Person:John Robinson (157)

Robinson, John, president of the council, became acting governor on the departure of Sir William Gooch for England, June 20, 1749. His grandfather was John Robinson, of Cleasby, Yorkshire, England, who married Elizabeth Potter, daughter of Christopher Potter of Cleasby. His uncle was Dr. John Robinson, Bishop of Bristol and London, who served as British envoy to Sweden, writing while there a history of Sweden, and was also British plenipotentiary at the treaty of Utrecht. His father was Christopher Robinson, a member of the Virginia council in 1691-93, and secretary of state in 1692-93, who married Judith, daughter of Colonel Christopher Wormeley. John Robinson was born in 1683 in Middlesex county, Virginia, at "Hewick," his father's residence on the Rappahannock river. He occupied many important positions in the colony, was member of the house of burgesses in 1711 and other years, member of the council in 1720, and when Governor Gooch left for England, June 20, 1749, became as president of the council, acting governor. In this capacity he served but a few months only, dying September 3, 1749. He married Katherine, daughter of Robert Beverley, author of a history of Virginia, and their son John was speaker of the house of burgesses and treasurer of the colony.

5. John* Robinson (Christopher 5 ) was born in 1683 (Chart) and died Aug. 24, 1749 (Chart). His father, in 1693, bequeathed £5o towards keeping him at school in England, and he no doubt was under the charge of his uncle, the Bishop, while there. His father bequeathed him 1,100 acres on the Pianketank river, Middlesex county, and he doubtless lived on this plantation when he returned to Virginia, as he represented Middlesex county in the House of Burgesses in the sessions beginning Nov. 7, 1711, and Nov. 16, 1714.

In a letter from Governor Spotswood to the Lords of Trade, March 9, 1713, he recommended to fill a possible vacancy in the Council,
"Mr. John Robinson Nephew of ye present Bishop of London. He is now with his Uncle, and if he return hither, (which is yet uncertain.) I hope y'r Lo'ps will aford him ye hon'r of serving her Maj'ty in a Station he is well qualified for."

In a letter to Bishop Robinson, dated March 13 of the same year, the Governor writes:
"A Vacancy happening in the Council here I am very desirous it should be supplied by one of y'r Lo'p's Family, assuring my Self y't such having always before their Eyes y'r Lo'p's Example will be true to ye Interests of ye Church and of ye State. 1 offer'd this fact to Mr. Christopher Robinson, but found him unwilling to quit on y't Acc'tof the Naval Officer's place. Upon w'ch I have now recommended to be added to ye Council Mr. John Robinson, one whose qualifications for that Trust, (I'm persuaded) are not inferior to any other in this Country. I should have been loath to loose him out of our House of Burgesses (where he has done remarkable service,) were it not to give him an opportunity of serving her Maj'tie in a more hon'ble Station, and as I hope your Lo'p will not only approve, but encourage his accepting thereof, w'ch is the more necessary in regard he is not related to any of ye present Council, of which are two [too] many Already of one Kindred [the Burwell-Ludwell-Harrison connection]; And that he may with greater ease, support that Character I have reserv'd for him an Agency of Considerable profite, which is lately erected at the Town where he lives [Urbanna?] "
He also states that he is arranging to obtain a county clerkship for the younger brother, Benjamin.

Notwithstanding the Governor's good wishes, John Robinson did not become a member of the Council until 1720. He retained his seat until the end of his life, becoming president of the body. On June 20, 1749, on the departure of Governor Gooch for England, Robinson became acting Governor of Virginia; but his tenure of office was ended by his death a few months later.

John Robinson lived first in Middlesex and afterwards at "Piscataway" or "Piscataqua," in Essex.

He married first, about 1701, Katherine, daughter of Major Robert Beverley, of Middlesex. (The second wife of Christopher Robinson, the emigrant, was step-mother alike of John Robinson and of his wife, Katherine Beverley.)

John Robinson married secondly Mary, widow of Thomas Welch and before of Francis Merriweather, and daughter of Lancelot Bathurst, of New Kent county. There is on rerord in Essex the marriage settlement, dated Jan. 5, 1731, between Hon. John Robinson, of Spotsylvania Co , (where he seems to have lived a short time), and Mrs. Mary Welch, of Essex, widow. In addition to personal property, valued at upwards of ^750, she owned 65 negroes. There was no issue by this marriage.

John and Catherine Robinson had issue: ...