Alfred Robinson (businessman) facts for kids

Alfred Robinson (1806–1895) was an American businessman and writer. He lived in California during an important time. This was when California was part of Mexico, called Alta California, and later when it became part of the United States. In 1846, Robinson wrote a book called Life in California. It was one of the first books to describe the region. It also talked about the Juaneño Native American people who lived there.

Biography

Alfred Robinson first came to Alta California in 1829. He worked for a company from Boston called Bryant, Sturgis and Company. This company was involved in the hide and tallow trade. This meant they traded animal hides (skins) and tallow (animal fat).

Robinson married Anita de la Guerra de Noriega y Carrillo. Her family, the Guerra family, was very well-known in Santa Barbara. Their wedding party was even described in a famous book. The book was called "Two Years Before the Mast" by Richard Henry Dana, Jr..

After 1848, California became part of the United States. This happened after an event called the Mexican Cession. Robinson then worked for a shipping company. He also managed land from the 1850s to the 1880s.

Robinson Trust

In 1868, Alfred Robinson started a business partnership called the Robinson Trust. He formed it with Abel Stearns, who owned a lot of land in Los Angeles County. At this time, the very large cattle ranches were starting to disappear. Instead, land was being used more for farming.

The Robinson Trust helped sell these large ranches. They broke them up into smaller farms, often around 40 acres in size. The Trust worked with a group called the 'California Immigrant Union'. They helped guide people who wanted to buy land and move to California.

Alfred Robinson passed away in San Francisco in 1895.

Life in California

Book

In 1846, Alfred Robinson published his book, Life in California. The book described the lives of the Californios. These were people of Spanish or Mexican descent living in California. It also talked about the political changes happening in the region. This was when California was under the Mexican Republic. The book was printed many times.

What made Robinson's book even more special was something he added to it. He included a long description of the Juaneño - Acagchemem Native American people. These Mission Indians lived near Mission San Juan Capistrano. This description was written in the 1820s by a Franciscan missionary named Jerónimo Boscana. It was like a detailed study of their culture and way of life.

Archives

Alfred Robinson's personal papers and writings are kept in two places. You can find them at the California Historical Society library in San Francisco. They are also at the University of California, Berkeley.

Images for kids

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  Drawing of Mission San Luis Rey taken from Life in California, around 1839.