Daniel Robinson: Glassblower
Witch Ball (Rensselaer Glass Factory, c. 1806-1853)
Photo taken at Corning Museum of Glass by Alan Robinson
My theory is that Daniel Robinson was a glassblower well before his Woodstock days. In 1810, a "Daniel Robinson" was living in Berlin, NY near at least three employees of the Rensselaer Glass Factory. Thomas Frothingham (listed above that Daniel on the same census page), was the first superintendent of the glass factory; Warren Bailey (below Daniel on the same page) was a glassblower; and William Richmond (on the previous page) recruited Scottish glass workers to go back with him to New York. The Glass Factory employees lived in about 35 dwellings on the site in Sand Lake, NY (which was once part of Berlin), so that would explain their close proximity in the census.
In 1815, the glass factory burned down when glassblowers carelessly left hot tools too close to packing straw while playing cards at night. We do know that our Daniel moved to Woodstock, NY by 1816, so the timing would really make sense. In the 1810 census, Daniel Robinson was listed just above Theophilus Holmes who also ended up in Woodstock, NY by 1816. He, too, was noted in the Ulster Plebian as having letters in the post office. Knowing that Daniel was, in fact, a glass blower would help provide clues for where he came from and maybe where he went after Woodstock.
If you are interested in viewing my compilation of inferred glass workers, check out the Google Sheet below. If you would like to contribute to the effort, feel free to email me any information that can be added to the spreadsheet. Thanks!
DANIEL ROBINSON TIMELINE
aft. 1774
Birth
In the 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Daniel's son, Isaac, reported that Daniel was born in New York State. On the death certificate of Daniel's grandson, William S. Robinson, it was reported that Daniel's son, Isaac G. Robinson, was born in Scotland. Although we know that Isaac was born in the United States, family tradition could indicate Scottish roots.
When recruiting glass workers for the Rensselaer Glass Factory, Superintendent William Richmond reportedly traveled to the glass district in Dumbarton, Scotland. Dressed as a beggar with an eye patch and playing bagpipes, he convinced a group of glass blowers to emigrate to the United States and work at his factory in Rensselaer. It was illegal for glass blowers to leave the United Kingdom, so the workers were smuggled on a ship with their tools hidden. It is quite possible that Daniel was one of these workers.
An ancestor of our Robinson Y-DNA match, Francis John Robinson (1877-1971), crossed the border into Canada in 1917 and reported that his race was "Scotch." Francis was a grandson of George Robinson (1805-1878).
c. 1808-1810
Marriage to Susannah Greenman, Berlin, NY
The will of Susan's father, Deacon William Greenman, in 1808 listed Susannah without a married name as her two sisters were. This may indicate that she was not yet married.
A Daniel Robinson was living in Berlin in 1810 with a woman of the same age. Although both ages are each marked off by one column to match properly, I am confident that they were Daniel and Susan. I am seeking church records or other documentation to prove this.
Photo of Historical Marker off NYS Route 66 by Alan Robinson, 8/17/20
1810
SPECULATION: Residence in Berlin, NY (1810 U.S. Federal Census)
Daniel Robinson was listed in Berlin, NY.
Susannah Greenman's father had been a deacon at the Seventh Day Baptist Church in Berlin. The Greenmans lived in Berlin and nearby Stephentown after moving to New York State from Kingstown, Rhode Island.
Employment (speculated) at Rensselaer Glass Factory
Daniel was living amongst known employees of the glass works. Housing was provided for the glass workers on the company's property, so it is very likely that Daniel was also working at the factory.
Daniel was recorded in the ledger of the Bristol Glass Company (Woodstock, NY) from 1820-1821. It was noted that he was a glass blower, so it is likely that he was blowing glass at Rensselaer as well.
In the Inventory of Daniel Robinson's Estate (1822), it was noted that Daniel owed money to and was owed money by several glass blowers that worked at the Rensselaer Glass Factory and the Bristol Glass Company (i.e. Zachariah Longdyke, Luke Kelly, John Hunt, etc.).
c. 1810-1815
Residence Intended for Hudson, NY
Daniel paid for a lot (No. 9) in Hudson, NY to James Fairchild, but the lot was never executed to him. James was an innkeeper according to some early advertisements for meetings of the The Hudson Conscript Company (to deal with horse thieves), so perhaps Daniel was looking to be an innkeeper. James appealed to Court of Common Pleas (Columbia County) as an Insolvent Debtor, and his property was sold at public auction. When Daniel himself appealed to the Court of Common Pleas (Ulster County) as an Insolvent Debtor in 1822, he indicated that James took advantage of the Insolvent Debtors Act before the transaction was complete. Based on the article that advertised the auction of Fairchild's property, that failed transaction most likely took place before October 15, 1815. Fairchild died in 1816.
