Robinson Family; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 18, No. 3, 1910 Transcribed by Barb Hill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Robinson Family William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 3. (Jan., 1910), pp. 181-190. ROBINSON FAMILY. CHRISTOPHER1 ROBINSON, born in 1645 at Cleasby in Yorkshire, and elder brother of John Robinson, bishop of London, came to Virginia where he was a member of the council and Secretary of State. He died in 1690. He was father of Col. Christopher Robinson2, eldest son, naval officer of the Rappahannock River and member of the Council, of John or Urbanna, President of the Council, and Benjamin of "Moon's Mount", Essex County. Of these CHRISTOPHER2 married October 12, 1703, Judith, daughter of Christ- opher Wormeley, member of the council from Virginia, relict of William Beverely and before that of Corbin Griffin, both of the same place. He had issue: Christopher3, Judith died about 5 years of age, John3, Benjamin, Judith born about 1711, Frances, William, Peter3. In connection with the valuable pedigree of the family, now going through the Virginia Magazine, the following with reference to the three brothers, Christo- pher, John and Peter, may be useful. The family chart in my possession appears to come from the same sources as that published in the Virginia Magazine, XV., 445, but is fuller and differs from the latter in some particulars. Page 182. A. CHRISTOPHER3 ROBINSON, eldest son, lived at "Hewick", near Urbanna, Middle- sex county, served for many years in the Legislature. He was born about 1705, and died July 18, 1768. His will names son Christopher, wife Sarah, daus. Mary and Betty. Issue by first wife, Mary Berkeley, daughter of Col. Edmond Berkeley, of "Barn Elms", Middlesex County: 1. Mary4, died 1775 (chart). 2. Judith4, died 1757, married Carter Braxton, signer of the Declaration of Independence and had issue (1) Mary Robinson Braxton who married Robert Page of Hanover. They had issue Judith Page who married Brooke and had Walter Brooke (U.S. Senator from Miss.) (2) Judith, who married John White of King William, son of Rev. Alexander White, and they had Judith who married Judge William Brockenbrough, and had Sarah Jane who married Edward Colston (chart). Carter Braxton married, secondly, Miss Corbin, of "Laneville", King William County, and had Carter, Corbin, John Tayloe and William Braxton. (3) Lucy4, dau. of Christopher and Mary Robinson, died Mch. 7, 1737 (Register). Issue by second wife, Sarah Wormeley, daughter of John Wormeley, of "Rosegill", who survived her husband. Her will was dated Dec. 6, 1771, proved February 26, 1772, and names daughter Elizabeth and son Christopher. 3. Christopher4, eldest son, died unmarried in 1775; made his will 1775, which was proved in 1784. Leaves all his property to his sister Elizabeth. 4. Elizabeth4, how heired "Hewick", married on May 18, 1782, William Steptoe (chart and parish register) and had (1) Elizabeth who married Allen Christian. Issue: Mary married Fitzhugh, William, Elizabeth m. Huntington, Martha (2) Sallie Steptoe married Philip Grymes, Page 183. second William Burke, who had a daughter who married Perkins. (3) Martha married James Stamper, and then George Heale and then Boulware. (4) Thomas. (5) James, (6) George, (7) Walter. B. JOHN3 ROBINSON (born about 1708), in the chart in the Virginia Magazine XV., 445-450, is represented as having only two wives, but in the chart in my pos- session he had three, which is certainly correct. The former account does not distinguish as to the issues, while the latter does. Then, in the Virginia Magazine XVII., 206, the abstract of the will of John Robinson errs in making Matthew Whiting's wife Elizabeth, sister of John Robinson, whereas she was his daughter, as shown by two certified copies of his will in the records of the old Williamsburg Chancery Court. He had a large estate and is called "Major" in various wills. He made his will in 1785, and it was proved in 1787. Issue by first wife, Ann Reade: 1. Judith4, "daughter of John and Anne Robinson", born Sept. 14, 1736 (register and chart). She never married. She made her will December 8, 1805, and it was proved February 24, 1806. In it she names brothers Peter, William, and Robert Robinson, "Judith Robinson daughter of my brother Robert Robin- son". Her brother William, whom she made her chief legatee, was made executor. 2. Christopher4, "son of John and Anne Robinson", born April 2, 1738 (register and chart), died without issue, as in 1791, according to the Surveyor's Book of Gloucester County, his land on the Planketank River was divided among his brothers and sisters and their children to-wit: "Priscilla Elliott's part, John's, William's, Peter's, Judith's, Robert's, Elizabeth Whiting's, Thomas Wyatt's orphan's part, Christopher Robinson's part, and Mary Robinson's part". 