John Beverley Robinson was one of the most influential men in Upper Canada in the 1820s and 1830s. He was a central figure in the Family Compact, the small group of men who had control of the colony.

Robinson had been educated at John Strachan's school, and he became a lifelong friend of Strachan, who helped promote his career. In 1813, when Robinson was only 21, he was appointed acting attorney general of Upper Canada. During the 1820s, he was government leader in the Legislative Assembly, and in 1829 he was appointed chief justice of Upper Canada, speaker of the Legislative Council, and president of the Executive Council.

A staunch Tory, Robinson believed in maintaining strong ties with Britain. He was equally firm in his dislike of American influences, including democracy, which he viewed as dangerously close to mob rule. During the War of 1812, he was given the task of prosecuting those who had sided with the Americans, and eight men were hanged as a result of the Ancaster treason trials. Robinson performed a similar role after the Rebellion of 1837, when he condemned Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews to death. Despite pleas from Lount's wife and others, he refused to grant a pardon, maintaining that the proper order of society must be upheld.

Although disliked for his severity, Robinson has been praised as a nation builder. He did much to establish the British tradition in Canadian law, and he strove throughout his life to build a well-ordered and stable society in Upper Canada. He lost his political influence when Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1841, but he remained a judge until 1863.

Related Articles: FAMILY COMPACT; JOHN STRACHAN; UPPER CANADA.