52 Weeks To Better Genealogy - Challenge #2

I'm choosing to write about Wallace State Community College's genealogy collection rather than my local library(Hanceville branch of Cullman Co. Public Library System). WSCC Genealogy library is one of the best library collections for southeastern US research. I am fortunate to live only 2 minutes away from the library although I don't get to visit nearly as much as I'd like. I first became interested in family history research in the late 1980's. In 1990 after experiencing a personal loss, I decided that researching my family history would be a good way to keep busy. I was correct. A friend took me to the WSCC library, which at that time was mainly on the 5th floor of the library. Today the genealogy collection is housed on the 5th and the 6th floor of the library. The 5th floor contains mainly microfiche, microfilm, indexes and military books as well as computer stations. The 6th floor has many books covering a wide variety of research topics, surnames and areas.

The Genealogy and Family History Department is headed by Bob Davis(genws@hiwaay.net). The department offers a wide range of genealogical classes for college credit however if you wish to take them without college credit you can do so for $30 a semester regardless of how many you take under the Continuing Education Credit. You can also order microfilm from LDS's vast collection through WSCC.

If you have a PDF reader you can read and print outlines for research on a variety of topics by clicking on the links in the left column of the page. If you don't have a PDF reader you may download by clicking on the word ADOBE. Try a search of the WSCC Card Catalog or take a virtual tour of the campus.

Elisha Miller Robinson(1825-1896)

In my search for a subject for my blog I began looking over photographs of stones in the Arkadelphia Cemetery here in Cullman Co. Alabama which I'd photographed several years ago. My daughter has several paternal ancestors resting there(mostly Hoglands). As I walked through the cemetery, the gravestone of Elisha M. Robinson had caught my eye and I made sure we got a picture of his and his wife's gravestones. Later while reviewing the photographs I noticed another Robinson. I had taken a picture of Emma Robinson McAnnally's stone(the McAnnally surname is another from this area in my daughter's paternal lines). Emma, as fate would have it, was the daughter of Elisha & Nancy E. Duncan Robinson.


With the information from Elisha's stone I went looking for records online so that I could learn more about him and his family. There is a good bit online about him though some of it is hard to follow.


Elisha Miller Robinson was most likely the son of Joseph A. Robinson & Betsey Miller of South Carolina. He is enumerated in Chattooga Co. GA in the 1850 census with his 1st wife Emily Caroline Stamper and 3 of their children--Jacob A. Robinson, Joseph Taylor Robinson and James Peyton Robinson.







His first wife Emily died in 1853 according to files at WorldConnect


He married Nancy E. Duncan 17 AUG 1854 in Floyd Co GA and moved the family to the town of Arkadelphia Alabama which at that time was in Walker Co. AL.(present day area of Cullman Co.). They are enumerated in the 1860 Walker Co AL census in Arkadelphia Alabama






You can read more about Elisha Miller Robinson's Civil War Service at
the following link.


Elisha Miller Robinson's life in Civil war Prison Camp--


Story from Archaeology.com magazine about Elisha Miller Robinson's life in a Civil War Prison Camp--as told by Dr. William B. Gresham, Jr., Birmingham, AL



A bit of info in the images at Footnote.com list the following

Elisha Robinson Civil War AL 13th Infantry

Description 5'10"

Fair Complexion

Dark Hair

Dark Eyes

Captured in Vicksburg Miss July 4 1863


Just doing a quick search I did not find the family in 1870 though they were in Blount Co. AL in 1880.






Pictures of gravestones relating to this family online at my SEROOTS site.


Elisha Miller Robinson

Born:    26 Feb 1825

Died:    08 Jan 1896

Buried: Arkadelphia Cemetery 



1st Wife--Emily Caroline Stamper

Born:   11 April 1827

Married:  29 Jan 1845 Chattooga Co GA

[source: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/chattooga/vitals/nzbride.txt]
Died:   19 Jan 1853



Children of Elisha Miller Robinson & Emily Caroline Stamper

Jacob A Robinson
          
B 19 Nov 1845

D 15 Jan 1895



Joseph Taylor Robinson

B 19 May 1847

D



James Paton Robinson

B 24 Jan 1849

D 14 Apr 1929 Cullman Co. AL

[Source: Film number: 1908465 Reference number: cn 10177
Collection: Alabama Statewide Deaths 1908-1974 ]



2nd Wife--Nancy E Duncan

Born:    8 Jan 1829

Married:  17 AUG 1854 in Floyd Co. GA

[Source: Vol. A (2nd volume) 1852-1873 FHL US/CAN Film 282712 ]

Died:  26 Sept. 1897

Buried in Arkadelphia Cem.



Children of Elisha Miller Robinson & Nancy E Duncan



Thomas Franklin Robinson 

B 18 July 1855

D 14 April 1926



Thomas Franklin Robinson's Bio from Notable Men of Alabama

--


John Robinson

B

D



Emily Robinson (wife of Allison Cicero McAnnally)

B 11 Oct 1858

D 12 Nov 1912

Emma Robinson McAnnally is enumerated in the Bryce Hospital for the mentally ill in Tuscaloosa AL at the time of the 1900 census. One of the stones located at Arkadelphia cemetery is that of her infant son, Elisha McAnnally. No doubt that played a big part in her mental state. She also lost several family members during the time period from 1895 to 1900.



Very interesting family to follow across the years.