Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/146

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ROBINSON


ROBINSON


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(1876); The Serpent of Sugar Creek (1885); Eineline, or Home, Sweet Home, in poetry (1876); Preachers' Pilgrimage (1886; Gennan Edition, 1888); Commencetiient Week (1880); T)ie Ep- trorth League:— Its place in Methodism (IS'dO); The Xew M'oman. and other Poetns (1896).

ROBINSON, John Cleveland, soldier, was born in Biiiglianiton, N.Y., April 10, 1817. He attended the U.S. Military academy, 1835-38, leavinjj a year before graduation to stud}- law. He was commissioned 2d lieutenant. 5tli U.S in- fantry, Oct. 27,1839, and in the Mexican war served as regi- mental and brigade quartermaster, 1845- 46; was promoted 1st lieutenant, June 18, 1846, and took part in the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma and Monterey. He was promoted captain, Aug. 12, 1850: served against the hostile Indians in Texas, 1853-54; took part in the Seminole Indian war in Florida, 1856-57, and in the Utah expedition, 1857-58. He was in com- mand of Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Md., 1861, and prevented its capture by the secessionists. He was appointed colonel of the 1st Michigan volun- teers. September, 1861; promoted major of 2d infantry, Feb. 20. 1862, and commissioned briga- dier-general of volunteers, April 28, 1862; com- manded a brigade at Newport News, and had command of the troops in the neighborhood of Portsmouth, Va., until May, 1862. He command- ed the 1st brigade, Kearny's division, then the 2d division, 1st army corps, Army of the Poto- mac; w;is brevetted lieutenant-colonel, U.S.A., July 1. 1863. for Gettysburg, and colonel. May 5,

1864, for the Wilderness. He commanded the 2d division, 5th army corps, and while leading a charge at the battle of Spottsylvania, he was wounded in the left knee, necessitating amputa- tion at the thigh. He was put in command of the districts in New York state; was brevetted major-general of volunteers. June 27, 1864; briga- dier-general, U.S.A., March 13, 1865, for Spottsyl- vania. Va.. and major-general, U.S.A., March 13.

1865. for gallant and meritorious services in the field during the war. He was military com- mander and commissioner of the bureau of freed- men in North Carolina in 1806; was promoted colonel of 4.3d infantry, July 2«. 1«66, and was honorably mustered out of the voluntper sprvice. Sept. 1, 1866. He commanded the Departmeni;


of the South in 1867, and the Department of the Lakes, 1867-68. and was retired with the rank of major-general, U.S.A., May 6, 1869. He re- ceived the congressional medal of honor " for most distinguished gallantry in the battle of

  • Laurel Hill, Va., May 8, 1864, placing himself at

the head of his leading brigade in a charge upon the enemys breastworks, where lie was severely wounded." He was lieutenant-governor of New York, 1872-74; was commander-in-ciiief of the Grand Army of the Republic, 1877-78. and presi- dent of the Society of the Army of the Potomac, 1887. He died in Binghamton, N.Y., Feb. 18, 1897.

ROBINSON, John McCraken, senator, was born in Scott county, Ky.. April 10, 1794; son of Jonathan and Jane (Black) Robinson; grandson of George and Ann (Wiley) Robinson; great- grandson of Pliilip Robinson, and a descendant of Thomas Robinson, who came to America prior to 1730, and was among the earliest Scotch-Irish settlers in Pennsylvania. About 1818 he removed to Cartiii, 111., where he was admitted to the bar and began practice. He was married, Jan. 28, 1829, to Maxy Brown Davidson, daughter of James and Mar.;aret (Ha .graves) Ratcliflfe of Carmi, 111. In 1832 he was elected U.S. senator to fill the unexpired term of John McLean, deceased, and for a full term, serving from Jan. 4, 1832, to March 3. 1843. On March 6, 1843, he became judge of the supreme court of Illinois, serving until his death, which occurred in Ottawa, 111., April 27, 1843.

ROBINSON, John Mitchell, jurist, was born in Caroline county, Md., in 1828. He was gradu- ated from Dickinson college. Pa., in 1847; was admitted to the bar in 1849, and began practice in Queen Anne county in 1851. He was elected deputy attorney-general for the county in Janu- ary, 1851; state attorney in November. 1851; was judge of the circuit court. 1864-67; judge of the court of appeals. 1867-93. and chief justice of the court of appeals, 1893-96. He died in Anna- polis. Md., Jan. M. 1890.

ROBINSON, John SUniford, governor of Ver- mont, was born in Bennington, Vt., Nov. 10, 1804; son of Nathan Robinson, and grandson of Gov. Moses (q.v. ) and Mary (Fay) Robinson. He attended schools at Wind- ham and Hartford, Conn.; was graduated from "Wil- liams college in 1824; studied law with David Robinson in Bennington, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1827. He was a repre^^entative in the state legislature for two terms; was twice elected state senator, and was several times the Democratic candidate for representative in con- gress. He was married in October. )n47. to Juli-