3. Elizabeth4 (chart) married Matthew Whiting, Jr., Page 184. (marriage bond March 31, 1764, John Robinson, security. QUARTERLY VII., 192). Issue two or more children: Mary Robinson Whiting, married William Curtis on June 5, 1790, (register) and Matthew Whiting, Jr., named in his Aunt Mary Robinson's will (1803). Issue by second wife Frances Yates, daughter of Rev. Bartholmew Yates, and widow of Rev. John Reade of Middlesex and King William Counties. 4. Mary4 unmarried (chart). Her will, dated March 10, 1803, was proved July 4, 1803, she freed all her slaves, the males at 21 and the females at 18 years. Names niece Frances Yates Robinson, daughter of her brother John Robinson; nephew Matthew Whiting, and the other children of my late sister Whiting. Major James Ross and nephew Matthew Whiting executors. 5. William4 Robinson, probably the "son of John Robinson and Frances his wife, born April 11, 1749" (Rebister). He married (Family Bible) Elizabeth Lilly, (daughter of Thomas Lilly, captain in the Virginia State Navy during the War of the Revolution, and Lucy Burwell*, his wife) on May 15, 1806, and another daughter, Lucy Burwell Lilly, married (1) Thomas E. Churchill, of Middlesex, (2) John Darby (see Churchill Family in QUARTERLY VIII., 50). In his will dated in Middlesex County, November, 1807, William Robinson names his wife Elizabeth, daughter Lucy Lilly (born January 1, 1807), mentions wife with child, and makes Carter B. Berkeley and wife executors; witnesses: Lucy B. Churchill, Needler Robinson, Henry Heffernan, Will Wake, Tom Stiff. His inventory shows that he had a posthumous child Judith Willantina F. Robinson, and the Bible shows that she was born March 9, 1808. She married John R. Taylor; her sister Lucy Lilly Robinson married Benjamin Temple (Meade, Old Churches, &c., I., 382; QUARTERLY XIII., 140); and had _______________________________________________________________________________ *Lucy Burwell was a daughter of Carter Burwell and Lucy Ludwell Grymes. She was born October 23, 1750. Page 185. twelve children (1) Elizabeth Lilly, (2) Virginia Nelson, (3) Molly Brooke, (4) Robert Henry, (5) Charles Wellford, (6) Benjamin Brooke, (7) Judith Willantina, married Dr. J.P. Harrison, (8) John Taylor, (9) William Skyren, (10) Bernard Moore, (11) Ludwell, (12) Lucy Lilly, (the last now living in Richmond, unmarried). Elizabeth Lilly Robinson, married 2dly, Mr. Chowning of "Locust Grove". 6. Robert4, "son of John and Frances Robinson, was born August 29, 1750" (Register and chart). He was student at William and Mary in 1780, and went away with his cousin Christopher to join the British army in New York, where he had another cousin Col. Beverley Robinson (Sabine's Loyalists). He had (1) Judith mentioned in the will of her aunt Judith, (2) John Robinson of Nova Scotia, born in 1786, and father of Mr. T. M. Robinson, now living in St. John, New Brunswick. (3) Other children. (See Sabine's Loyalists). 7. John4 Robinson (chart) married Deborah Dunlop, (daughter of Rev. William Dunlop and Deborah his wife) on April 17, 1784. He died at "Green Branch", Middlesex County (a place devised to him by his father). His will, dated September 15, 1818, and recorded in Middlesex County, names son William D. Robinson, daughter Deborah E.C. Robinson, sons Benjamin F. Robinson and Christopher Robinson, wife's father William Dunlop. His daughter, Frances Yates Robinson, named in Mary Robinson's will, was probably dead at this time. 8. Catherine4 (chart) married Thomas Wyatt July 2, 1785, had one child. Issue by third wife Miss Churchill. She was probably Priscilla, daughter of Col. William Churchill, who made his will in 1782. 9. Peter4 (chart) married first --------; second, in 1818 Milly Humphreys. Page 186. 