USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Reading > History of Reading, Windsor County, Vermont. Vol. II > Part 17
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In 1872, he began the study of medicine with Dr. O. W. Sherwin, in Woodstock. Went to Burlington for his first course and graduated at Dartmouth Medical College, at Hanover, N. H., in 1875.
In September of that year he went to Ludlow, enter- ing into partnership with Dr. J. H. Putnam, continuing with him until 1878, when Dr. Putnam went to locate in Rutland. The remainder of his life was spent in busi- ness alone in Ludlow. He worked up a very successful and satisfactory business which he was obliged to give up in the latter part of Oct., 1887. He d from typhoid fever, complicated with pneumonia in Nov., 1887. He m Augusta M. Chilson, of Perkinsville, Sept. 21, 1864.
To them were b five children, four girls and one boy. Three of the girls d in infancy. Two children are now living, Mrs. J. B. Reardon, of Ludlow, and Dr. F. C. Morgan, of Reading.
Field Chilson Morgan,
son of Samuel H. and Augusta H. Morgan, was b in Reading, March 1, 1867. When nine years of age, his people moved to Ludlow, Vt., where he lived for the most of the time until the fall of 1887.
Attended the graded schools and Black River Acad- emy, from 1875 to 1885. Graduated from the Medical Department, University of Vermont, 1887. Practiced profession 1 1-2 years, in Plymouth, Vt., and the re- maining time in Reading (Felchville). Married Lettis E. McWain, of Plymouth, 1888. They have one child, F. Paul, b March 22, 1902.
Dr. Morgan has been a trustee of the Reading Pub- lic Library, and has ever taken an active interest in its success. He is regarded as one of the brightest physi- cians in Windsor County, and is thoroughly informed in his profession. He has, at times, been called as a witness in trials before a jury in the County Court and other courts, and has shown remarkable skill and learn-
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ing.
Hannah (Bolles) Merrill
was b in Rockingham, May 7, 1807. In Dec., 1837, she m Prosper Merrill, who was then superintendent of Earl & Campbell's Mills in Cambridgeport, a small village in her native town. They had one son, John B. Merrill, who d in 1867, at the age of twenty-five years. In 1850, Mr. Merrill purchased a factory in Felchville, where they resided until they went to Woodstock, in 1870.
Since the death of her husband, in 1891, she has lived at her old home, but a short distance from her stepson, F. B. Merrill, who, although a son of Mr. Mer- rill's first wife, was cared for from childhood by Mrs. Merrill, and knew no other mother.
Mrs. Merrill was kind and sympathetic, and was mindful of her neighbors and friends, and had a kind. word for everybody. Although she outlived most of her own kindred, in her last years she was cared for by faithful friends, and wanted for nothing that wealth could purchase.
Mrs. Hannah Bolles Merrill d Nov. 2, 1899, at her home in Woodstock, Vt., aged 91 years and six months. She had been in failing health for some time, and on Tuesday, Oct. 22, she fell and fractured her right hip, which accident usually proves fatal in persons of her age.
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CHAPTER XXV.
Biographical Sketches, Continued.
Genealogy of the Robinson Family,
By A. H. Keyes.
Jonathan Robinson was b in Cambridge, Mass., Apr. 20, 1862. He was the son of William Robinson, and the grandfather of Ebenezer Robinson. He purchased a farm near where later occurred the battle of Lexington, in 1706. . On this farm, James Robinson, father of Ebe- nezer R., was b, Aug. 30, 1715. James was the sixth son of Jonathan Robinson. On the same farm, Ebenezer Robinson (my great grandfather) was b, Feb. 14. 1765.
He entered the Colonial service at the time of the Revolution when only sixteen years of age, served on an American ship, was taken prisoner, confined on the old British prison ship. Jersey, was released, and after- ward served in the army again. (See History of Read- ing Centennial).
