INTRODUCTION 41 



of Americana, and many personal papers, representing 

 a lifetime of careful collection. This library was given 

 to his young grandson, Harry Robinson Strait. The 

 boy's parents, not realizing fully the importance and 

 value of the gift, and having no place to house it, left the 

 collection in Florida. On May 3, 1901, the disastrous 

 Jacksonville fire completely destroyed the home and the 

 library. 1 In attempting to save some of her husband's 

 possessions, Mary Robinson reentered the building, was 

 trapped, and burned to death. 2 



Robinson possessed an unusual appearance and person- 

 ality : tall and lanky in figure, with long hair and beard, 

 deep piercing blue eyes and overhanging brows; at one 

 moment his burning glance carried instant conviction of 

 the flaming spirit within ; at another his eyes changed to 

 a cool, quizzical, and humorous aspect, revealing the keen 

 intelligence that governed that spirit. In his youth and 

 early manhood he had red hair. Before he was 

 thirty it turned white and this gave his presence added 

 distinction. Those whom he met did not forget him. 3 



Solon Robinson's place in his day and time is secure. 

 If one may evaluate him by a vivid personality and in- 

 quiring spirit; an intelligent mind; strength and weak- 

 ness of character; his activities as a pioneer; com- 

 prehensive knowledge of his chosen field; vision with 

 respect to farming improvements and generous endeavor 

 to promote the welfare of his fellow men ; his informative 

 and entertaining writings ; his wide circle of friends, both 

 distinguished and humble ; and last, and most important, 

 the influence he wielded through the exercise of these 

 attributes; without question he ranks as one of the sig- 

 nificant figures in the development of the United States 

 in the nineteenth century. 



Herbert A. Kellar 



1 Ibid.; statement of Harry Robinson Strait, April 16, 1929. 

 a Ibid.; Knotts, "Solon Robinson." 



8 Bungay, Off-Hand Takings, 186-89 ; Ball, Lake County, from 

 1834. to 1872, 277-84; Knotts, op. cit. 



