Biographical Info

Born around 1803, Robin was enslaved by Zachariah Lamar until bequeathed to John B. in 1832. In a list of enslaved people who were hired out in 1841, Robin is listed as standing 6’2” and having a “down look.” The same list suggests he had a wife, Polly, and a son, Armstrong, although no other records point to his having kin. While it appears that at some points Robin picked cotton at the Swift Creek plantation, most of the time he labored in the yard of John B.’s house in Macon. His presence in the household made him a familiar face to the Cobb-Lamar family. In multiple letters John B. tasked Robin with keeping an eye on the house and yard when he was away. In February 1857, Mary Ann observed that her young daughter was, “standing on a foot stool, leaning her arms upon a table making various black marks upon her paper, singing “Robbin de Bobbin” as she [watched] Old Robbin working in the little flower garden.” When John B. fell ill in November 1858 with “a paroxysm of bilious colic” and began vomiting blood, Robin ran out to summon the doctor. Following emancipation, he and his partner, a washerwoman, set up a household in East Macon. On October 31, 1865, while crossing a railroad bridge, Robin was struck by the cars. Howell recorded, “He was brought to the house & I told him I would take care of him. Both Dr. White & Dr. Magruder were attending to him, and on yesterday morning Dr. Magruder sent a boy with his instruments to cut off his arm. Robin heard of it, and being determined not to loose [sic] his arm, he got up left the house & made his escape. Since then I have not heard from him.” Two weeks later, Howell noted, “I found Old Robin on the lot, he had become alarmed & came back, and submitted to having his arm cut off. He is now doing very well.” Despite the favorable early prognosis, six days later Howell reported, “Old Robin died last night at 12 o’clock. It was inevitable though I had everything done for him that could be.”

Sketch written by Abhinaya Karthana, Miguel Martinez., Hannah McDonough, Nhi Yen Nguyen