James Robinson was a factor, or agent, for the large Glasgow merchant firm of William Cunninghame and Company. As a factor, Robinson lived and worked in Virginia, but only as an employee of William Cunninghame and Company. The Scottish merchant firms operated large, very successful networks of stores in Virginia, often taking business away from established Virginia merchants and gentry planters. Consequently, Virginia politicians and planters did not particularly like Scottish factors. As tensions increased between Britain and the American colonies, Scottish factors like James Robinson were concerned that the conflict might harm their business operations.