Joseph Robinson and Descendants

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Virginia Origins I have not found information in Fayette County, Kentucky records that leads to Joseph Robinson’s origins in what was probably Virginia. The 1850 federal census for Fayette County states that John Robinson (son of Joseph) was born in Virginia. This census has John's age as 71. His grave stone confirms this date as it gives his birth date as "25 Sep 1779." I have not undertaken a comprehensive survey of the records of the most likely area of origin, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and have seen only one mention of a Joseph Robinson that appears likely to be ours. A Joseph Robinson is listed as a witness to a deed of 4 September 1783 in which Edward Darnaby and Elizabeth, his wife, transfer land in St. Georges Parrish, Spotsylvania County, to Mark Davis. Other witnesses to this deed were Philip D. Redd and Edmund Bryant.202 Until the end of the Revolutionary War, the official religion of Virginia was the Church of England. Despite this, a growing group of Baptists were living near Fredericksburg in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Although the Baptist Church was not authorized and her ministers not licensed to preach, many dedicated Baptist ministers did preach and some were jailed for their efforts. As Kentucky opened up for settlement many of these Spotsylvania County Baptists decided to begin a new life there. In September of 1781, a large group of Baptists and some others who joined the group for safety and company, following the intrepid Baptist minister Lewis Craig, set out for Kentucky. After an arduous but relatively safe journey, they arrived at Crab Orchard, in Lincoln County, Kentucky. A number of this group, including Benjamin Robinson, later moved to the David’s Fork area of Fayette County. Other smaller groups followed their ministers to Kentucky, but the 1781 group, dubbed “The Travelling Church,” is accepted as the first and largest, having included 400 to 600 persons.203 Besides Joseph and Benjamin Robinson, other Robinsons lived in the David’s Fork of Elkhorn Creek area of Fayette County. Benjamin Robinson lived on a farm adjoining Joseph Robinson’s farm. That they bought land together, possibly as early as 1785, suggests they were closely related. Benjamin Robinson was a Revolutionary War veteran and in his pension application of 1832, he states that he was born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia in 1752 and enlisted from there.204 He was married, probably about 1778 or 1779, to Mildred Ellis, the widow of Hezekiah Ellis, and daughter of Thomas Burbridge of Spotsylvania County. One tract of Thomas Burbridge’s land was located on the south side of the Lewis River, bordering the Pamunky River Road. Another tract lay on the north side of the Lewis River. Yet another tract was on Brock’s River, a branch of the Lewis River, and bordering the Lewis River. Benjamin Robinson went to Kentucky with the Travelling Church group of 1781, first to Crab Orchard, Lincoln County, where he lived on Gilbert’s Creek. He moved to the David’s Fork area of present-day Fayette County about 1785. Though a number of genealogists have searched, none that I know of have found Benjamin’s origins in Virginia. Another David’s Fork area Robinson associated with Joseph Robinson was William Robinson who sold Joseph Robinson 30 acres of land in 1793 but died about 1799 before a title was made, resulting in Joseph Robinson suing the widow and heirs to obtain title. The widow was Lucy (Mallory) Robinson, a daughter of Roger and Sarah Mallory, neighbors of Joseph Robinson. Children of William and Lucy Robinson were John Scott M. (born 1789), Roger (born 1790), William, and Joseph. A Lewis Robinson, who died in 1813,205 also lived in the David’s Fork area. He married Mary Estes, daughter of John Estes, and had children: Margaret (married 1819, William Whiting); Nancy, (married 1819, Nathaniel McFarland); Matilda (or Mildred); and Benjamin (married 1827, Mariah Young of Clark County, Kentucky). Probably all the children were minors at the time of Lewis’ death. From the records of Bryan Station Church (pastor was Ambrose Dudley), there is the additional mention of Margaret Robinson. She appears in the early Fayette County tax records with 100 acres of land and disappears from the Fayette County tax records after 1793. Bryan Station Church records state that Margaret Robinson joined the 3rd Saturday in June of 1786, by letter from Massaponax Church in Spotsylvania County (along with Elizabeth Doggett). A John Robinson of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, wrote his will 5 February 1786 and it was recorded that same month. His will names his wife Margaret, and four children, Betty, Fanny, William, and Lewis. He names these children, and in turn, leaves each a bed and a cow and calf. The surnames of the daughters were not stated. The remainder of his estate was left to his wife during her lifetime, and at her death to be “divided amongst all my children.” Executors named were Ambrose Dudley and Edmund Bryant. Witnesses were Elizabeth Kelly, William Ledwidge, James Dudley, and Charles Sheppard. 206 John Robinson sold his farm of 314 acres to George Stubblefield in a deed instituted 20 September 1785 and Margaret completed the sale in March of 1786, after John’s death (Spotsylvania County, Virginia, Deed Book L (1785–1788), page 1.207 This Spotsylvania County, Virginia, John and Margaret Robinson stand out as candidates to be ancestors of the Robinsons who lived in the David’s Fork area of Kentucky.

Contents Dedication Preface Acknowledgments Maps Photographs Generation One Generation Two Generation Three Generation Four Generation Five Virginia Origins Documents Census Information End Notes

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