Friday, November 27, 2009

 

George Stewart Robinson

George Stewart Robinson was a judge in Illinois. He was raised in Derby, Vermont and went to school and the academy of Derby. He worked on a farm until about 20 years old except when teaching. He studied law with Hon. S.B. Colby and Hon. Lucius B. Peck, and was admitted to the bar at Montpelier in 1846. Failing health compelled him to go south in 1847, where he became a teacher in Hamilton, Georgia.

In 1850 he was on the census in Hamilton, Harris, Georgia at age 27 and was a teacher living in the house of John W. Smith, a 32 year old merchant. Other teachers and students also lived there.

by 1852 he was admitted to the bar in Cuthbert, Georgia and practiced until 1866.

In 1853 George Stewart Robinson married Olive A. Colby on October 13, 1853 at Derby, Vermont. They were both born in Vermont. George was the son of George Robinson of Connecticut and Harriet Stewart also of Connecticut. Olive was the daughter of Nehemiah and Malinda L. Colby. He was a lawyer. It looks to me like he had returned to Derby just to marry Judge Colby's daughter, and took her back to Georgia to continue living there.

The 6 June 1860 census has a George Stewart Robinson 35, and wife Olive A 27 living in Randolph, Georgia. They were both born in Vermont. They had a daughter, Hattie M, age 3 born in Georgia. With them was George's father, George Robinson age 66, a widower, and retired born in Connecticut.

By 1866 he moved to Sycamore, Illinois and practiced law and became the city attorney and drafted many important ordinances. In 1869 he became a member of the board of state commissioners of public charities and served nearly 15 years and was for 8 years president of the board, spending two or three months annually in its service without pay.

During the Civil War, which started about 1862, he kept his Union principles and opposed secession and at a monetary loss, kept out of the Confederate service. He probably had to pay to stay out.

This same family was on the 17 June 1870 census in Sycamore, Ward 4, Dekalb, Illinois. Now George S is 45 and is still listed as a lawyer, though it is written as sawyer, and Olive is 37. Hattie M is 13, born in Georgia and Nellie C is now with us at age 8, also born in Georgia. The grandfather, George is 76. He was born in 1794 and is a retired farmer.

In 1873 he was appointed to the office of master in chancery, which he held until he was elected judge of the county court in 1877.

I find them still in Sycamore, DeKalb, Illinois in 1880. Sgt. George is 54 and Olive is 48. He states that both his father and mother were born in Connecticut. Harriett M is now 22 and Nellie Coleby is 18. They have a Swedish maid living with them, a Christine Gustafson age 14.

None of their three children will survive.

I found the father, George Robinson, on the 1820 census in Derby, Vt at age 25, with a wife and no children.
He was on the 1830 census there with two boys ages 5-10. He and his wife were between 3-0 and 40.
They were on the June 1, 1840 census in Derby, VT. Now George wand wife were between 40 and 50. He had 2 boys between ages 15-20 and a young son between 5-10.

By the 9th of August 1850 George was still in Derby. George was 55, born in 1795 in Ct. A male, Lucious Robinson, was 28. Lucy was 22. Both were born in Vermont. He had a laborer living with them, Joseph Page age 22 and a Mary Bayle 15.


I'd like to find his father in Connecticut and find out what branch of Robinsons they come from.
Reference: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-gin/sse.dll?db=menofvt&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&ms

Monday, November 23, 2009

 

Wenona Census 1860-1880 Showing Robinson: But No Sally-She Was Nearby

Abiathar Smith Robinson and wife Julia plus children were definitely not in the 1860 census in Wenona. Wenona was just a post office stop then, and the area was called Evans. I did find an S.D. Robinson age 26, a farmer from Ohio and wife N age 24 with 2 yr old daughter Rosa who was born in Illinois. S.D had $1,000 in land and $350 in personal property.

Sally Robinson nee Smith , 48, was on the 7 June 1860 census in Eden, LaSalle, Illinois, which is right next door with her husband Thomas Russell 47, b: NY laborer. They were there with their two girls, Adelaide 16 and Lorena 13. Both girls and Sally were born in Vermont. However, by the 20th of June Adelaide was living with the Morrisons as a servant in Hope, LaSalle, Illinois.

from Donna Robinson, ancestor of Oscar, son of Sally: In 1860 Oscar was living with his sister Avis, her husband, James Wright and a mysterious K Smith who was born in 1835 in Vermont. They were in Bennington, Marshall, IL with a Post Office of "New Rutland". Any idea who K Smith was?

my notes: 12/29/05 Avis was in 1860 in Bennington, Marshall, Illinois. Bennington was a township next door to Evans township, where the village Wenona was. It became a town in 1856, and they were on the 1860 census, so they were one of the original pioneers there.
11/26/09 In 1860-With husband and Avis was son Oscar 2, K Smith 25 and Oscar Robinson, her brother, 22, both young men working as farmhands for them. K Smith was probably Kimball Smith, son of Samuel Smith her Uncle, brother of Sally Smith, her mother. So Kimball would be Avis's cousin.