He came to Reading in 1788, cleared away the for- ests in So. Reading, and made himself a farm. He m Hannah Ackley, Nov. 18, 1792, and they passed a long and peaceful life on this farm. She was bin 1771, and d Feb. 8, 1857, aged 86 years, and two months. He d Oct. 31, 1857, aged 92 years, and eight months. Mar- vin Robinson, his son, (and my grandfather) was b March 24, 1800, in So. Reading, Vt. He m Lucinda Fullum, Oct. 11, 1826, by whom he had seven children. They were (1) Franklin Marvin, b Aug. 2, 1828, d March 25, 1885 ; (2) Edwin Aurelius, b Oct. 18, 1829, d Nov. 8, 1892; (3) Charles Henry, b July 18, 1831 ; (4) Wallace Fullum, b Dec. 22, 1832 ; (5) Forest Alonzo, b May 29, 1835, d March 19, 1836, aged 10 months ; (6) Maria Frances, b Jan. 2, 1837 ; (7) Elmore Duane, b July 15, 1838, d Dec. 4, 1893, 7 P. M. All b in So. Reading, Vt. Lucinda, first wife of M. Robinson, d Nov. 25, 1839,
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aged 42 years, and two months, having been b Sept. 13, 1797. Marvin Robinson m his second wife, Charlotte Wood, Sept. 22, 1840. She was b May 2, 1816, at Hart- land, Vt., and was the daughter of Jonathan and Betsey Wood. She d April 14, 1889, aged 74. Their children were :- Elroy Clement, b Jan. 30, 1844, d Oct. 28, 1885, aged 41 ; Delia Ada, b Jan. 24, 1847, d Oct. 29, 1851, aged 4 years, and nine months ; Addie Lestina, b Nov. 7, 1852, d Aug. 9, 1873, aged 20 years, and nine months ; All b in So. Reading, Vt. Marvin Robinson d Dec. 22, 1866, aged 66 years, eight months, and twenty-eight days. He spent his life principally, if not wholly, in So. Reading, and there kept a tavern and devoted much time to farming.
William Robinson, father of Jonathan Robinson, probably resided in Bristol, England, and afterward em- igrated to Watertown, Mass. He was b about 1640, m about 1668. His wife was Elizabeth Cutter, b in Cam- bridge, Mass., July 15, 1645, the daughter of Richard Cutter, of Cambridge, Mass., by his first wife, Elizabeth Williams, who was the daughter of Elizabeth (Stalham) Williams, and was b in England. Her father, Robert Williams, was b in England, so the record of Wm. Wil- liams, of Hatfield, England, says. The embarkation record reads "April 8, 1637, Robert Williams Cordwyner (Cordwyner was a shoemaker) of Norwich Co., Norfolk, England, in the "John and Dorothy" of Ipswich, Wil- liam Andreas, master, For New England to inhabit."
In the history of Lexington, by Hudson, I find as follows,-"Jonathan Robinson, son of William Robinson, b in Cambridge, April 20, 1682. I find on a copy of the will of Richard Cutter, of Cambridge, made a short time before his death, in 1693, this endorsement "For the two Robinsons, grandsons of the deceased." This paper be- ing found among papers left by Jonathan Robinson, and Richard Cutter having several daughters, one of them may have m a Robinson. It appears by a deed in pos-
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session of the family, that Isaac Powers, of Cambridge, sold to Jonathan Robinson, of Cambridge, Mass., in 1706, a lot of land at Cambridge Farms, bounded easter- ly, by land of Joanna Winship, westerly, by land of the heirs of Samuel Winship, northerly, by Concord Road, and southerly, by the land of John Dickenson.
This and other deeds of land to Jonathan Robinson, bounded by the Winship's, Whitmore's and Bowman's, leaves no doubt but that he resided on, or near the place now occupied by Mr. Jonas Gamwell at the termina- tion of Oak street, house now burned.