1814
Birth of Son
Daniel's son, Isaac G. Robinson was born in August of 1814. On Isaac's death certificate, it was reported that he was born in Woodstock, NY. In various census records, Isaac (or other family members) reported that he was born in New York, Vermont, and Rhode Island, while his son William once reported that Isaac was born in Massachussets. The death certificate of Isaac's youngest son, Franklin, stated that Isaac was born in Dutchess County, NY. Dutchess County is just across the Hudson from Ulster County where Woodstock is located.
In reference to the reporting of Massachusetts, according to Daniel's insolvency papers, he did owe money to Enoch Loomis of Chester Factory Village in Massachusetts. That village sprouted up around the Chester Glass Factory in 1814, and Enoch was most likely connected with the business since he later sued the company founder after it closed in 1816 ("John Dewey and his Tavern in Chester Factories" by Linda Conant). Daniel may have worked there for a brief time between his time at the Rensselaer Glass Factory and the Bristol Glass Company.
Photos of Historical Marker in Shady, Woodstock, NY by Alan Robinson, 2018
1816
Residence in Woodstock, NY
The Ulster Plebian printed an advertisement stating that Daniel had mail held at the Woodstock, NY Post Office.
He was most likely employed at the Bristol Glass Company since he was referred to as a blower "from the Bristol Factory" in a letter from the Ulster Glass Company in 1818 (see below).
1818
Employment at the Ulster Glass Company in Woodstock, NY
Daniel received a letter from William Peck of the Ulster Glass Company offering him employment as a glass blower.
1820-1821
Occupation: Glass Blower
Daniel was employed at the Bristol Glass Company in Woodstock, NY where he blew glass from as early as 1820 until at least 1821 according to the company ledger. The ledger covered the time period from 1818 to 1821. Daniel previously worked at the Ulster Glass Company (formerly the Woodstock Glass Manufacturing Company) which was located just north on the Sawkill River in Woodstock. Within his insolvency papers, it was noted that he owed money to Eldad Holmes. Mr. Holmes was a New York City businessman who apparently had vested interest in the Woodstock Glass Manufacturing Company. His name appeared beneath an 1818 article that announced an application to incorporate the Ulster Glass Company. Once we found the letter from William Peck (above), we were able to confirm Daniel's employment at the Ulster Glass Company.
Bristol Glass Company Ledger at The Woodstock Historical Society (Photo by Alan Robinson, 2013)
1820-1822
Residence in Woodstock, NY
The 1820 U.S. Federal Census lists Daniel Robinson with his family, including two boys under 10 years of age and a young couple who were probably Susan's niece Abigail Maxson and Abigail's husband, Crawford B. Sheldon.
Daniel Robinson (of Woodstock, NY) appealed as an Insolvent Debtor at the Ulster County Court in Kingston, NY in 1821 (Ulster Plebian). He appeared before the judge, Lucas Elmendorf in August of 1822. Daniel's estate was turned over to his wife's nephew-in-law, Crawford B. Sheldon so that it could be sold, raising money to pay Daniel's creditors. To read the inventory of Daniel's estate, click here.
After 1822
Obscurity
Daniel is not found in any records after his court appearance in August of 1822.
Since glass-blowers were paid well then, it is likely that Daniel remained in Woodstock for a time or moved on to another town with a glass factory. It is possible he returned to the Rensselaer Glass Factory.
1832
Possible Death
A Daniel Robinson is noted in an obituary in The Northern Budget (Troy, Rensselaer, NY) in January of 1833. The obituary stated that Daniel died in Highgate, Vermont on December 16, 1832 at the age of 55. There is a possibility that this is the same Daniel.
1833
Susan's Second Marriage
It has been noted (as early as 1896) that Susannah Greenman married Jesse Stillman on July 6, 1833 after her husband, "Mr. Robinson," died. This has yet to be confirmed with church records or a family bible, but there seem to be enough secondary sources to support it.
1834
Residence of Daniel's son, Isaac, in Watervliet, NY
On March, the Albany Argus listed Isaac G. Robinson as a mason in Watervliet. There was another glass factory, the Albany Glass House (Hamilton Manufacturing Society), in the Town of Watervliet. It is possible that Daniel had ties in that area, maybe even learning the glass trade there. The article below is from Philadelphia's Gazette of the United States in 1793, and found at Peach Ridge Glass, a great resource for the history of glass-making in the United States.
1864
On February 28, 1864, Daniel's wife, Susan, died and was buried in Johnstown, NY, the home of her son Isaac G. Robinson. Louiza J. Robinson, the daughter of Susan's other son (identity not known), was also living in Johnstown. Susan's headstone reads, "Mrs. Susan Robinson/ AE 84 years/ Where with to is my mother's rest? She has gone to enjoy the blest."
SOURCES
Warren Bailey & Jane Bugby of Sand Lake, N.Y. (Webpage no longer available)
Occupation 1: Abt. 1820, Glass Blower (Source: A.H. Sage, "Samuel Bailey Reminiscences, Sage Papers, NYS Archives, Albany, NY.")