The
Nicholas Robbins Family
GEORGE LUTHER ROBBINS
GEORGE LUTHER ROBBINS (Biographical data abstracted from Worcester, Massachusetts and Thompson, Connecticut vital records, associated census records and a book entitled "The Descendants of John Perry of London", compiled by Bertram Adams and published by Utah Printing Company, Salt Lake City, 1955) Re: The Nicholas Robbins Family, No. 7.9.5
George Luther Robbins, son of Zenas Robbins and Chloe Bates, was born March 27, 1842 at Thompson, Windham County, Connecticut. George assisted his father on the family farm until adulthood, whereupon he removed to the Worcester, Massachusetts and went into the quarrying business. On May 26, 1870 he married Harriet Newell Perry at Worcester. Harriet was the daughter of Samuel Perry and Mary Harrington, born February 28, 1837 at Worcester. Following marriage, the couple resided in Worcester. In the 1880 Census for that place, George was noted as an "Excavating Contractor" and in the 1900 Census as a "Contractor & Builder". Harriet Newell (Perry) Robbins died on October 5, 1902 in Worcester. George returned to farming after her death and in the 1910 Census he was noted as a farm owner in West Boylston, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He died at his farm on January 19, 1913. The children recorded to George and Harriet Robbins included:
1. Eva Mary Robbins was born January 23, 1873 at Worcester. She resided with her parents until her father's death. She died on January 12, 1918, a few days short of her 45th birthday.
2. Julia Marion Robbins was born July 3, 1874 at Worcester. It seems likely that Julia had a formal education as she is noted as a school teacher in the 1900 Census. She was still living at home at the time but soon after moved to Southern Africa for service as a missionary. During her service there, she married
Gideon Dickinson on November 26, 1905. Unfortunately the marriage was short-lived. He died the following Spring on April 9, 1906. At the time of the 1910 Census, Julia was residing with her father on his farm in West Boylston. She is noted in that census as a "foreign missionary". Perhaps she was on sabbatical from her overseas work at that time. A family history notes that she later adopted an African child, gave him the name George Robbins, and brought him back to Worcester with her at the end of her missionary duties.
3. Mary Harrington Robbins was born May 31, 1876 at Worcester. As with her sister Julia, it seems likely that Mary had a formal education as she is noted as a bookkeeper in the 1900 Census. On April 15, 1903, she married Walter L. Chandler in Worcester. Walter was the son of Moses J. Chandler and Mary A. Winslow, born around 1873 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. At the time of the marriage, he was employed as a bookkeeper. In the 1910 Census for Worcester, he was listed as a "paper mill manager". Gladys M. Chandler, Walter's daughter by a previous marriage resided with the couple at the time of the 1910 Census but was absent from their household in 1920. No other children were recorded to this couple.
4. Chester F. Robbins was born on January 6, 1882 in Massachusetts. A family history notes him as adopted. Chester resided with his parents in Worcester and West Boylston through the 1910 Census. In that census he was noted as an employee of a wall paper shop. Sometime before 1920, Chester married Amelia Augusta (Rand) Mullin. Amelia was born on March 6, 1878 in Concord, Massachusetts, the daughter of George W. Rand and Sarah Ingham. She had been married previously to John Charles Mullin, who died in May, 1900 in a railroad accident. In the 1920 Census for West Boylston, Chester F. Robbins is enumerated as head of a household consisting of wife Amelia; Amelia's daughter, Ruth R. Mullin; Amelia's widowed father, George W. Rand; Amelia's widowed brother, George T. Rand; and Warren G. Rand, apparently the son of George T. Rand. Also in that census, Chester's occupation is given as a tester of fiber gaskets.
Submitted by Lawrence G. Robbins, August, 2009. Mr. Robbins may be contacted by email at boprobbins@yahoo.com