Robinson, Charles, 1818-1894

Charles Robinson was born at Hardwick, Mass., July 21, 1818. He was educated at Hadley Academy, Amherst Academy, and Amherst College. For 8 years he studied medicine and in 1843 opened his own practice in Belchertown, Mass. He married Sarah Adams the same year, but she died in 1846. In 1849 he went to California for his health, and while there became a newspaper editor, was indicted for murder but acquitted, and was elected to the Legislature. He returned to Massachusetts in 1851, resumed his medical practice, and married Sara T.D. Lawrence. In 1854 he came to Kansas as an agent for the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Co. and quickly became a leader of the antislavery movement. He served as the 1st state governor, 1861-63; a University of Kansas regent, 1864-74 & 1893-94; a member of the Legislature; and superintendent of Haskell Institute (now Haskell Indian Nations University) (Lawrence, Kan.), 1887-88. He died Aug. 17, 1894.

Sara Tappan Doolittle Lawrence was born at Belchertown, Mass., July 12, 1827. She was educated in the classical school at Belchertown and at Salem Academy. Sara shared the antislavery fight in Kansas with her husband and in 1856 published a book about the struggle, "Kansas, Its Interior and Exterior Life." She spent much effort trying to correct untrue published accounts of Kansas history and prevent John Brown from achieving hero status. She died Nov. 15, 1911.

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