By 1870 Abiathar had arrived, but Sally Robinson Russell nee Smith was not there. Neither did I find Thomas Russell who married this widow. They had moved to Rutland, LaSalle, Illinois. On 3 August 1870, Thomas was 57 and Sarah 58 and now Eliza Russell , age 25, was living with them. She was born in 1845 in Vermont. Since Sally was on the 1840 census in Vermont as a Robinson, that tells me she soon married Thomas Russell there as the girls are born in Vermont.

Abiathar, age 41, lived in #56 with 35 yr old wife Julia Ann. They were both from Vermont as well as their 17 yr old son Edgar. Nellie, all, Emma, 9, and John, 7, were all born in Canada. This means that from 1859 to 1863 they all lived in Canada. William was a year old and was born in Illinois.

Next door in #57 lived Julia Ann's young brother, Albert age 27, a brick mason also born in Vermont. His wife Martha, 28 and son Fred, 5, were born in New York. His son Frank was only 5 months old and born in Illinois. The surprise was Munroe was listed last at age 10 and was born in Canada. He wasn't listed with a different surname, so I suppose he was their son, but was surprised he wasn't listed first. Then again, he would have only been 17 at his birth. Perhaps is only Martha's son. It makes me wonder.

My supposition was that Abiather moved to Wenona to be near Sally Robinson nee Smith, who I thought should be his mother. But she wasn't even here.

A 53 year old Joseph Robinson, blacksmith, was in Wenona, however, with 49 year old wife Emma. Joseph was born in Massachusetts in 1817 and Emma was born in England in 1821, so they were older than Abiathar. Living with them was a son, Volney age 19, and daughters Lonila 22, Josephine 14 and Jennie 12.

An interesting note is that Joseph's name did not come up when I entered it. Originally I found the names by going through the 23 pages individually of the 1870 census. I did the same with the 31 pages of the 1860 census. If you know the county and town, it's best to do that.

By June 1, 1880 Oscar Robinson, 42 yr old brick mason is listed at #3. He's the son of Sally Robinson nee Smith who married Thomas Russell. His wife is 32 yr old Sarah, and they have Avis, 12, Calvin 11, Charles 9, Wilbert 7, Milton 5 and Mancer "Manzel" 2.

#77 finds 67 yr old Thomas Russell born in NY with a father born in Germany and mother in NY and Sallie, 68. Sallie was born in Vermont with parents from Massachusetts. Linthy S, their 11 yr old granddaughter, was living with them. She was born in Illinois. She's the one I thought was the mother of Abiathar and is the mother of Oscar.

I also see Joseph Robbins, 62 yr old blacksmith born in Massachusetts with 59 yr old Emma born in England, just like Joseph Robinson of 1870. Of course it's the same family, only the census taker has changed the surname. Their children are all born in NY. Edward, a 3 yr old teacher , Louisa 30 , and Tennie, a 22 yr old teacher.

At #109 lives Samuel Robbins, 66 yr old blacksmith with wife annis 67 and daughter Jennie 26 yr old music teacher.

George Miller, son in law lives in #156. He's only 23 yrs old and a machine Agt born in Ohio. His wife Emma, 20 yrs old was born in Vermont and is Abiathar's daughter.

In #188 on the next to last page of the census I find A. Roberson, my ggrandfather who I know as Abiathar Smith Robinson. He's 52 yrs old and a teamster, born in Vermont and parents born in Vermont. Wife Julia age 45 also was born in Vermont with parents born there also. Their children are John 17 born in Canada,
William 11 born in Illinois
Frank 8, who is my grandfather, born in Illinois
Minnie J 5, born in Illinois
Unnamed, 12/30 May, a son, of course born in Illinois. This is Arthur Roy Robinson. I've been in contact with his ggrandson, Tom and finally got to meet him at the Wenona Cemetery in October of this year.

I know the Dixons are connected to us. I also found Thomas Dixon 35 out of work. He was born in Illinois but parents were born in england. His wife is Comfort 29, born in Illinois with parents from Pennsylvania. they had Ona 10 and John 9, both born in Illinois.

Then I found Martha Dixon 65, mother in law to William Nennt a butcher and Julia 21. A David Dixon of England had married Cynthia Russell and they lived in Wenona in the 1900's. Cynthia was the daughter of Martin Russell, the son of Thomas Russell and Sally Robinson nee Smith.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

 

Marshall County, Illinois State Census Robinsons

I found 1855 was the year that Robinsons were listed on the state census. Besides A. Robinson listed just for Marshall County, there were others.

1. A. Robinson
2. G.A. Robinson
3. George Robinson
4. S. Robinson

I found 1865 named the town in Marshall.

1. Joseph Robinson in Steuben, Illinois.
2. Thomas Robinson in Steuben.
3. Samuel D. Robinson in Whitefield.
4. William D. Robinson in Henry, Marshall, Illinois.
 

Illinois 1855 State Census in Marshall, Illinois

I just found on Roll ILSC_2193 line 14 an A. Robinson listed on the 1855 census in Marshall, Illinois, which is the county for Wenona. Abiathar Smith Robinson lived there, but I thought in the 1870's.

