Joseph Robbins

JOSEPH ROBBINS. The earliest known ancestor of the family of which Joseph Robbins, of North Irwin, is a representative was Brintnal Robbins, a native of Connecticut, and a soldier of the Revolution, his captain being Samuel Robins. His last year in the service saw him an ensign. Hezekiah Robbins, his son, lived at Robbins Station, on a farm, the town being named after him. He built a frame grist mill at Possum Hollow, near Guffey's Station, an operated it, also cultivating his farm, following these two occupations all his life. He built the United Presbyterian church at Circleville, now know as the Bethel church, and was made an elder in it. 

Thomas W. Robbins, son of Hezekiah Robbins, was born July 12, 1812, at Robbins Station, and was a farmer all his life. For many years he served as justice of the peace, and in politics was first a Whig, but later a Republican. He was a member of the United Presbyterian church. He married June 26, 1838, Sarah P., born February 7, 1811, daughter of James E. and Lydia (Painter) McGrew, of Sewickley township, and their children were : Lydia M., born April 11, 1839, died December 17, 1889 ; Joseph mentioned hereafter ; Mary E., born April 10, 1846, died June 17, 1847. Mr. Robbins died February 27, 1873. His widow survived him for a number of years, her death occurring January 21, 1892. 

Joseph Robbins, son of Thomas W. and Sarah P. (McGrew) Robbins, was born August 10, 1841, on a farm near Coulterville, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. His education was such as the country schools give and was discontinued at the age of fifteen, when he went to work on the farm. August 14, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, Captain A. L. Pearson and Colonel E. J. Allen commanding. He participated in the following battles : Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Aldie, Gettysburg, Wapping Heights, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Laurel Hill, Spottsylvania, North Anne River, Telopotomy, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, Petersburg--assault, Petersburg--Jerusalem, Plank Road, Petersburg--mine explosion, Weldon Railroad and Pebbles Farm. This brilliant record came to and end at Hatches Run, where he was wounded in the leg, February 6, 1865. For a week he was in a hospital at City Point, was then transferred to Baltimore for a month, and afterward for a month more to York, Pennsylvania. He left the hospital on a twenty-day furlough home, when his expired returned to Westmoreland county, near Stewartsville, and in 1900 retired from active farming to North Irwin, where he purchased the property on which he now resides. He is now serving on the council and school board, and is a Republican in politics. He is a member of the United Presbyterian church, of which he has been an elder seven years. He married, March 26, 1874, Mary E., born April 18, 1857, daughter of William F. and Margaret (Taylor) Irwin, of Irwin, and their children were : 1. Kate Irwin, born February 13, 1875, died January 20, 1895. 2. Sarah Margaret, born December 15, 1877, is the wife of John Crookston, of North Irwin, and has one child, Robert Ray. 3. William Thomas, born April 25, 1881, married Margaret Piper, of North Irwin. 4. Martha Jane, born March 25, 1883. 5. John Irwin, born January 31, 1887. 6. James Edward, born May 3, 1890, died August 24, 1890. Mrs. Robbins, the mother of these children, expired May 26, 1891. 

Source Pages 46 & 47 History of Westmoreland County, Volume II, Pennsylvania by John N. Boucher. New York, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906 
Transcribed June 10, 1999 by Marilynn Wienke for the Westmoreland County History Project 
Contributed for use by the Westmoreland County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/westmoreland/)

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