USA > New Hampshire > Genealogical and family history of the state of New Hampshire : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol. I > Part 89
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(III) George, second son and third child of Robert and Sarah Westgate, was born in War- wick, Rhode Island, April 24, 1688. He resided in Tiverton, Rhode Island. October 5, 1727, he mar- ried Elizabeth Earle, who was born September 6, 1699, daughter of John and Mary (Wilcox) Earle. She survived him, and on November 14. 1757, mar- ried for her second husband John Adams of Warren,
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Rhode Island. George Westgate was the father of five children, namely: George, John. Priscilla, Mary and Earle.
(IV) John, second son and child of George and Elizabeth ( Earle) Westgate, was born in Tiver- ton, February 1, 1731. He went to Killingly, Con- necticut, but instead of locating there permanently he ascended the river and became one of the pio- neer settlers of Plainfield, New Hampshire, where he located about 1778. The journey north was made during the winter season, his family and household goods being transported on a sled drawn by oxen, and he assisted in constructing the river road (so called) in Plainfield. He died in that town September 5. 1821. On June 6, 1756, he was married in Tiverton by Samuel Hicks, a justice, to Grace Church, and her death occurred in Plain- field, April 27, 1831. She was a lineal descendant of Benjamin Church, who was distinguished in King Philip's war. Their children were: Betsey, John, Lydia, Earle, Priscilla, George, Mary, Joseph, Wil- liam, Benjamin and Hannah.
(V) Earle, second son and fourth child of John and Grace (Church) Westgate, was born in Plainfield, November 26, 1764. He was a lifelong resident of Plainfield, a prosperous farmer, and a deacon of the church. He died January 23, 1841. The maiden name of his wife, whom he married June 7, 1796, was Elizabeth Waite, daughter of Nathaniel and Anne (Sweetser) Waite: she was born July 7, 1767, in Hubbardston, Massachusetts, and died in Plainfield December 16, 1825. The six children of this union were: Elizabeth, John, Na- thaniel Waite, Anne, George and Earle.
(VI) Hon. Nathaniel Waite Westgate, second son and third child of Earle and Elizabeth ( Waite) Westgate, was born in Plainfield, January 26, 1801. He was graduated from the Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, in 1820, but impaired health prevented him from pursuing a collegiate course, and for some time subsequent to leaving the academy he taught school. Deciding, after recovering sufficiently to resume study, to enter the legal profession, he read law in the office of Hon. Charles Flanders, of Plainfield, and was admitted to the bar at New- port in 1827. Locating for practice in Enfield. he built up a profitable general law business and dur- ing his residence there, which covered a period of nearly thirty years, he evinced a profound inter- est in all matters relative to the general welfare of the community, especially in behalf of public education, serving with ability as superintendent of schools. He also served as town clerk and as post- master. Receiving the appointment of register of probate for Grafton county in 1856, he removed to Haverhill, which he represented in the state legisla- ture in 1861, and in the latter year was appointed judge of probate, retaining that office until dis- qualified by constitutional limitation. Joining the Republican party at its formation, he labored dili- gently to propagate the fundamental principles of that political organization, and was several times a candidate for the senate on that ticket. but suffered defcat at the hands of his Democratic opponents. His official duties were discharged with a sincerity of purpose which was so apparent as to cause the inherent honesty of the man to be universally ad- mired, and his personal character was highly com- mendable. The sunset of his life was spent in retirement at his home in Haverhill, and his death occurred December 16, 1800. His first wife was Lydia Prentice, daughter of Dr. Nathaniel Prentice, of Springfield, and his second wife, whom he mar- ried November 14, 1842, was Louise Tyler, born in
Claremont, this state, March 30, 1818. daughter of Hon. Austin and Almira (Kingsbury) Tyler, and granddaughter of Colonel Benjamin Tyler of Wal- lingford, Connecticut. She became the mother of six children, namely: Tyler, who will be again re- ferred to; Nathaniel W., Jennie L., Frederick A., William F. and George H. William F., who was born at Enfield in 1852, studied at the Chandler Scientific School at Dartmouth College, graduated class of 1875, prepared for the legal profession and was admitted to the bar in 1880. He died April 23, 1902. He served as register of probate for Grafton county. Mrs. Louise Westgate died March 6, 1895.
