| Capt. John R.
Robinson was reared under the conditions and influences that marked
the pioneer period of Taylor County history, and his vigorous and
alert mentality enabled him to gain a liberal education and to
attain status as one of the most distinguished members of the bar of
his native county, at whose judicial center he was actively engaged
in the practice of his profession many years, with specially high
standing as a land lawyer, in which field of practice he
specialized. In his earlier life he served as a justice of the peace
at Campbellsville, and he also filled the office of county attorney
one term. He was a stalwart democrat and a member of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church. He was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity
for many years prior to his death. When the Civil war was
precipitated he promptly raised a company for the Union service, and
became captain of Company E. Twenty- seventh Kentucky Volunteer
Infantry. He proceeded with his command to the front, took part in
numerous engagements, including a number of major battles, and
continued in active service from 1861 until 1864, when he resigned
his commission as captain and returned home on account of the
impaired health of his wife, whose death occurred in that year. Her
maiden name was Malvina Scott, and she was born at Greensburg,
Kentucky, in 1838. Of their children, Henry S., of this review, is
the elder, and the other child, Malvina, died in infancy. For his
second wife Captain Robinson married Miss Lydia E. Barbee, who was
born in Taylor County and who here remained until her death, which
occurred at Campbellsville. Of the children of this union the eldest
is Nannie, who is the wife of W. L. Young, a successful lawyer
engaged in practice at Campbellsville; Miss Bettie is principal of
the high school at Lancaster, Kentucky; P. S. is a successful
representative of the lumber business at La Grande, Oregon; and
Joseph E., who resides at Campbellsville, is in the United States
internal revenue service in his native county.
Henry S. Robinson is indebted
to the public schools of Campbellsville for his early education, and
after leaving school he read law under the effective and punctilious
preceptorship of his father, who saw to it that he was firmly
grounded in the involved science of jurisprudence. He was admitted
to the bar of his native state in January, 1882, upon examination
before Judge R. S. Montague and Judge Drury Hudson. During the long
intervening years Mr. Robinson has been actively engaged in the
practice of law in his native city, and the broad scope and
importance of his law business attest alike his ability and his
secure hold upon popular confidence and esteem. He maintains his
offices in the building of the Taylor National Bank, and is the
owner of his modern residence property on Depot Street.
While Mr. Robinson has never
wavered in allegiance to the democratic party and his given
effective service in behalf of its cause, he has had no desire for
political preferment, though in direct line with his profession he
gave 8J4 years of specially efficient service as county attorney. He
is an active member of the Baptist Church of Campbellsville, and a
member of its Board of Trustees. During the World war he was active
and characteristically loyal in the furtherance of the local
activities in support of the nation's war work, and by Governor
Stanley he was appointed legal advisor or counsel of the Taylor
County Draft Board. He gave valuable aid in the furtherance of the
various local drives in behalf of the Government loans, Red Cross
work, etc., bought his full quota of war bonds and Savings Stamps,
and was zealous in the promotion of all such work in his native
county.
The year 1883
recorded the marriage of Mr. Robinson to Miss Hattie Taylor,
daughter of the late D. G. and Lou J. (Cowherd) Taylor, Mr. Taylor
having been one of the representative farmers of Taylor County. Mrs.
Robinson passed to the life eternal in 1889, and was not survived by
children. In 1892 Mr. Robinson wedded Miss Minnie Sharp, a daughter
of William and Sue (Pruett) Sharp, both now deceased, Mr. Sharp
having been a successful farmer in Taylor County. Mr. and Mrs.
Robinson have one child, Mollie, who remains at the parental home
and is a popular factor in the social activities of the younger
generation at Campbellsville. |
