practice in Newark, but shortly removed to Cam-
den, N.J., where he was prosecutor of the pleas
for Camdeii county, 1858 ; was active in organiz
ing the state troops for service in the civil war,
and was commissioned brigadier-general by Gov
ernor Parker. He was attorney-general of New
Jersey, 1867-69, resigning, June 22, 1869, to accept
the portfolio of the navy in President Grant s
cabinet, and held the office from June 25, 1869. to
March 3, 1877, also serving as secretary of war
for a time in 1876 on the resignation of William
W. Belknap. His official conduct as secretary of
the navy was the subject of congressional inves
tigation in 1876 and 1878, but in both cases the
judiciary committee of the house found that the
charges against him were not sustained. He was
married, Jan. 23, 1872, to Mary Isabella (Ogston)
Aulick, a widow, with a son, Richmond Aulick
(Princeton, 1889). They had one daughter, Ethel
Maxwell. He was a Republican representative
from the first New Jersey district in the 46th and
47th congresses, 1879-83 ; was defeated in 1882
for the 48th congress, and in 1883 resumed the
practice of law in Trenton, N.J., where lie died.
Sept. 27. 1897.
ROBESON, Henry Bellows, naval officer, was
born in New Haven, Conn., Aug. 5, 1842 ; son of
Dr. Abel Bellows and Susan (Taylor) Robeson ;
grandson of Maj. Jonas and Susan (Bellows)
Robeson and of the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel William
and Rebecca (Hine) Taylor, and a descendant of
William Robinson of Watertown and Lexington,
Mass., who died in March, 1698 ; of John Whit
ney, who settled in Watertown in 1635, and of
the Rev. Nathaniel Taylor (1722-1800) of New
Milford, Conn., and through him of Daniel Tay
lor, one of the first settlers of New Milford, about
1638. He was appointed acting midshipman in
the U.S. navy, Sept. 25, 1856 ; midshipman, June
15, 1860. and master, Sept. 19, 1861. He served
on blockade duty during the civil war ; was en
gaged in the attack on Fort McRae, Nov. 23,
1861, and in the defence of Charleston, April 7,
1863 : commanded the landing party from the
New Ironsides in the assault and capture of the
Confederate works on the lower part of Morris
Island, July 10, 1863, and took part in the bom
bardments of Forts Wagner, Sumter and Moul-
trie. He was promoted lieutenant, July 16, 1862,
and was attached to the Colorado of the North
Atlantic blockading squadron, commanding the
landing party in the assault of Fort Fisher, Jan.
THE BO/ABARDMEMT or FORT P15HER
15, 1865. He was commissioned lieutenant-com
mander, July 25, 1866, and commander, Feb. 12,
1874, and was flag-lieutenant of the Asiatic
squadron, 1867-70. He was married, June 11,
1872, to Katherine, daughter of the Rev. John
Nelson and Mary (Nichols) Bellows of Wai pole,
N.H. He commanded the U.S.S. Vandalia. 1876-
79 : was stationed at the Naval academy, 1879-83,
and commanded the U.S.S. Constitution in 1883.
He was promoted captain, Aug. 25. 1887 : com
modore. Feb. 1, 1898, and was placed on the re
tired list with the rank of rear-admiral. March
28, 1899. He was captain of the navy yard at
Portsmouth, N.H., 1895-98 ; was a member of
the advisory board for the construction of new
cruisers, 1888-89 : commanded the U.S.S. Chicago,
1889-91, and was supervisor of the harbor of New
York. 1891-93.
