M. W. Brother Robinson was born on a farm situated between Chandlersville and Rix Mills, Ohio, on June 27, 1847. He lived in the house where he first saw the light of day until ill health recently necessitated his removal to Chandlersville. He never married. While his opportunity to attend school did not extend beyond the common schools of his district, during the spare hours from the daily toil on the farm he devoted himself with great diligence to much reading, and with the application of “reason, observation, and experience,” as he expressed devotion to those admirable qualities, developed his natural powers and thus became fitted for pre-eminence in life.
He feared God, loved his fellow men, and was faithful in his giving, unobtrusive in his opinions, just in all his dealings.
M. W. Brother Robinson was initiated an Entered Apprentice July 25, 1872, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft August 15, 1872, and was made a Master Mason September 12, 1872, in Gage and Gavel Lodge, No. 448, F. & A. M, at Chandlersville Ohio. He served his Lodge three years as Senior Deacon, seven years as Senior Warden, and six years as Worshipful Master. He became a member of the Masonic Veterans’ Association in 1892, and was its Venerable President in 1923. He was appointed District Lecturer in 1888 and served ten years. He received his Capitular degrees in Cumberland Chapter, No. 116, R. A. M., in 1877, and was dimitted to Zanesville Chapter, No.9 in 1892.
He received the Scottish Rite degrees in October and November 1915 in Cambridge Lodge of Perfection and the Council Princes of Jerusalem and Chapter of Rose Croix at Cambridge and in Scioto Consistory at Columbus. He received the Honorary 33d Degree in the Supreme Council A. & A. S. R., Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, in 1917, at New York City.
In the Grand Lodge of Ohio he served as Senior Grand Deacon in 1897 – 1898; Junior Grand Warden, 1898 – 1899; Senior Grand Warden in 1899 – 1900; Deputy Grand Master, 1900 -1901, and Most Worshipful Grand Master, 1901 – 1902.
M. W. Brother Robinson departed this life on March 25, 1927 and is buried in Chandlersville Cemetery, Chandlersville, Ohio.
The Lodges of the Eighteenth District have placed in the cemetery at Chandlersville a memorial to the memory of M. W. Brother Robinson. On September 11, 1927, M. W. Bro. Frank M. Ransbottom, acting under the proxy of the Grand Master, convened the Grand Lodge of Ohio in Special Emergent Communication at that place for the purpose of unveiling that memorial.