Jonathan Robinson m Ruth - -, and probably came to the "Farms" about 1706. He d in 1753, and she d April 25, 1759. He filled the honorable office of tything-man in 1735, and in 1744 was on a committee to dignify and seat the meeting house. Children of Jona- than and Ruth Robinson were-
(I) Jonathan, b July 25, 1707 ; (2) Ruth, b June 29, 1709, d Oct. 23, 1722 ; (3)' Abigail, b Feb. 4, 1711, m Nathaniel Bacon, of Lexington ; (4) James, (my great- great grandfather) b Aug. 30, 1715, m in 1751, Elizabeth Trask; she was b April 21, 1725 ; (5) Lydia, b. Aug. 29, 1718, m Caleb Simonds ; (6) Hannah, b Jan. 8, 1721.
James Robinson, (my great-great-grandfather) m 2nd wife, Margaret -, by whom he had 8 children. He was admitted to the Church March 10, 1765. She d Nov. 5, 1769 and he m 3rd, Elizabeth -- , by whom he had three children. He d Aug. 12, 1774. Children were-
(1) Ruth b Jan, 28, 1753; (2) Joseph b March 18, 1755, m Mrs. Betty Hadley ; (3) Silas, b Feb. 20, 1757, mn (4) Asa, b Jan. 19, 1759, was in the Campaign to New York, in 1776 ; (5) James b Nov. 26, 1760, m May 25, 1787, Judith Reed, of Woburn. He was a soldier in the Continental Army. ; (6) Rhoda, b May 10, 1763, d young ; (7) Ebenezer, b Feb. 14, 1765; d at So. Read- ing, Vt., Oct. 31, 1757, aged 92 years, 8 months ; (8) Parsis, baptized Feb. 1, 1767, b Jan. 25, 1767. Children
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of James by his wife Elizabeth were-(9) Rhoda baptized Oct. 20. 1771, m May 24, 1791, Simeon Snow ; (10) Ly- dia, baptized Jan. 5, 1772, b Jan. 2. 1772 ; (II) Jonas baptized Dec. 1, 1773, b May 18, 1770.
Children of Ebenezer and Hannah Robinson were- (1) Lewis, b Aug. 19, 1793, d Nov. 16, 1871 ; (2) Mar- vin, b May 24, 1800, d Dec. 22, 1866 ; (3) Rhoda, b Feb. 8, 1790, d Oct. 21, 1873 ; (4) Hannah, b Jan. 20, 1805, d April 19, 1873 ; (5) Ebenezer, Jr., b Dec. 30, 1808, d July 5, 1848 ; (6) Eliza, b May 20, 1807, d Dec. 13, 1860 ; (7) Calvin, b Jan., 13, 1798, d Mar. 28, 1819; (8) Sally S., b Sept. 19, 1802, d Oct. 6, 1816. All b in Reading.
In the History of Cambridge, by Lucius R. Page, I find Wm. Robinson, (my great-great-great-great grand- father) by wife Elizabeth, had children-
(1) Elizabeth ; (2) Hannah, b Concord, July 3, 1671, d there Oct. 5, 1672 (called Ann); (3) Wm., b July 10, 1673 ; (4) Mercy, b Aug. 7, 1676; (5) Dana, b May 23, 1678, (lame and helpless in 1695); (6) Samuel, b April 20, 1680 ; (7) Jonathan, b April 20, 1682, (my great- great-great-grandfather).
William, the father, was styled sometimes of Cam- bridge and sometimes of Watertown, Mass. He execu- ted a will May 27, 1693, which was presented for probate June 26, 1693, but disallowed on account of its, infor- mality at which date all the children except Hannah were living. Jonathan (the 7th child of William) was a weaver, and resided in Lexington. His will, dated Feb. 2, was proved Feb. 8, 1754. His wife, Ruth, sur- vived him. From the History of Watertown, Mass., I quote Administratorship of Estate of Wm. Robinson, granted to son William, Oct. 21, 1695, inventory dated Aug. 14, 1695, £43-17S.
The will of Wm. R., dated March 22, 1694, mentions son William (3rd child) of Newton, May 16, 1698, Sam- uel and Nathaniel Sparhawk appointed guardians of Samuel R., aged 18, and John R., aged 16.
GEORGE O. ROBINSON.
