My Robinson Genealogy

Isaac G. Robinson was born in August of 1814 in the Town of Woodstock, NY to Daniel Robinson and Susan (Greenman) Robinson (1780-1864).  He had at least one brother that we know of, but the identity of that brother has yet to be determined.  Update:  We have discovered that Isaac's brother was John H. Robinson who was born in 1812 in Woodstock.  (August 2023)  The family is found in the 1820 U.S. Federal Census of Woodstock, NY with "Daniel Robison" (male 26-45), Susan (female 26-45), and Isaac with his brother (2 males under ten).  There is also another couple living with the Robinsons, a male (16-18) and a female (16-26).  We are fairly certain that this newlywed couple is Crawford B. Sheldon and Abigail (Maxson) Sheldon who were married in January of that year.  Abigail was the daughter of Susan's sister, Sarah (Greenman) Maxson.

Discovery (3/1/2013)

According to the ledger of the Bristol Glass Company in Woodstock, Daniel was a glass blower from as early as December of 1820 through at least 1821.  It also stated that Daniel blew glass for Arnold Robinson who worked there as well from as early as 1818.  We had suspected that Arnold may have been related to Daniel since they lived near each other (1820 U.S. Census) and both had mail held in the Kingston post office in 1816.  Their employment and collaboration offers credence to this theory.  However, Arnold passed away in 1821, so information on him is scarce at best.  For more on Daniel's occupation as a glass blower, go to the Daniel Robinson page.

The ledger also sheds some light on the Robinson Woodstock life.  Daniel paid a bill for the glass company school, so we can assume that one or both of his sons attended school there.  It is noted that he paid a "boy's wages."  A "boy" was a worker that assists a glass blower.  There is also mention of an F.A. Robinson who could possibly be Arnold or maybe even another relative.  We have some information to follow up on!

Bristol Glass Co. 1817-1821 ledger at the Historical Society of Woodstock

(Click on the image to view the full size)

Sometime before 1821, Daniel had a land transaction go bad when he paid for a parcel of land on Chapel Street in Hudson, Columbia County, NY, but the lot was never executed to him.  Daniel was in debt and had to appeal to the Ulster County Court as insolvent debtor.  Within the insolvency papers we found that the judge, Lucas Elmendorf, appointed Crawford B. Sheldon as the assignee.  Crawford was charged with managing the inventory of Daniel's estate to pay off the creditors, and it is that little piece of information that helped us identify the young couple living with the Robinsons.  This provides strong evidence that Daniel's wife was in fact Susan Greenman, allowing us to connect with the research of the Greenman Family.  I send a thank you across the Cosmos to Richard O. Greenman who convinced me to stick with that theory.

So, with just the clothes on their backs, some bedding, and Daniel's guns, the Robinsons entered a decade of mystery (our next focus).  While the Sheldons settled in Delhi, NY by 1824, we speculate that the Robinsons may have moved up the Hudson to the Capitol District.  Some research states that Susan Greenman's husband later died, and she remarried Jesse Stillman of DeRuyter, NY (originally of Rensselaer County, NY) on July 6th of 1833.  This makes sense, but we are looking to confirm this with some documentation.  Daniel is not buried beside his wife in Johnstown, NY, nor does he appear in any document along with another family member after the insolvency papers, so we are left with speculation.

Isaac G. Robinson was reportedly born in the following places:

• Rhode Island (1855 Fulton County, NY census)

• Vermont (1865 Fulton County, NY census)

• Woodstock, NY (according to his own death certificate in 1893, and the death certificate of his son, Myron W. Robinson in 1907)

• Dutchess County, NY (according to the death certificate of his son, Franklin P. Robinson in 1899)

• Massachusetts (1900 U.S. Federal Census, reported by his son, William)

• New York State (most other census records)

• Scotland (according to the death certificate of his son, William S. Robinson in 1929)

We could assume that each may have a grain of truth, but I would certainly say that Woodstock, NY (reported by his eldest child, Susan Odikirk) is accurate.  However, the other reported locations may offer some insight where the Robinsons went after Woodstock or where they were before moving to Woodstock.  This is all we have to go on for the time period between 1822-1834, so hopefully that will be enough.

Another clue that arose from the insolvency papers, was the fact that Daniel owed some money to an Enoch Loomis from Chester Factory, Massachusetts.  Hampshire and Hampden Counties in Massachusetts sure had a lot of Robinsons.

I also have a theory that Daniel Robinson may be related to Rowland Robinson (1654-1716) of Rhode Island.  For more on that, check out my Robinson-Gardiner Connection Theory page.