Bicentennial Honoree
A distinguished lawyer, jurist. and soldier in the Civil War, his life was one of unusual service and completeness. Always the soul of hospitality, he took special delight to the young men who came to him for counsel and the help of his greater experiences. He was known for “his correct ideals, his moral constancy, his judicial integrity and his unhesitating loyalty that counted no cost or sacrifice for truth or country’s cause and that made him firm and true in private and public life”. The development of his mind was a process of self-guided education as effective as if attending a university. His intellectual life was an example of self-achievement and an example to others. History was both a philosophy and a record to him. He was a born lawyer with the gift of a legal mind with an instant grasp of principle and application that served him well throughout his career. Appointed to the Court of Common Pleas for Portage, Mahoning and Trumbull Counties, his name was synonymous with ability, equity, and sound rulings. Because the higher courts seldom reversed his rulings, great authority was attached to his tenure in office. He was esteemed as one of the best jurists in the state. In addition to meritorious service during the war, Robinson became a lawyer, was elected to several terms as County Prosecutor, guided many young men in “reading the law”, served as Mayor of Ravenna and was president of Second National Bank for many years. He fathered three sons all of whom have distinguished themselves. In his honor, the sons donated the homestead for Robinson Memorial Hospital when it resided on Chestnut Street.