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HISTORY OF READING.
CHAPTER XXVI.
George Orville Robinson.
George Orville Robinson was b at So. Reading, Vt., June 14, 1832. He is the son of the late Lewis Robinson, and grandson of Ebenezer Robinson. who served our country most faithfully during the War of the Revolu- tion.
Lewis Robinson was a man of great force of charac- ter, and of unusual executive ability. His wife also was possessed of remarkable energy of character, and great- ly aided her husband in promoting the prosperity of the town. No doubt there was some family pride in this matter, because at the close of the Revolutionary war, the grandfather, Ebenezer Robinson, settled at South Reading, and from the wilderness, had cleared a large and valuable farm, upon which he dwelt for sixty-six years.
During his boyhood, George heard a great many stories of revolutionary life, of the early redemption of the wilderness in this part of Vermont, and of the growth and increasing wealth of the mountainous state from which have gone, to all parts of the world, men of sterling faith and character. Young George enjoyed the usual advantages of the public schools of his native state, and also had the advantage of aiding his father in the publishing of maps of Canada, and of different states of our Union, thus giving to his young mind, a broad outlook which could not otherwise have come to him. At the early age of seventeen he commenced teach- ing school, meantime studying to fit himself for college.
After completing a preparatory course at Spring- field and Newbury Seminaries in 1853, he entered the
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University of Vermont, from which, in 1857, he gradua- ted as salutatorian of his class. He immediately began the study of law, and in March of the following year, went to Janesville, Wisconsin, where he completed his professional studies, and in the fall of 1858, was admit- ted to the bar. During the two following years, while practicing law in Wisconsin, he gave some time to sur- veying, and also performed the duties of Justice of the Peace.
In the spring of 1861, he removed to Detroit, Michi- gan, and with David W. Brooks, formed a law partner- ship in 1862, for the practice of his profession. For a time, the firm gave special attention to the collecting of claims upon the government, arising from the civil war. In 1872, this partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Robin- son then became the senior partner of the new firm, Rob- inson & Flinn. This latter firm still continues. This firm for many years gave special attention to the litigation title, care, and sale of pine lands, and pine land estates. For the last few years Mr.' Robinson has also been much interested in the iron mines of Minnesota. Mr. Robin- son has always been regarded as a man of strict integri- ty, conscientious in the discharge of his duties as a citi- zen, and energetic and persevering in all that pertains to righteousness. In conducting large and important bus- iness interests, his judgment and wisdom have always re- ceived the approval of his clients.
Mr. Robinson has always been active in charitable and religious work. He was one of the original mem- bers of the Young Men's Christian Association of his city, and has three times represented this organization as delegate to International Conventions. As a Metho- dist, he saw the need of a church paper, and was one of the principal founders of the Michigan Christian Advo- cate, a religious newspaper which has had large circula- tion, and is published by the Methodist Publishing Company, of Detroit.
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He has always been a large stockholder and officer in this company, and for many years has been its Presi- dent. In 1895, Mr. Robinson was elected as lay dele- gate to the General Conference of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, held in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1896. Here he was made a member of the important Book Committee of the church which has charge of the large publishing houses of the Methodist Book Concern, including many publications and periodicals of the church.
In the year 1901, he attended as a delegate, the Ec- umenical Methodist Conference, held in London.
As a staunch republican he has ever given his party substantial support, but has never been willing to accept political preferment. Mr. Robinson has traveled exten- sively in his own country and in foreign lands, and has written much for the press.
In 1859 Mr. Robinson married Miss Helen Mather, a lady of rare taste and fine musical education, who d in 1890 and was the mother of five children,-Frederick A., Caroline M., (now Mrs. George L. Cheeseborough), George A., and Emma Mabel. Their son, Willie H., d at the age of 4, in 1878. Later Mr. Robinson m Miss Jane M. Bancroft, who for more than eight years had been Dean of the Woman's College of the Northwestern University at Evanston, Il1. She was a graduate of the celebrated school of Mrs. Emma Willard, and later in 1877, of Syracuse University. She also spent two years in Europe in the Universities of Zurich and Paris, where she became greatly interested in Christian philanthrophy. On her return she wrote a work entitled, "Deaconesses in Europe and their Lessons for America," which has become an authority on the subject of which it treats.
