Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-01-22
BI0GRAPHY or sOLON ROBINSON,
AUTHOR or .HOT CORN.

BtOGMARhn OF bOLO6 ROBINSON,
AUTHOR or .HOT CORN.
A writer in one Of our exchange papers
gives the following biographical sketch of Scion
Robinson, the author Of /. Hot Corn" His
book is attracting much attention, and the
sketch Of him win no doubt prove interesting
to our readers:
"when an individual has done any remarka-
BILE deed, whether on the field Of carnage or in
the paths Of civil life, there naturally arises in
the public mind desire 10 know something OF
his history. The question Who and what is
he 2 Is straightway heard passing from lip to
lip. This has been emphatically the case with
the parsonage whose name heads this article.
Who Is the author OF Hot Corn?' was
common question until recently; and who
Is Scion Robinson, the author Of Hot Corn p
Is The question since the volume containing
Little Katy, and other tales of the poor, has
been issued by Dewitt a Davenport. No ques-
ton has been upon so many lips for few
weeks past, and none has been so earnestly
put. Wepropose to answer il, and to thus sat
isfy very natural and lagdable curiosity. .
"Solon Robinson is genuine Yankee by
was born in Tolland, a romantic village stu
His age was fifty years on the 2lst of Octo-
the Puritan stock, and 'poor in this worlds
goods They died when he was young. His
fathers Christian name was Jacob, which was
the name of his direct ancestry back through
many generations, but was broken in the
naming of Scion and four other sons. The
father died when our subject was young. So
Ion was thus left to take care Of himself. His
education was, as will be Inferred very imper
feet II was, as he expresses it, of the com
monest sort, picked up in the commonest
schools; and such as it was, he secured before
he was fourteen years of age. For the rest he
was emphatically sselftaught.'
In pursuits, Mr.. Robinson has been Jack
ofall-trades,' bur far from master Of none
as his mastery production may testify. A sort
of universal Yankee career has been his. He
has been, by turns, farmer, carpenter, merchant,
court clerk, editor, and author. He was for
seven years clerk Of court Of Indiana. He
has been connected with the press, more or less
intimately, for twenty years. For three or four
Of these he was one Of the editors Of an agri-
cultural journal in this city. He has been a
wide traveller, and has written great number
of letters, principally 70 agricultural papers, in
which he has impaired many facts and opinions
which long and varied experience has enabled
him to collect. Hot Corn was his first work
excepting some pamphlets.
"The fact Just stated will show that our sub
ject is not responsible for the endless making
Of books complained Of by Solomon. OF the
circulation of the copies Of his single book we
cannot say as much, in view of the facts pre-
sently to be stated. Had the complaint Of the
wise man been against the circulation, instead
Al L. xrL e. r. -
would come under the van ere long, for the
present prospect is that Hot Corn will have
been exceeded in rapidity Of sales by no book
Of the century, excepting Uncle Tsn's Cabin
mr. Robinson is now one Of the staff of the
New York Tribune, with which he became con-
nected in June, 1853, as the agricultural editor,
for which post his extensive and special expert
ence had admirably befitted him. His sketches
of Little Katy, the Hot Corn Girl, &c, were in
cidentally prepared for the paper; and we have
good reason for inferring that, so far from any
design of collecting them in volume, or Of
even multiplying them TO any great extent was
the authors purpose, no one was more sur
prised than himself ut the immense excitement
they created, 10 say nothing Of the great bene6
cent agency they proved, in attracting sympa-
thy and securing pecuniary aid for the enter
prise of Mr. Pease's Five Points House Of In.
dustry.
"The life Of Mr. Robinson has been full Of
incidents. During his youth he suffered sew
eral very severe attacks Of sickness, in one Of
which he was affected with paralysis Of the
lower limbs, and walked upon crutches nearly
two years. In mature years he has been within
q very narrow space OF death BY land and water
several times. He had the cholera mar New
Orleans, and the small pox in this city. In
both cases, his life was saved BY the remark
able devotion Of strangers, who proved the
best Of friends, and thus preserved him for n
good purpose.
at was sickness, probably, that gave him, ut
the age Of thirty, his silvered locks, and look
Of age beyond his yean--he being now only
Fifty, as We have seen, and possessed Of .
goodly share Of yigor Of body a. well as intel
lect His attack Of small pox was very Sc
we're, which he took, rs he supposes, from
hat which some one exchanged with him in .
barber shop. His face, though not badly
SCARED, lost much Of its natural cast BY that
terrible disease.
"In person, Mr.. Robinson l. tall, his height
being six feet He is stoopshoaldered, and
rather awkward in his gait He has high, skin,
blue eyes, white hair, and flowing white
beard, which he wears under the chin about
three inches long. He generally dresses in
black, and very plainly, almost shabbily, aud
walks with long, clumsy stride, and always
with stout cane, which seems 10 drag him
down.
"Mr. Robinson has been q great traveller, ~
we have seen. He has been through about all
the States, observing men and things, and re-
tanning vivid impressions of what he has seen;
so as to be able 10 describe places visited only
once, as long as thirty years ago. One q his
Journeys was in a carriage from Chicago 10
New Orleans and from thence 20 New York,
making in all about Eve thousand miles. lie
drove one pair Of horses the whole distance,
and travelled alone. This tour was undertaken
for the purpose Of studying The agriculture u
the southwestern States. Many Of his letters,
descriptive Of the country, have been Published
and read with interest; and some ofhis sketches
Of character and incidents Of the route are very
amusing. Several Of his letlsrs, such q The
First Night on the Prsiries,' First Trip 70
Mill "A Man Pershing IN Prairie Snow