ROBIE, Frederick, governor of Maine, was
born in Gorham, Maine, Aug. 12, 1822 ; son of
the Hon. Toppan and Sarah Thaxter (Lincoln)
Robie ; grandson of Edward and Sarah (Webster)
Robie of Chester, N.IL, and of John and Bethiah
(Thaxter) Lincoln. His first direct American
ancestor was Henry Robie of Dunbarton. Eng
land, who first settled in Exeter, N.H., in 1639,
and soon afterward in Hampton, N.H. His first
direct American ancestor on his mother s side
was Samuel Lincoln, who came from Old Iling-
ham, England, and settled in New Hingham,
Mass., in the year 1637. It is generally supposed
that he was the first American ancestor of Pres
ident Abraham Lincoln. Frederick Robie was
graduated from Bowdoin college in 1841 ; taught
school in Georgia and Florida, and was graduated
[504]
ROBINS
ROBINSON
from Jefferson Medical college in 1844 ; practised
in Biddeford, Maine, 1844-55 ; in Wakloboro,
1855-38, and in Gorham, 1858-61. He was ap
pointed paymaster in the U.S. army in 18G1 ;
was brevetted lieutenant-colonel in 1865, and
served until July 20, 1866. He was a member of
the executive council of Maine, 1861, and three
subsequent terms; state senator, 1866-6? ; repre
sentative in the state legislature for ten terms,
serving as speaker in 1872 and 1876, and governor
of the state, 1883-87. He was
a member of the Republican
national convention in 1872 ;
member of the Republican
state committee for several
years ; commissioner to the
Paris exposition ; Worthy
Master of the Patrons of Hus
bandry of the State of Maine, 1882-90, and also
commander of the department of Maine, G.A.R.
He was the originator of the Western Maine Nor
mal school, Gorham. one of its principal build
ings being named Frederick Robie Hall in his
honor. He was twice married : first, Nov. 27,
1847, to Olevia M., daughter of Jonathan and
Mary Scammoii (Emery) Priest of Biddeford,
Maine ; she died in November, 1898. He was
married, secondly, Jan. 10, 1900, to Martha E.,
daughter of Alvin and Sarah (Flag) Cressey of
Gorham, Maine.
ROBINS, Henry Ephraim, educator, was born
in Hartford, Conn., Sept. 30, 1827; sonofGurdon
Caulkins and Julia (Savage) Robins; grandson of
Ephraim and Abigail (Caulkins) Robins and of
Timothy and Sarah (Collins) Savage, and a des
cendant of Nicholas Bobbins, Duxbury, Mass.,
1638, and of Hugh Caulkins, Lynn, Mass., free
man in 1642. He prepared for college at Con
necticut Literary institution, Suffield ; engaged
in the book business and in private study until
1857 : was a student at Fairmont Theological
seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio, and was graduated
from the Newton Theological institution in 1861.
He was ordained at Hartford, Conn., Dec. 6,
1861 : was associate pastor, Central Baptist church,
COL-Lii u A/ > VE. RS IT Y
Newport, R.I. , 1862-63 : pastor, 1863-67 ; pastor
First Baptist church. Rochester. N.Y., 1867-73 ;
president of Colby university, Waterville, Maine,
1873-82, and was elected professor of Christian
ethics at the Rochester Theological seminary in
1882. He was married, Aug. 11, 1864, to Martha
J., daughter of the Rev. Isaac and Ann (Parker)
Bird of Hartford, C t.; she died in 1867. He was
married, secondly, Sept. 4, 1872, to Margaret)
daughter of Prof. John F. and Catherine Eliza
beth (Sayles) Richardson of Rochester, N.Y-
She died in 1873, and he was married, thirdly,
Aug. 7, 1878. to Cordelia Ewell, daughter of
Handel Gershom and Lydia C. (Kingman) Nott
of New Haven, Conn. She died in 1888. The
honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him
by the University of Rochester in 1868, and that
of LL.D. by Colby university in 1890. He is the
author of : Harmony of Ethics with Theology
(1891); The Christian Idea of Education, Dis
tinguished from the Secular Idea of Education
(1896); The Ethics of the Christian Life (in prep
aration, 1903).
ROBINSON, Benjamin Lincoln, botanist, was
born in Bloomington, 111., Nov. 8, 1864: son of
James Harvey and Latricia Maria (Drake) Robin
son ; grandson of Benjamin and Ruhama (Wood)
Robinson and of the Rev. Benjamin Bradner and
Melinda (Parsons) Drake, and a descendant in
the eighth generation through Isaac Robinson,
Plymouth, 1630, of Rev. John Robinson of Ley-
den, the leader of the Puritans. He attended the
Illinois State Normal school, and was graduated
from Harvard in 1887. He was married, June 29,
1887, to Margaret Louise, daughter of William
Henry and Mary Ann (McMahon ) Casson of Henne-
pin, 111, He studied at Strassburg and Bonn uni
versities, receiving the degree of Ph.D. from Strass
burg in 1889. He was appointed curator of the Gray
Herbarium in 1892, and Asa Gray professor of
systematic botany at Harvard university in 1900.
