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Biography For the family of Ebenezer & Mary Robinson
Ebenezer Robinson was born on 07 August 1759[1] in Frederickstown, Dutchess County, New York. He was the son of Isaiah Robinson and Amy Chappel.[2] [3] He grew up in Frederickstown and was living in his father’s house when he enlisted in the Revolutionary War.[4] (see attached for details).
After Ebenezer recovered from his military service, which was probably sometime in 1783, he decided to leave his family and move to Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut.[5] This was a distance of about 30 miles. Why he did this, remains a mystery. However, while there he met his future wife Mary (--?--)[6] and they were married around January of 1784, probably in Danbury. Her parents are unknown.
About 1786, they moved to Castleton, Rutland County, Vermont, a distance of over 200 miles. Again, the reason why they moved is unknown at this time.[7] In 1790, the family showed up in the first census of the new United States of America. Ebena [sic] Robinson is listed as head of household. In the family are listed 1 male over 16 (Ebenezer), 1 male under 16 (probably an unknown son), and 2 females (Mary and daughter Lovina, age 5).[8] The only other Robinsons in this town are an Isaiah or Uriah Robinson. Unfortunately, the census enumerator at this time thought he was doing everyone a favor and put the entire schedule by town in alphabetical order, so tracking neighbors at this time is impossible using this schedule. In 1791, Ebenezer is listed as journeyman at Castleton. On 06 Sept 1791, Ebenezer was listed as freeman, again at Castleton.[9]
In 1793, the family moved back to Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut.[10] They appeared on the next federal population census in 1800 at Danbury.[11] Ebenezer Robinson is listed as the head of household and also as a male over age 45. The female listed between the ages of 26 and 44 is Mary. Also in the household is a female between the ages of 10 and 15, which is their daughter Lovina.[12] Then there are two females under the age of 10. In 1810, the family is still in Danbury, as they are listed on the federal census.[13] Ebenezer Robinson is again listed as head of household and as a male over the age of 45. The female over the age of 45 is Mary. Another female is between the ages of 10 and 15 and another female between the ages of 16 and 25. Since two females were listed in both 1800 and 1810 with consistent age spans, I believe these are two previously unknown and still unidentified daughters.
In 1810, the family moved to Frederickstown, Dutchess County, New York.[14] It is possible that perhaps his father Isaiah had passed away, so the family returned to take care of the estate. Ebenezer was not the eldest son, so this is only speculation. It is also possible that Ebenezer fell on hard times and moved back by family. They only stayed here for 4 years.[15]
In 1814, the family then moved to Guilford, Chenango County, New York.[16] The only possible reason I can think of why they moved to Chenango County is that their daughter Lovina was living in German, Chenango County at the time and perhaps they wanted to be closer to her. Although it is still a distance of about 25 miles from Guilford to German, so they wouldn’t be making very many trips to visit. In 1820, the family appeared on the federal census.[17] Ebenezer is again listed as head of household and over the age of 45. A female over the age of 45 would be Mary. There are also two males under the age of 10. I think it’s highly unlikely that these would have been their sons – Mary would have been between the ages of 47 and 57. Perhaps these were grandsons. While Ebenezer was in Guilford, he apparently started a church in this town and was a member of the Christian church for many years.[18]
In 1829, the family then moved to German, Chenango County, New York.[19] They appeared on the 1830 census at German.[20] Ebenezer is listed as the head of household and a male age 70-79. A female listed between the ages of 60 and 69 would be Mary. There is also a male listed between the ages of 10-15, which is probably one of the males under 10 as shown on the 1820 census.
Sometime between 1830 and 1840, Ebenezer and his wife had apparently moved in with their daughter Lovina and her family. Because by 1840, I no longer find Ebenezer as head of household in German. However, I do find two unnamed persons listed on the 1840 census at the home of Jacob Nash, which is Ebenezer’s son in law.[21] They are a male age 70-79 and a female age 80-89. These are obviously Ebenezer (age 82) and Mary (age 77). I believe the census enumerator got the years mixed up between the male and female.
Mary died on 31 May 1845, probably in her daughter’s house in German. Ebenezer still continued to live there. We do have evidence that he was pretty infirmed in his later years. By 1833 when he made his Revolutionary War pension application, he was lame in his right arm and signed his signature by his mark. By 1834, he was almost blind. By 1846, his right arm had been amputated. He died in May 1850. He had been ill for 30 days and the cause of death was listed as “old age”.[22] He was 91 years old. He did appear on the 1850 census.[23] When the census enumerator came around to their house on 06 Sept 1850, he was instructed to record every person living in that abode as of June 1st. So Ebenezer Robbins [sic] was listed as age 91, male, farmer and born New York.
