Thursday, August 5, 2010

Treasure Chest Thursday- Great Grandpa is on the $10,000 Bill?

Ok, Quick! Tell me whose portrait is on the $10,000 dollar bill?

Ok, when is the last time you had a $10,000 dollar bill in your pocket? They were last produced in 1945, discontinued for use in 1969, and there are only 3 of them known to exist today.



On the front is a portrait of Salmon P. Chase, who happens to be from New Hampshire and also the US Secretary of the Treasury under President Abraham Lincoln. On the back is an engraved reproduction of a painting called "Embarkation of the Pilgrims" which depicts Reverend John Robinson blessing the passengers of the Mayflower just before they sailed for the New World. You can argue about which of the pilgrims are depicted, (is that Standish in the red stockings? Who is holding the bible?) but it is very obvious which one is Reverend Robinson.



For years, descendants of Reverend John Robinson have bragged about their ancestor on the $10,000 bill. The original painting by Robert W. Weir of "The Embarkation of the Pilgrims" hangs in the US Capitol Rotunda. A study of this painting done by Edgar Parker in 1875 hangs in the Pilgrim Hall Museum at Plymouth, Massachusetts with an explanation of how it was used on the paper currency. We are proud of Pastor Robinson, and retell the story of how this painting is on the $10,000 bill. However, none of us ever had one of these bills in our pockets!

Reverend John Robinson is my 10x Great Grandfather, on both my my maternal and my paternal lines!

http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/rotunda/embarkation_pilgrims.cfm from the website of the Architect of the Captitol

http://www.pilgrimhall.org/hpweir.htm from the Pilgrim Hall website

http://www.revjohnrobinson.com/art.htm from the Reverend John Robinson website, a genealogical data base maintained by Donald L. Robinson, a descendant of Pastor Robinson.

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Treasure Chest Thursday-  Great Grandpa is on the $10,000 Bill?", Nutfield Genealogy, posted August 5, 2010, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2010/08/treasure-chest-thursday-great-grandpa.html: accessed [access date]). 

7 comments:

  1. Aw, I'm jealous. The best my ancestors could do was to get their pictures on the post office wall. Seriously, that is so neat!

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  2. I am actually a descendant as well from Reverend John Robinson! I just found out actually through my Aunt who loves doing genealogy on our family. Here's the lineage starting with my name:
    ROBINSON LINEAGE

    Leah Wrobel 1992 Scranton, PA
    Frank J. Wrobel III 1961 Scranton, PA
    Lois Sick 1933 Tunkhannock, PA
    Ella Otten 1902 Forkston, PA
    Claudia Sheehan 1868 Forkston, PA
    Sarah Jane Robinson 1847 Wyoming County, PA
    Calvin Robinson 1821 Forkston, PA
    William Riley Robinson 1794 Forkston, PA
    Amasa Robinson 1772 CT
    Cpt. Jared Robinson Sr. 1740 CT
    Eliakim Robinson 1706 CT
    Jacob Robinson Jr. 1670 CT
    Jacob Robinson Sr. 1653 MA
    Isaac Robinson 1610 Holland
    Rev. John Robinson 1576 England

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    Replies
    1. Leah Wrobel, Me too! We're distantly related I suppose. My Great-Great-Grandfather mapped out our genealogy to him, linking him as my 13th great grandfather. I know that Isaac Robinson is in my family tree as well, but I need to check with my father about if the Jacobs are as well.

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    2. Leah Wrobel, Me too! He's my 13th great grandfather. I'm certain that my family tree includes Isaac Robinson as well, but I'd have to check to see if it includes the Jacobs as well.

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  3. Hey, cuzz's! Is this the Rev John Roberts family reunion spot? lol
    Here's my family line. I'm 10x great grandson as well. I'm Jeremy by the way :)

    Jeremy Service 1980 Brockville ON, Canada
    Wayne Service Portland, OR
    Betty Tolman
    Velva Davids 1902
    Anson Davids 1874
    Ruth Call 1850
    Mary Flint 1812
    Rufus Flint 1768
    Abigail Robinson 1737
    Israel Robinson 1696
    Rev. Peter Robinson 1655
    Issac Robinson 1610
    Rev. John Robinson 1574

    I would love to be able to carry around a cash portrait of grandpa-John in my wallet some day :)
    According to Wikipedia (can't believe everything you read on there but...) ---https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Robinson_(pastor)---- he was imprisoned for his beliefs at one point. He must have been quite the guy. Would love to sit down with him and hear the stories. Amazing!

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