ROBINSON, Charles, first governor of Kansas: b. Hardwick, Mass., 18 July 1818; d. Lawrence, Kan., 17 Aug. 1894. He was edu cated at Ainherst and at the Berkshire Medical School, taking his M.D. in 1843. He was en gaged in the practice of medicine at Belcher town, Springfield and Pittsfield, Mass., until 1849, when he went overland to California. He es tablished the Settler.? and Miners' Tribune at Sacramento in 1850, was a supporter of squat ter sovereignty, and worked earnestly against the movement to establish slavery in California. He was wounded in the riots of 1850, and was indicted for conspiracy and murder; but his election to the legislature the case was missed without trial. He returned to Massa chusetts in 1852 and for two years edited the Fitchburg Weekly New In 1854 he was at pointed agent for the New England Emi grants' Aid Association and was sent to Kansas where he became the leader of the Free State party and chairman of its executive committee as well as commander-in-chief of the Kansas volunteers. He was a member of the Topeka convention which framed and adopted a Free State constitution in 1855 and was elected gov ernor under it in 1856. Ignoring the bogus
pro-slavery legislature, but endeavoring to avoid conflict with the Federal authorities he was, upon attempting to perform his duties as gov ernor, indicted for treason and conspiracy on •a charge by the Pro-Slavery party. He was ac quitted by the Federal grand jury and served out his term. He was re-elected governor by the Free State party in 1858, and was elected for a third time in 1859 under the Wyandotte constitution, taking office after the admission of Kansas to the Union as a State and serving in 1861-63. He organized most of the Kansas regiments for the Civil War during his term. He later served in both bodies of the State legis lature and from 1887 he was superintendent of Haskell Institute at Lawrence. The State Uni versity of Kansas was erected on land given by him and it received the greater share of his estate. He was author of Kansas Con (1892). Consult Blackniar, F. W., Robinson) (1902; 2d ed., 1907).