He was elected a fellow of the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences ; a fellow of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science : a
non-resident member of Washington Academy
of Sciences ; a member of the Botanical Society
of America, and served as its president in 1900.
He edited the later parts of the Synoptical Flora
of North America (1895-97), and Rhodora, the
journal of the New England Botanical club, and
wrote many papers on the classification of the
higher plants of North America and Mexico.
ROBINSON, Beverly, soldier, was born in
Virginia in 1723; son of John Robinson, who
was president of the Virginia council, 1734. and
speaker of the house of burgesses. He entered
the military service ; was appointed major, and
participated in the capture of Quebec under Gen
eral Wolfe, 1759. He married Susanna (1728-
1822), daughter of Frederick (1690-1751) Philipse,
and sister of Frederick Philipse (q.v.), who had
inherited from her father a vast amount of prop-
[505J
ROBINSON
ROBINSON
erty on the Hudson river. At the outbreak of
the Revolution Major Robinson removed to New
York, where he became colonel of the American
Loval regiment, which he had himself raised,
and also commanded the corps of " guards and
pioneers." He was frequently engaged in the
service of the royalists, and his home, known as
the Beverly mansion, sheltered Andre while
carrying out Arnold s plans. Colonel Robinson
interceded for Andre s release through corres
pondence with Washington, and subsequently
for his life at the hitter s headquarters. (The
Beverly mansion, containing many valuable
historical relics, was burned in 1892). At the
close of the Revolutionary war, Colonel Robinson
removed to New Brunswick, Canada, where he
refused a seat in the first colonial council, and
finally made his permanent home in Thornbury,
near Bath. England. His wife s property having
been confiscated, he was awarded 17,000 sterl
ing by the British government. Of his children,
Beverly (1755-1816) , a graduate of King s college,
1773, was lieutenant-colonel of his father s regi
ment ; Morris (1759-1815), served in the war of
the Revolution as a captain in the Queen s
Rangers; John (1701-1828), was a lieutenant in
the Loyal American regiment ; Sir Frederick
Phillipse (1763-1852), was temporarily in charge
of the government of Upper Canada, 1815-16;
became general of the British forces in the West
Indies, and also a Knight of the Grand Cross of
the Order of the Bath, and William Henry
(1766-1836), was head of the commissariat de
partment of the British army. Col. Beverly
Robinson died in Thornbury, Eagland, in 1792.
ROBINSON, Charles, governor of Kansas, was
born in Hardwick, Mass., July 21, 1818: son of
Jonathan and Huldali (Woodward) Robinson,
and a direct descend
ant from John Robin
son the Pilgrim, and
through his paternal
grandmother, Phebe
Williams, a descend
ant in direct line from
Charlemagne and
Pepin. He attended
Had ley and Amherst
academies and also
Amherst college,
earning his living by
making school desks
and by teaching
school winters, and
after a varied medi
cal education received the degree of M.D. from
the Berkshire Medical college, Pittsfield, Mass.,
1843. He was married Thanksgiving day, 1843,
to Sarah, daughter of William Adams of West
Brookfield, Mass. Two children were born to
them a boy and a girl, botli dying in infancy.
He began practice at Belchertown, Mass., Sep
tember, 1843, where he also served on the
school committee, and took an interest in pub
lic affairs, and in 1845 lie opened a hospital
for practice in Springfield. Mass., in association
with Dr. J. G. Holland. His wife died in 1846
and he joined his brother Cyrus in Fitchburg,
Mass., where he practised until 1819. when he
went overland to California as physician to the
Boston company. He arrived at Sacramento,
Aug. 12, 1849, where with others he kept a res
taurant ; continued his profession, and on Aug.
