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

Louise D. Bishop Robbins

Cousin, Steve Mitchell, shared this photo of my great, great, great grandmother, Louise Bishop, on Ancestry in 2017.  I had never seen this photo prior.  Grandma Arnold would have loved seeing this.  She did a lot of research on the Bishop line with many handwritten letters among cousins discussing their family histories. 

Louise/Louisa was born 26 December 1814, in Madison County, New York.  She married Edwin Dwight Robbins in New York.  Louise died 2 August 1886, and is buried in the Onarga Cemetery, Onarga, Iroquois County, Illinois.  

In the 1860 Federal Census, Louisa and Edwin are listed in Salem, Wisconsin.  But by the 1870 census they are living in Artesia Township in Illinois with their two youngest children, Emma and Helen.  Edwin and Louise had five children:

1. Cynthia Jane "Jane"

2. Edwin Gustave Sheltusky **Our line**

3. Anna Louise 

4. Emma E

5. Helen Patience "Nellie"

For some unknown reason Edwin Robbins is buried in Florida and not with his wife in Onarga. I have not found his grave site.  Louise is buried with her daughter, Emma Robbins.  I have visited their graves many times.  Note on the headstone their middle initials are given.  I don't know their middle names.   

Their graves are located in Block 3. Lot 45.