably have been consecrated Primate of England as successor to Tenison but for the downfall of Harley who, while he was head of the government, saw to it that Robinson met with continued promotion. Bishop Robinson was an accomplished man and had few superiors as a diplomat. When the Treaty of Utrecht was under negotiation in 1712-13, Bishop Robinson headed the English Commission, much to the dissatisfaction of some of the politicians who did not desire a clergyman to occupy that position. He worked, however, harmoniously with his colleagues, and as a result, largely of his efforts, a peace treaty was made which ended one of the bloodiest wars of English history, and secured for Great Britain the cession of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, the Hudson Bay District, Gibraltar and the Island of Minorca. It will be seen from this brief review that this family has been rich in strong and useful men through all its generations since the days of Christopher Robinson. Mr. Robinson's maternal line has also a most honorable record. His mother was the only daughter of Dr. Archibald Alexander Graham, a physician of high standing in the County of Rockbridge, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates in 1865-66, president of the James River and Kanawha Canal Company, and delegate to the convention that named Stephen A. Douglas for President. Dr. A. A. Graham was a nephew of William Graham, the founder of Liberty Hall Academy, which we now know as Washington and Lee University. William Graham was of Scotch Presbyterian stock. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1745, and became a clergyman. In 1774 the first school, known as Liberty Hall, took shape, and the Rev. William Graham was elected rector; and from that time on, until his death, in 1799, he was identified with the school which has since become one of the best known in the country, and which, during the last years of his life, the illustrious Robert E. Lee served as president. Mr. Robinson's uncles, on the maternal side, made brilliant records as Confederate soldiers. Archibald Graham, Jr., a graduate of Annapolis Naval Academy, was captain of the famous Rockbridge Artillery for the four years of the war. A brother, William Graham, was a captain of a company in the Tenth Virginia Calvary attached to Rosser's Brigade. Another brother, Dr. John Alexander Graham, was a surgeon in the Fifth Virginia Regiment attached to the Stonewall Brigade; and yet another, Edward Lacy Graham, was a private in Company C of the First Virginia Cavalry. Edward T. Robinson was educated by private tutors at home, and finished his studies at the Fancy Hill Classical School, at Fancy Hall, Virginia. Leaving school in 1882, a youth of seventeen, he took up farming, and soon became manager of a large farm belonging to his family near the Natural Bridge. He continued his supervision of this work for twenty years until 1902, when he moved into Lexington and entered business life, which he continued until 1906. He then organized the firm of Robinson and Hutton, coal dealers. Out of this business has grown the Robinson Supply Company, Inc., of which Mr. Robinson is president and treasurer. The motto of this company is "Everything for the farm," and here Mr. Robinson's long practical experience as a farmer has stood him in good stead. The business has grown to enormous proportions. The company handles coal, grain, seeds, all kinds of farming machinery, building materials- indeed, it lives up to its motto, and anything that a farmer wants he can buy from the Robinson Supply Company. His judgment has proved sound, and his capacity is equal to his judgment. He is a public-spirited man and ready to give time to community interests. He is vice-president and director of the Rockbridge Building and Loan Association, and president of the Lexington Retail Merchants Association. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church in Lexington and of the Masonic fraternity, holding the position of scribe in the Local Royal Arch Chapter of the Masonic Order in Lexington. Mr. Robinson is of studious disposition, so naturally cares for books. He is a lover of history, particularly ancient history. This branch of study is, perhaps, somewhat neglected in these stressful days of the twentieth century compared to the attention it received two or three generations ago, and Mr. Robinson is doing creditable work in urging, both by precept and example, the great importance of this branch of knowledge. Mr. Robinson is devoted to the interests of his native State, and insists that not enough attention is given to the wisdom of offering inducements to outside capital to enter the State for the purpose of developing its resources. Notwithstanding the fact that Virginia is the oldest of all the States, its resources, he claims, are as yet much less developed than those of some of the younger States, and a vast field for the profitable employment of capital is there. Mr. Robinson was married in Lexington, on September 11, 1889, to Mary Kercheval Monroe, born at White Post, Clarke County, Virginia, on July 2, 1868, daughter of Albert Marshall and Laura Virginia (Taylor) Monroe. They have a fine family of children. Emily Taylor, an alumna of the Mary Baldwin Seminary, at Staunton, married on March 27, 1912, Benjamin P. Ainsworth, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Margaret Graham, also an alumna of the Mary Baldwin Seminary, at Staunton, is unmarried. The next child, James Kerr Edmondson Robinson, now a lad of fourteen, is in the Lexington High School. The married daughter, Mrs. Ainsworth, has a little son, Edward Robinson Ainsworth, born in Lexington on June 28, 1913. The Coat of Arms of this branch of the Robinson family is thus described: "Vert, on a chevron argent between three roebucks, trippant or, as many trefoils slipped gules. "Crest: A roebuck trippant or. "Motto: Propere et provide." Additional Comments: Extracted from: MAKERS OF AMERICA BIOGRAPHIES OF LEADING MEN OF THOUGHT AND ACTION THE MEN WHO CONSTITUTE THE BONE AND SINEW OF AMERICAN PROSPERITY AND LIFE VOLUME II By LEONARD WILSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSISTED BY PROMINENT HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WRITERS Illustrated with many full page engravings B. F. JOHNSON, INC. CITY OF WASHINGTON, U. S. A. 1916 Copyright, 1916 by B. F. Johnson, Inc. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/albemarle/photos/bios/robinson55gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/albemarle/bios/robinson55gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/vafiles/ File size: 10.4 Kb