More than 135 years ago a young man named Henson Robinson founded a business which he gave his name, and then labored the rest of his life to build that business. That time and energy were well spent. For the company he founded during Abraham Lincoln's term as president, is still prospering today.
A tinner by trade, Robinson was a self-made man who come to this city with little money and education, but died as one of Springfield, Illinois' leading business and civic leaders.

Robinson served 4 years apprenticeship in Ohio, and finally moved to Springfield to live with his cousins. A big, robust young man, Robinson worked several years for Springfield tinner Eli Kreigh. Eventually, with the financial backing of a businessman by the name of Bauman, he opened Robinson & Bauman's Stove Store on March 13, 1861, one day before his twenty-second birthday. The business was located at 112-114 North Fifth Street in Springfield.

During the company's early years Robinson provided Springfield residents with tin roofing, kettles, cooking and heating stoves. Since the company was founded the same year the Civil War began, Robinson spent a lot of his time with Federal Contract to provide tinware for the Union Soldiers.

As his business developed, Bauman departed and Robinson expanded his merchandise line to include heating and cooking appliances and kitchenware. His employees also roofed courthouses, city buildings and schools. Robinson made ornamental cornices, sky lights and ventilators.

In his later years, he began training his son, Charles H. Robinson, in the family business.

The younger Robinson worked side-by-side with his father as a child, and after he finished school, returned to work at the company. Ironically, as fate would have it, he was destined to take over the family business at a very young age. Like his father, he became president of the company while still in his early twenties, after Henson Robinson died suddenly of a heart attack on April 17, 1900.

Charles Robinson, who owned the company with his sister, Margaret, ran his business form the original Fifth Street building until 1927, when that building was demolished and a new one was erected. At that time Henson Robinson Company discontinued the hardware line, but retained the kitchen appliances, gas stoves, coal ranges, kitchenware and sheet metal business. In 1936 the firm discontinued the kitchenware entirely. Over the next ten years Charles expanded the business, focusing on sheet metal and roofing as well as heating, ventilating and air conditioning.

Charles Robinson learned some important lessons from his father. He never forgot how important customers are to a business. Both Henson and Charles believed all customers should be treated with respect, no matter how small or how large their purchase. Charles Robinson often told his employees, "Our customers problems are our problems, so try to solve them as best you can."

Charles H. Robinson died on January 31, 1946, just two days after he turned 80 years old. Care of the Henson Robinson Company was assumed by his three sons: H. Langdon, Stuart W. and Henson C. Robinson; and his daughter Henrietta Robinson Herndon, in partnership with Margaret Robinson.

At the time of Charles's death Henson C. took over the presidency of the company, H. Langdon became the Vice president, and Stuart was named secretary treasurer. Two years later the company bought Wiedlocher Milling and renamed it Faultless Milling Company. H. Langdon left Henson Robinson Company to manage the milling company, leaving the vice presidency of the company to Stuart. It wasn't until 1956 that the company named officers outside of the immediate Robinson family. Just before the celebration of their 100th anniversary the company moved to it's present location at 2015 E. Clear Lake Avenue, consolidating their many departments under one roof.

Henson C. Robinson died on April 24, 1964. Since he was the civic leader who fist sought to bring a children's zoo to Springfield, the Henson Robinson Zoo (dedicated in 1970) is named for him. After Henson's death, Stuart W. Robinson took over as president.

Stuart Robinson was president of Henson Robinson Company until July 1967 when he sold the company to Henson C. Robinson's stepson, Charles R. Beard and Arthur Frescura, who became the new president and vice president of the company. Both had been longtime employees, spending many years learning the business. Stuart remained active in the company and came in to his office every day until he was physically unable. He died on August 14, 1983 at the age of 79.

Beard sold his stock in the company in September, 1991 and retired six months later; making Frescura president while remaining half-owner. Beard's stock is now owned by the Henson Robinson Company employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

Frescura sold his stock to the employees in March 1997 making Henson Robinson Company an employee owned business. The company moved from its location on Clearlake Ave. to its new location at 3550 Great Northern Ave. on April 7, 2004.  It is now headed by employee leaders who see Henson Robinson company continuing into the 21st century as Springfield's finest heating, cooling and roofing contractor.