THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 13, 1997 TAG: 9702130325
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: 62 lines
Charles Oakley Robinson Jr., 82, a tall, courtly man who helped create modern Elizabeth City, died Tuesday in Albemarle Hospital after a brief illness.
Robinson's commanding presence suited him to the role he was raised to play in the growing fortunes of northeastern North Carolina in this century.
Robinson and his ancestors and offspring were involved with banks, cotton mills, lumbering and real estate for more than 100 years. It seemed appropriate that ``C.O.'' lived in the biggest, whitest house on downtown Main Street across from the Pasquotank County Courthouse.
Four magnificent Corinthian columns on the 1914 Robinson family mansion often attracted more notice from tourists than the four similar 1882 pillars on the courthouse across the street.
The Robinson house was built by Charles O. Robinson Sr., the son of Charles Hall Robinson, who founded the Elizabeth City dynasty.
Charles Hall Robinson came to the Albemarle in 1868 from his native New York State to look after 31,000 acres of family timber in Pasquotank and Perquimans counties.
The Robinson who died this week carried on the family tradition of financial growth and, by the middle of this century, the Robinson family was one of half-a-dozen interrelated clans in Elizabeth City that virtually controlled the business of the town.
``C.O's'' mother was Ivy Blades Robinson, daughter of a family that organized the first telephone company in northeastern North Carolina.
When the United States entered World War II, ``C.O.'' left his comfortable life in Elizabeth City and joined the Navy. He was a lieutenant when the war ended.
Until shortly before his death, ``C.O.'' and his wife, Flora Johnson Robinson, often ate lunch at a popular downtown restaurant where each day's community small talk is carefully sifted for helpful business clues.
He drove a large tan Cadillac in the manner of a senior harbor pilot bringing a battleship into Hampton Roads.
Robinson's business affiliations reflected his life. He was a senior officer of the Robinson Manufacturing Co., The Elizabeth City Cotton Mill and the Elizabeth City Hosiery Mill. He was a past member of the First Union National Bank board; the Carolina Telephone board, The Virginia Dare Hotel board; and the board of directors of the Boys Club. He was a past commodore of the Pasquotank River Yacht Club and a member of the American Red Cross and the Tidewater Council of the the Boy Scouts of America.
He once demanded that the City Council do something about the squirrels that were snatching walnuts before he could harvest them from beneath a tree in his backyard. His wife annually raised some of the prettiest flowers in town.
Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons, Charles O. Robinson III and Harry Johnson Robinson, both of Elizabeth City; two brothers, W.B. Robinson of Vero Beach, Fla., and C.H. Robinson of Elizabeth City; and five grandchildren, Ivy Robinson, Vaughan Robinson, Jenny Robinson, Willis Robinson and Jeffrey Robinson, all of Elizabeth City.
A graveside service will be held today at 11 a.m. in Old Hollywood Cemetery with the Rev. Renfro Sproul officiating and the Rev. Josh MacKenzie assisting.
The family requests that donations be made to the Window Fund at Christ Episcopal Church. Twiford's Memorial Chapel in Elizabeth City is in charge of arrangements.
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY