Genealogical and Family History
of the
STATE OF MAINE

Compiled under the editorial supervision of George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D.

LEWIS HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY
New York
1909.

[Please see Index page for full citation.]

[Transcribed by Coralynn Brown]

[Many families included in these genealogical records had their beginnings in Massachusetts.]

ROBINSON The original name of the Robinson family was doubtless Robert or Roberts, which after a while became Robin son of Robert and was finally merged in Robinson. It is said that "no other surname is more prolific in its legendary character than this." Defoe gave his hero the name of a family living at Kings, Lynn, county Norfolk, England, Robinson Cruso (with the final e) English "Notes & Queries" states that "this name has been borne by father and son from time immemorial." It is claimed that the Robinsons were Saxon Thanes before the time of William the Conqueror, and that they were seated in Lancashire for three centuries, being lords of the manor of Chalburne in that county. The name is more commonly found in the north than the south of England, and Northamptonshire is the stronghold. The spelling of the name varies and is recorded on parliament rolls and Calendar of Proceedings in Chancery Robynson and Robbynsone, and some claim that Robson is a contraction. The meaning of the original Robert is "famous in counsel" from the rode "counsel" and bearht, bert or bericht, "bright." The following mottoes are among those in use on the family arms of Yorkshire and Lancashire branches: Virtute non verbis, "By bravery not by words," and Virtus pretiosior auro, "Virtue is more precious than gold." (I) Thomas Robinson, emigrant ancestor who came from England to Boston, Mass., has been proved to be identical with the Thomas of Scituate, on removing there before 1643. He married, 1652, Mary Woodey, of Boston, and on the Boston Records is called "of Scituate." Children: Thomas, born 1652; Joseph, b. 1656; Mary, b. 1657; Mercy, b. 1659. The sons removed from Scituate. He was killed by the fall of a tree, 1676. (II) Thomas (2), eldest son of Thomas (1) and Mary (Woodey) Robinson, was born in Scituate, Mass. in 1652. He married Sarah, daughter of Edward Denison, of Roxbury, Mass., whose brother Daniel was major-general of the Mass. colony during King Philip's war. Thomas inherited part of his father's homestead and also inherited property from his maternal grandfather, John Cogan (father of his mother who was the widow of John Woodey at the time of her second marriage). Thomas (2) was a cordwainer. He died in June, 1700. His widow died in Roxbury, Nov. 15, 1710, aged fifty-three. Children: 1. Thomas, born 1677, married 1707, Sarah Beswick. 2. Sarah, born Dec., 1679, married 1704, John Ingoldsbury, and (second) 1707, John Pewry. 3. Joseph, baptized Nov. 20, 1681, died young. 4. Elizabeth, born Sept 26, 1686, died young. 5. James, born March 15, 1689-90. (III) James, youngest son of Thomas (2) and Sarah (Denison) Robinson, was born in Scituate March 15, 1689-90. He married Patience, daughter of Capt. Samuel Ruggles, of Roxbury, who was born Nov. 7, 1690, died Jan., 1768. He inherited his father's home on Washington street, Boston, which he sold about the time of his marriage and moved to Rochester, where his brother-in-law, Rev. Timothy Ruggles, resided. Some of his children later on settled in Harwick and Barre, Mass. His will was proved March 11, 1762, when he was seventy-two years of age. Children: 1. James, born in Boston, March 1, 1711-12. 2. Thomas, born in Boston, Sept. 15, 1713, died young. 3. Samuel, born in Rochester (and all tha follow), Nov., 1715. 4. Thomas, born April 20, 1718. 5. Sarah, born July 9, 1720, married Ebenezer Spooner, of Rochester. 6. Dorothy, born March 13, 1722, married 1743, David Peckham, and (second) Major Ebenezer Haskell in 1749. 7. Denison, born July 16, 1725. 8. Joseph, born Sept. 13, 1727. 