Charles L. Robinson

Massachusetts

Robinson was educated at Hadley and Amherst academies, and at Amherst College. He studied medicine in Woodstock, Vermont, and later in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where he earned his medical degree at the Berkshire Medical College in 1843. He practiced medicine in Belchertown, Springfield, and Fitchburg.^[1][2]

California

In 1849, he traveled overland to California. He edited a daily paper in Sacramento called the Settler's and Miner's Tribune in 1850, took an active part in the riots of 1850 as an upholder of squatter sovereignty, was seriously wounded, and, while under indictment for conspiracy and murder, was elected to the California legislature. He was subsequently discharged by the court without trial.^[2] He represented California's 12th State Assembly district from 1851 to 1852.

He married Sara Tappen Doolittle Lawrence in 1851, and they had two children.^[1] She later published Kansas, its Exterior and Interior Life (Boston, 1856), in which she describes the scenes, actors, and events of the struggle between the friends and foes of slavery in Kansas. In 1852, Charles returned to Massachusetts, and conducted in Fitchburg a weekly paper called the News.^[2]

Kansas

In 1854, Robinson happened to attend a meeting at which Eli Thayer of the New England Emigrant Aid Society spoke about the need to oppose slavery. After the speech, the two were introduced to one another. Thayer took an immediate liking to Robinson and asked him to act as the New England Emigrant Aid Company’s official financial agent, to which Robinson agreed.^[3] In June of that year, Robinson went to Kansas Territory with Charles Branscomb to find suitable land upon which the Emigrant Aid Society could found a town dedicated to the free state cause. Robinson's efforts eventually led to the founding of Lawrence.^[2]

During the Bleeding Kansas tragedy, Robinson angered many with his passionate support for the Free-Staters, who were promoting a fight against pro-slavery advocates. He was illegally elected Territorial Governor of Kansas under the Topeka Constitution in January 1856. From the spring of 1856 until September, Robinson and several other Free-State leaders, including the son of abolitionist John Brown, were held in custody in Camp Sackett. This United States military camp (named for Delos B. Sackett) was located about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southwest of Lecompton, Kansas.

In 1861, Robinson took office as governor of the newly admitted State of Kansas. His impeachment was due to a political rivalry with James H. Lane. He was found not guilty, but it hurt his political career.

Elected to the Kansas State Senate, Robinson served from 1873 to 1881.^[4] He was Superintendent of the Haskell Institute from 1887 to 1889, and regent of the University of Kansas for twelve years.^[1]

Robinson died on August 17, 1894, and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence.^[4]