(VII) Tyler Westgate, eldest child of Nathaniel WV. and Louise (Tyler) Westgate, was born in En- field, New Hampshire, December 2, 1843. He re- ceived his education at the Haverhill (New Hamp- shire) and Kimball Union ( Meriden, New Hamp- shire) academies, and was graduated from the latter in 1864. He was assistant clerk of the supreme court of Grafton county from April 11, 1865, to April 1, 1871, and was register of probate for the county from April 7, 1871, to July, 1874, and again from August, 1876, to June, 1879. In 1876-77 he was clerk of the New Hampshire senate. He was post- master at Haverhill from 188t to 1885, and was again made register of probate in July, 1889, holding the office until 1890, when he was made judge of probate, which he still holds. He was elected a delegate from Haverhill, New Hampshire, to the Constitutional Convention of 1902, his name being on both the Republican and Democratic tickets. Judge Westgate married August 30, 1881, Lunetia M. Sawyer, of Malone, New York, who died Janu- ary 16, 1884, leaving no issue. He was again mar- ried, to Phebe J. Bean, of Livington, Maine, who died January 28, 1894. He has two daughters --- Louise Bean and Elsic Mae Westgate.
(VI) Earle (2), youngest son and child of Deacon Earle and Elizabeth (Waite) Westgate, was born in Plainfield, December 17, 1808. His active years were devoted to tilling the soil in his native town, where he resided for his entire life, and he died March 29, 1898. Strongly imbued with the principles of Christianity, he labored deligently in advancing the moral and religions welfare of his community, and for a period of fifty years he acted as a deacon of the Baptist Church. He married Sarah Cole, who was born in Plainfield, Novem- ber 24, 1815, and her death occurred January 18, 1876, having reared a family of six children: Wil- liam E., Martha E., Edith S., Julia A., Mary E. and Daniel C.
(VII) Daniel Cole, youngest son and child of Deacon Earle and Sarah (Cole) Westgate, was born in Plainfield, June 4, 1857. His studies in the district school were supplemented with a course in the higher branches at the Colby Academy, New London, New Hampshire, and upon leaving that institution he adopted the independent calling of a farmer. Al- though agriculture constitutes his chief occupation, he is not confined to it exclusively, as a considerable portion of his time has been and is still devoted to the public service, in which he has acquired an honorable record. For a period of six years he was a member of the board of selectmen; has served four years as town clerk, and as town treasurer for the same length of time; was a member of the New Hampshire house of representatives in 1905: and is now county treasurer. In politics he is a Republi- can. He was one of the charter members of the local grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and officiated as its master during the first five years of its exist-
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ence; is at the present time on its agricultural and educational boards; and for the past six years has been a member of the executive committee of the State Grange. His religious affiliations are with the Baptists.
On June 13, 1878, Mr. Westgate was joined in marriage with Miss Clara J. Stone, daughter of Solomon and Betsey (Reed) Stone. Mr. and Mrs. Westgate have two daughters: Mary E., born No- vember 27, 1879; and Bessie S., born October 15, 1883. Both are graduates of the Kimball Union Academy, Meriden. Mary E. is now the wife of Harold W. Chellis, of Meriden.
ROBINSON The Robinson family is an ancient and numerous one, both in England and America. There are several coats of arms belonging to different branches of the name, but in all of them an antlered stag or buck is prominent. The one which is borne by the Robinsons of the north, from whom the early American immigrants are descended, consists of a gold field crossed by a green chevron with three gold cinquefoils set between three bucks tripping (an heraldic expression signifying that one fore- foot is raised). The crest is a green buck trip- ping, with gold antlers and gold spots on his hide.
There are two John Robinsons of early record from whom Jonathan Robinson may have descended. Eminent genealogists and writers both within and without the family differ on this point. Both are here given.
