Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 8th ed., 1888,
Jefferson Co.

JOHN W. ROBINSON.  The Robinson family are of pure Scotch origin.  Richard
J. Robinson, the father of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, was
born in Virginia, in 1812, where he grew to manhood and married Miss Nancy
Hook, born also in Virginia, and of English extraction.  He learned the
trade of millwright, and was also skilled in wagon-making.  In 1854 he
removed to Noble County, Ohio, settling in Sarahsville, where he died in
1886, aged seventy-three years.  John W. Robinson was born near Winchester,
Virginia, January 28, 1843.  Early in life he evidenced a decided aptitude
for mechanics and when but a child was able, with the few rude tools at his
command, to construct almost anything from a toy wagon to a miniature steam
engine.  At the age of sixteen his mind was directed toward educational
matters.  His facilities were of course quite limited, by the aid of
private tutors he studied history and the classics.  He entered Marietta
College at the age of eighteen, but ill health prevented him from pursuing
a collegiate course.  In 1862 he began life as a teacher at East Union,
Noble County, Ohio, where he taught one term.  The war was in progress, and
he was so thoroughly impressed with his duty to his country, that, after
teaching a second term at his home in Sarahsville, he joined Company E,
Eighty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as a private soldier.  At the
expiration of one year's service he was detailed as clerk in the Commissary
Department, where he remained until honorable discharged by special order
of Gen. Hooker, when he returned to his home and assumed his former
vocation.  His profession, however, then as now was poorly remunerated and
will not wholly congenial, and he next turned his attention to the
introduction of improved text books for schools, and for four years he
traveled the State of Ohio as a representative of Ingham & Bragg, Cleveland,
O. [sic].  At the end of this time traveling agents in this capacity were
discounted by the publishers' compact.  He next engaged in the drug and
book business at Sarahsville, but the business was too slow for one so
energetic, and he removed to Indianapolis, where in 1872 he became
associated with Messrs. Martin & Hopkins, State Agents for the North
Western Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee, as a solicitor; this
was in 1872.  In this as in other enterprises he was successful, and in
two years was occupying the responsible position of special agent for the
same company, operating in Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan.  In this
department he soon evinced his marked ability as an insurance man, as an
evidence of their appreciation of his services the company offered him the
State of Kentucky, which he accepted.  For one year he took the sole
charge of the business.  Being ambitious to control the largest agency the
company had, he associated himself with Gen. B. R. Cowen (Assistant
Secretary of the interior during Grant's administration) taking, under the
firm name of Cowen & Robinson, the States of Ohio and Kentucky.  This
connection was highly successful and continued for nearly four years, Gen.
owen retiring in 1882, and leaving the whole State of Kentucky to Mr.
Robinson.  Under the able management of Mr. Robinson the company's business
has not only been built up from $1,500,000 to $5,000,000, but has
commanded the confidence and patronage of the best men in the State; and
it can truly be said that no agency is in a more healthy condition than
this.  The career of Mr. Robinson is one worthy of emulation.  Starting in
life with only his natural resources, he has fought his way to the front
and stands to-day as one of the leading and substantial men of Louisville.
December 24, 1867, Mr. Robinson was married to Miss Olive B. Dilley, of
Sarahsville, O. [sic], and came to Louisville in 1878.  To this union have
been born four children: Charles L., John Dilley, Mabel and Madge.

Robinson Hook Dilley
=
Noble-OH VA

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jefferson/robinson.jw.txt