11, 1850, issued a manifesto denouncing the atti
tude of the courts, the gamblers and the specu-
lators toward the settlers, and opposed the divis
ion of the territory into two states, one to be free
and one slave. In a subsequent riot he was shot,
imprisoned and charged with murder and other
crimes. During his confinement lie was elected
to the legislature and after lie was bailed, edited
the Settlers and Miners Tribune until lie took his
seat in the legislature in 1851, when he worked
and voted for John C. Fremont for U.S. senator.
His case was subsequently dismissed and he was
exonerated by the legislature and by the district
court. He returned to Fitchburg. Mass., in 18,") 1 ;
was married, Oct. 30, 1851, to Sara Tappan Doo-
little, daughter of Myron and Clarissa (Dwight)
Lawrence ; edited the Fitchburg News, and June
28, 1854, went to Kansas as confidential agent of
the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid society, settling
in Lawrence. In the struggle which was waged
against the pro-slavery party, he was made com-
mander-in-chief of the Free-State party and as
such constructed forts and rifle pits, but at the
same time worked to secure the freedom of the
state under the forms of law. He was a member
of the Free-State convention, Aug. 14-15, 1855.
and of that at Topeka, Oct. 23, 1855, being twice
appointed chairman of the executive committee,
and was twice elected governor of Kansas under
the Topeka constitution which was rejected by
the U.S. senate. He resigned the office tempo
rarily in order to seek aid in the East, and on his
way to Boston was arrested at Lexington, Mo.,
on the charge of "usurping office and for high
treason," and imprisoned. His house was burned.
Mrs. Robinson (q.v.) continued the journey east,
and he was a prisoner at Lecompton from May
till September, 1856. Governor Shannon was re
called and Governor Geary appointed his succes
sor, and at Robinson s trial, Aug. 18-20, 1857, the
jury reported that " since there was no state of
Kansas, there could be no governor of state, and
therefore no usurpation of office." He was a
member of the Free-State convention at Grass
hopper Falls, Aug. 26, 1857 ; presided at the
[506]
ROBINSON
ROBINSON
convention at Lawrence, December 2, which re
pudiated the Lecompton constitution, and visited
Washington, D.C. , in 1858 to urge before congress
favorable legislation in regard to railroad exten
sion in Kansas. He was elected governor of
Kansas under the Wyandotte constitution in
1859; the state was admitted into the Union,
Jan. 29, 1861. and Mr. Robinson was sworn into
office as governor, Feb. 9, 1861. The first legis
lature convened the last of March and on April
15. 1S61, President Lincoln called for 75.000 vol
unteers to put down the rebellion, but none were
allotted to Kansas. The governor, however, or
ganized the state militia and when the second
call was issued by the President, Kansas was
alotted 5006 men, and Governor Robinson fur
nished 10.639, by raising and mustering in the
1st, 2d, 5th, 6th. 7th. 8th, 9th. 10th. llth and 13th
infantry and the 6th cavalry between May 21,
1861 and Sept. 22, 1862 ; the 3d and 4th and the
12th (colored) being raised by Gen. James H.
Lane. The legislature, for the purpose of pro
viding and sustaining the volunteer force, au
thorized the governor, secretary of the state and
auditor, or a majority of them, to issue $150,000
of state bonds, bearing seven per cent, interest to
be sold at a minimum of 70 and the state treas
urer was authorized to sell ten per cent war
bonds for $20,000 by which he realized $12,000.
The state bonds could not be sold at any price in
the market and an exchange was effected with
the secretary of the interior for Indian money
and 60 was realized by the state, although the
department paid 85 of the face value, the differ
ence being absorbed in negotiating the sale, and
for this the state officers were impeached by a
committee of the legislature, Feb. 26, 1862, but
subsequently unanimously acquitted. In Jan
uary, 1863. Mr. Robinson, was succeeded as gov
ernor by Thomas Carney. He remained in the
Republican party, was elected state senator in
1872, and served as state senator, 1875-79. He
followed the liberal wing of the party in the sup
port of Horace Greeley, and in 1866 became a
Democrat. He was the defeated candidate for
representative in the 50th congress in 1886 and
for governor of Kansas in 1890. He was one of
the founders of North (Free-State) college on Mt.
