John Robinson

John Sherman Robinson (December 17, 1880 – October 9, 1951) was an American track and field athlete, lawyer, judge, and chief justice of the Washington Supreme Court. Early life and education John was born in Mansfield, Ohio, to Samuel Radford Robinson (October 12, 1830- July 27, 1904), a berry grower who immigrated from Derbyshire, England, and Caroline "Mathia" Mottayaw (October 26, 1840 – June 17, 1907), a homemaker. He was the youngest of five boys, and his older brothers were farm laborers. John attended Mansfield High School, where he ran track and field. Robinson attended the University of Michigan and received his bachelor's degree in 1903. While at Michigan, Robinson was a member of the track and field team. He ran the hurdles until sustaining an injury and then competed in the shot put. He was the captain of the track team as a senior. Following graduation, he spent four years as a local teacher, a time during which both his mother and father passed away. With their deaths, Robinson left Ohio in 1907, enrolled in Columbia Law School, and received his law degree in 1910. Legal career After receiving his law degree, Robinson moved to Seattle and practiced in the firm of Bronson, Robinson & Jones. From 1924, he practiced with Harroun, Robinson, Maloy & Shidler, whose offices were at 1800 Exchange Building. Partners included George Levant Harroun, a graduate of Northwestern University, who focused on banking law. Other partners were C. E. H. Maloy, an active litigator, and Roger Shidler, a 1924 graduate of the University of Washington Law School.