10. Priscilla4 (chart) married ----- Elliott. From a bill in Chancery in the Chancery in the Williamsburg District it appears that Seaton and John Elliott were her heirs. C. PETER3 ROBINSON, youngest son of Col. Christopher Robinson, was born March 1, 1718-19 (Parish Register), and died in 1765. He lived in the parish of St. Johns, King William County; and his will was dated January 8, 1765. He married Sarah, daughter of Alexander Lister and Lucy his wife, on August 9, 1750 (Register) and had issue: (1) Christopher4, (2) Peter4, (3) Judith4, born Sept. 5, 1751 - (Parish Register) (4) Sarah4, married Oct. 4, 1773, Benjamin Grymes, of Orange (Parish Register) (5) Lucy4 named in his will and in the chart; married Thomas Robinson, son of her uncle Benjamin Robinson. Of these children Christopher was undoubtedly the Christopher who was at William and Mary College in 1780 and ran away to the British in New York, where he joined the Loyal American Regiment (see Sabin's Loyalists of the American Revolution II., page 229). It is possible that his brother Peter emigrated with him. They are mentioned in the will of their aunt Judith Robinson in 1774. Christopher Robinson married Esther Sayre, and his son Beverley, born in 1791, was Chief Justice of Upper Canada. He was father of General C.W. Robinson, of London. In a suit in the Chancery Court of the Williamsburg District, entitled "Grymes vs. Robinson", it is stated that Major John Robinson was the surviving executor of the will of Peter Robinson, that he was guardian of Peter Robinson's three daughters, who lived with him until 1776, that as surviving executor he had charge of all the personal and real estate of his brother Peter; and no mention is made in these papers of either Christopher or Peter the sons. This omission can only be accounted for by the death or flight of both. Under the Virginia law during the revolution the property of all Page 187. British aliens was confiscated. There is no mention of the death of either in any of the Virginia records which have come down to us, nor do their names appear in the list reported in 1782 of land holders in King William County, where their father had resided. According to the papers in this suit their sister Lucy married Thomas Robinson, Sarah married Benjamin Grymes, and Judith was a spinster. According to the chart in my possession Benjamin Grymes and Sarah his wife had issue (1) John R. Grymes of New Orleans, (2) Dr. Peyton Grymes of Orange Co., died in 1787, (3) Elizabeth P. married Charles C. Braxton, of Chericoke, eldest son of George Braxton, of Chericoke; and their issue was Susan G. Braxton, who married Col. Richard Carrington of Richmond, Dr. William Braxton of Old Church Hanover, Hannah Braxton, Lucy Braxton, Sally Braxton, all three of whom last mentioned die unmarried and without issue. In the will of Judith Robinson (1826), some slaves are left to her "sister Sally Grymes" and her female children, Betty P. Braxton excepted. She also mentions nieces Mary Lister Bailey and Susan Braxton and her mother Betty F.F. Braxton, as also the children of nephew Alexander Lister Robinson, and the son of John H. Robinson. She made Mr. William Armistead, and nephew Dr. Peyton Grymes executors. Extract of a letter from Mr. Thomas Robinson, formerly president of the Western Union Telegraph Company, St. John, N.B., a grandson of Robert Robinson, King's Loyal American Regiment who was son of John Robinson of Middlesex County, Virginia, who died in 1787) to Major General C. W. Robinson, Beverely House, Eaton Rise, Ealing, England: Page 188. [The notes to this letter are General Robinson's.] 2 Wright St., Saint John, N.B., (New Brunswick) May 22, 1909. Dear General Robinson: Your letter of Sept. '17, last, was received in due course. It was, as you supposed, a surprise to me, and a very pleasant one. I would have replied at once if it had been possible for me to give any information that would assist you. I am sorry* to say that all the evidence you have given me, as well as the enquiries I have made since the receipt of your letter, only strengthens my previous opinion that your Grandfather was a son of a brother of my Great Grand- father, John R., of Middlesex Co., Virginia. My father always said that Christoper Robinson+ was his father's (Robert's) first cousin. My father (John R.) must have known. Of course he was not born until 1786, after your grandfather left New Brunswick; but he was 28 years old when his father (Robert R.) died++. He spent the winter of 1805-6 in Virginia, chiefly in Middlesex and Gloucester Counties, and in 1849, visited Virginia for the last time to settle his pro- tracted lawsuit with the executors of his grandfather's estate.