Bishop Letter 02/13/1948

Grandma Arnold corresponded with many family members in her genealogical searches.  This letter is from Angelina (Bishop) Gordon.  It looks like Angelina sent this letter to Halsey Robbins when he and Stella were living in Watseka.  I can't make out some of the wording . . . this will be in bold in the transcription.  If you can figure it out, let me know; and I'll update the info.

The Bishop line enters with Edwin Dwight Robbins' marriage to Louisa Bishop, the daughter of Thomas Bishop and Lydia Olin.  Grandma did a lot of research on the Bishop/Olin line. A snip from Ancestry page:

Page 1

North Liberty Iowa, Feb. 13. 1948.

H. D. Robbins

Watseka, Ill.

226 Park Ave.

Dear Cousins

I presume you are a relative of mine and happy indeed to contact you after many years.  A few years ago my cousin met a man by name of Mitchell, he asked if he know any Bishops & as it happened was my cousin's mother's name, Fidelia or Esther Bishop.  He said his folks asked him in his travels to inquire about Bishop's but we failed to contact him so I'm looking over old letters I came across this letter I have referred to signed Alice Robbins.  Years ago when I was growing up the letters were numerous from Onarga.  I have pages of a manuscript which contain 23 pages of pedigrees of Biship's written by my father Francis Marion Bishop who was Thomas Olin Bishop's son.  Olin was the name which seemed to be a duty made almost sacred to have one child in every family named Olin. & I have a cousin named Olin and an Uncle so when I read in your daughter's letter that you have a brother named Olin Bishop Robbins it made an impression on my mind and ties there relationship together.  I got out the pedigree of Bishop's & read it no = T. O. Biship family never lived in Wisc. but would have if sickness had not been

Page 2

in family when the rest went, but my father did visit in Wis.

I am interested in relatives & seems nice now to hear from you.  I have so few of my own people (The Bishop's here came from Cazanovia, N.Y. in 1854 & settled near Marticle, Ia. from that place all the letters were written to the Robbins. Louisa Robbins visited us long years and years ago.  I do remember her, she had red hair & I have 4 children & always wished they would have hair like hers. 

I live in North Liberty, Ia, alone my children are married and husband dead. and I am 78 years old.  I remember one time we rec'd a letter from Uncle Dwight Robbins from Fla. where he said he would send oranges but we never heard more from him.  I don't know if he died there or not.

My Grandfather, Thomas Olin Biship & Louisa Robbins his sister wrote so often to each other, and seemed always to be so close. 

I think the Bishop's came from Williamstown Mass. where Thomas Olin and Louisa were born.

I notice there was an Aunt Patience who was a wonderfully good woman.  I had 2 sisters, but one died recently.  They were Lydia, & Louisa & Aunt Louisa sent my sister Louisa who was named for her a lovely braided red dress.  We have a piece of it yet.

I had four children 2 girls & 2 boys, but my eldest daughter died this summer with that terrible disease cancer. All live on farms near here.  This is a very fertile part of Ia. last yr was such a strange year.  I hope this year if better.  We are related to the Dewey's.  I wonder if Thos, Dewey will be Pres?  I think not.

Page 3

In Alice Robbins letter she wrote they had been to visit in Greene Co. Ia. & planned to stop & see all of us but sickness presented.  Do you ever go to see them? & what place in Greene Co. do they live?

It would be grand and lovely if you could visit us some time.  with autos for transportation is easy.  so many in our community are in Fla and Texas this winter.

I spent one winter in Fla. but I do not care to go again.  climate was nice but the water was too frightening.  I never lived near water.

I am real well only twinges of rheumatism.  We had a reunion of Bishops years ago but so few of us left now.  one by one we go.  We live near Ia. City where the University is located.

I have thought of you folks so many times and wondered how I could contact you when I just found the letters among old papers.  How strange.

Do you hear much of the Bishop's? some men do not care to hunt up relationships.  I hope you will write me if you will.

Do you live on a farm?  I am a lover of flowers.  I was so happy to greet you. 

Angelina Bishop Gordon.  

 

Angelina,Louise & Lydia who named for who.  These are my sisters names & mine.

Obit Agnes "Nancy" (Isbister) Yaw

 

--The Buckly Chronicle.  14 July 1899.

Finding Love in Artesia Township Part II

After the death of his wife, Cynthia, Henry Yaw did not have to look far for a new wife and a mother for his five children.  Henry married Agnes "Nancy" Isbister on February 11, 1877 in Iroquois County.  Nancy lived in Artesia Township with the Isbister family that arrived in America August 17, 1833.  She may have been married prior to Henry, but I cannot find definitive information. Nor can I find any children born to Nancy Isbister.  Henry and Cynthia Robbins Yaw had five children.

This may be a photo of Agnes "Nancy" Isbister Yaw.  It was with Grandma Arnold's collection. It was taken at H. W. Lawhead Photography located in Onarga and Gilman, Illinois.  On the back is written in pencil "Aunt Nancy Yaw." 

Nancy is also a sister to William Isbister.  William was married to Mary Burrill, my great, great grandmother also from Artesia Township, Iroquois County, Illinois. He died young and Mary Burrill Isbister married next Julius Day. 

Nancy arrived in New York on August 17, 1833, from Scotland at the age of five weeks. Her parents are Caleb Isbister and Elizabeth Newton Isbister. Caleb is buried at the Lisk Cemetery not far from Thawville, Iroquois County, Illinois.

William Isbister, Mary Burrill's first husband was not born until 1840 in Pennsylvania.

