Growing Up With Jasper Indiana: The Edmonston Family

In November 2012 I wrote a blog post titled Bazil Brooke Edmonston, Indiana Pioneer.  It gave of brief biographical account of my 5xgreat-grandfather, mentioning his move to Dubois county Indiana.  Now, almost a year later, I want to return to his story.

Bazil Brooke Edmonston sr and his wife Hannah Rose Edmonston, settled in Dubois county Indiana in 1818, living near the White River in Harbison township.  Later they moved closer to the future town of Jasper.  Three of their ten children remained in Dubois county – Bazil Brooke Edmonston jr, Benjamin Rose Edmonston, and Nancy Edmonston who did not marry. 

The town of Jasper was established in the mid 1820’s, and became the county seat for Dubois county in 1830.  Tradition suggests that the town name, Jasper, comes from Revelations 21:19, “and the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones . . . the first foundation was of Jasper.”

The Edmonston family is frequently mentioned in George R Wilson’s, “History of Dubois County from Its Primitive Days to 1910”. According to Nancy Edmonston Weathers, "the first house erected in the original town of Jasper was built on lot 153, by B. B. Edmonston, Sr (her grandfather), about 1830 . . The house became the first post office at Jasper and its owner was the first postmaster. Mail then came from Vincennes and Paoli once a week.”  Nancy Edmonston Weathers was the daughter of Bazil B Edmonston jr.  She tells about her school room in the first Court House at Jasper, and the oxen teams that pulled goods between the towns of Troy and Jasper. 

Besides being the first Postmaster of Jasper, Bazil B Edmonston (sr) served as Associate Judge and Probate Judge until his death in 1841.  According to George R Wilson, Col B B Edmondson (jr), namesake of his father, was “for a long time one of the most prominent officials of Dubois county. His hospitable home stood at the west end of Eighth street in the town of Jasper, and here he fed and housed hundreds of guests.

It is thought that most of the Edmonstons were Presbyterian, probably participating at the Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church near Jasper.  Several members of the family are buried in the adjoining cemetery.  Wilson’s Dubois County history informs us:

Shiloh camp ground was for years a place of Protestant worship, and here gathered the Armstrongs, Alexanders, Andersons, Dillons, Stewarts, Normans, McMahans, Kelsoes, Roses, Brittains, and many other pioneer families from the northwest quarter of Dubois county. It is said that the most eloquent sermons of pioneer days were delivered at Shiloh. Log houses or huts were erected forming a hollow square, and in this square church services were held. This was long before a meeting-house had been
Erected . . Meeting House. The church edifice was built in 1849. A cemetery was started in what was once the hollow square, in 1860. Miss Minerva Edmonston, a daughter of Col. B. B. Edmonston, was the first to find a grave at Shiloh . . Protestants, strict in their church creed, both at Ireland and Jasper, favor Shiloh as a burial ground. Here lie the remains of many of the most prominent pioneer families associated with Jasper and Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

More details on the Edmonston family, and their years in Dubois county Indiana, are available at Family Stories, pamgarrett.com.


Photo:  Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church, southeast of Ireland in Dubois county Indiana.  Built in 1849, the church and cemetery are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Photo, by Nyttend, was submitted for use to Wikimedia Commons in 2011.

Moving back in time:  Albert Luther Clarkson 1901 > Samuel Edwin Clarkson 1875 > Elizabeth Jane Robinson 1848 > Sarah Nugent Edmonston 1821 > William Edmonston 1796 >Bazil Brooke Edmonston (sr) 1766.


Further Reading:
My Own Edmonstons and a Few Others; Charles Ninian “Chuck” Edmonston, 1971.
Dubois County Indiana GenWeb
Shiloh Meeting House at the Ireland Indiana Website
Shiloh Church and Cemetery at Indiana GenWeb

Preston McGready Robinson, Washington County Missouri

Preston McGready Robinson, son of Archibald Robinson and Jane VanLear, was born on a farm near Caledonia, Washington county Missouri on 8 July 1820.  His older siblings were John Robinson and Sarah Robinson who came with their parents to Caledonia the very year Preston Robinson was born.  Later three more daughters, Mary Robinson, Jane Robinson and Elizabeth Robinson, were born to Archibald Robinson and Jane VanLear. 