** In 1805-6, he met all the Robinsons in that part of Virginia, and always spoke as if he knew the family genealogy thoroughly. Following is an instance: "In the summer of 1859, I was in Frederickton for the first time, and met Mr. Ludlow Robinson, grandson of Colonel _______________________________________________________________________________ *He uses the expression "sorry to say" so doubt because he is aware that our tradition was that our descent was not from a brother of John R., but from a brother of Col. Beverley R., (a different branch of the family). +Meaning Christopher Robinson, of Queen's Rangers, who died in Upper Canada in 1798. ++Robert R., died in Nova Scotia in 1814. He was father of John R., of Nova Scotia, who was father of the writer of this letter. Christopher R., Queen's Rangers left New Brunswick for Canada in 1788, I t hink, a little later than the writer supposes. **That is, the estate of John Robinson, of Middlesex Co., who died in 1787. This lawsuit, I see, is referred to in Leigh's Virginia Reports, Vol. I, p. 719; Vol. IX, p. 119, and possibly elswhere also. Mr. Robinson says that in the end his father settled for the sum sued for, without interest after 60 years litigation. The sum which John Robinson, who died in 1787, left to his son, Robert, was, I believe, from his Will, L1,200 sterling. Page 189. Beverly R. He said: "Partelow tells me that you are a relative of mine; do you know what the relationship is?" I answered that I knew it was too distant for anybody except a Scotchman to claim. He then asked if I was related to your father. I answered "somewhat nearer I believe; but still far off". As he seemed anxious to know, I promised to ask my father, which I did shortly after- wards. My father answered about as follows: "The Upper Canada Robinsons are one degree nearer to me than the New Brunswick family. Colonel Beverley R. was my grandfather's first cousin. Christopher Robinson, was my father's first cousin. This was the last conversation I had with my father on the subject; but as I said before, he always spoke of C.R. as his father's cousin, and with him, cousin meant first cousin. When my father first visited Virginia+, his father's elder half-brothers, Peter and John, were living; his full brother, William, had recently died, leav- ing a widow and two infant daughters. Mrs. Temple++ was one of the daughters; and as she moved to near Fredericksburg early in life, would not know much about her father's cousins. My father spent part of his time with my uncle William's widow, but most of it with his uncles, Peter and Jack. I gathered from his conversation that these uncles were free-livers, spending much of their time in hunting and shooting; and it is likely that the property left them by their father was soon dissipated, as it seemed to have passed completely out of the possession of their descendants when my father went to Virginia in 1849. The only part remaining was that held by Mrs. Temple and her sister, and this was lost in the Civil War. Mrs. Temple wrote to me after the war, that the Yankees had burn't her house, with all it's contents, cut down all her timber, and freed her servants. As her sons were not farmers, she would have to sell the land for almost nothing. I do not think that Colonel Beverley Robinson's family knew much about their Virginia relations. I cannot learn that any of this descendants here ever heard of them since they came to New Brunswick. I can understand that Sir S. Frederick and Sir William could easily be mistaken*. We would not probably know anything of our Virginia ______________________________________________________________________________ +This owuld be in the winter of 1805-6. ++In 1875, I corresponded with Mrs. Temple. She could not give much definite information as to the special object of my inquiries. *This means in their statement that Christopher Robinson, "Queens Rangers", was the son of one of Col. Beverley Robinson's brothers. This statement makes his father and Col. Beverley Robinson to be brothers. The descent from a brother of John R., who died in 1787, which Mr. Thos. Robinson here considers the correct one would make Christopher Robinson's grandfather and Col. Beverley R.'s father brothers. Page 190. connections, if it had not been for my father's unfortunate law-suit, which cost him in money and time double what he recovered. Here is some slight chance to get some proof. Did you ever think of examining the records of the Virginia legislature? I have only lately remembered that I heard both my grandmother and father say that Robert Robinson was proscribed and banished by Act of the Virginia legislature; that his attainder was subsequently reversed, or promised to be, if he would return to the State, but that he refused to return. You may have looked up the records of the Virginia House of Burgesses? If not, it may be worth while to have it done. It is possible your grandfather might have been outlawed, and of course his address or some designation would be given to afford some trace. He was much younger than Robert R., and as a minor in 1781, he could not hold property, the confiscation of which was the chief object of these attainders. However, I don't think my grandfather had any property to confiscate. Yours faithfully. T. M. ROBINSON.