(I) Rev. John Robinson, the founder of Plymouth Colony, had three sons who came to Plymouth with their widowed mother in 1631. Their names were: John, born 1606; Isaac, 1610; and Jacob, 1616. Isaac remained in Plymouth, but of John and Jacob there is nothing known after they "left Plymouth, and with others went away to Cape Ann to find a better fishing station." The first subsequent trace of a John Robinson in authentic records is found in Newbury in 1640. Here he is of record as one of the twelve men who settled Haverhill (Pentucket). John Robinson appears on the town books in 1646, and in 1645 he was of "thirty two landholders." In 1650 forty-three free- men in the town subscribed themselves "In favor of the project of laying out the bounds of the plantation," and the name of Jolin Robinson heads the list. His name appears on the town book of Exeter as one of the first settlers between 1640 and 1680. On October 23, 1652, he was chosen "As one of the overseers of work on the meeting house." October 16, 1664, he was on a committee "To lay out our highways when they should judge most convenient." Various deeds show the whereabouts of John Robinson, of Exeter, during these years. In 1649 it was acknowledged by him that Daniel Lad had bought six acres of accommodation of him, granted by the town of Haverhill. In 1651 he bought land and a dwelling house in Exeter. August 5, 1651, John Robinson, of Haverhill, conveys to Thomas Lilfurth, of Haverhill, "my accommodation in Haverhill, viz: 10 acres to my houselot, 6 acres of which were given me by the town-also my house, etc." (Signed Jolin Robinson, Elizabeth Robinson.) In 1654 he held some property "in- cluding and granted me by Exeter," which he sold to Henry Robie. In 1655 he bought of Joseph Merrie, of Hampton, in New England, "A dwelling house with 25 acres of land, etc." In 1660 he owned "some land in Exeter which he sold to John Pful- sham" ( Folsom). 111 1667 John Robinson, of Exeter, sold to Samuel Leavitt a dwelling house and barn
and seven acres of land in Exeter "by the falls," signed, John Robinson and Elizabeth his wife; wit- ness, Jonathan Robinson. His last recorded sale is in 1674, when he sold his dwelling to Moses Gillman, of Exeter, February 24, 1074, entered June 24, 1675 (a few months before his death). The record of John Robinson as a public man so far as known is as follows: He "was one of the grand jury held at Salisbury (the Shiretown), February 12, 1653, also 1664-68 and 74," was on the trial jury at Salis- bury, February II, 1654, and 1667; was chosen to end small causes, 1668; was allowed by the court to keep a ferry at Exeter, and to have a penny for a passage (no date). There is no record of John's inarriage, but the name of "Elizabeth his wife" ap- pears to a deed of February 9, 1661, also June 24, 1667, and in 1676 as co-administrator to his will with his youngest son David. John Robinson died September 10, 1675. The children of John and Elizabeth Robinson, recorded in Haverhill, are : I. John, born 1641, lived three weeks. 2. John, born 1642, died young. 3. Jonathan, born May 16, 1645- 4. Sarah, born January 8, 1647, died 1648. 5. David, born March 6, 1649. 6. Elizabeth, born March 7, 1651.
There is a great deal of collateral evidence and family tradition to support the opinion of some of the family that they descend from Rev. John Robinson. We deem it just that both sides should have a hearing, and will only say that as yet 110 indisputable evidence has been found for other con- tention.
(II) Jonathan Robinson, son of John, was born May, 1645. Bell's "History of Exeter" gives the name of Jonathan Robinson as second on the town books of Exeter, the first being that of his father John; the date of Jonathan is March 3, 1673; of John, April 20, 1652. June 24, 1667, he witnesses the Leavitt Lavel sale signed by John and Eliza- beth his wife. In 1674 he buys land of Jonathan Thwing. In 1672 he was chosen "tithing man" among the first elected in the town. In 1680 his name appears in the Mason land suit; in 1698 as one of the reorganizers of the church, and the same year he was "one of the 26 subscribers to the Cov- enant and Confession of faith." October 26-29, 1696, he furnished the garrison (King William's war, 1690-1713), and in 1710 he was one of a scouting party in pursuit of Indians. His death probably occurred shortly after this date, as the following deed suggests that it takes the place of a will. March 6, 1710-II, Jonathan Robinson, of Exeter, deeded property to his wife, who is not named, and to his children Joseph, John. David, James, Jonathan, Easter and Elizabeth. Also to Lida, daughter of his son John. (New Hampshire Province Deeds, vol. 9, p. 65).
(I) John Robinson, the first American ancestor of this line, with eleven others from Ipswich and Newbury, Massachusetts, made the original settle- ment of Haverhill, Massachusetts. in 1640. He was a blacksmith, and removed to Exeter, New Hamp- shire, in 1657. In the month of September, 1675, a party of Indians made a descent upon Oyster River, now Durham, this state, and killed four peo- ple, besides burning two houses. The savages then proceeded to the neighboring town of Exeter, where three of them placed themselves in ambush on the road leading to Hampton. Soon afterward Jolin Robinson and his son appeared on their way to the latter town. The father, according to tradition. was carrying a warming pan. The Indians fired from their lurking place and shot the elder Robin- son dead. They pursued the son into a swamp but
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failed to catch him, and he reached Hampton about midnight and gave the alarm. There is no record of the name of John Robinson's wife; but it is supposed that David and Jonathan Robinson, who lived at Exeter from 1657 to 1683 were his sons, also Stephen, John and Christopher Robinson. From them are descended all the Robinsons of Ex- eter and the neighborhood, including William Rob- inson, who founded the Robinson Female Seminary at Exeter, opened in 1869, also the Summerville Academy at Summerville, Georgia. William Robin- son died at Augusta, Georgia. where he had made his fortune, and the Exeter institution received about a quarter million of dollars from his estate.
