William Robinson Jr.

William Robinson Jr. (17 December 1785 – 25 February 1868) was an American politician, business executive, and militia general active in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, now the North Side of Pittsburgh. He was the first mayor of Allegheny and a state legislator.

Robinson was born on 17 December 1785 in a log cabin in the area soon to become Allegheny. He was reputedly the first white child born west of the Allegheny River.^[1] His parents were James Robinson, who operated a ferry across the river, and Martha Boggs Robinson.^[1] William was styled "Junior" to distinguish him from an uncle of the same name.^[1] After schooling at Pittsburgh Academy (now the University of Pittsburgh) and Princeton University,^[1] he read law under ex-senator James Ross, but did not go on to practice the profession.^[2]

In 1806, on a flatboat trip down the Ohio River, the young Robinson and several companions were detained on suspicion of taking part in the Aaron Burr conspiracy to found a Southwestern empire. They were released as nothing treasonous could be proven against them.^[3]

Robinson managed a number of companies over his lifetime. He was the first president of the Allegheny Bridge Company, which built a bridge over the Allegheny River at the site of his father's ferry crossing (now the site of Pittsburgh's Roberto Clemente Bridge).^[1] Opened in 1819,^[4] the bridge was the first to cross the Allegheny at Pittsburgh.^[5] Robinson was the first president of the Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroad, which became part of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway, a major component of the Pennsylvania Railroad system.^[5] He served for 16 years as the first president of the Exchange Bank of Pittsburgh.^[6] He was also partner in one of the area's early rolling mills.^[7]

Robinson was elected as a Democrat to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, serving from 1833 to 1834.^[8] When Allegheny borough became a city in 1840, Robinson, then a Whig,^[9] became its first mayor.^[5] His other positions in the Allegheny government included treasurer, assessor, and president of Select Council.^[10] According to one historian, Robinson had a "haughty and dictatorial" manner that hampered his political ambitions.^[5]

The Mexican War Streets neighborhood, originally called Buena Vista, was established by Robinson on part of his extensive land inheritance from his father.^[5] He laid out the plan in 1847 during the Mexican–American War, naming the streets for the war's battles and leaders.^[11] Contrary to legend, he saw no active service in the conflict.^[11]

In 1849, Robinson was elected major general of the 18th Division, Pennsylvania Volunteers,^[12][13] resulting in his being known afterward as "General" Robinson. The Volunteers at the time were a more social than military organization.^[14]

Robinson died on 25 February 1868 and was buried at Allegheny Cemetery.^[15] He is commemorated on the North Side of Pittsburgh by General Robinson Street, which runs through his father's original farm.^[16] At the end of the 20th century, many artifacts from Robinson Jr.'s estate were unearthed at the construction site of PNC Park.^[17]

His grandson, John Buchanan Robinson, was a politician who became a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, the Pennsylvania State Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.^[18][19]

• List of mayors of Allegheny, Pennsylvania