This could be anyone, for that matter, not only Abiathar. It listed people as all the census did up until 1850, as tally marks on the male side and the same on the female side. This was the smudgiest, darkest copy you can imagine seeing and it took awhile for my eyes to even find Robinson. It looked like this: and I'll use a - for a blank box. 1-11----1-11----23513. I have no idea where the break was between male and female side, but this looks like there were more females than males with 21 boxes.

My conclusion is that there was a Robinson in Marshall in 1855. That in itself is pretty exciting to me.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

 

Jamaica, Vermont Request

I sent out a snail mail letter requesting some information like a birth certificate from the Jamaica town clerk. Let's hope that he was born there and that they would still have such a thing that dates back to December 1829. it's the most likely town as the people I thought were his parents were from there.

Friday, November 13, 2009

 

Birth Records in Vermont-Go to Towns

Towns in Vermont were not required to send birth information to the state record department until 1857. If your ancestor was born before then, they will not have it.

It is suggested that we contact each individual town at the town clerks office. It was a requirement for vital events to be recorded with the town clerk beginning circa 1779. That means that somewhere, Abiathar Smith Robinson should be recorded as he was born in 1829 and I believe in the month of December.

I can just picture it. A log cabin with snow deep on the ground and his mother giving birth, possibly alone, in the cabin. She was a brave lady. It's even more amazing that he lived considering the weather and the habit of baptizing babies in cold unheated churches, even in winter.

Reference: Christie Carter ccarter@sec.state.vt.us, Ass. State Archivist, Vermont State Archives & Records Administration, Middlesex, Vermont, 802-828-2397

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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

 

Bennington, Vermont Robinsons in 1820

The place is teeming with Robinsons. On page 6 out of 7 pages, there was listed:
1. Stephen
2. Samuel
3. Safford
4. Demas,
5. George- also on 1830 in Bennington age 50-60 & wife same age, 2 boys 15-20, girl 10-15
6. Henry - also on 1830 in Bennington age 30-40, & wife same age, girl under 5, girl 5-10
7. Aaron
8. the widow Susanah
9. David
10. David Jr.
11. Henry
12. Isaar
13. Terusha, another widow Robinson
14. Moses.
 

1830 Census in Windsor, Vermont (Royalton's county)

There were no more Robinsons listed in Royalton in 1830. There were many in the county, though. They just started moving away, evidently. Those listed below may be the children of the 1820 men.

Chloe Robinson
Weathersfield, Windsor, Vermont

Daniel Robinson
Springfield, Windsor, Vermont

Daniel Robinson

Eben Robinson
Reading, Windsor, Vermont

Eben Robinson 2d
Reading, Windsor, Vermont

Elisha Robinson
Windsor, Windsor, Vermont

George Robinson
Hartford, Windsor, Vermont

Horatio Robinson

James Robinson Jr.
Reading, Windsor, Vermont

James Robinson
Reading, Windsor, Vermont Now there are 3,615 more entries.

Moses Robinson
Windsor, Windsor, Vermont

Nthd L Robinson
Bridgewater, Windsor, Vermont

Phineas C Robinson
Baltimore, Windsor, Vermont

Stephen Robinson
Baltimore, Windsor, Vermont

Thomas Robinson
Chester, Windsor, Vermont

Wm Robinson
Reading, Windsor, Vermont Just a little ways away was Tunbridge, Orange, Vermont.


Augustus Robinson
Williamstown, Orange, Vermont

Daniel Robinson
Strafford, Orange, Vermont

David Robinson
West Fairlee, Orange, Vermont

David Robinson
Williamstown, Orange, Vermont

Harry Robinson
Strafford, Orange, Vermont

James Robinson
Strafford, Orange, Vermont

Joseph Robinson
Corinth, Orange, Vermont

Luke Robinson
Thetford, Orange, Vermont It's like finding a needle in a haystack. Where, oh where has Abiathar's father gone?
 

1820 Vermont: How Many Robinson Men?

Amos Robinson
Royalton, Windsor, Vermont
1820

Timothy Robinson
Royalton, Windsor, Vermont These two Royalton, VT men seem to be possible relatives.
1820

Eleazer Robinson
Bridgewater, Windsor, Vermont
1820

Eli Robinson
Bridgewater, Windsor, Vermont
1820

Henry Robinson
Sharon, Windsor, Vermont
1820

Joel Robinson
Norwich, Windsor, Vermont
1820

Luther Robinson
Bridgewater, Windsor, Vermont
1820

Aaron Robinson
Bennington, Bennington, Vermont
1820

Abel Robinson
Pawlet, Rutland, Vermont According to the list there are 2,413 more. Can't believe it.
1820

Robinson
Northfield, Washington, Vermont
1820

Amos Robinson
Ira, Rutland, Vermont
1820

Andrew Robinson
Williamstown, Orange, Vermont
1820

Archabald Robinson
Brattleboro, Windham, Vermont
1820

Aron Robinson
Newfane, Windham, Vermont
1820

Asher Robinson
Brookfield, Orange, Vermont
1820

Augustus Robinson
Williamstown, Orange, Vermont
1820

Benjamin Robinson
Swanton, Franklin, Vermont
1820

Benjamin Robinson
Brownington, Orleans, Vermont
1820

Brown Robinson
Swanton, Franklin, Vermont

Thursday, November 05, 2009

 

Discovering Pastor John Robinson in Holland with Pilgrims

Hi Cousins,I'm so excited. I've been wrong so many other times, but feel this is really a possibility. I got the book "The Mayflower" by Kate Caffrey, publishers are Stein and Day/New York yesterday and have been reading it along with watching the Pasadena Rose Parade and am convinced I have our original Robinson.