(II) Jonathan, probably son of John Robinson of the preceding paragraph (or of John of Exeter, if the latter, May 16, 1640), was born about 1649. He took the oath of allegiance November 30, 1677, at Exeter, New Hampshire, was "tythingmaster" in 1678, one of the selectmen in 1695, and joined the church in 1698. About 1670 Jonathan Robinson married Sarah , and they had eight chil- dren: John, born September 7, 1671; Sarah, Oc- tober 29, 1673; Hester, August 12, 1677; Elizabeth. September 6, 1679; Jonathan, July 9, 1681 ; David, July 28, 1684; James, December 7, 1686; and Joseph. whose sketch follows. Of these sons John died be- fore July 7, 1749, the date of proving his will; Jonathan died about 1758: David removed to Strath- am, New Hampshire, and died after 1767. Captain James Robinson, the seventh child. also removed to Stratham.
(III) Joseph, fifth son and youngest child of Jonathan and Sarah Robinson. was born May I, 1691, and removed to Haverhill, Massachusetts, Oc- tober 1, 1698. He was living in Exeter in 1710. The name of his wife is unknown, but there were five sons: Josiah, mentioned below; Benjamin, Nathaniel, Jonathan and Joseph. It is possible that a daughter Nancy belonged in this family. Joseph Robinson's death occurred after 1767.
(IV) Josiah, eldest child of Joseph Robinson, was born either in Newmarket or Epping. New Hampshire, and about 1778 removed with his fam- ily to Brookfield, this state, where he took up a large tract of heavily timbered land and engaged in farming. Before removing to Brookfield he had been a tanner and shoemaker in Exeter. Josiah Robinson by hard labor succeeded in clearing a farm in Brookfield, and built a home which has been kept in the family for four generations, being now oc- cupied by his great-grandson, John Franklin Rob- inson. On August 18, 1760, Josiah Robinson mar- ried Anna Neal, youngest of the eight children of Walter and Ann ( Mattoon) Neal, who was born November 13. 1736. They had eight children: Wal- ter, whose sketch follows; Deborah, born March 21, 1763; Anna, born July 2, 1765; Betsy, born October 28. 1767; Josiah, born April 2, 1770; and Tristam Heard, born June 7: 1772. Josiah Robinson lived to an advanced age, and died July 14, 1805, at Wolf- boro, New Hampshire. His widow lived till Oc- tober 6, 1828.
(\') Walter, the eldest child of Josiah and Anna (Neal) Robinson, was born at Newmarket of Ep- ping, New Hampshire, April 26, 1761. At the age of sixteen he moved with his parents to Brookfield, where he helped to clear the parental farm, which he afterwards inherited. On July 10, 1784, Walter Robinson married Mary Neal, daughter of Ebenezer, who was born at Stratham, July 16, 1760. They had eight children : Fanny, Richard Mattoon, Clarissa Harlow, John Ncal, Henry, Ebenezer
Clark, Hannah and Noah, mentioned below. Wal-
ter Robinson died at Brookfield, September 22,
1822, and his widow died September 14, 1844.
(VI) Noah, fifth son and eighth and youngest child of Walter and Mary (Neal) Robinson. was born on the homestead at Brookfield, New Hamp- shire, October 28, 1804, and spent his life there engaged in farming. A man of sound judgment and sterling character, he commanded the respect and esteem of his fellow-townsmen to an unusual de- gree. He was a Democrat in politics, and served as town treasurer for three years, town clerk for five years, and selectman for nine years, during three of which he was chairman of the board. He also rep- resented the town in the legislature during 1842 and 1844. He took an active interest in the state mili- tia, in which he served as ensign, captain and major. On October 5, 1845, Major Noah Robinson married Judith Cook, one of the seven children of Thomas and Mary ( Safford) Cook. She was born in Wake- field, New Hampshire, February 3, 1815, where het family had lived for three generations. Noah and Judith (Cook) Robinson had three children, all sons : George Henry, John Franklin and Albert Os- car, whose sketch follows. George Henry Robinson. born July 24, 1846, married February 29, 1876, Nel- lie M. Gove, and they lived at Plymouth, this state. John F. Robinson, born May 31, 1850, inherited the ancestral homestead, and married July 21. 1872, Ruth F. Lindsay, of Lincoln, Maine. Major Noah Robinson died January 28, 1880, and his widow died September 19, 1899.