The Robinson’s migration followed a few years after a group of mostly Scots – Irish families left Kentucky to settle the Bellevue Valley of Missouri and establish the little town of Caledonia.  The first lots were auctioned in Caledonia in 1819.  It isn’t clear whether the Robinsons set up housekeeping in the new town, or on a farm outside of town.  But, they must have played a role in the growth of a brand new community.  Today Caledonia is a small village in Washington county Missouri, but it is noted for its Nineteenth century charm, with thirty-three homes and buildings on the National Historic Register. 

Preston McGready Robinson, was married on 2 November 1847 in Washington county Missouri to Sarah Nugent Edmonston, daughter of William Edmonston and Elizabeth Royse of adjoining Reynolds county Missouri.  She was born 12 November 1831 in McComb, Illinois.  Preston was twenty-six years old and Sarah sixteen!  They were married by John Thomas, preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  The witnesses to their marriage included Sarah’s brother, John Edmons(t)on, and Preston’s sister, Elizabeth Robinson. 

The 1850 Census of Washington county Missouri, Belleview township, page 109, consecutively lists three young families – Richard and Elizabeth (Robinson) Terrill, Preston and Sarah Robinson, and Samuel and Jane (Robinson) Reyburn.  The father of these siblings, Archibald Robinson, is also in Belleview township, on page 117.  It would be interesting to know the location of this "family" homestead. 

Minimal record searching does not yet tell us much about what Preston Robinson did for a living, but in census records he is shown as farmer and planter.  The few deeds I have read show him selling parcels of land, probably inherited from his father Archibald Robinson, though there are some buying and selling transactions he may have initiated himself. 

Preston Robinson and Sarah Edmondston were the parents of five daughters.  Birthdates and marriage information were found on a hand-written record in some Robinson – Edmonston family papers: 
Elizabeth Jane Robinson;  born  11 Jan 1848; married Richard Albert Clarkson on 3 Sept 1868
Mary A Robinson; born  11 Dec 1850; married Robert Beebe on 24 Feb 1874
Martha Thomas Robinson; born 13 Nov 1852; married Newton Jasper Thompson on 3 Sep 1872
Julia Parkhurst Robinson; born 17 Jan  1855; married James P Ward on 12 July 1876
Joanna Robinson; born 24 Oct 1862; married Ezra Elmo Mason on 8 Jan  1878

Probably Sarah Edmondston Robinson was responsible for the education received by these five daughters.  Eldest daughter Elizabeth Jane Robinson was obviously intelligent, and a good business-woman in her later years. 

Southeast Missouri was not a major player in the action of the Civil War, but it did see both Union and Confederate troops moving through.  There was probably more fear stirred, and more property damaged by the Northern Jayhawkers and Southern Bushwhackers, local outlaws with personal grudges.  In 1864, Confederate General Sterling Price drove his men across Missouri in an event known as Price’s Raid.  The Battle of Pilot Knob occurred on 27 September 1864, when Price’s 12,000 troops faced a small garrison at Fort Davidson.  If our Robinson family was “at home”, they may have been aroused by this battle in the neighborhood. 

One final postscript to the seemingly admirable life of Preston McGready Robinson is a 1902 letter written by Richard Albert Clarkson, Preston Robinson's son-in-law, to his cousin Richard Mundie, which says:

Mr. Robinson, my wife's father has a tumor on his hand which they fear is a cancer.  The poor man cannot live much longer and the unfortunate part of it all is he is unprepared as we fear, for death.  The drink habit fastened itself upon him years ago and it has sapped his manhood.  Poor fellow, how I pity him.   