Oread in 1861, and with S. C. Pomeroy was ap
pointed trustee of the proposed state university,
Feb. 14. 1857, securing to the state the transfer
of the present university campus, and presenting
the university with 46 acres of land to extend
the campus. He served as a regent of the uni
versity. 1866-79 and 1892-94, receiving from
there the degree of LL.D. in 1889. He also be
came superintendent of Haskell institute, an In
dian school at Lawrence in 1887 ; was a member
of the Loyal Legion of Kansas, and president of
[50
the State Historical society. He contributed to
newspapers and periodicals, and wrote The Kan
sas Conflict in the winter of 1891. He bequeathed
most of his fortune to the University of Kansas,
in whose chapel his bust was placed in February,
1898, the gift of the Kansas legislature, and on
Feb. 12, 1903, a joint resolution was introduced
in the legislature to place his bust in the rotunda
of the state capital. See : " Kansas, Its Exterior
and Interior Life " by Sara T. D. Robinson (1856).
The part that Governor Robinson took in secur
ing to Kansas peace and good government appears
to have been entirely free from partisanship and
selfishness : his place in the history of that mem
orable conflict is becoming better established as
time goes by and there is little doubt that he will
i7i time be credited as the most helpful instru
ment in the adjudication of the Kansas trouble.
Governor Robinson died at his country home,
Oakridge," near Lawrence, Kan., Aug. 17, 1894.
ROBINSON, Charles Seymour, clergyman and
author, was born in Bennington, Vt., March 31,
1829 ; son of Henry and Harriet (Haynes) Robin
son, and grandson of Jonathan (q.v.) and Mary
(Fassett) Robinson. He attended the Union
academy at Bennington ; was graduated from
Williams college, A.B., 1849, A.M., 1852; taught
school at Holyoke and Cambridge, Mass., 1849-
51 ; attended the Union (1851-52) and Princeton,
(1852-53) theological seminaries, and was or
dained to the ministry by the presbytery of
Troy, N.Y., April 19. 1855. He was stated sup
ply at Troy, N.Y., 1854-55; pastor there. 1855-
60 ; and was married, Nov. 4, 1858. to Harriet
R. Church of Troy, who died in 1895. He was
pastor of the First Presbyterian church, Brook
lyn. N.Y., 1860-68 ; of the American chapel, and
a church of his own organization in Paris. France,
1868-71, and of the Madison Avenue church,
New York, 1871-90. He supplied pulpits at Bing-
hamton. N.Y., and in New York city, 1888-89;
was pastor of the Thirteenth Street church,
New York city, 1890-92, and of the New York
church. New York city, 1892-98. The honorary
degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Hamil
ton college in 1867. and that of LL.D. by Lafay
ette college in 1885. He edited the Illustrated
Christian Weekly, 1876-77, and Every Thursday,
1S90-91. and is the author of: Songs of the
Church (1862); Songs for the Sanctuary (1865);
Short Studies for Sunday School Teachers (1868):
Bethel and Fennel (1873); Church Work (1873);
Psalms and Hymns (1875); Calvary Songs for
Sunday Schools (1875); Spiritual Songs fur
Church and CJtoir (1878); Studies in the Neiv
Testament (1880): Spiritual Songs for Sunday
Schools (1881): Spiritual Songs for Social Meet
ings (1881); Studies of Neglected Texts (1883);
La udes Domini (1884); Sermons in Songs (1885);
ROBINSON
ROBINSON
Sabbath Evening Sermons (1887); The Pharaohs
of the Bondage and the Exodus (1887) ; and Simon
Peter, His Life and Times (2 vols., 1888). He
died in Ne\v York city, Feb. 1, 1899.
ROBINSON, Conway, jurist, was born in Rich
mond, Va., Sept. 15, 1805 ; son of John Robinson,
clerk of the superior court of Richmond, and
author of " Forms in the Courts of Law in Vir
ginia ; " and a descendant of John Robinson who
immigrated to Virginia, where his son Anthony
was a landed proprietor. He attended the schools
of Richmond, and was appointed deputy clerk of
the superior court, under his father. He attained
prominence as a lawyer ; was reporter of the
Virginia court of appeals, 1842-44 ; revised the
civil and criminal code of Virginia, 1846-49 ; was
a representative in the house of delegates in 1852,
and in 1860 removed to Washington, D.C., where
lie engaged in practice. He was chairman, of
the executive committee of the Virginia Historical
society, and made several important historical
discoveries, finding in 1853 in the British Museum
a MS. journal of the first legislative assembly in
Virginia which met in 1619. He published a
new edition of his father s " Forms in the Courts
of Law in Virginia " (1826), and is the author of -.