Though Robinson is the 22nd most popular surname in the U.S.A, there was only one Robinson that came here after the Mayflower. This is so exciting.

There was a famous John Robinson, born in 1576, who was educated at Cambridge as a minister. He was the leader with Brewster in forming the Separatist group which were the Puritans or Pilgrims that came here. He was an instigator in taking the group to Holland, even was put in jail in England when caught trying to leave. He finally got there and lived in Leyden, Holland, and was quite the leader, debator, etc. He didn't manage to get to the new world, but.....he married Bridget White.

They had three children: John, Bridget, and Isaac. Now, Isaac fulfilled his father's wishes of going to the new world. He didn't make it on the Mayflower, but is listed as a surviving settler of New Plymouth. and arrived in Mass. in 1632. His wife came with him. She was Margaret Hanford.They were married in 1636, and she was the niece of Hatherley, who was Timothy Hatherley who died in 1666. His wife was Alice Collard who died in 1642. He was another founding father. He was one of 5 men who bought the Friendship.

There are no other Robinsons listed. I think I found the needle in the haystack. I'm only able to site my grandfather Frank Robinson's oral family history which he was most proud of that his family came over not on the Mayflower, but one after it. This would fit the description.

The father, John, was a teacher in Scrooby in 1607-1608, and was a Pastor in Leyden, Holland in 1609-1625. He didn't get to go to the new world because he died of the "plague" on March 1, 1625. He was not yet 50 years old. The plague may also have been smallpox. He worshipped in St. Peters Church in Holland and lived at Clock Alley. The book gives lots of details of where he lived. In Holland he lived in the Groene Port or Green Door. He had been offered the church to be in New Netherland (New Amsterdam)? when he went which he didn't. He must have learned Dutch being they lived there a long while, and write and printed church things in Dutch.
By the way, on the Mayflower were the Fullers, so close to Tullar/ers. The Fullers Edward and Samuel helped to write the Mayflower Compact.

There was a pastor by the name of John Smyth 1606-1607 at Gainsborough. I'm thinking of the family Smith Abiathar was named for.

This might explain Abiathar's strictness about the Sunday Frank Hugh's horse was in danger with the bull, and evidently died from the encounter, causing Frank to leave home. The Puritans were so strict. It may have had a long lasting effect on the family.

Happy New Year,Nadene

Hi Cousins,My book arrived today called "Plymouth Colony". On page 431 it lists an Isaack Robbinson who on March 27, 1634 was rated the amount of 9:00 (taxed) as determined by a group including Gov. Thmas Prence, William Bradford, etc. That could be the Robinson my grandfather spoke of who came over on a ship after the Mayflower. He was one of the 1627-1634 arrivals.

So, if we try to trace the descendents of Isaac Robinson, we may find our particular Abiathar Robinson.(Isaac was the son of John Robinson the minister, who stayed in Holland.)
In the book "Hopkins of the Mayflower" by Margaret Hodges,page 158, it says that John Robinson was a Separatist and the movement began before 1578 when a Cambridge scholar named Browne preached and denounced the Church. Separatists took the Bible as their only guide. Their position was far more extreme than that of the Puritans, who still thought the Established Church could be reformed. The Separatists reasoned that if all men just attend church, whether or not they had any faith, the solemn ceremony was a mockery. All men were sinners, and Christ had come to save sinner, but if the churches were filled with men who had no interest in being saved, the chosen few should leave the Church and make a fresh start. John Robinson was deprived of his office in England by the king. He became the preacher of the Scrooby congregation. Master Robinson's sermons lasted 2 or even 3 hours, spoke from Holy Scriptures and from memorable sayings of wise and learned men and his own experience. He had a gentle heart. He believed it was possible for his people to praya, sing psalms or read the Scriptures with members of the Church of England.

12/15/02 In the book "Stepping Stones, the pilgrims own story, p. 81, it says that in November about 12 months after the Pilgrims came, the ship "Fortune" arrived with 35 persons, mostly lusty young men. Need to see if a Robinson was on board. John Adams, Jonathan Brewster, Philip Delano and Thomas Prence was on board.
 

New England Families; Robinson Heritage

I had a list of 39 Robinsons that I found at our college library in a book called DIRECTORY OF ANCESTRAL HEADS OF NEW ENGLAND FAMILIES FROM 1620 to 1700.

It is claimed that the Robinsons were Saxon Thanes before William the Conqueror from 1027 to 1087. It is something to trace as it is America's 22nd most popular surname. It was William the Conqueror who brought the custom of family names from Normandy. By the end of the 13th century, peasants were using family names. By 1413, Henry V wanted a surname on papers. By 1538 they were used in parish registers.

