Hugh L Robinson was a decorated graduate of Colby College, receiving numerous academic accolades and was an active member of the leadership of multiple organizations and clubs. He graduated in the class of 18’ and continued his education at Harvard medical school, class of 22’. He then interned at Hartford Hospital, met his wife, Olga Olsen, and applied to be a medical missionary with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions with Olga. They were assigned to work together in Northern China and left in 1925. Robinson learned Chinese at Yenching School of Chinese Studies.
Robinson and his family then moved to Lintsing to work at Lintsing Memorial Hospital. He worked there from 1926-1931, then in 1932 he moved to work at T’ungchow Hospital until 1941 when he fled to Manila. He arrived in Manila six hours before Pearl Harbor and was then captured by the Japanese and worked as a doctor in an internment camp until he was released as part of a prisoner exchange in 1943. He then returned to the US where opened an independent practice. He received an honorary degree from Colby in 1944 for his actions in China and Manila. He was offered a position on the Alumni council but at the time he was too elderly to perform his duties and died on November 14th, 1969.