1908 Letter about Alexander Robinson
From: Sam.Boyd@hub.ima.infomail.com (Sam Boyd)
Date: 04 Mar 95 05:06:00 -0600
Subject: 1908 LETTER
Organization: Austin InfoMail Association - Austin, TX
To: wll1@ra.MsState.edu
Cc: green@bigbird.csd.scarolina.edu
Wendell and James,
Here is the 1908 Letter:
TO: MOBLEY, ROBINSON, DRANE, BOYD descendants
To: Nickolas COLVIN descendants
From: Sam Boyd
Subject: EFFIE DRANE
--------------------------
I am trying to locate the descendants of EFFIE DRANE as they
probably have ROBINSON information I am trying to locate as
indicated by the letter of 1908 included below. Effie
DRANE, b. ____, d. ____ , Starkville, MS (Oktibbeha Co.).
She was still alive in 1908.
Effie Drane was the 20th child of:
Alexander S. ROBINSON, b. 1819, SC, d. 1890, Choctaw or Oktibbeha Co., MS
m. 1st) 1842 Pamela or Permelia ESTES
m. 2nd) 1874 Frances I. LOVE (probably Effie's mother)
Below is a 1908 letter written by Frances Elizabeth ROBINSON DAVIS (Fannie
E. DAVIS) to
Margaret (Maggie) BOYD, b. 11-12-1855, Choctaw Co., MS, d. 9-18-1945,
Yoakum, TX (Lavaca - DeWitt Co.). I obtained a copy of this letter from
Eddie Lucretia CROW PEACOCK.
---------------------------
Lake, Miss
April the 24th, 1908
Miss Maggie Boyd
Yoakum, Tex.
Dear Cousin,
Your letter rec'd several days ago and I was sick is why this
tardiness. Four years ago was strickened with paralysis which left me
paralized so badly that for days and days at time I could not possibly
write if life depended on it - hence this delay.
Page 2
I did have quite a nice collection - items, dates, when titles were
confirmed by Parliament oh, but once when Lillie was house cleaning
while I was away she burnt them up. It was foolish I know but it
caused me many many tears. However Effie DRANE has some or most of
all I had, but I was cited ? writing ? to a distant relative of ours
Mr. Nickolas COLVIN a very very old man of Halseyville, S.C. His
father too was from Scotland and he gave me a better insight into all
I wished to know than anyone else,
Page 3
but he has since died and I cannot
hear any more. My letters are all returned am so sorry I did not get
my last records copied for Cousin Wash FOSTER and Effie, they both
have quiet an interest in our ancestry and are so glad to get any
item whatever. And I will tell you the best I can remember all I
know, and Maggie, you can write to either of those and they will
gladly copy what they have for you, both copied my first collection.
Cousin Joe (Dr. Joseph Wiley ROBINSON) asked me
Page 4
for a copy of mine, but I did not get before mine was destroyed - I
would ask them for the same but my life is very near its close, so I
will not bother any more.
Our great grand Father ROBINSON came from Scotland just prior to the
revolution and took quite an active part he being a "Mag" his name
was "John" and his wife was Margaret CAMERON ROBINSON a lady of rare
culture I have (or heard) my Mother she was living though very old
when Ma went to Fairfield a bride. She had married again and her
name was then McKeown (now believed to be McEwen- sb). Aunt Eliza
BOYD used to tell me of them I know now I worried her awfully,
I would beg her to tell me, and oh how I enjoyed, I
Page 5
I would listen for hours and hours. She would tell of her court
dresses and their long trains and high ruffs and quaint funny bonnets,
also grandfather's bright colored clothes, pants coats vests all
different colors and so so bright his gold knee and shoe buckles
and even his hair ribbons very flashy some pants were blue-green-
yellow-purple for instance if pants were yellow coat would be
purple and vest would be green with red flowers pants all cut to
knee finished with fine rare lace ruffles, stockings white with
sandle slippers. Do you know I would give anything for one of
his knee or slipper buckles, But
Page 6
she willed them all to her three daughters, whom were Mrs. Julia
KENNEDY, Mrs. Elizabeth BANKS, and Mrs. Margaret MILLER and the
sons were Joseph (cousin Joe's grandfather), Simor (or Simeon ? sb),
(Cousin Wash's Grandfather), John (our grandfather), Alex, and
Archer, latter moved to Tenn, and was killed by falling tree. Alex
lived and died in S.C. died in prime of life and only left two
children, both daughters, one of whom married man named TOLLIVER,
spelled Talifearirh, hence Judge William PRICE's branch. [Note from
ECP - According to The Mobley's and Their Connections, Mr. Dixon
states that Alexander married a Susan Mobley who, after Alexander's
death married Richard TALIAFERRO, pronounced Toliver] I have
heard Uncle Alex and my Mother laugh often of great grandfathers
patriotism, Ma did not know grandfather
Page 7
He having died long before she went to Fairfield but had often
heard of circumstance. He, grand father was home on furlough and
neighbors and friends were invited in to tea in honor of his
homecoming and before dispersing for the night, assembled children,
servants and she being very religious for prayers, she read a
chapter"her husband being a great stammerer-when finished, she
asked him to lead in prayer. He not being very religiously
inclined asked to be excused as had also the guests, where upon
the dear good dame essayed to do herself, prayer was drawing
to a close and having
Page 8
been taught all his life to ask God's blessings on King George and
the royal family and when her husband arrested her, saying Stop
Peggie, let me finish for you when he fervently and humbly asked
God to bless George Washington and the Continental army and oh
do good Lord curse and damn King George and the royal family.
Effie can also tell you when and how to get the books you wish.
She had some when I saw her last. The ROBINSONS were I think
orriginally from Suffolk in Ireland I mean a way back yonder
but our people were from Scotland and the MOBLEYS are Welch
[Note by ECP - They were from Englan, Sheffield and Cheshire]
I have never been
Page 9
able to gleam any knowledge of them as far back as I wished
to know but perhaps by writing to Mrs. Lillie MOBLEY DOUGLAS -
her P.O. use to be Cornwell but I think she is on a RDR from
Chester, anyway if you address her at Chester she will get it.
She is the only one living now of a family of six. I regret
I was so negligent nearly all are now dead that could tell
us anything. Lillie MOBLEY DOUGLAS was a Mobley and married
a MOBLEY. She and her husband were both first cousins of my
Father and Aunt Marys husband was Dr. Isiah MOBLEY, whom
Mobley CROW was named for and Uncle John CORNWELL's second
wife was Alice, 3rd daughter Lille is this ______
Page 10
Sue the youngest died a year ago of the six sisters Lillie is
the only one living The five died within the last three
years, four died of paralysis and Sue of stomic trouble it is
thought. Lillie will marry her sister Kate's husband Mr. Robert
MACKBEE of Memphis. Am sorry indeed I can not furnish information
you asked for, but write either to Cousin Wash or Effie either will
gladly copy them for you, yet there is little or nothing pertaining
to the revolution, but gives the year of their coming. It is a
kind of synopsis of the ROBINSON family. Give my very best love
to Cousin Mary Crete and Epie. Now Missie is no more [Note by ECP-
Missie PREWITT having died] I fear they will never again come
to this state.
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Maggie dear I will have to ask to look all imperfections in
penmenship, oh you haven't the remotest idea how it tires me to
write. I am oh so weak too weak somethimes to breathe and
this perpetual jerking is so awful. am loosing flesh so
rapidly.
Very Truly
Fannie E. DAVIS
