Robinson, William (2)

Robinson, William (2), a Congregational minister, and father of Dr. E. Robinson, was born at Lebanon, Conn., Aug. 15, 1754. He was fitted for college in the school of Mr. Tisdale in Lebanon, entered the sophomore class in Yale College in 1770, and graduated in 1773. In 1775 he returned to New Haven to study theology, united with the Church in Yale College, May 5, 1776, and was licensed to preach May 29. In the summer of 1778, Mr. Robinson was chosen to a tutorship in Yale College, and held that office one year, preaching in the towns adjacent. He was invited in December, 1778, to settle in Southington, which call he accepted, but was not ordained until June 13, 1780. So limited was his income that he was obliged to devote considerable of his time to agricultural pursuits. He was retired from active duties in September, 1820, after a ministry of forty-one years and two months, and died in 1825 on the anniversary of his birth. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 2, 131.