Law and Equity Practice in Virginia (3 vols.,
(1832-39); Reports of the Virginia Court of Ap
peals (2 vols., 1842-44); The Principles and Prac
tice of Courts of Justice in England and the
United States (2 vols., 1855): Account of the
Discoveries of the West until 1510; and of Voy
ages to and along the Atlantic Coast of Xorth
America from 1520 to 1573 (1848); History of the
High Court of Chancery, and Other Institutions
of England from the time of Caius Julius Ciesar
until the Accession of William and Mary in n:S8-
89 (2 vols.: Vol. I., 1882). He died in Philadelphia,
Pa., Jan. 30, 1884.
ROBINSON, Edward, educator and author,
was born in Sonthington, Conn.. April 10. 1794.
He was brought up on his father s farm ; taught
school and was graduated with high honors from
Hamilton college in 1816, remaining as tutor
there 1817. He studied law at Hudson, N.Y.,
during the next year, but deciding to study for
the ministry lie went home, and while assisting
his father on the farm pursued his studies. He
was assistant instructor in sacred literature at
Andover Theological seminary, 1823-26, while
pursuing a course in Hebrew; studied in Halle and
Berlin, 1826-30 ; was professor extraordinary of
sacred literature at Andover, 1830-33 ; professor
of Greek and Oriental languages and literature,
University of the City of New York. 1832-33,
and professor of Biblical literature. Union Theo
logical seminary, 1837-63. He was twice married:
first, Sept. 3, 1818, to Eliza, daughter of Samuel
Kirtland. She died in 1819, and he married second
ly, Aug. 7, 1828, Theresa Albertine Luise, daughter
of Prof. Ludwig Heinrich von Jakob of Halle.
In 1831 he established the Biblical Repository at
Andover, and conducted it, 1831-35. The hon
orary degree of D.D. was conferred upon him
by Dartmouth college in 1831, by Halle in 1842,
and that of LL.D. by Yale in 1844. lie is the
author of a translation of : Winer s " Greek Gram
mar of the New Testament" (1825): a revision of
Calmefs " Dictionary of the Holy Bible" (1832) ;
A Greek Grammar (1833); Dictionary of the
Holy Bible (compiled, 1833); .1 Greek and Eng
lish Lexicon of the New Testament, (1836); a
translation from the Latin of Gesenius s " Hebrew
and English lexicon of the Old Testament" (1836):
Biblical Researches in Palestine (3 vols., 1838);
A Harmony of the Four Gospels in Englisli
(1846); A Harmony of the Four Gos})els in Greek
(1851); Later Biblical ResearcJies in Palestine
(1856); Physical Geography of the Holy Land
(1865). His name was in Class G, Preachers and
Theologians, for a place in the Hall of Fame for
Great Americans, but in the election of October,
1900, received no votes. lie died in New York
city. Jan. 27. 1863.
ROBINSON, Edward, archaeologist, was born
in Boston, Mass., Nov. 1, 1858; son of Edwin
Augustus and Allen (Coburn) Robinson ; grand
son of Shadrach and Mary (Stavers) Robinson
and of Daniel Jennings and Eliza (Knowlton)
Coburn. He was graduated from Harvard in
1879, and spent the subsequent five years abroad,
remaining fifteen months in Greece and continu
ing his studies at the University of Berlin. He
was married, Feb. 21, 1881, to Elizabeth, daughter
of Samuel and Louise Mathilde (Patch) Gould of
Boston, Mass. He was curator of classical anti
quities, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 1885-1902 ;
lecturer on classical archaeology, Harvard, 1893-
94 and 1898-1902, and in 1902 succeeded Gen. C.
G. Loring as director of the Museum. He was
engaged in the selection and arrangement of
collections in the Slater Memorial museum, Nor
wich, Conn., 1887-88 ; the selection and purchase