January 19, 2026

Julius E. Day Obit

I don't recall ever seeing this obituary.  That can't be true. 

Julius is the father of Stella Burrill (Day) Robbins.  Stella is the mother of my grandmother, Mildred (Robbins) Day.  Me, dad, Mildred (Robbins) Arnold, Stella (Burrill) Day, Julius E. Day and Mary (Burrill) Day. 

Julius Day died February 17, 1923, in Harvey, Illinois. 

Quoting from paper below:

"The body was brought to Buckley on Monday morning and interment took place at the family lot in the home cemetery."  

What is this saying?  I never could find a burial site in Find A Grave for Julius or his wife, Mary (Burrill) Day.  None in Thawville nor Woodland Cemetery in Buckley.  I transcribed all the stones in Woodland Cemetery several years ago.  Julius has family buried there . . . his father, mother, aunts and uncles and his son. 

Are they buried at their home site? I doubt it . . . 1923 is pretty late for a burial on the farm.  He is probably buried at Woodland in Buckley "at the family lot in the home cemetery" as his father, mother, and son, Ralph, are all buried there. There is no stone for Julius and Mary Day located in that family lot though.  

--The Paxton Record.  Paxton, Ford County, Illinois, 22 February 1923.  Page 2.
--Woodland Cemetery, Buckley, Iroquois County, Illinois.  

I don't recall the name on the small stone.  I'll have to look that up from my notes.  I am thinking it was Sprague.  More research.  

January 11, 2026

Unknown. Can you identify?

On the back of the post card, From Dorothy Gates 08/17/1968.  So this would probably be the Burrill/Day line.  Stella (Day) Robbins is in the photo (somewhere), and Grandma Arnold's grandparents according to Dorothy's note.  Can you identify anyone?  Let me know.

jandowell@hotmail.com


Mildred, you'll know who these relative are!  I know your mother is here.  So you'll recognize all the rest, lots more than I do! I'm sure who your grandfather and grandmother are, but not the others.


           

Perkinson Family Hold Reunion

 A yellowed clipping from Grandma Arnold's collection, dated 1963.




Children of Cynthia (Robbins) Yaw - Emma Josephine Jane

Emma Josephine Jane Yaw, oldest daughter and second child of Henry Yaw and Cynthia Robbins Yaw, and Robert Sterling Perkinson. I colorized the photo on Ancestry. Grandma Arnold has quite a few photos and newspaper clippings for the Perkinson family . . . a lot of information that I will probably update and post on the Perkinson line.  So keep checking back if you are researching this line.  Robbins/Yaw/Perkinson.   

Emma Robbins

b 9 Dec 1858

m Robert Sterling Perkinson 29 Dec 1880 at the home of the bride's parents in rural Thawville, Illinois. 

d 11 Aug 1929 buried Onarga Cemetery, Onarga, Iroquois County, Illinois.

Robert and Emma had 8 children:
Henry Paige "Paige" Perkinson
Milton Sterling Perkinson
Percy Allan Perkinson
Ermin Agnes Perkinson
Harriet Edith Perkinson
Anna Estella "Stella" Perkinson
William Rober Perkinson
Bessie Evangelina Perkinson

Emma died in 1929.  After her death, Robert S. Perkinson married Lillian (Robbins) Pacey, daughter of Edwin G. S. Robbins and Alice Ann VanDuzer Robbins.  

Robert's first wife, Emma (above) was the daughter of Henry Yaw and Cynthia Robbins Yaw.  Both granddaughters of Edwin Dwight Robbins and Louisa Bishop . . . making them first cousins.  Lillian's father (Edwin G. S.) and Emma's mother (Cynthia Robbins Yaw) were siblings.  Do I have that right?  I think so.  

Lillian Robbins was married first to Frank Pacey.  She had no children with either spouse. Frank died in 1929 and Emma died in 1929.  Robert Perkinson married Lillian Robbins 20 June 1931 in Livingston County, Illinois. 

Below photo, children of Robert Sterling and Emma (Yaw) Perkinson.
Back row left to right:  Bessie, Percy, William
Front row left to right:  Anna Estella, Ermine, Henry Paige

Interesting tidbit. . .

Henry Paige "Paige" Perkinson.  Front row, far right. 

Paige married:
1.  Bertha Isabelle Vanduzer
2.  Erma Vanduzer
These Vanduzer sisters that married Henry Paige Perkinson were the daughters of Walter Judson Vanduzer and Emma Jones.  Walter Judson Vanduzer was a brother to our direct line Alice Ann Vanduzer. All are buried at Ridgeland Township Cemetery.  Thawville, Iroquois County, Illinois.

November 29, 2025

Children of Cynthia (Robbins) Yaw - Dwight Edwin

Cynthia Robbins, daughter of Edwin Dwight Robbins and Louisa Bishop, married Henry Yaw 5 October 1854 in Racine, Wisconsin.  Cynthia and Henry had five children before her early death at age 30. 

Cynthia and Henry are in Artesia Township, Iroquois Co., Illinois, prior to 3 July 1865 per the Illinois State Census Collection 1825-1865. (And a recent find a deed dated 13 May 1865 for Artesia Township.)

DWIGHT EDWIN YAW, oldest child of Henry Yaw and Cynthia Robbins Yaw: 

b 7 April 1857 in Galien, Berrien County, Michigan.  
m Emma Jane Caylor 7 December 1881 in Gibson City, Ford Co., Illinois.
d 11 April 1930
They resided in the Onarga area. Dwight was a carpenter per his death certificate and census records. Buried Onarga Cemetery, Onarga, Iroquois County, Illinois.

 



Children of Dwight and Emma Caylor Yaw:
Herman Yaw
Frank W Yaw buried Onarga Cemetery 
Fern S Yaw buried Onarga Cemetery
Harold Vance Yaw 

--The Paxton Record.  15 February 1945.  Page 1.
 

Deed Henry Yaw Artesia Township 13 May 1865

Henry Yaw and Cynthia (Robbins) Yaw's first recorded purchase in Artesia Township is 13 May 1865. The north half of the northeast Quarter of Section 8, Artesia Township, Iroquois County, Illinois.
 
Are they the first of the family to settle in Artesia Township? More research.  
 
--Image from Family Search.   

November 08, 2025

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.

October 05, 2025

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.

September 28, 2025

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.
 
 

September 14, 2025

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

August 10, 2025

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.

July 27, 2025

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. 

July 13, 2025

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?