An American Family History

Edward Robins was born about 1602 in England at Long Buckby. Long Buckby is a large village in Northamptonshire, England. Edward was baptized on August 26, 1604. His parents were Richard Robins and Dorothy Goodman and his brothers included Colonel Obedience Robins and Richard Robins. He was a merchant.

He married Jane Cornish about 1630 in England. Edward probably met Jane in London. Edward and Jane's uncle, George Cornish, were both members of the St. Mary Magdalen Church on Milk Street. Edward and Jane's children were baptized there.

Rachel Robins Beard was baptized on November 20, 1631.

Thomas Robins was baptized on June 4, 1633. He was buried on June 10, 1635.

Their daughter, Christian Robins, was baptized on May 4, 1634.

Elizabeth Robins Burgess was baptized on May 20, 1635.

On August 21, 1635, the 33 year old Edward Robins and his family were listed as immigrants on the ship Thomas bound for Virginia. He was in Accomack County, Virginia by May 1, 1637, when he was ordered to pay a debt to Thomas Nuton.

Edward purchased a 1,000 acre tract in Accomack County, Virginia from Nathaniel Littleton. He built Newport House which later was called Eryreville.

His estate was probated on January 11, 1640 in Northamption County, Virginia. It was administered by his brother, Obedience Robins.

on 6 March 1642/43 Elizabeth, wife of Stephen Charlton, stated that Edward Robins, deceased, had been urgent both at Plymouth and at Sea to buy some of her servants. He did the good will of three to live with him, one being John Coleman.

On July 15, 1647, Richard Robins of Longbuckbye in the Northampton, County
England gave power of attorney to his "welbeloved Sister-in-Law Jane
Puddington, wife of George Puddington" inhabiting in Virginia.

In the records of the Provincial Court in 1664

Commission to mr Neale to apprehend Edward Robins, daniel duffill & Thomas, to answere to their crime of open rebellion in armes to committ felony in carrying servants out of the Prov: & in case of resistance to shoote them &c.

On June 4, 1646, Elizabeth and Rachel Robins, orphans of Edward Robins, were granted 350 acres in Northampton County for the transportation of seven persons, including their father, Edward Robins.

After Edward died, Jane married George Puddington and they moved to Anne Arundel County, Maryland in 1650.

In August, 1657 Edward's heirs sold Newport House and 600 acres to Kendall.

St. Mary Magdalen Church, Milk Street, was a small parish church in London. It was Roman Catholic until the Reformation. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.

from The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland by Joshua Dorsey Warfield quoting the Virginia Magazine of History:

Edward Robins, born in England 1602, came to Virginia in the bark Thomas, in 1615 (sic). He was of Northampton, now Accomac County, and built "Newport House," now Eyreville.

His daughter Elizabeth married William Burgess, of Maryland. His daughter Rachel married Richard Beard.

from Maryland Historical Magazine, Vol. 37, No. 2, Spring 1996, "Edward Robins: Corrections to His English Ancestry and Identification of His Wife Jane Skinner," p. 169, Frederic Z. Saunders.

Edward Robins on 21 August 1635 appeared as age 33 on a list of passengers aboard the ship Thomas to be transported to Virginia from the port of London.

He apparently made more than one trip from England, for on 6 March 1642/43 Elizabeth, wife of Stephen Charlton, stated that Edward Robins, deceased, had been urgent both at Plymouth and at Sea to buy some servants. He did the good will of three to live with him, one being John Coleman.

from Virginia Carolorum by Edward Duffield Neill

Edward Robins, merchant in Accomac [Virginia] and brother of Obedience died in July, 1641, and his daughter Rachel married Richard Beard, and Elizabeth became the wife of William Burgess.

After William Stone of Northampton became its first Protestant Governor, Beard and Burgess removed to Maryland. Beard made the first map of Annapolis (sic) and belonged to the people "in scorn called Quakers,'' and Burgess was in sympathy with Cromwellians at least, for a period.

Jane the wife of George Puddington a member of the Maryland Assembly, from Ann Arundel County, in 1650, was a sister-in-law of Obedience Robins. Mountjoy Evelin, the second son of George formerly of Rent Island, Maryland, married in 1653, Dorothy the third child of Obedience and Grace Robins.