The Saxons were Saxons before 1027. They were a Teutonic people and were mentioned by Ptolemy in the middle of the 2nd Century. They were from the Cimbric Peninsula (province of Schleswig Pirates in the North Sea in the year 286). In the 5th century they raided the north coast of Gaul and the S.E. coast of Britain. They conquered NW Germany. They conflicted with the Franks who were supreme. They were heathens and a sea-faring people. In the 7th century was the Saxon conquest in Wales. Robin Hood, our possible namesake, was the last of the Saxons. He held out against the Norman conquerors at the end of the 12th Century.

Wales was the land of the Celts, the Brythons. They crossed the channel. Celts originally were in the western and central part of Europe. The Scandinavians merged with the natives there.
In the18th and 19th Century in England and Wales, it was the custom that the eldest son was named for the father's father. The second son was named for the mother's father. The 3rd son was named for the father. the 4th son was named for the father's eldest brother. A daughter was named for the mother's mother.

One problem is the book never mentions the men coming from Wales. It did use Wales for another name I researched. For the Robinsons, it mentioned England or nothing.
 

Wenona, Illinois-Final Home for Abiathar and Julia

Wenona, Illinois 61377 is in Marshall County. There is no marker for A..S. but Julia has one. There are other Robinsons buried there, and some in other locations of the cemetery that may or may not be related. Grandfather Frank Hugh Robinson, his son, was born on June 21, 1870 or 1872 in Wenona. According to the census, William was born in Illinois in 1869, so the family probably moved there between 1863 and 1869, since John was born in 1863 in Canada. Abiathar and Julia had 10 children. Abiathar remarried in 1896 to a Mary Jane. On the census of 1900 it says his family was from NY.

Wenona started as a railroad shipping point. It lies 65 miles north and east of Peoria, Ill. A railroad was built in 1852. Before that time the land was uninhabited. In 1854 the first Presbyterian church was built. The first store was also built. The town was laid out in May of 1855. They had nine houses and 50 people. By 1856 they had 1200 people. It was incorporated in 1859. Coal was discovered in 1865, providing jobs for many.

With the expansion of the railroads people were more able to expand their horizons. The first section of the Baltimore and Ohio opened in 1830. By 1848, nearly 6,000 miles of track made it possible to travel along the Atlantic seaboard. New tracks headed west, and the Mississippi Valley towns were within reach.

Abiatha's son Frank mentioned coming from Quincy. However, there is a Quincy in Illinois, too, which he could have meant. It is the county seat of Adams County in Illinois. Quincy, Illinois was named after John Quincy Adams. Quincy is about 50 miles away from Chicago, Illinois. It is also near the Mississippi River which is west of it. In the book "Slaughterhouse" the author tells about the horrible living conditions in 1906 in Chicago. The story is about an immigrant working in the Chicago slaughterhouse. The hero was lucky enough to wander into the countryside and work for a farmer one time. The book helped to change conditions in the area.

On May 18, 1870, the town had a big fire. They had another big fire in 1876. The newspaper of that day was called the Henry Republican. The Illinois Volunteer Infantry from Montgomery County, close by, was created.

In the 1900 census page for Abiather/Mary Jane Robinson (he remarried in about 1896) it gives his birthdate as Dec. 1829 instead of the 1834. It also says he and his parents were born in New York! At one point in history, before Vermont was a state, both NY and NH claimed land in VT. This information is from cousin, another great grandson. He owned his farm. He said he could not write but could read.

N.Y. is divided by Lake Champlain and bordered by Quebec and Ontario, Conn. Mass. and Vermont. The lower tip of Manhatten, called New Amsterdam was populated first. Fort Orange in Albany was also popular, in Westchester County. At the end of the 1776 Revolution, many Tories (sided with British) fled to Canada. The war of 1812 was fought along N.Y. frontier and Canada. By 1820, 1/2 people in N.Y. were New Englanders. Quebec probably was where the Robinsons lived during the Civil War. La Salle in Canada was also possible, or the St. Lawrence Colony. At the end of the revolution people were called United Empire Loyalists who lived in lower Canada. Quebec became known as Canada East.

Abiather's obit says he was buried there. In fact the obit was written after he was buried because it says "he was laid to rest in Wenona Cemetery." This is from Tom Mead 3-1-02.Marge sent a list of Robinsons buried in Wenona: Arthur R., Bert, Calvin M., Charles M., Charles T., Christina, Della O., Donald M., Donna, Edgar C., Edward G., Fred E., H.W., John C., Josephine V., Julia Ann, Lulu M., Manzel, Manzel P., Milton J., Myra L, Nikke, Oscar L., She also listed McCulloms.

His funeral service was at the M.E. Church in Wenona. It is no longer there. The family names can be found on Pg. 340 of the 1880 census in Wenona as the 188th household to be counted. His son Rix Robinson (first born) is close by in the 197th household.
 