Lisk Cemetery Photo Below.  Caleb Isbister.  I have seen this stone many times and photographed it myself; but I can't remember the inscription, if Elizabeth is buried here also.  I assume, but I will have to find my photos to confirm. Caleb died September 23, 1877.

So Nancy Isbister was married to Henry Yaw, being his second wife after the death of Cynthia Robbins Yaw; and Nancy's brother, William, was married to Mary Burrill. Mary later married Julius Day.  They are the parents of Stella Day, Grandma Arnold's mother.  There is more information on this page on Mary Burrill. Nancy is connected on both the Robbins and Day side of my family but with no DNA connection. 

Nancy Isbister Yaw is buried at the Onarga Cemetery, Iroquois County, Illinois along with Henry and Cynthia Robbins.

Cynthia Jane (Robbins) Yaw

I like to research all the siblings of my direct lines.  Not sure why, I just find some interesting information along the way.  I like to find their graves and read the obituaries, sometimes this "side" research can provide more clues, photos, documents, and relatives.  

Cynthia Jane Robbins is the oldest child of Edwin Dwight Robbins and Louisa (Bishop) Robbins.  She was born April 17, 1836, in Salem, Kenosha County, Wisconsin.  Cynthia is a sister to my great, great, great grandfather, Edwin Dwight Robbins. 

Cynthia married Henry Yaw October 5, 1854 in Racine, Wisconsin. Henry Yaw was born in Rowe, Franklin County, Massachusetts, to Pardon Yaw and Sylvia (Bliss) Yaw.  He was one of 18 children born to Pardon and Sylvia. 

In the 1860 Census Henry and Cynthia are located in Berrien County Michigan.  Henry is 36 and Cynthia 24.  They have two children at this time. They will have a total of five children prior to Cynthia's death May 26, 1866.  She was 30 years old. Their children:

Dwight Edwin Yaw m. Emma Jane Caylor

Emma Josephine Jane Yaw m. Robert Sterling Perkinson

Milton Henry Yaw m. Mary Lucina Hallett

Benjamin Pardon Yaw m. Elizabeth Harbaugh

Sylvia L. Yaw m. John W. Wykoff

1860 Census, Township of Galien, Berrien County, Michigan (Below)

Henry Yaw, Cynthia Jane Robbins, Edwin Dwight Yaw, Emma Jane Yaw.

I did find this great photo of Henry Yaw on Ancestry.  I have not found a photo of Cynthia.

Cynthia died May 26, 1866, at 30 years of age.  She is buried at the Onarga Cemetery, Onarga, Iroquois County, Illinois. Cynthia (Robbine) Yaw and Henry Yaw may have been the first to arrive in Iroquois County, as they obviously were here before her death in May of 1866.  More research needed.  I am curious who in the family was first to settle in Iroquois County.

I have visited Cynthia's grave in Onarga. Also buried at this site withe their names all on one stone: Agnes Nancy (Isbister) Yaw, Sylvia (Yaw) Wykoff, and Henry Yaw.  Agnes is the second wife of Henry Yaw, and Sylvia is Henry and Cynthia's youngest child.  She died at age 37 and was married to John Wykoff, but her husband is not buried here.  Henry Yaw and Agnes Nancy Isbister were married in Iroquois County February 6, 1877, eleven years after the death of Cynthia.  I believe Henry raised his five children, with the youngest being just two years of age when their mother, died until his marriage to Agnes Isbister in 1877.  

The 1870 Federal Census shows an unmarried Henry living with his five children in Artesia Township, Iroquois County, Illinois.  It does list a housekeeper and farm hand. 

Cynthia Robbins Yaw and Henry Yaw settled in Iroquois County sometime after July 16, 1860, (1860 Michigan Federal Census) and prior to the death of Cynthia on May 26, 1866.

 

 

Robbins Family Arrives in Illinois

Edwin Dwight Robbins and Louisa (Bishop) Robbins arrived in the Town of Onarga, Iroquois County, Illinois, sometime prior to June of 1870. The family appears in the 1850 and 1860 Federal Census in Salem, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, and in the Census of 1870 at Onarga, Iroquois County, Illinois.  They have five children total: 

Cynthia Jane Robbins m. Henry Yaw

Edwin Gustave Sheltusky Robbins m. Alice Ann VanDuzer

Anna Louise Robbins m. Augustus Theobold Drom

Emma E. Robbins never married

Helen Patience Robbins m. Walter B. Hanson

1850 Census Salem, Kenosha County, Wisconsin (Below)

Edwin, Louisa, Cynthia J., Edwin G., and Ann L.  Their two youngest children are not born yet.  Emma and Helen.

1860 Census, Salem, Kenosha County, Wisconsin (Below)

Edwin, Louisa, Edwin G., Anna L., Emma and Ellen. Edwin G. S. is 21, living at home and farming with his father. Cynthia Jane does not appear in the 1860 Census with the family.  She has married Henry Yaw, and they are residing in Michigan. Emma and Helen/Ellen now appear in the 1860 count. 

1860 Census, Township of Galien, Berrien County, Michigan (Below)

Henry Yaw, Cynthia Jane Robbins, Edwin Dwight Yaw, Emma Jane Yaw.

1870 Census, Town of Onarga, Iroquois County, Illinois (Below)

Edwin, Louisa, Emma and Helen. Edwin G. S., and Anna Louise have also moved from the family home.

1870 Census, Township of Artesia, Iroquois County, Illinois (Below)

Edwin G. S., Alice Ann, Lillian, Fred, Edith. 

Artesia Township 1884