Who is Dr. Robinson ?

Dr. Robinson, who was a physician and surgeon emigrated to this country from Scotland, He visited New East Jersey in June of 1684, returned to Scotland and brought his family to New Jersey early in 1686 on one of several ships that sailed that year.

 The trip took six to seven weeks of sailing. An advertisement in Scotland painted a glowing picture of our area to entice tradesmen, husbandmen, servants, noblemen, and others to come here and build a new life for their families. Dr. Robinson of Burnt Island, was signing up families from the area of the Firth of Forth to sail from Leith which is the seaport for Edinburgh. Other went from Montross, Aberdeen and Glasgow.

He had four children: Ann by his first wife, and William, Elizabeth and Mary by his second wife, Margaret. Mary was born in America. In early times, large land holdings were called plantations. In 1686 Dr. Robinson bought 40 acres of upland tract and 7 and 1/2 acres of meadow on the Rahway River from John Toe. 

He owned a house in the area that is now Hamilton Street in Rahway. The same year he purchased 700 acres adjacent to that property and built this house. At that time this area was part of Essex County. In 1693, at the time of his death, an inventory of all his possessions was made on both "the plantation" and off. This was required by law. We are very fortunate to have a copy of this inventory. The West Branch of the Rahway River was renamed the Robinson Branch as it was located within the boundaries of his property.

Let's look at his house.....

Click Here To Follow The Tour