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CHAPTER XXVII.
Ebenezer Robinson, 2nd, and His Three Sons.
Ebenezer Robinson, 2nd, By Stillman W. Robinson.
Ebenezer Robinson, 2d, farmer and carpenter, was b in Reading, Vt., in 1810, on the farm he was carrying on at the time of his death of typhoid fever, on the morn- ing of July 5, 1848. This was the same farm that his father, Ebenezer Robinson, sought out from the forests of Reading, and settled upon after the war of the Revo- lution. There was some agreement between this father and son, that the latter should carry on the farm "at the halves", during the life of the former, when the farm should become the property of the son. But the death of the son nine years prior to that of the father, preven- ted this from being carried out, leaving the widow, Mrs. Adeline W. Robinson, with the responsibility of this farm interest, besides that of the four children of ten years, and younger.
Mr: Ebenezer Robinson, 2nd, was a rather thick-set man, of some180 lbs. weight, and one who was mentioned by neighbors and others, as of unusual physical strength.
He was enthusiastic with his farm, to get it im- proved to where less effort would be required in due time, for carrying it on. Some two or three years before his death, he desired some additional buildings, and for economy's sake, he got out the timber, built the frame- work, and completed them himself, having but a few poor tools to work with.
This carpenter work attracted the attention of neigh- bors about, who began to apply to him for construction of buildings on their farms. With this encouragement,
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he decided to get a set of framer's and carpenter's tools, and in 1847, he became possessed of the finest chest of these tools, all new and bright, that could be found in that part of the country. These the eldest son, Stillman, then of about 8 years (subject of another sketch) coveted the use of, for play tools, with longing, wishful eyes:
But, alas for the youngster ! They were in a splen- did new iron-bound chest, and under lock and key. That unmistakable, mechanical genius was thus put off, to linger with the few old tools. These, however, had some vim, as proved by the fact, that the youngest boy, A. A., then some 3 years, wielding one of them as best he might, suffered the severance of a small piece from one thumb. This loss however, seems never to have phased A. A. Robinson's brilliant life record. (See another sketch.)
Thus, Ebenezer Robinson, 2nd, so well equipped with the carpenter's outfit, engaged with delight in an- swering calls for framing and building. In those days, farm buildings were supposed to require a heavy frame- work, the main pieces not smaller than eight inches square. These must be mortised, tenoned and pins driv- en through. Some framers went by the so-called "scribe rule", where each mortise was score-marked for its ten- on, with a peculiar hand-tool that would cut either a straight or a circular groove, the combination of which would produce any number. But Mr. Robinson dis- dained this fussy and slow proceeding, and went by the "head rule" where each stick of timber was immediate- ly recognized for its place when the day for "the raising" came. It may be possible that this, together with his home farming, overworked the man, hastening his pre- mature death.
In about 1846, a set of ox-cart wheels were wanted, and instead of buying, he decided to build them himself. The oak trees for the timber for these wheels was selected a year or two ahead, when the best to be found on the
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farm were spotted for it, though red, in the absence of white, had to be accepted. A long and serious time of seasoning around the stove and fireplace was passed one winter, and in the early spring the wheels were made by his own hand. These, however, were a most excellent pair of wheels, coveted by the neighbors around, excell- ing in workmanship as well as in all other qualities.
Thus it is shown that Ebenezer Robinson, 2nd, was a man of unusual aptitudes, exceeding in mechanical handcraft, as well as in his farming; for the farm was always in good, clean and thriving condition, with "pump-logs" laid to bring water from a spring to the house and barns, buildings erected, and in good repair.
He was a good mathematician as far as that went in district schools of those days, not beyond arithmetic. He was captivated by what he could do with arithmetic in squares and square roots, thus determining exactly by mathematics, the length of a brace, whatever its angle. In his younger days he taught school, and was always master of the situation, both for teaching and ruling.
