Robinson, Samuel

Robinson, Samuel

Samuel Robinson was a carpenter elected to the Carpenters’ Company in 1801. Samuel Robinson was in charge of refitting Carpenters’ Hall in preparation for housing the Bank of Pennsylvania. Robinson hired the blacksmith Patrick Lyon to make locks for the vault’s iron doors. After the bank was robbed in 1797, Lyon was the primary suspect and put in jail. He was later acquitted, although only after suffering an unfair and lengthy tenure in prison, when a member of the Carpenters’ Company, Isaac Davis was found guilty. Robinson served as the Superintendent for the Schuylkill Permanent Bridge Company of Philadelphia and was partially responsible for the construction of the first Schuylkill Permanent Bridge. A report from September of 1801 written by Robinson at the onset of the project describes the difficulty in constructing the cofferdam. Such a large bridge required novel thinking and experimentation by the engineers and carpenters. This groundbreaking bridge was the first to span a major United States river and with masonry piers in deep waters. The Schuylkill Permanent Bridge was also the first covered bridge in America and helped make Pennsylvania famous for its many covered bridges. It became well known as a technological marvel for its size and its construction and its success inspired many similarly designed covered bridges across the United States. Samuel saw the project completed in 1805 but died two years later in 1807. In his adult life, he resided at first 79 N Front Street and then moved to 309 High Street.

Biography from the Philadelphia Architects and Buildings site, a project of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. Written by Tom Stokes.

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Robinson

Samuel

1/1/1807

1/1/1801

309 High (CD) (1805)

Transactions APS Vol. 43, Part I (1953), page 107 Arrangements had been made to rent Carpenters' Hall (for the Bank of Pennsylvania) and for some weeks its refitting had been going ahead under the direction of carpenter Samuel Robinson. -------------------- City Directory - 1805 - Samuel, carpenter, 309 High ------------------- Letter from descendant says Robinson was in charge of some of the construction of the first Market St. bridge, according to family records. Another descendant, Tom Glaser (tdglaser@earthlink.net) says Samuel took an apprentice named William Robinson.

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Early listings for "Septimus;" also Sarah.

Sarah lost 3 properties 1808-1810; Susannah in 1829.