George Cleland Robinson (1838 - 1902)

Born 1838 in Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Eliza Ann (Howell) Robinson — married 24 Jul 1862 in 600 W. 8th Street, Wilmington, Delaware

Descendants

Died 2 Jul 1902 at about age 64 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chet Snow [send private message]

Biography

George Cleland Robinson was born in 1838 at his parents' home in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware, USA. He was the son of Scottish immigrant, Halbert "Albert" (Robertson) Robinson Jr. (1796-1844), who had changed his name from "Halbert Robertson" to "Albert Robinson" when he immigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, in about 1821. George's mother was Sarah-Ann (Cleland) Robinson (1810-1868) of Wilmington, Delaware, where the family settled. She was the 2nd wife of Albert Robinson who passed away in Wilmington on 8 March 1844, leaving his widow with 3 small children to raise.

After his father died, as the oldest son, George was "farmed out" to an allied family in New Castle Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, by his widowed mother. On the 1 Sep 1850 US Census, the first to name wives & children, he was recorded as 14 years old [sic either 12 or 13], living in James Ogram's farm household in New Castle Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, USA. His mother lived on a neighboring farm in the household headed by George's father's widowed mother and other relatives. ^[1]

On the 1860 US Census, George Robinson was recorded as 22 years old (b: 1838) now living in the household of his widowed mother, Sarah Ann (Cleland) Robinson in Ward 3, Wilmington, Delaware. His grandmother had died in 1858. A Great Uncle: Dawson Nelson, age 66, was living with them and they now had a maid servant: ^[2] Household, Gender, Age, Birthplace, Occupation
Sarah A. Robinson, F, 46, Delaware, Head, Widow
Alfred N Robinson, M, 20, Delaware, Apprentice Coach Maker
George C. Robinson, M, 22, Virginia [sic=Delaware], Coach Mfgr.
Rachel Briscoe, F, 55, Delaware, Servant
Dawson Nelson, M, 66, Ireland, Gentleman [George's Great Uncle]

According to the 1880 Census, George & Annie Robinson had 4 children living with them:
Edwin Howell Robinson - 17 years old, born 1 May 1863
Lola Robinson - 15 years old, b: 1865
Albert Nelson Robinson - 11 years old, born 1869
Harry Cleland Robinson - 1 year old, born: 1879

Delaware death records show Edwin H. Robinson, born 1863 died on 4 June 1938; he lived in Elsmere, Delaware, and died in a Stanton, New Castle Delaware, hospital. He was married to: Lillian M. Son who signed: Edwin H. Robinson Jr.

George Cleland Robinson was my great-great grandfather. Family oral history says he was a proud businessman and helped manufacture horse-drawn carriages and ambulance wagons in Wilmington, Delaware; they were much used in the Civil War. He is said to have lived until after the advent of the "horseless carriage" in the 1890s but strongly disapproved of them and refused to invest in them. A pity!^[3]

He passed away on 2 July 1902 in a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hospital. His Delaware Death Record states he had "Cancer of the Caecum". ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHD9-F2G : 20 December 2020), George Robinson in household of James Ogram, New Castle Hundred, New Castle, Delaware, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). NOTE: You must go to Image 22 to find George, near top of page.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4SW-1MK : 18 February 2021), George Robinson in entry for Sarah A Robinson, 1860.
3. ↑ Entered by Chet Snow.
4. ↑ https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FNPH-GQ6 - death certificate for "George C. Robinson" shows he died of cancer of the caecum on July 2, 1902, in Presbyterian Hospital, Philadelphia PA, and was buried the next day in Wilmington, Delaware (Brandywine Cemetery).

• "United States Census, 1870", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M4BT-Y5X : accessed 11 Mar 2014), George C Robinson, 1870

• "United States Census, 1880", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MXCJ-ZC3 : accessed 11 Mar 2014), George C Robinson, 1880

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4SW-1MK : 18 February 2021), George Robinson in entry for Sarah A Robinson, 1860.

• "Robinson L. Archives" by Dora Robinson Falcone at: http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/ROBINSON/2002-01/1010534872

• Oral family history as told by his daughter, Lola (Robinson) Whiteman, to her son-in-law, Prof. CA Bonine, and noted in his unpublished family history/genealogy (1947-67), in possession of Chet Bonine Snow (March 2014).

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to Chet Snow for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Chet and others.