>From the book "History of Washington and Kent Counties, Rhode Island" by J.R. Cole, published 1889, New York, W.W. Preston & Company. Beginning on page 507. [xxx] respresents either notes or the page number. THE ROBINSON FAMILY. – Rowland Robinson built his house before the middle of the last century. It stood about one mile west of Narragansett bay and a half mile north of the old Colonial highway that leads to and from the South Ferry. It was a gambrel roofed house, and including negro quarters was one hundred and five feet in length, but was subsequently cut down to fifty-four feet front. The house has been occupied of late years by Rowland F. Gardiner. The timber for this structure was cut on the estate, and the house was elaborately finished. Mr. Hazard says: "In a recent visit to these premises I took especial note of the middle cross beam that supports the chamber floor over the west front room (this room is 20 by 20 feet). It is twenty feet long and twelve inches square, and is without support underneath its full length; yet I could not perceive that in the century and more that had passed since it was placed there it had sagged or bent in the least degree. All the rooms in the house are finished after the same costly pattern, and most of the fire places ornamented [508] with the old-fashioned Chinese tiles. The dining room is 22 by 20 feet in dimensions. On the panel over the fire place, in a back room on the ground floor, is a large, ancient painting in which the artist has in a more graphic than finished style sketched in oil, a stag or deer hunt that occurred on the premises while the house was being built. The huntsmen are depicted fully accoutered in their sporting costumes, with high flap boots, and sitting or rather standing very erect in their stirrups. "The chamber over the west room was occupied for some time during the revolutionary war by the Marquis Lafayette, and has ever since been designated by the successive occupants of the premises, the Lafayette chamber. In making some repairs some two ounce bullets were found imbedded in the plank in front of this room. Whether there is any historical significance attached to this incident, I have not learned." A large apartment over the dining room is called to this day the "Unfortunate Hannah's Chamber," from its having been occupied by a beautiful daughter of Mr. Robinson by that name, whose tragic story is told at length in Hazard's "Recollections of Olden Times." The cupboard is still shown in which her lover used to retreat when the steps of her irascible father were heard on the stairs. Rowland Robinson, the first, ran away from his parents and escaped on board a ship from England to the colonies, and bound himself to a carpenter. By good behavior he soon got advanced in business, and bought from the Indians large tracts of land on which he built partly with his own hands the homestead in Point Judith. He married a rich farmer's daughter, had many children, and from his eldest son, William, the Robinson family are descended. Rowland Robinson was born in 1654 at or near a place called Long Bluff, in Cumberland, England. He came to this country in 1675, and in 1676 married Mary, the daughter of John and Mary Allen, who were from Barnstable, England. Rowland Robinson died at his residence, situated near the pond or cove of Pettaquamscutt river in 1716, aged 62 years. He and his wife were both buried in the Narragansett Friends' burial ground, South Kingstown, about two miles south of Tower Hill village. Mr. Robinson's lands were purchased of the Narragansett Indians. He also purchased largely in the Pettaquamscutt and Point Judith lands. On these lands he built several houses, and sold farms containing from one hundred and fifty to three hundred acres each. [509] Rowland Robinson's children were as follows: John, who married Mary Hazard in 1703; Joseph, who died in infancy; Elizabeth, married William Brown in 1698; Margaret, who married Thomas Mumford in 1703; Sarah, who married James Barton in 1712; Rowland, who died at the age of five years; Mercy, who married Colonel John Potter in 1714; William, who married Martha Potter in 1717; and his second wife, Mrs. Abigail G. Hazard in 1727 or 1728; Mary, who married Thomas C. Hazard in 1727; Rowland, who died in infancy; Sarah who married Charles Babcock in 1725; and Ruth, the twelfth and youngest child, who married Robert Underwood in 1728. Governor William Robinson was the eighth child of Rowland. By his first wife, Martha Potter, was born Rowland, who married Anstis Gardiner in 1741. The children of Rowland Robinson were: Hannah, born in 1746, married Peter Simons in 1773, who went to Europe after the death of this celebrated beauty; Mary; William R., who married Ann Scott in 1784. John, the second child of Governor William Robinson, died in 1739, a youth of eighteen years; Margaret married William Mumford in 1745; Elizabeth married Thomas Hazard in 1745; Martha married Latham Clarke in 1747. Christopher, the first child of Governor William Robinson by his second wife, married Ruhama Champlin in 1752; William married Hannah Brown in 1752; Thomas married Sarah Richardson in 1752; Abigail married John Wanton in 1751; Sylvester married Alice Perry in 1756; Mary married John Dockray in 1756; James married Nancy Rodman; John married Sarah Peckham. The above gives the heads of families only, but is sufficient in a sketch of this character to show the relationship of the Robinson family to innumerable other ones in South Kingstown who are in one way or another connected. Following we give the sad circumstances connected with the unfortunate Hannah Robinson. Rowland Robinson was the eldest son of Governor William Robinson by his first wife. He was a gentleman of opulence, and sustained many responsible offices under the state government. His noble mansion is still standing in a good state of preservation, and is one of the remaining memorials of the aristocracy of the past ages. His children were Hannah, Mary and William. Mary died single, at middle age; William married Ann the daughter of George [510] Scott of Newport, and died a short time previous to his father, without issue. Hannah was styled "The unfortunate Hannah Robinson." She was the celebrated beauty of her day, and if unbroken tradition is sufficient authority, the appellation was justly bestowed. The late Doctor William Bowen, of Providence, frequently conversed about her and observed that Miss Robinson was the most perfect model of beauty that he ever knew, and that he frequently visited at her father's; that her figure was graceful and dignified, her complexion fair and beautiful, and her manner urbane and captivating; that he was passionately fond of her, and proposed to her a matrimonial union. She replied that his wishes to promote her happiness were highly flattering; that as a friend she should ever entertain for him the highest respect, and in that character should ever be extremely gratified to see him; but that she was bound to disclose to him, however reluctant she felt to give him pain, that she was engaged. He further observed that though disappointed in the hope he had so ardently cherished, the refusal was imparted with such suavity and tenderness, united with personal respect, that though disappointed, he felt consoled. The late Hon. Elisha R. Potter, Judge Waite and others who knew Miss Robinson, fully confirmed Doctor Bowen's testimony in respect to her personal beauty and accomplished manners. Mr. Peter Simons, a young gentleman of Newport, became early attached to Miss Robinson; they had been schoolmates and the attachment was reciprocal. Her father, without any apparent reason, was hostile to the connection, and his efforts were unwearied to prevent their union. Mr. Robinson in temperament was constitutionally irritable, rash and unyielding. His antipathies, when once fixed, no reason or argument could remove. Mr. Simons had early in life become attached to Miss Robinson; it had been reciprocated; their disposition were congenial; time had cemented their affections; she had plighted her faith, and no promise or threats could induce her to violate the vows she had made; she could become a martyr; she could suffer, but she could not betray her own heart or the faith that another had reposed in her. As might have been expected, the violent and unreasonable measures adopted by her father, instead of subduing, only increased the fervor of their attachment. Her conduct was constantly subjected to the strictest scrutiny. If she walked, her movements were watched; if she rode, a servant was ordered [511] to be in constant attendance; if a visit was contemplated, he immediately concluded it was only a pretense for an arranged interview; and even after departure, if the most trifling circumstance gave color to the suspicion, he would immediately pursue and compel her to return. In one instance she left home to visit her aunt in New London. Her father soon afterward discovered from his windows a vessel leaving Newport and taking a course for the same place. Although the vessel and the persons on board were wholly unknown to him, his jealousies were immediately aroused, conjecturing it was Mr. Simons intending to fulfill an arrangement previously made. He hastened to New London, arrived a few hours only after his daughter, and insisted on her instant return. No persuasion or argument could induce him to change his determination, and she was compelled to return with him. Her uncle, the late Colonel John Gardiner, commiserated the condition of his unfortunate niece. He knew her determination was not to be changed or her resolution overcome by parental exaction, however severe; and aware that the wrongs she had already undergone had sensibly affected her health and would soon destroy her constitution, with a generosity and disinterestedness that belonged to his character, contrived interviews between Mr. Simons and Miss Robinson unknown to her father. The window where she sat and the shrubbery behind which his person was concealed at these evening interviews are still shown by the family residing there. These were perilous meetings, for such was the antipathy of the father, that detection would probably have resulted in instant death for Mr. Simons; but as usual in such cases, their precautions were in proportion to the imminence of their danger. All efforts to obtain the consent of her father, aided by the influence of her mother, having proved unavailing, and seeing no prospect of his ever becoming reconciled to their union, she abandoned all further efforts to reconcile him to her wishes, and consented to make arrangements for an elopement. Having obtained her father's consent to visit her aunt Updike, near Wickford, she left home, accompanied by the servant who usually attended her. On arriving at the gate that led to her aunt's house Mr. Simons was in waiting with a carriage, as had been previously arranged, and disregarding the expostulations of the servant, who feared for his own safety should he return without [512] her, she entered the carriage, and that evening they were married in Providence. The intelligence of the elopement, when communicated to Mr. Robinson by the servant, roused all the fury of his ire. He offered a reward for their apprehension, but no discovery could be made. Every friend and relative became accessory to their concealment. Even the name of the clergyman who performed the nuptial ceremony could never be ascertained, but the anticipated happiness of the beautiful and ill-fated lady was destined to be short lived. The severity with which she had been treated, the unkind and harrowing perplexities she had endured, has do materially affected her health and preyed upon her constitution, that in a few short months the fairest of her sex exhibited evident symptoms of a speedy decline. At the urgent solicitation of her mother, Mr. Robinson finally permitted the daughter once more to return; but it was too late, the ceaseless vigils of a mother's love could not restore her, and in a few short weeks this beautiful and unfortunate woman, the victim of a father's relentless obstinacy, expired in the arms of her husband.