Joseph Robinson (loyalist)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Robinson was an American
-born lawyer, judge and political figure on Prince Edward Island
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
from 1790 to 1794.
He was born in Virginia
and later moved to South Carolina
. He was a major and later lieutenant-colonel in the loyalist militia during the American Revolution
and fought at the Battle of Ninety-Six Court-House in 1775. At the end of the war, he first settled in Jamaica
, then New Brunswick
and finally went to St John’s Island, later Prince Edward Island, in 1789 at the invitation of governor Edmund Fanning
. In 1790, he was named an assistant judge in the Supreme Court. In the same year, he was elected to the assembly. He served as speaker from 1790 to 1794, when he resigned his seat after being named to the Legislative Council of Prince Edward Island
. In 1796, he published the pamphlet To the farmers in the Island of St. John, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which raised the issue of absentee landlords who failed to pay their quit rent
s. In 1797, Robinson resigned his seat on the bench to become a practising attorney. He died in Charlottetown
in 1807.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-born lawyer, judge and political figure on Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, along with the Lieutenant-Governor, forms the parliament of the province. The General Assembly meets at Province House, which is located at the intersection of Richmond and Great George Streets in Charlottetown....
from 1790 to 1794.
He was born in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and later moved to South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. He was a major and later lieutenant-colonel in the loyalist militia during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and fought at the Battle of Ninety-Six Court-House in 1775. At the end of the war, he first settled in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, then New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and finally went to St John’s Island, later Prince Edward Island, in 1789 at the invitation of governor Edmund Fanning
Edmund Fanning (colonial administrator)
Edmund Fanning first gained fame for his role in the War of the Regulation, but later had a distinguished career as a colonial governor and British general.right| Sketch of Edmund Fanning...
. In 1790, he was named an assistant judge in the Supreme Court. In the same year, he was elected to the assembly. He served as speaker from 1790 to 1794, when he resigned his seat after being named to the Legislative Council of Prince Edward Island
Legislative Council of Prince Edward Island
The Legislative Council of Prince Edward Island was the upper house of the government of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. It existed from 1773 to 1893. Members were appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island on the advice of the Premier until 1862 when it became an...
. In 1796, he published the pamphlet To the farmers in the Island of St. John, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which raised the issue of absentee landlords who failed to pay their quit rent
Quit-rent
Quit rent , Quit-rent, or quitrent, in practically all cases, is now effectively but not formally a tax or land tax imposed on freehold or leased land by a higher landowning authority, usually a government or its assigns....
s. In 1797, Robinson resigned his seat on the bench to become a practising attorney. He died in Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
in 1807.