Christopher Robinson (politician)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Robinson was an American
-born soldier
, lawyer
and political figure in Upper Canada
.
in 1763, the son of John Robinson
, Speaker of the House of Burgesses
and sometime President of the Council of Virginia, and his wife Catherine, daughter of Major Robert Beverley of Yorkshire
, England
. It was his grandfather, Christopher Robinson (1645–1690), brother of John Robinson (1650–1723), who came to Virginia as secretary to Sir William Berkeley, Governor of the Colony.
Robinson was educated at the College of William and Mary
. In 1781, he became an ensign in the Queen's Rangers
under John Graves Simcoe
and served until the surrender of Yorktown
.
, but moved to Quebec
in search of employment. In 1792, Simcoe, now Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, offered him the post of surveyor general and he moved to Kingston
.
In 1794, he received his license to practice law and, in 1796, he was elected to the 2nd Parliament of Upper Canada
representing Ontario
& Addington
. In 1797, he played a role in establishing the Law Society of Upper Canada
.
He died suddenly at York (Toronto
) in 1798. William Fairfield
took his place in the legislative assembly in June 1799.
He was the brother of Colonel Beverley Robinson
, whose son was Sir Frederick Philipse Robinson
. Christopher Robinson's sons included:
British America
For American people of British descent, see British American.British America is the anachronistic term used to refer to the territories under the control of the Crown or Parliament in present day North America , Central America, the Caribbean, and Guyana...
-born soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and political figure in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
Early life
He was born in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 1763, the son of John Robinson
John Robinson (Virginia)
John Robinson, Jr. was a politician and landowner in the British colony of Virginia. Robinson served as Speaker of the House of Burgesses from 1738 until his death, the longest tenure in the history of that office.-Career:...
, Speaker of the House of Burgesses
House of Burgesses
The House of Burgesses was the first assembly of elected representatives of English colonists in North America. The House was established by the Virginia Company, who created the body as part of an effort to encourage English craftsmen to settle in North America...
and sometime President of the Council of Virginia, and his wife Catherine, daughter of Major Robert Beverley of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was his grandfather, Christopher Robinson (1645–1690), brother of John Robinson (1650–1723), who came to Virginia as secretary to Sir William Berkeley, Governor of the Colony.
Robinson was educated at the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
. In 1781, he became an ensign in the Queen's Rangers
The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) (RCAC)
The Queen's York Rangers R.C.A.C. is a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve regiment based in Toronto and Aurora. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. The regiment consists of two reconnaissance squadrons, A Sqn in Aurora and B Sqn in Toronto, and a Headquarters...
under John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe
John Graves Simcoe was a British army officer and the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791–1796. Then frontier, this was modern-day southern Ontario and the watersheds of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior...
and served until the surrender of Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
.
Canada
He retired at half pay in New BrunswickNew Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, but moved to Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in search of employment. In 1792, Simcoe, now Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, offered him the post of surveyor general and he moved to Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
.
In 1794, he received his license to practice law and, in 1796, he was elected to the 2nd Parliament of Upper Canada
2nd Parliament of Upper Canada
The 2nd Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 1 June 1797. Elections in Upper Canada had been held in August 1796. The first session was held at Navy Hall in Newark. The Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada John Graves Simcoe believed York was a superior location for the capital as it would less...
representing Ontario
Ontario County, Ontario
Ontario County was the name of two historic counties in the Canadian province of Ontario.The original Ontario County existed from 1792 to 1800 as part of the Eastern District, and consisted of the islands in the St. Lawrence River...
& Addington
Addington County, Ontario
Addington County is a historic county in what is now the Canadian province of Ontario.It was named after Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth. As an upper-tier municipality, the county of Addington was created on paper in 1792, but has never existed as a discrete municipal entity. From 1792...
. In 1797, he played a role in establishing the Law Society of Upper Canada
Law Society of Upper Canada
The Law Society of Upper Canada is responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1797, it is known in French as "Le Barreau du Haut-Canada"...
.
He died suddenly at York (Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) in 1798. William Fairfield
William Fairfield
William Fairfield was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Pawlet, Vermont in 1769 or 1770, the son of William Fairfield, a farmer. His father fought with Edward Jessup's loyalist forces and moved with his family to Machiche in Quebec in 1779...
took his place in the legislative assembly in June 1799.
He was the brother of Colonel Beverley Robinson
Beverley Robinson
Beverley Robinson , a wealthy colonist from New York, was a son of the Hon. John Robinson of Virginia, who was the President of that colony. He is mostly remembered as the commander of the Loyal American Regiment, a loyalist regiment in the American War of Independence and for his work with the...
, whose son was Sir Frederick Philipse Robinson
Frederick Philipse Robinson
Sir Frederick Philipse Robinson, GCB was a Virginian soldier, born in the Highlands, near New York, in September, 1763, who fought for Britain during the American War of Independence....
. Christopher Robinson's sons included:
- John Beverley, a lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada
- PeterPeter Robinson (1785-1838)Peter Robinson was born in New Brunswick, the eldest son of Christopher Robinson and Esther Sayre, ayre. He had two brothers, John Beverley and William Benjamin, and two sisters....
, who played an important role in promoting immigration from IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to Upper Canada - William BenjaminWilliam Benjamin RobinsonWilliam Benjamin Robinson was a fur trader and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Kingston in 1797, the son of Christopher Robinson and Esther Sayre, and moved to York with his family in 1798. In 1802, his mother remarried after his father's death and moved to Newmarket, where he...
, a political figure in Upper Canada and Canada West