Preceded by Sir John Randolph Name John Robinson Succeeded by Peyton Randolph | Occupation Lawyer, farmer Role Politician | |
Born February 3, 1705
Middlesex County, Virginia ( 1705 -02-03 ) Died May 11, 1766, Virginia, United States Resting place King and Queen County, Virginia | ||
John Robinson, Jr. (February 3, 1705 – May 11, 1766) was a politician and landowner in the British colony of Virginia. Robinson served as Speaker of the House of Burgesses from 1738 until his death, the longest tenure in the history of that office.
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Career
While John Robinson was speaker of the House, burgesses proposed the Virginia Resolves. Robinson shouted, "Treason!, Treason!" after Patrick Henry's speech.
Robinson also served as treasurer of the colony from 1738 until his death. After Robinson died, the burgesses discovered that he failed to burn redeemed notes but instead made personal loans exceeding 100,000 pounds from the treasury to his friends, and also failed to deposit funds received by local sheriffs into the Treasury. The resulting scandal was a factor in Virginia politics for years. Robinson's estate was not settled until decades after the end of the American Revolution.
Robinson's father was also named John Robinson (died 1759). Settling in 1663 at Hewick Manor in Middlesex, the Robinson family was one of the first families of Virginia.