He was an admirer of extended frame-work, such as that in wooden railroad bridges ; and also of machinery of all kinds, whether for excavation or rifle making. It will doubtless be conceded by the people of Reading, that this man was born fifty years too soon, for had he the college training and the industrial openings of later times, he would most assuredly have enthused into them, and probably become one of the remarkable engineers of recent years or of today ; but his mantle of possible attainments fell for want of calling, and it was left to his sons to recover and bear it forward to mark achieve- ments of today.
The children of Ebenezer Robinson, 2nd, and his wife Adeline W., were four in number, viz :- Stillman W., b March 6, 1838; Elna A., b Dec., 1839 ; Albert A., b Oct., 1844; Mary Ella, b spring of 1848.
STILLMAN W. ROBINSON, C. E., D. Sc.
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Stillman Williams Robinson, C. E., D. Sc., Professor Emeritus in Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, Author, Inventor, Engineering Expert, and College Professor Twenty-Five Years.
Mr. Robinson was b near the village of South Read- ing. Vt., March 6, 1838, on a farm, his father being Eb- enezer Robinson, Jr., b in the same place, who carried on a farm ; though by preference a carpenter, with frequent calls in that line. The grandfather was Ebenezer Rob- inson, a soldier in the Revolution, and one of the pio- neers of Reading, forming the subject of another sketch.
Prof. Robinson, the subject of this sketch, is emphat- ically one of Reading's self-made men. At eight years of age he was taken from school for part of the time, that he might more fully serve as a farm hand. At ten years, his father died, and he was placed in charge of another farmer, until 16, which year he was put partly on the farm and partly in running a saw-mill and erect- ing a lumber and grist-mill. This work was more to the young man's taste, which taste was strongly made known as early as two and a half years of age, when he watched with surprise and spell-bound interest, the operation of the spinning wheel, as it was put in motion to spin the annual "frocking", from which to cut the farm garments. Not only this wheel, but the reel, scarns, loom, etc., for producing this web, riveted the attention of the child.
As days and years went past, this youngster was found making little water wheels which were estab- lished in the water guzzles, with string belts to run the little mill, the "bug-grinder", etc. The water drops thrown from the little wheel, were called mosquitoes by the father, who would come along and issue the very unwelcome order, "come, put away your mosquito wheels now, and go out to picking up stone". These stones were always found lying plentifully on a recently
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seeded down field in this part of Reading, requiring to be gathered into heaps and drawn away. A few min- utes to tinker at mechanical play in the "shop room" was frequently obtained by running ahead of the men at dinner horn blast. Rainy days, when "shop tinkering" could go on, were hailed with delight. At fifteen, a violin was brought out of the "shop room", which was prized above most others for energy and quality of tone. All this mechanical work was so delighted in, that he never tired, while the farm work had no charms what- ever.
In those days the village of South Reading had several saw mills, a gristmill, starch mill, a cabinet and bedstead mill, and a blacksmith shop; all of which were familiarized by this subject of our sketch, but the tannery and potash factory had less charms by reason of the lesser machinery.
Imagine the wonderment of the boy as he was taken to Windsor a few times in 1847, and shown about. The Gun Factory, with its wonderful machines held him overawed in admiring gaze. The most noticable by him was the rifling machine which had a leather belt running over one round pully mated with an elliptical one. This seemed impossible, but never forgotten, and was better understood later, when principles of mechan- ism came to pervade the mind. The Connecticut River Railroad was then just being built, and the locomotive pulling the passenger train, was the especial wonder of the boy's life, as well as the steam excavator, while cut- ting the sand banks of Hartland to railroad grade. The brick depot at Windsor, where the conductor called out "all aboard for Wells River", to start his train, was ever remembered, and when next seen, last fall, 54 years later, was found less dignified than memory had carried it. Thus it is seen that all mechanical things had an unmistakable charm for the young lad. Who, with these facts in "view, could suppose that he had not a
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