(VII) Albert Oscar, youngest son of three sons of Major Noah and Judith (Cook) Robinson, was born at Brookfield, New Hampshire, October 26. 1851. He was educated in the town schools of Brookfield and in the academies of Wakefield, Ef- fingham and Wolfboro. For a while he taught school in the winter, and then began working in a store and telegraph office at Union. New Hamp- shire. At the end of a year and a half, March 25, 1872, he entered the employ of the Eastern rail- road as telegraph operator, baggage master and ex- press agent at West Ossipee. On October 12 of that year he was transferred to the station at Wolf- boro Junction, now Sanbornville. and was made station agent and express agent there, which posi- tion he now holds. He has also acted at times as paymaster and clerk for the division superintendent of the road, which is now part of the Boston and Maine system. For seven years he was director of the Wolfboro Loan and Banking Company, and for a time president. Through the dishonesty of a trusted employee this bank was compelled to close in 1904, subsequently paying depositors in full. (N. . H. Bank Commissioners' Report, 1904. p. 13). MIr. Robinson affiliated with the Democratic party till 1896, since which time he has acted with the Repub- licans. In 1892 he represented Wakefield in the New Hampshire legislature, and in 1894 was elected town treasurer, also treasurer of the school district in Wakefield. and held them for ten years. He has also been a justice of the peace for about twenty years .. At present he is one of the trustees of the Gafney Memorial Fund in Carroll county. Mr. Robinson is interested in fraternal organizations, and is past master of Unity Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Union, this state, and be- longs to the chapter, council and commandery of the York Rite, and is a Thirty-second degree mem- ber of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. He is also a charter member and Past Chancellor of Syracuse Lodge, No. 27, Knights of Pythias, at San-
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bornville .. He is a life member of the Robinson Family Genealogical and Historical Association. On December 24, 1875, Albert O. Robinson married Clara E. Davis, who was born at Ossipee, New Hampshire, August 25, 1848. Both of her parents, Darius and Ruth B. (Durgin) Davis, were natives ยท of Newfield, Maine. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson had one child, Inez, born November 17, 1876, who died June 17, 1884. Since then they have adopted a daughter, Agnes W., who was born February 26, 1898.
(Second Family.)
ROBINSON The line of this naine herein treated has been comparatively recently es- tablished in New Hampshire, com- ing from Glasgow, Scotland, where Alexander Robinson was born in 1845. Mr. Robinson located in Portsmouth. New Hampshire, in 1852. Before attaining his majority he enlisted in the United States Navy, on board the gunboat "Ossipee," sery- ing for a time in the Civil war. He then returned to Portsmouth and engaged in the brewing busi- ness until 1882, when he removed to Boston, Mass- achusetts. He died in England, June 11, 1897, at the age of fifty-two years. He was a Knight Tem- plar and Thirty-second degree Mason, and a mem- ber of the British Charitable Association. He held a pew in St. John's ( Protestant Episcopal) Church of Portsmouth. He was married to Martha E. Banks, a native of Portsmouth, daughter of Oren Banks and Maria Griffin (Dore) Banks of that city. They became the parents of four children: The eldest, Alexander Charles, is an artist of consider- able talent, and now resides in Belgium, where he finds profitable employment for his brush. Albert WV., the second, is a resident of Boston, where he is extensively engaged in the brewing business. Per- cival M., the third, is the subject of the succeeding paragraph. Mabel E., the fourth, resides in Boston.
Percival Marcellus Robinson was born June 2, 1872, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and received his primary education in the public schools of that city, and was subsequently two years a student in the Boston High School. On leaving school, he joined his father at Boston. going through every department of the brewing business in order to be- come master of its details. After the death of his father, in 1897, with his brother he continued the business established by his father, which was then known as The Robinson Brewing Company, now a part of the Massachusetts Breweries Company, of Boston. In November, 1899, Mr. Robinson became an owner in the True W. Jones Brewing Company of Manchester, which was established in 1892 by True W. Jones, who was deceased at the time Mr. Robinson succeeded to his interest. The latter be- came at once president and general manager of the establishment, in which position he has continued until the present time, and the business has pros- pered under his able management. He is a director of the Manchester National Bank, and active in va- rious ways in promoting the growth and welfare of the city. He is a member of Washington Lodge. Free and Accepted Masons, of Boston, and of the Manchester Lodge of Elks, the Amoskeag Veterans, and the Derryfield Club. He is a stanch and liberal supporter of Republican principles and policies. Mr. Robinson is recognized in commercial circles of Manchester as a progressive and successful business man. He was married November 6, 1895, to Clara Freeman Brennan, a native of New York City, daughter of Philip and Clara ( Savory) Brennan. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Robinson includes two children : Clara Dore and Philip Alexander.
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