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.  

 

Artesia Township, Iroquois County, Illinois. 1865

 

The 1865 State Census of Artesia Township in Iroquois County lists five families from our lineage. I cannot find any of these families in the 1860 Federal Census.   

Caleb Isbester father of William Isbester m Mary Burrill (1st marriage)

Henry Yaw  m Cynthia Robbins dau of Edwin and Louisa (Bishop) Robbins

August T. Drom  m Anna Louis dau of Edwin and Louisa (Bishop) Robbins

Edwin G. S. Robbins son of Edwin and Louisa (Bishop) Robbins

Ebenezer Day father of Julius Day m Mary Burrill (2nd marriage)

And possibly Charles Van Deuser.  More research needed.

Finding Love in Artesia Township

My sister, Jackie, told me "Neighbors married neighbors."  That was your little world in rural America . . . your dating pool.  Hopefully your neighbors were good looking or at least somewhat interesting.  

I am going to attempt to explain Artesia Township, Iroquois County, Illinois, and the Robbins, Day, Burrill, Isbister, Yaw, Perkinson, Mitchell, Sprague, Pacey family connections. 

I located an Iroquois County atlas on Family Search.  This book on Family Search was a reprint of plats from 1884, 1904 and 1921.  Unfortunately, there were some errors in the reprinting process.  But I knew exactly where my family was located in Artesia Township (sections 7,8,9) and found the correct maps.  

The cover:

Artesia Township 1884 and detailed 1884.  Thawville is located in the upper left corner of Artesia Township and Buckley to the lower right. (Below):

From L to R:  John Mitchell (married a Robbins girl), C. W. Sprague (married a Burrill girl), Henry Yaw (married a Robbins girl), Edwin G. Robbins, and Julius E. Day. Almost all of these families remained in this area and are buried at Ridgeland Cemetery near Thawville, Illinois, or the Onarga Cemetery in Onarga, Illinois.  John Mitchell  and Mary Alice Robbins moved out of the area. (Cousin Stephen Mitchell is on Ancestry and has contributed some great family photos.)

  

The Veatch School is circled in red.  I imagine most of our family received at least their elementary education at this school.  I think I have a photo of it somewhere. I'll try to find that.  

Artesia Township 1904 (Below):

In the 1884 map, there is a new land owner, R. S. Perkinson (married a Robbins girl.)

Artesia Township 1921 (Below):

The 1921 plat shows some changes with Alice Robbins now owning 40 acres and F. A. Pacey (married a Robbins girl) next to her 40. Olin Robbins and Halsey Robbins are now owners of property in Artesia Township also.  And R. S. Perkinson owns more land.  The tiny squares that I have circled in red in the sections are homes.  I know the home my Grandma Arnold was born and raised still stands on the H. D. Robbins land on this plat (section 8.) I'll need to do more research on the other homes.  

All very interesting and will require a road trip soon.  More to come on these family connections. 

Artesia Township

 Artesia Township, Iroquois County, Illinois.  1904.

Emily Bridge Burrill

Death certificate for Emily Burrill. A sister to my great, great grandmother, Mary (Burrill) Isbester Day.  Emily never married and was a teacher in the Boston area.  Why her middle name is "Bridge" is a mystery.  

My Grandma Arnold was also researching this line many years ago.  She does have some confusing notes on Emily Bridge Burrill and not many details.  Grandma's notes list an "Emily Bridge, daughter of Herman and Nancy C. Bridge born July 24th, 1838. Herman Bridge, born in Dorchester Mass June 16, 1875.  Herman Bridge died Nov 3, 1863 aged 52 years. Sophia Bridge died Dec. 15, 1863 age 56. Emily died Aug 26, 1849, 11 years."  No clue who the Bridges are.  

Anyone have any thoughts on this?  A family friend that John and Mary Ann named their daughter after, maybe?  A family name?

Burrill Family by Emily (Sprague) Wilcox

A family history written by Emily (Sprague) Wilcox.  

John Burrill and Mary Ann Bailey of Boston had seven children.  John Burrill ran a meat shop in Boston.  He died when he was in his forties.  Mary Ann supported the family by keeping boarders in their home.

1.  John Henry Burrill was a traveling salesman.  He and his wife died young.

2.  Caroline Elizabeth Burrill married Charles Sprague also of Boston.  Charles served many years in the Civil War. Charles and Caroline located in Illinois after the war. They bought a farm three miles south of Thawville.

3.  Charles Burrill  Had a store in partnership with another man, but the store was destroyed in the Great Boston Fire. 

4.  Mary Ann Burrill married first William Isbester (ex Civil War soldier) second Julius Day.  She is my great, great grandmother. Mary had two children (Will and Bessie) with her first husband, William, who died when their children were small. They were living near Thawville, Illinois, at the time.  She next married an Illinois farmer, Julius Day.  They had three children:  Stella (mother of my grandmother, Mildred (Robbins) Day, Ralph, and Caroline.

5.  Emma Frances  Never married. Teacher in Boston.

6.  Emily Bridge  Never married.  Teacher in Boston. 

7.  Edward "Ned"  Never married.  

Mary Ann Burrill's Siblings

Mary Ann's siblings.  Their parents are John Burrill and Mary Ann Bailey of Boston.  More on them later. 

Mary Ann Burrill of Boston

Who I am researching now . . . my great, great grandmother, Mary Ann Burrill, first marriage to William Isbester, second marriage to my great, great grandfather, Julius Elliot Day. 

 

Written by Mary's daughter, Emily (Burrill) Wilcox (Emily's mother was Caroline Elizabeth (Burrill) Sprague,) to my grandma, Mildred (Robbins) Arnold, in 1956: 

"My mother's sister, Mary Burrill, came out to visit my folks. 

William Isbester, an ex-soldier fell in love with her, and they were married, and lived on a farm adjoining my father's. The had two children Bessie and Willie. Bessie died when she was a baby and was buried in the Lisk Cemetery (this is near Thawville, Illinois.) Then their father came down with tuberculosis, and the family went to California for his health, but he died there, and Willie and his mother came back to Illinois. The lived with my folks for a while, and part of the time in Boston with her family.
Several years later she married Julius Day, and they were your grandparents, and lived in the same house you did when you were growing up."

Anyone Recognize this Home?

 

Does anyone recognize this home.  Possibly located rural Thawville or Buckley, Illinois area?