Both Ebenezer and Mary are buried in the family cemetery, just outside of German, Chenango County, New York. The Daughters of the Revolution visited and transcribed this cemetery sometime between 1926 and 1990, which they named the “Banks Farm Cemetery”, as it was on privately owned land. Also on this transcription was a tombstone for Othniel Nash. [24] In May 2010, Mr. Jim Livermore visited this farm, photographed it and posted it on www.findagrave.com, naming the cemetery “Nash Cemetery”.[25] This cemetery is located on county road 5, on a steep hill on private property, bordering 5 Streams State Forest. Mr. Livermore found 3 tombstones, 2 of which were legible: Ebenezer Robinson and Othniel Nash. Othniel Nash was Ebenezer Robinson’s son-in-law’s brother. This confirms that the Ebenezer Robinson, Revolutionary Soldier, is in fact, buried at the cemetery as photographed by Mr. Livermore.
On 07 June, 1832, Congress passed an Act that allowed for a pension for Revolutionary War soldiers or their widows. Ebenezer applied for one on 29 June 1833 at age 73. For him this was not an easy or expedient process. The first objection raised was that the documentary papers had not been attached. In October 1833, the pension office’s objection was that Ebenezer had not named the officers under whom he had served and times and lengths of service. In November 1833, Ebenezer re-submitted his declaration with requested information included. In March 1834, it still had not been approved. So then an affidavit by Ebenezer’s brother Peter was submitted in December 1834. Then In April 1844, the New York Comptroller’s office found 4 payments to a private Ebenezer Robinson, however, the dates or officers did not match Ebenezer’s declaration. In 1846 there was confusion because there were two “Ebenezer Robinsons” from New York. The “other” Ebenezer was his father’s cousin and a Major. So the pension office thought that “our” Ebenezer was claiming service as a Major. Finally in February 1850, the comptroller’s office in New York was able to verify payroll payments for Lieut. James Cannon’s company in 1781 and 1782, which did agree with Ebenezer’s declaration. So then the pension office had to determine that Ebenezer was still alive. So another affidavit had to be filed to support this. Finally, the first payment of his pension commenced on 16 February 1850. He died in May 1850, solely dependent on his daughter for the last 10-15 years of his life.
Even though it is so sad that our government couldn’t get the paperwork through in a timely manner to help this poor, old soldier, it is to our benefit that it happened. Because of the amount of time and problems in getting his application approved, we have 105 pages of evidence about Ebenezer’s life that we would not have had in any other way.
They had 4 known children, all surnamed Robinson:
[1] Per Ebenezer Robinson’s Revolutionary War pension file (S23401). Hand numbered page 11. [2] Per "History of Putnam County, N.Y...." by William S Pelletreau, 1886. Page 708-713. [3] Per Ebenezer Robinson’s Revolutionary War pension file (S23401). In it, there is a signed affidavit by Peter Robinson stating that he is the brother of Ebenezer and that during the Revolutionary War, both he and Ebenezer lived at the home of their father Isaiah Robinson. [4] Per Ebenezer Robinson/Robertson’s Revolutionary War pension file (S23401), hand numbered pages 84-86 and 94-97. [5] Ebenezer Robinson/Robertson Revolutionary War Pension file (S23701), hand numbered page 86. [6] Ibid. hand numbered page 192. Her name and marriage date per deposition from Mary in Ebenezer’s pension file. [7] Ibid. [8] 1790 federal population census schedule, handwritten page 248, Castleton, Rutland County, Vermont. [9] Per the research of Richard Alan Reinhardt, in connection with his research for the article that was published in 1992 and 1993 in the Detroit Society for Genealogical Research Magazine “The Descendants of Jacob Nash of Chenango County New York”. [10] Ebenezer Robinson/Robertson Revolutionary War Pension file (S23701), hand numbered page 86. [11] 1800 Federal population census schedule, printed page 902, 25th line from the top, Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut. [12] Per Ebenezer Robinson/Robertson’s Revolutionary War pension file (S23701), hand numbered page 103. Deposition of Jacob and Lovina Nash state that Lovina is the daughter of Ebenezer and wife of Jacob Nash. [13] 1810 federal population census schedule, printed page 197, fourth line from the top, Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut. [14] Ebenezer Robinson/Robertson Revolutionary War Pension file (S23701), hand numbered page 86. [15] Ibid. [16] Ibid. [17] 1820 federal population census schedule, handwritten page 263, 9th line from the top, Guilford, Chenango County, New York. [18] Ebenezer Robinson/Robertson Revolutionary War Pension file (S23701), hand numbered page 78. Based on affidavits of 4 persons who knew Ebenezer while he lived in Guilford. [19] Ebenezer Robinson/Robertson Revolutionary War Pension file (S23701), hand numbered page 86. [20] 1830 Federal population census schedule, , handwritten page 90, 3rd line from the bottom, German, Chenango County, New York. [21] 1840 Federal population census schedule, printed page 107; 17th line from the bottom, German, Chenango County, New York. [22] Federal mortality schedule printed page 204, line 22, German, Chenango County, New York. [23] 1850 federal population census schedule, printed page 103; household #:1636/1677, German, Chenango County, New York. [24] DAR, New York, Cemetery Records 95:38; [25] http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=52620563, website visited June 2010.
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