in the settlement of the town, and continued to exercise a controlling influence in its affairs during the remainder of his life." (!ov. Wentworth com- missioned him, 8 Feb., 1762, a justice of the peace, anil he was then the first person that was appoint- ed to a judicial office within the limits of that ter- ritory. He was chosen to present a petition to the king for relief during the controversy between New York and New Hampshire regarding jurisdic- tion, and reached London in February, 1767. His mission was partially successful, but it was left in- complete by his sudden death from small-pox. He was buried in the cemetery connected with the church of his favorite preacher. Rev. George White- field, and a monument with an elaborate inscrip- tion was erected to his memory in the cemetery at Bennington Centre. His son, Samuel, soldier, b. in Hardwick, Mass.. 9 Aug., 1738; d. in Benning- ton, Vt., 3 May, 1813, at the age of seventeen was a member of his father's company, and the next year was adjutant of Col. Ruggles's regiment. He accompanied his father to Bennington, and was active in the New York controversy and in the af- fairs of the town. He commanded a company in the battle of Bennington, performed other military services during the Revolution, and rose to the rank of colonel. In 1777-'8 he had charge, as over- seer, of the Tory prisoners, in 1779-'80 he repre- sented the town in the assembly, and he was for three years a member of the board of war. He was the first justice of the peace appointed in town under the authority of Vermont in 1778, and was also during the same year one of the judges of a special court. Col. Robinson was one of the few persons who managed a correspondence with the British general Haldimand during the Revolution- ary war, securing Vermont from invasion. An- other son, Moses, governor of Vermont, b. in Hardwick, Mass., 15 March. 1741 ; d. in Benning- ton, Vt.. 26 May, 1813, removed to Bennington with his father, and became one of the foremost citizens of Vermont. He was chosen town-clerk at the first meeting of the town, and served for nineteen years; was colonel of the militia, and at the head of his regiment at Mount Independence on its evacuation by Gen. St. Clair, and was a member of the council of safety at the time of the battle of Bennington and during the campaign of that year, lie was appointed the first chief justice of the su- preme court of Vermont, which office he held for ten years. In 1789 he became the second governor of the state. In 1782 he was one of the agents of Vermont to the Continental congress, and on the admission of Vermont into the Union he became in 1791 the first U. S. senator, serving until 1790. He was a warm friend of Madison and Jefferson, and bitterly opposed Jay's treaty. The degree of A. M. .i- conferred on him by Yale in 1789, and by Dartmouth in 1790. Another son, David, sol- dier, b. in Hardwick, Mass., 4 Nov., 1754; d. in Vermont, 11 Dec., 1843, removed to Bennington with his father in 1761. While his brother Moses was on duty at the Catamount tavern as one of the committee of safety, David and his brothers Leon- ard and Silas were in the Bennington battle, as members of the company that was commanded by their brother Samuel. Afterward, by regular pro- motion, David attained to the rank of major-gen- eral of Vermont militia, which post he held from 1812 till 1817. He was sheriff of the county for twenty-two years, ending in 1811, after which he was U. S. marshal for Vermont for eight years. He was a member of the Constitutional convention in 1828. Another son. Jonathan, senator, b. in Hardwick, Mass., 24 Aug., 1756; d. in Bennington, Vt.. 3 Nov., 1819, received a classical education, studied law. was admitted to the bar, and prac- tised in Bennington. He was town-clerk six years. in the legislature thirteen years, chief justice of the state from 1801 till 1807. and, when his prede- cessor on the bench, Israel Smith, resigned his seat in the U. S. senate, was elected to serve through the unexpired term, and on its conclusion was re- elected, serving from 26 Oct., 1807, till 2 March, 1815. In the latter year he became judge of pro- bate and held the office for four years, and in 1818 again represented Bennington in the legislature. The honorary degree of A. B. was conferred on him by Dartmouth in 1790, and that of A. M. in 1803. The grandson of Moses, John Stanilord, governor of Vermont, b. in Bennington, Vt., 10 Nov., 1804 ; d. in Charleston, S. C., 24 April, 1860, was graduated at Williams in 1824, studied law in Bennington, was admitted to the bar in 1827, and took a high position among the lawyers of the state. He was a member of the legislature for many terms, and was elected governor in 1853 as a Democrat on joint ballot of the two houses, there being no choice by the people. His party had not elected a candidate before for forty years. He was frequently a Democratic candidate for congress. He was a delegate to the National Democratic con- vention in 1860, and died during its sessions.
ROBINSON, Solon, author, b. near Tolland,
Conn., 21 Oct., 1803; d. in Jacksonville, Fla., 3
Nov., 1880. He received a common-school educa-
tion, and began to learn the carpenter's trade at the
age of fourteen, but was not strong enough to con-
tinne. and turned to peddling and to other means
of gaining a living. He early acquired a literary
reputation by contributing graphic papers to the
Albany " Cultivator," and became a popular writer
on agricultural subjects for newspapers and maga-
zines. About 1870 he removed to Jacksonville,
Fla. While conducting the agricultural depart-
ment in the New York " Tribune," he occasion-
ally wrote sketches of New York city life among
the poorer classes, which were printed in the local
columns. One of these articles attracted popular
attention, and was expanded into a book entitled
"Hot Corn, or Life Scenes in New York" (New
York, 1853), of which 50,000 copies were sold in six
months. He was the author also of " How to Live,
or Domestic Economy Illustrated " (1860) ; " Facts
for Farmers; also for the Family Circle," which
had an extraordinary circulation (1864) : and ' Me-
won-i-toc " (1867).
ROBINSON. Stillman Williams, civil engineer, b. in South Reading. Vt., 6 March, 1838. He studied at schools in Vermont, and was graduated as a civil engineer at the University of Michigan in 1863. Entering the service of the U. S. lake survey, he continued so engaged until 1866, when he was appointed instructor of civil
engineering at the University of Michigan. In 1870-'8 he held the chair of mathematics in Illinois Industrial university, and he was then appointed professor of physics and mechanical engineering
in Ohio state university, which place he has resigned. Among his important inventions are the Robinson photograph-trimmer; the Templet odontograph ; a wire grip fastening machine; a
boot and shoe nailing machine: and iron piling and substructure machinery most of which are in active operation under the control of specially organized corporations. Prof. Robinson is a fellow
of the American association for the advancement of science, and a member of the American society of civil engineers, and of the American society of mechanical engineers. In addition to chapters in
