William Robinson

William Robinson (January 26, 1693 – September 19, 1751) was a deputy governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Early life Robinson was born on January 26, 1693, in South Kingstown in the Rhode Island colony. He was the eighth of twelve children born to Mary (née Allen) Robinson (1656–1705) and Rowland Robinson (1654–1716), who married in 1676 and acquired a fortune and considerable land holdings. His mother was a granddaughter of Governor Henry Bull, and his father was a deputy to the general assembly. He was a relatively late immigrant to Rhode Island, arriving in Newport from Cumberland, England in 1675. His maternal grandparents were John Allen, a wealthy farmer, and Elizabeth (née Brown) Allen. Career Robinson was one of the most prominent men in the colony for many years. He first served in a civil capacity in 1724, becoming Deputy to the General Assembly from South Kingstown, and he served another eight terms. He was the Speaker of the House of Deputies in 1735 and 1741. In 1742, he was appointed by the Assembly with four others to determine if the "woods" part of Newport (consisting mostly of farmers) should be set apart from the "compact" part of Newport (consisting mostly of merchants and tradesmen). The following year, the "woods" part became the new town of Middletown.