9. Hannah, born Nov. 16, 1730, married 1764, Benjamin Green. (IV) James (2), eldest son of James (1) and Patience (Ruggles) Robinson, was born in Boston, Mass. March 1, but according to family records Feb. 29, 1711-12. He married July 13, 1739, Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin Smith. He resided on the road to Barre, his farm being included in New Braintree, when incorporated and annexted to Hardwick in 1814. He was one of the early pioneers, for when he settled the region was all a wilderness. He was distinguished for his industry, economy and strict honesty and consequently became possessed of a large estate. He died May 21, 1790, aged seventy-eight years. His widow, Elizabeth, survived him. (V) Benjamin, son of James (2) and Elizabeth (Smith) Robinson, was born in or near Barre, Mass., and was baptized Sept. 13, 1747. There is but little on record concerning him or his immediate family. He resided in Barre. His will, made Sept. 3, 1793, codicil Sept. 3, 1799, was proved Oct. 1, 1799, and mentions "wife Hannah" and "children"; Anna Gates, Susanna, Henry, James, Benjamin, Hannah (wife of Orin Trow), Joseph, John, Josiah Moses, Cushman Ebenezer and Daniel Foster." (VI) Daniel, youngest son of Benjamin and Hannah Robinson, was born in Barre, presumably 1767-68. No dates being given, the children recorded above are probably not in correct order. This Daniel (supposed to be Daniel Foster) was "of Monson, Mass." and married, April 28, 1788, Anna, daughter of Isaac Bridges, who died Nov. 9, 1843, aged seventy-seven. The record reads: "Daniel Robinson, shoemaker from Harwick to Deerfield about 1829. He was a Revolutionary soldier 1782-84. He lived at Great River and died March 23, 1840, aged seventy-five." Children: Alvin, died s. p., Nov. 8, 1863, aged seventy-five. Twin daughters Arethusa and Minerva, born Oct. 13, 1794. About this date, the name of Daniel Robinson disappears from Deerfield records and he probably went to Monson, Mass., and died there. Other children were possibly born and recorded in that town, among them a son Samuel. (VII) Samuel, son of Daniel and Anna (Bridges) Robinson, was born in Monson, Mass., and married Thankful Adams. He was a wool manufacturer and resided at Monson until the summer of 1823, when he, with several others, followed to Maine a company of seventeen unmarried men who in 1820 had gone from Monson, Mass., to commence the new settlement at Monson, Maine. Children: 1. George W., of Thomaston, Maine, married Esther E. Benner, Jan. 18, 1847. 2. Edward Warren. 3. Alfrey Ely. 4. Hiram, drowned July 4, 1831. (VIII) Edward Warren, second son of Samuel and Thankful (Adams) Robinson, was born in Monson, Mass., July 4, 1826, married May 21, 1848, in Thomaston, Harriet M., born at St. George, Maine, daughter of Capt. William and Jane (Henderson) Watts, and granddaughter of Capt. Samuel and Mary (Robinson) Watts, of Thomaston. He was a merchant tailor; a Republican, and held the office of postmaster at Thomaston. Children: 1. Samuel Frank, born April 3, 1850. 2. Clara Maria, born Dec. 7, 1851. 3. Harriet Rose, born 1860. 4. George William, born about 1866, residing in St. Paul, Minnesota. Many of the Maine Robinsons are of Scotch-Irish descent, but not those who came from Massachusetts. They, however, intermarried, as will be seen. Among those emigrants who came from the north of Ireland in 1719 and settled on the St. George river, Maine, was Dr. Moses Robinson, who afterward located at Broad Cove (Cushing) about 1727. He had a son Moses, who married Sarah Carver and had a daughter, Mary Robinson, who married Capt. Samuel Watts, of Thomaston, Maine, and was the grandmother of Harriet M. Watts, wife of Edward Warren Robinson. (X) Samuel Frank, son of Edward Warren and Harriet M. (Watts) Robinson, was born in Thomaston, Maine, April 3, 1850, and was educated at the Thomastone high school. He engaged in business early, first as a merchnt at Thomastone and Rockland, then pursued banking, insurance and real estate in Kansas and Washington. In 1898 he began the brokerage business, dealing in bonds and stocks in New York city, and has been thus engaged for the past ten years. He is a Republican , and a Royal Arch Mason, but has held no office. He is a charter member of the Maine Society in New York. He married, at Thomaston May 22, 1873, Martha Ellen, daughter of William and Lucinda (Flint) Tobey, and granddaughter of Capt. Joseph and Sarah (Jones) Flint, of Damariscotta, Maine. She was born at Thomaston, June 25, 1851. Her father, William Tobey, was a master mariner, a lineal descendant of James Tobey, of Kittery. His great-great-grandfather, Richard Tobey, was actively engaged in the Indian wars. Her maternal grandfather, Capt. Joseph Flint, was a surgeon in the revolutionary army and was captured on a privateer and carried as prisoner to England. He was also captain of the militia in the war of 1812 and was stationed at Fort Edgecomb, Maine. Children: 1. Frank Warren, born April 9, 1877, of Buffalo, N. Y. 2. Harriett Lucinda, born May 28, 1880. 3. Helen Tobey, born July 28, 1882. 4. Agnes Clara, born Sept. 13, 1884. 5. Wendell Rice, born Jan. 1, 1889. The eldest daughter is the wife of Frank E. Hanly, residing in Buffalo, New York. The youngest son is with W. R. Grace & Company of New York.