The
Nicholas Robbins Family
CHARLES H. ROBINS
CHARLES H. ROBINS (A biographical sketch abstracted from the Commemorative Biographical Record of Hartford County, Connecticut, compiled and published by J. H. Beers & Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1901) Re: The Nicholas Robbins Family, No. 7.171.6
Charles H. Robins, City Auditor of Hartford, had extensive business experience prior to his first election to public office in 1894. His recognized talents in commercial affairs are supplemented by an engaging personality, which has won for him an unusually large number of personal friends. His father was in his day also a prominent and most highly esteemed citizen of Hartford, who served as Town Clerk for a number of years and as Councilman from the old Fourth Ward.
Mr. Robins was born July 9, 1859 in Essex, Connecticut, the son of Gurdon Robins (Jr) and Mary J. Redfield. He was educated in the South School of Hartford and in the Public High School of the city, attending the latter through the first two years of its course. Mr. Robins then entered the Post Office at Hartford, where he remained four years as assistant stamp clerk. After serving a year as assistant postmaster at Meriden, he returned to the Hartford Post Office and worked four years as relief clerk. In 1885 Mr. Robins resigned that position to
become bookkeeper at the United States Stamping Works in Portland, Connecticut, acquiring in time full charge of the office.
In 1888 he returned to Hartford to become bookkeeper for the Dwight State Machine Company. While there he was appointed record clerk in the Internal Revenue Office under Collector John I. Hutchinson. He was promoted to deputy collector and spent four years in the office being outside deputy and having charge of twenty-one towns, including Hartford. In March, 1894, Mr. Robins resigned his office and the following month was elected City Auditor on the Republican ticket, receiving the largest vote on the ticket. He was reelected in 1896, again in 1898, and in 1900 was placed on both tickets, polling at each election the largest vote of all candidates. These votes were the visible evidences of his wide popularity. Besides his deep interest in public affairs, Mr. Robins has been closely identified with the fraternity life of Hartford. He is a charter member of Lincoln Lodge, K. of P., and is now past chancellor as well as president of the endowment rank of that order. He has been since 1883 a member of Hartford Lodge No. 19, B. P. O. E. and, in addition, is presently associated with the A. O. U. W., the Order of the Maccabees, and the Hartford Yacht Club.
On November 5, 1890, Mr. Robins married Miss Jennie Williams, daughter of Henry G. Williams of Portland, Connecticut. They have one child, Ethel Williams Robins, born November 3, 1895.
Submitted by Lawrence G. Robbins, January, 2007. Mr. Robbins may be contacted by email at riaresearch@aol.com.