Let's Start with the Mayflower in Robinson Search

Abiather Smith Robinson's family could have been in Vermont for the past 78 or 79 years.[

The first settlement of English was in 1724. It was Fort Dummer or "Brattleboro." In 1760 more people moved in. They were from Conn. and Mass. They purchased land.] He stated on 1900 census b: NY.The family oral tradition was that his family didn't come over from Wales on the Mayflower. They came on the next ship. Our ancestors were probably Pilgrims that came over after the Mayflower. They were separatists from the Church of England. The 30 years after the Mayflower saw about 20,000 English immigrants arrive in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and because of the strictness there, our ancestors moved into what was to become New Hampshire and Connecticut. The journey on the terribly overcrowed ship took over 6 to 12 weeks and often ran out of food even though they were promised food. It cost about 30 pounts ($1,000) for a family of 8 with a ton of freight to come over.

The Mayflower came to Plymouth Rock in 1620. They were sent over by Rev. John Robinson who never made it as he died before he could. His son, Isaac came over, however. There was another ship the very next year in June 1621. It was the Fortune which came over in November 1621 with 35 people. Then in July of 1623 cme the Anne and Little James. Another larger group of ships came in 1630. A Captain Wolcott came over with 20 proprietors and many indentured servants. They started a plantation near the SW corner of Boston Harbor called "Mount Wollaston" which was later called QUINCY.'' Plimoth Plantation was settled in 1627 and William Bradford was the governor for many years. He called those who came over on the Mayflower with him "pilgrims" because he hoped they would had journeyed to a new kind of Holy Land where they would have freedom of worship. More than half died during the winter of 1620, after which nine more ships arrived from England with additional settlers.

The majority of people living in England in the 1620's were very poor. The monarch, Queen Elizabeth I and James I, wanted to maintain the Church of England as the only permissible religion. Anyone suspected of religious deviance was imprisoned, threatened, fined, sometimes tortured and even hanged. Therefore, the ones who came over sought to escape religious persecution and wanted to worship in the manner they believed to be the "proper Christian way." Children were put to work by the time they were age 6 or 7. They were expected to do as they're told. Complete and unquestioning obedience was the rule. Sunday was a day of rest and religion. Church services began at 8 in the morning and lasted until noon. Services resumed around 2 p.m. and continued until 5 p.m. or 6p.m.

They could have come over in 1630 as one of 700 people who left from Bristol Bay as that is so close to Wales. Our ancestor could have been one of the West Country folks. The Puritans of South Wales were in a weaving center. It was the closest association to the English plains or coastal plains. It was developed by Independents and Baptists. These people were especially selected for persecution in S.W. Wales. So they could also have come here because of religious persecution.Wolcott began selling off servants to Virginia. Thomas Morton took over and called it MERRY MOUNT. He freed the servants and set up a joint trading enterprise.

Ten years later, a fleet of eleven ships came over with the flagship Arbella from Southampton. This was now the year 1630. The people went to Boston, Charleston, Waterdown, Roxburg, New Town (Cambridge), Mystic, and Dorchester. Other ships mentioned in the fleet were the Talbat, Ambrose, and Jewel. They left England from Bristol and Plymath (by Wales), and Southampton.

Wolcott began selling off servants to Virginia. Thomas Morton took over and called it MERRY MOUNT. He freed the servants and set up a joint trading enterprise.

Thirty years after the Mayflower arrived, another ship landed at the Mass. Bay Colony. This was in 1650. The ship took from 6 to 12 weeks to get here and ran out of food. They settled in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut.
From 1717 to 1775 convicts came over. Bond servants came over before the Revolutionary War.
 

Vermont Vital Statistics Dept.

I wrote to the following address asking for information about Abiathar Smith Robinson's birth certificate:
vitals@sec.state.vt.us and asked for his birth certificate from the year 1829.

I also asked for anything else they might find like Julia Ann Tuller's birth certificate, and their marriage certificate I'm not sure they have such records going back so far, but we'll check it out. So many offices have lost papers due to fires.

The address of the Vermont Historical Society is:
http://www.vermonthistory.org/

Go to their genealogy section at: http://vermonthistory.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=55

November 9, 2009: Today I heard from them and they sent me a form to fill out and return, which was all done by email and attachment. I sent it back to the following address but forgot to put Scott's name on it. I hope it gets to him. I also sent him the descendants of 2 generations of Hiram's children :

Scott Reilly
Records Analyst
Vermont State Archives and Records Administration
1078 US RTE 2, Middlesex
Montpelier, VT 05633-7701
(tel.) 802-828-2207
(fax) 802-828-3710
 

Communities Near Royalton, Vermont

Where could Abiathar Smith Robinson have come from? His bride, Julia Ann Tuller, was born and raised in Royalton, Vermont. Here are communities very close by. They married in Tunbridge, one of them.

Search results (10)
Barnard (town), Windsor County, VT
Bethel (town), Windsor County, VT
Pomfret (town), Windsor County, VT
Randolph (town), Orange County, VT
Sharon (town), Windsor County, VT
South Royalton, Windsor County, VT
Stockbridge (town), Windsor County, VT
Strafford (town), Orange County, VT
Tunbridge (town), Orange County, VT
West Hartford, Windsor County, VT

Reference: Royalton, Vermont webpage.
 

Bennington, Vermont Webpage Helpful

If you have any Robinsons from Vermont, you might want to check out the Bennington, Vermont webpage with genealogy helps.
Go to: http://www.bennington.com/town/genealogical.html. It is just fantastic. Tons of Robinsons are listed in three different groupings; birth, marriage, and death.

