Moorestown resident Charles Nash Robinson, III passed away at 105 years old on July 30. He served in the only African American battalion for the Battle of the Bulge, the last major German offensive on the Western Front during World War II, launched in December 1944.
Charles Nash Robinson, III once recalled that it was a mystery of the day he was born, but he’s always adhered to his mother’s recollection: “December 15, 1919, at about 4 a.m.”
“He was very good at everything, and he was very humble about everything,” said Charles “Rusty” Nash Robinson, IV, Charles’ son. “He always said, ‘keep living.'”
Robinson, a Moorestown resident, passed away at 105 years old on July 30 (he would have turned 106 this December), but years ago he decided to “publish” a portrayal of his life as he remembered it. The birth notation inscribed in his family’s baby book quoted his date of birth as December 15, 1919, but when he needed an official birth certificate to obtain a passport, the birth certificate stated that his date of birth was December 16, 1919. This puzzle has never been solved, according to his autobiography, but nevertheless he was born during a very cold, bitter stretch of weather in a notoriously frigid house.
Charles’ family home at 1402 Broadway was built just after the Civil War and was purchased by his grandfather, Charles N. Robinson, Sr. At that time the home was situated on the outskirts of Camden and there were very few houses nearby. When the home was built in 1868, electricity wasn’t available yet. At that time gas was provided for lighting and cooking. The gas would enter the house through a pipe which was connected to a meter, Charles recalled. The meter was to record the gas usage. The family was never sent a bill to pay for the gas usage. Instead, they used quarters to deposit into the meter, which ensured another allotment of gas. The gas would be manufactured by burning coal.
On his father’s (Charles Nash Robinson, Jr.) side, Charles’ great-grandfather, Joel Robinson, was the first relative to be remembered. The children of Joel and his wife Sarah (maiden name unknown) were Joel, Jr. and Charles Nash Robinson, Sr., Charles’ grandfather, who volunteered for service in the Army of the Union during the Civil War in 1862. Robinson, Sr. attained one of the highest positions in the Colored Masonry organization, becoming the state treasurer in Trenton, while holding the highest degree for Masons, the 33rd. Charles’ mother’s side is honored by the existence of the late Gov. George Walton, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and who was later elected as governor of Georgia. Walton, the great-great-great grandfather of Charles, and his granddaughter Ellen Walton Simpson, was Charles’ great-grandmother.
Charles’ father was the principal/teacher at a public school in Pennsauken. His salary didn’t sufficiently provide the necessities for his growing family, so he resigned to work as a clerk in the post office in Philadelphia. Robinson, Jr. was plagued with a kidney malady for many years before he passed away. Charles’ mother Estella cared for him while he was ill. Charles described her as someone who embodied a tough character – body and soul. She was undaunted throughout her life. Charles Nash Robinson, Jr. passed away when Charles was just 6 years old.
Charles had three older sisters – Gwendolyn (Gwen), Estella (Stella) and Hermione (Hermie) – all who passed away. Gwen was someone who grew into a mature and caring lady many times over, Charles recalled, while Stella was quiet and shy, but loving. Hermie, an accomplished pianist who was extremely intelligent, would make time to read to Charles after lunch when she returned home from school. Before his passing, Charles lived the longest of anyone in his family.
Charles drew intricate pictures on the envelopes of letters he would send home to Cora during his time in the Army. These letters of love are preserved and bound by multicolored ribbons to this day.
Following his graduation from high school on June 14, 1937, Charles attended Glassboro State Teachers College (now Rowan University). Years later he would go on to teach for and serve as a school counselor for the Philadelphia School District. Post college graduation, Charles met his future wife Cora Ellsworth Reed Robinson through a neighbor – Thomas Reed – who worked with Charles’ brother-in-law Chester, Hermione’s husband, at the time. During his time in World War II, Charles was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. That was the training site for the 578th Field Artillery Brigade, of which Charles was a part of. Cora, then Charles’ fiancé, had decided to vacation in Fayetteville, North Carolina, not too far from the Army base where Charles was stationed. They had been dating for over a year and had never given each other a kiss on the lips. Charles and Cora had decided to visit Cora’s friends Herleine and Larry Joyner. On the way back from having met with another neighbor, they were walking home when Charles stumbled on a large pebble. Charles and Cora found themselves caught in an embrace, sharing their first kiss. Charles and Cora were married on December 25, 1943, in Philadelphia.
Charles’ tour of duty in World War II spanned from 1943 to 1945, and he served in the only African American battalion (578th Field Artillery Battalion) for the Battle of the Bulge, the last major German offensive on the Western Front during the war, launched in December 1944. It was well known throughout the battalion that aviation was one of Charles’ interests. One afternoon a sergeant (name unknown) asked Charles if he wanted to take a jeep ride over to the airstrip where a spotter plane was located. Soon Charles found himself in the front seat of the plane, flying high in the sky. The world looked different from up above, he recalled. The sergeant also let Charles navigate the control stick and after flying about a mile or so, he was relieved of the controls. Even after having landed, he felt like he was still ‘on cloud nine.’
After eight years of marriage, Cora and Charles had decided to adopt a baby. At the time they were living in Magnolia in Camden County, and Cora was a secretary at the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia and Charles was working in the post office in Camden. But it wasn’t long before they found out they were expecting so the plans changed, and Rusty was born in December of 1953. Rusty was always cherished by his parents, keeping the Robinson dynasty going.
Years following Cora’s passing on July 26, 2000, Charles fell in love again with his second wife, Marion. He described her as someone with beautiful eyes, a radiant, smiling face, possessed with a soft and gleeful laugh. Early during their courtship they had discussed marriage, with Marion telling Charles that all she wanted was five happy years of marriage. Before she needed to move to a health center that was suitable for her medical needs, that’s just what she got – five happy years of marriage to Charles. Marion passed away during the pandemic.
“He had such history, and he was so humble,” said Heidi Folgia, Charles’ neighbor. “He was so humble, and he had a big heart. He didn’t want anyone to know about everything he did for people.
“He never took honor for anything, and he never wanted to be the center of attention.”
