The Dictionary of Virginia Biography is published online through a partnership with Encyclopedia Virginia. Biographies that do not also appear in the three print volumes (surnames AaroeοΏ½Daniels) link to lists of sources consulted.
Sources consulted for the biography of:John Robinson (1825 or 1826 –1908)
Biographical Information
- Birth date of October 28, 1825 on original Lynchburg registration filed in Cumberland County Free Negro and Slave Records, 17531865, Local Government Records Collection, Barcode 1156165, Library of Virginia.
- Birth date of October 28, 1826, in Lynchburg Free Negro Register (18431865), 72, Library of Virginia.
- Age thirty in 1855 List of Free Negroes, Cumberland County Free Negro and Slave Records, 17531865, Local Government Records Collection, Barcode 1156166, Library of Virginia (first quotation.)
- Documents identifying John Lipscomb as John Robinson, Robertson, or Roberson in Cumberland County Deed Books 28:229230, 487, and 29:475, and Amelia County Deed Book 40:560, Library of Virginia.
- Purchase of tavern property in Cumberland County Deed Book 31:287288, 310 and Deed Book 34:179180, Library of Virginia.
- National Anti-Slavery Standard, November 13, 1869.
- Biography in Luther P. Jackson, Free Negro Office-Holders in Virginia, 18671892 (1945), 3536.
- Sally Phillips, "John Lipscomb Robinson," unpublished manuscript, Personal Papers Collection, Accession 44399, Library of Virginia.
- Family genealogy in Dale G. Robinson, "Robinson Lipscomb Family Genealogical Notes," unpublished manuscript, Personal Papers Collection, Accession 53204, Library of Virginia.
Political Career
- Election to the Convention of 18671868 in October 22, 1867 Referendum and Election of Delegates, Abstracts of Votes in Secretary of the Commonwealth, Election Records, 17761941, no. 427, Accession 38055, barcode 1151341, State Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
- Debates and Proceedings of the Constitutional Convention of the State of Virginia, Assembled at the City of Richmond, Tuesday, December 3, 1867 . . . . (1868), 60, 458, 486, 519, 604.
- Contemporary identification as a radical Republican in Richard G. Lowe, "Virginia's Reconstruction Convention: General Schofield Rates the Delegates," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 80 (1972): 351.
- Convention voting record documented in Richard L. Hume, "The Membership of the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 18671868: A Study of the Beginnings of Congressional Reconstruction in the Upper South," Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 86 (1978): 483.
- General Orders and Circulars, Headquarters First Military District, 1869 (1870), "Summary of the result of the election for members of the State Senate of Virginia, held July 6, 1869," 13
- Journal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Virginia: Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Richmond . . . one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine . . . . (1870), 27.
- Journal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Virginia: Begun and Held at the Capitol, in the City of Richmond . . . one thousand eight hundred and seventy . . . . (1870), 295.
- Secretary of the Commonwealth Election Records, 17761941, no. 2 (1873), Record Group 13, Accession 26041, barcode 1142947, State Government Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
- Richmond Whig and Public Advertiser, June 17, 1873; August 29, 1873.
Lawsuits
- Prosecutions for assault and battery recorded in Cumberland County Common Law Order Book (18601884), 141, 150151, 207208, 280, 284285 (change of venue to Prince Edward Co. approved), and Prince Edward County Common Law Order Book 1 (18701893), 10, 81, Library of Virginia.
- Lawsuits involving Robinson and his estate include:
- Amelia County Chancery Causes, Library of Virginia (available online)
- John Robinson v. Heller & Co., 1876-007
- John Robinson v. Trustees of E. G. Leigh et al., 1877-017
- John Robinson v. Thomas Scott, sheriff, et al., 1878-005
- Cumberland County Chancery Causes, Library of Virginia (available online)
- William D. Talley v. John Robinson, et al., 1873-050
- John Robinson v. Moses Venable, 1877-005
- John Robinson v. Willis J. Dance, 1885-010
- William Netherland v. John Robinson, 1886-007
- John Robinson v. William B. Johnson, Sunny Robinson (alias Horace), 1905-013
- B. B. Woodson v. Mattie Williams, et al., 1910-002
- William M. Smith and B. B. Woodson v. J. C. Robinson, et al., 1911-019
- Powhatan County Chancery Causes, Library of Virginia (available online)
- Henry F. Brooks et ux. v. John Robinson, 1895-002
Obituaries
- Farmville Herald, January 24, 1908, with death date of Jan. 15, 1908, of "John Robertson, colored, the oldest resident in Cumberland county," and burial in Jetersville, Amelia County.
- Richmond Planet, January 25, 1908, giving time of death as the night of "January 16th, about 12 o'clock," burial in Amelia County, and second quotation.
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