Michael Robinson (abt. 1708 - 1798)

Descendants

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Biography

Some of the Robinsons of Lynesack and Softley had been allocated land when the town's commons were "enclosed" in 1756. See http://www.fivenine.co.uk/local_history_notebook/hamsterley%20inclosure/award.htm. A Cornelius, a John and a Joseph were awarded land in Lynesack and Softley on the basis of their older "copyright" possession.

The John in this group held by far the most of the three, and seems to correspond to a will of 1795 for a John Robinson of Gillbank in the Township of Linesack and Softly, otherwise Softer, in the Chapelry of Hamsterley. He mentions that he may give and devise his lands, based on a surrender or deputation from the Right reverend Bishop of Durham, bearing a date on or about the twelfth day of May 1753. He left his lands in Gillbank and elsewhere to his son, also named John, but he specifically mentions only one other person living on them, Joseph Robinson. John the elder also names other sons, Thomas and Cornelius, who were each to receive the significant sum of 170 pounds. He also mentions a grand daughter Mary Burton. The corresponding burial record for this John is dated 4 November 1794, claims he was 92 years old, so born about 1702. The fact that Joseph appears to have been living on the land of John Robinson the land owner it seem he might be his close relative.

However Joseph's father, who would have been an adult in 1756, was named Michael, also of West Pitts. Joseph was baptized 18 June 1749 to Michael and Alice, who appear to be the same couple who married 4 May 1740 (Staindrop register, with Alice also being a Robinson), making Joseph the youngest son in a family of four boys, whose baptisms were as follows:-

• July 26th 1741 Michael son to Michael Robinson of Linesack baptized
• December 9th 1744 George son of Michael Robinson of West Pitts baptized
• June 8th 1746 Thomas son to Michael Robinson of Southside baptized
• June 18th 1749 Joseph the son of Michael & Alice Robinson of West Pitts baptized

Alice died first: "August 31st 1781 Alice Robinson, the wife of Michael Robinson of Copley Bent buried". Michael appears to have been buried 4 Jun 1798, being of Southside, at a claimed age of 90, a farmer, and a widower, died 2 June. This implies he was born about 1708, but of course 90 looks a bit like a guess. He was possibly a younger brother of his contemporaries Cornelius, John and Joseph, being baptised 16 June 1711.

They were probably all the sons of an earlier Cornelius, who was having children in the first decades of the 18th century. This could make Joseph the nephew of John? The other possibility is that Michael was baptised to a father named Richard (or Robert?) in 11 April 1706, who also lived in Lynesack.

It has been suggested to Andrew Lancaster that in this period Cornelius would be a name typical of people from Ireland. Robinsons however appear in the Hamsterley registers from the earliest ones in the late 1500s. There were several Robbynsons in the 1641/2 "protestation returns" for Hamsterley, two named William and two named Christopher. There is one, named William, in 1666 hearth taxes for the area.

Sources

• http://users.skynet.be/lancaster/Ancestors%20of%20George%20Robinson.html