I didn't find my Abiathar, so evidently these three events didn't happen there, but did find other Robinsons on the tree I thought I belonged to.

I just wish all the New England towns would do such nice things for us; hint, hint, hint.

Reference: Donna Robinson

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Tuesday, November 03, 2009

 

Found Seven Exact dna Matches

In an e-mail chat with a Robinson lady from my ggrandfather's home town, a lady new to the tricks of finding your way around familytreedna's website, she mentioned that she was going to see how many people she was connected to by checking all the website instead of the just in the Robinson group, and I realized I hadn't done that, either!

I went in and checked to see all the website, and lo and behold-instead of having only one exact match who happens to be a Robinson, I find I had 7 exact matches including the Robinson one. The rest did not have the surname of Robinson, much to my surprise. The same thing is happening to my friend. Most of her many matches were not of the surname, Robinson.

Here I have been grousing that we have had no matches and wondering why, with such a well-known surname. This just adds more of a mystery to my family. Actually, Robinson in the British Isles probably existed for quite some time, at least to the 1500's, I believe. Now if it was in Russia, surnames were not adopted there until about the 1800's. So to find people that are a match (at the 12 allele level) that do not have the same surname was a surprise to me.
 

DNA Not a Match from Rev. John Robinson

A direct descendant of Rev. John Robinson, the gentleman who sent the Pilgrims to America, differs with our dna test of 12 alleles in the DYS 393 and DYS 390. That shows that even though we are both of the R1b1b2 haplogroup, we are not a match. So we're the off-shoot of another Robinson line. These two alleles are not fast mutaters, so it's important that they match up.

New England was the scene of many Robinsons. Each one must have very interesting stories. They were mostly early settlers in America. DNA is beginning to unlock some of these stories. I think November is a good time to recall that John sent over the Mayflower passengers but couldn't get on himself and later died in Holland. However, his son, Isaac, did come over and started a whole line of Robinsons. He probably help to cause the surname "Robinson" to become the 16th most popular surname in the states.
 

New York Robinsons

Joe Robinson has contacted me and says that Washington County, New York was part of Vermont until about 1800.

I knew that our Abiathar had said he was from New York on one census and then Vermont much later on on another census. He seemed to be having a hard time accepting Vermont as his birthplace.

Also, from the dna of DYS #393 being a 12, that seems to indicate coming from Anatolia, Turkey like 10,000 years ago, and with a migration to Ireland and Scotland.

Joe continued with the fact that Robinson is a very common name in this area of the country because of the large migration of Scots/Iris in the late 1700's.

It could be that Abiathar's family came over at that time as he himself was born in 1829.

Joe sent me his genealogy showing his ancestors who were from Washington County, N.Y. This is pretty exciting stuff. Some were also from Oneida county.

It's very plausible that this could be the place of Abiathar's roots. Thank you, Joe, for expanding the history of the area and this information.

Monday, November 02, 2009

 

Haplogroups=R1b in Men (Common in Europe)

There are 19 major haplogroups found in males. R1b is the most common haplogroup in Europe. It is believed to have expanded into and recolonized Europe 10,000 to 12,000 years ago after the last glacial maximum or ice age.

The is the Out of Africa theory that says that all modern humans evolved in Africa and then emigrated in several waves over the last 100,000 years. They replaced earlier homo species.

Scientists use the capitol letters of the alphabet to name the haplogroups.
A and B are in Africa today and are the oldest haplogroups. B is in all parts of Africa but more common in the pygmy tribe.

CR is a superhaplogroup (includes D-R and their common ancestor is named with a M168 mutation that was carried in 3 migrations into other parts of the world by some people while others stayed behind. C is found in Asia, the South Pacific, and in some Native American people.

In Haplogroups D and E, found in Africa and SE Asia, we have some mutations.

In Haplogroups F-Q we see some mutations like M89, M213, and P14 in all areas of the world.

R1b was formed from a group that emigrated from Africa 50,000 years ago, eventually settling in Europe in the last 30,000 years.

In my family I have two males that both belong to R1b1b2, but they are of different lines. Both trace their families back to the British Isles, and one for sure from England proper, basically in Hampshire County.

Reference: DNA & Genealogy by Colleen Fitzpatrick & Andrew Yeiser

Sunday, November 01, 2009

 

New Robinson Contacts

I made contact today with Donald Robinson who maintains the Pastor John Robinson website. John Robinson was the man who sent over the Pilgrims from Holland to America. He wasn't able to come over himself, having died before he could make it, but his son, Isaac came over. There are many descendants of his in New England. A son of Isaac was Peter Robinson who is memorialized on http://www.find/ a grave. Peter was born in 1655 in Barnstable, Mass and died in Windham, Connecticut.

Many Robinsons migrated from Massachusetts to Connecticut and New Hampshire before entering New York and Vermont.

Donald will ask his contacts if anyone has had dna testing and hopefully they will contact me. This is one way to see who you are connected to. Not everyone left a paper trail, but the trail is locked up right in our cells, in our genes. I hope people will turn to dna for further knowledge of their family history.

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1840 Census of Jamaica, Vermont with Sally Robinson nee Smith

By 1840 Sally Robinson nee Smith was listed along with the men as a widow with 3 sons and a daughter. She had a son 5 or under, two from 5-10, a girl 5 or under, a girl from 5-10, and she was only between 20-30 years old. Sally was the widow of Hiram Robinson Jr.

On page 16 of the census Robinsons and Smiths were listed with her.

1. Hiram Robinson was listed between ages 40-50. (Who was he?) he had to be b: 1789, married to Priscilla McMaster and was husband's uncle.
2. James, her husband's father, was listed from 60-70 years of age.
3. John must have been her husband's uncle He was between 50-60. There was a son listed between 20-30 living with him. No name.
4. Reuben was Hiram, the husband's brother and was listed between ages 20-30.
5. Sally herself was listed.
6. John P. Robinson was listed, age between 20-30. He had to be the son of Uncle John and Hannah Patch. He was married with children.

The Smiths were listed and were:
1. Naham,- her brother b: 1814
2. Samuel -her brother b: 1809
3. Willard I don't know yet, age 40-50, a brother?
4. Rufus her father..
 

Who Was Abiathar Smith Robinson's Father?

Abiathar Smith Robinson was born in Vermont in 1829. He married Julia Ann Tuller, who was born in Royalton, VT in 1852 in Tunbridge, a few miles away from Royalton. Royalton is in Windsor County and is a small hamlet. In 2000 it had a population of 2,600. Royalton was the scene of an Indian attack before Abiathar and Julia were born.

If Sally Smith was his mother, what Robinsons lived nearby to have fathered him? Sally lived in Jamaica, Windham, Vermont. Jamaica is and was still a small burg but is the home of the state park so is in a beautiful setting.

In the year 2000 Jamaica had about the same population as Wenona, Illinois, the place Abiathar is buried. Jamaica only had a population of 946. Jamaica is close to the larger city of Brattleboro, which had 12,000.

No Robinsons were listed in Jamaica in 1830 but Brattleboro, Windham, VT had the following Robinson men. Archabald Robinson, John Robinson and William Jr. Robinson.

Other Robinson men were in the county of Windham. Aron and John H Robinson were in Newfane. George and George Jr. Robinson lived in Wilmington along with Sandford M. Jona lived in Wardsboro.

By 1830 George Jr. was between the ages of 20 and 30 and was still in Wilmington. So was Sanford who was between 40 and 50.

There were available Robinson men in the vicinity. I have more to check.
 

Error on My Robinson Tree Found with DNA

It is a sad admission, but I have been known to borrow the work of other genealogists when I find trees on ancestry.com and use them without checking everything out. Errors can happen in many ways and only dna can prove if we're right or wrong.

I have a William Leroy Robinson on my vast tree and luckily he recently had a dna test that showed we are definitely not connected. His Robinson line was done through ancestry and his haplogroup was not R1b1b2 like ours. It turned out to be I1 which they call " The stonemasons and probably lived in ipresent day Scandinavia.

I'll have to go back and see where I went astray. I'm dealing with my tree that is now up to at least 16,000 on it.

I'm off the hook. I have William's line on my tree as a Robinson family that was married into. His line traces back to the origin of George Robinson b: 1626-d: 1699 in Scotland. An Amos Robinson 1724 Mass.-1809 Clarendon, VT was on his tree.
Our line traces back (perhaps wrongly through Hiram Robinson who is not a dna match) to George Robinson b: 1639 in Boston. Considering that the Pilgrims came over in 1620 and the next fleet of ships came over in 1630, it's possible.

Another more recent error is dealing with Oscar Robinson, thought to be brother of our great grandfather, Abiathar Smith Robinson. Oscar's descendant is living in a nursing home and his daughter saw to it that he had a dna test. He turned out to be an R1b1b2 all right, but not related! His DYS 393 was the Atlantic Model number of 13 whereas ours is the unusual 12 which shows we did not come from Spain and Portugal like the others but from Anatolia, Turkey. It's rather rare. Our DYS 390 is also different. His was 23 and ours was 21. The rest of the 12 allele test which we both had was the same. This was enough to show we are not connected.

This means that I had our ggrandfather's parentage figured wrong. We had thought that Sally Smith from Vermont who had been married to Hiram Robinson were the parents of our Abiathar. After all, he had moved from Canada where he had been living during the Civil War down to Wenona, Illinois of all places after the war was over. Why would he do that if not to live near his mother who had been a young widow and now had remarried and was living there? There were also his siblings; Robinsons.

There was a famous minister in Royalton, Vermont by the name of Amos Robinson. There were also Robinsons descended from John Robinson, pastor from Holland who sent over the Pilgrims to America. These lines could be our Robinson line. I'm just waiting for more people to get tested with the surname of Robinson.

The fact remains that our Robinson test has found another match with another Robinson, so I feel the surname is correct.

I'm making up a story in my head. Sally had become pregnant with Abiathar through another Robinson there in Vermont. (There were many around). After he was born she married Hiram Robinson and had more children. The story continues. Sally could be his real mother.

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