Preston Robinson died on 1 July 1903, at the age of eighty-three, and is buried in Hopewell Cemetery at Irondale in Washington county Missouri.  His obituary tell us, “About two months ago, he accepted Christ as his Saviour, and gave every evidence of being ready and waiting, simply trusting and with patience he calmly awaited the summons 'come up higher’. “ It credits him with twenty-six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

For more details on Preston McGready Robinson, visit his page at Family Stories, pamgarrett.com.


More Reading:
There is an article available on the internet, written by Thomas Flanders, published in the Spring 1992 issue of Ozarks Watch, and titled Kith and Kin of Caledonia.  It doesn’t include any mention of our Robinson family, but it gives a nice flavor to the community in which they lived. 

History of Caledonia Missouri, by Muriel Akers   

History of Irondale [Missouri], by Joy Scott

Photo:  Tombstone of Preston McGready Robinson and his wife Sarah Nugent Edmonston Robinson in Hopewell Cemetery, Irondale, Washington county Missouri.  Photo courtesy of Esther Ziock Carroll, at carrollscorner.net.  This is a fabulous website for learning more about Washington county Missouri!

Moving back in time:  Albert Luther Clarkson 1901 > Samuel Edwin Clarkson 1875 > Elizabeth Jane Robinson 1848 > Preston McGready Robinson  1820.

Is that you Grandma?

The Royse (Royce) family has been a recent topic on the Family Stories Blog.  My 5xgreat-grandfather, Frederick Royse, established the town of Fredericksburg Indiana in 1815.  This post introduces his youngest daughter, Elizabeth Royse, and corrects some misinformation related to her father, husband, and children. 

Elizabeth Royse is my 4xgreat-grandmother.  She was born in 1799, and moved with her family from Bardstown Kentucky to Washington county Indiana when she was still a girl.  An Edmonston family record indicates that Elizabeth Royce (Royse) married William Edmonston,  22 Feb 1816 or 1817.  No location is given, but at that time, William Edmonston was living in Jasper, Dubois county Indiana, about fifty miles west of the Royse home in Fredericksburg.  If these dates are correct, Elizabeth would have been about age sixteen or seventeen at the time of her marriage.

In the 1820 Census of Dubois county Indiana, it is of interest to note a Joseph Royse and a John Royse living within close proximity to William Edmonston.  I have not been successful in identifying Joseph and John Royse, but it seems possible that they are uncles or cousins to Elizabeth Royse Edmonston  – perhaps through her father’s brother, John Royse. Did these family connections bring about a meeting of William Edmonston and Elizabeth Royse?

About 1829, William Edmonston and his wife Elizabeth moved near Macomb Illinois where he served in as a representative for McDonough county in the Illinois State Legislature from 1832-1844.  Before 1850 they moved to Missouri where they lived in the counties of Reynolds, Bates, and finally Cooper county Missouri.   

William Edmonston and Elizabeth Royse were the parents of eight identified children:  John Royse Edmonston, Argyle Edmonston, Benjamin Franklin Edmonston, Sarah Nugent Edmonston, Elizabeth Edmonton, William Clay Edmonston, Thomas Benton Edmonston, and Bazil Edmonston. 

For a time there was a theory passed around that Elizabeth Royse was the daughter of a John Royse and Sarah Nugent.  I have never found evidence of this.  The 1826 Will of Frederick Royse in Washington county Indiana, names his daughter Betsy (Royse) Edmonson.  Betsy’s sister, Sarah (Royse) Nugent is also named.  Sarah is probably the aunt for whom Sarah Nugent Edmonston is named. 

Recently I have come across several family history databases on the web that suggest Elizabeth Royse, daughter of Frederick Royse, married a William Edmonson and was the mother of John, Martin, James, Lucy and Susan Edmonson.  On inspection I find this suggested family in 1850 and 1860 Harrison county Indiana.  But, the mother’s name is Susannah and a family record names her as Susannah Durr.   This is not the family of our Elizabeth Royse Edmonston. 

Recently I came across this wonderful photograph of Elizabeth Royse Edmonston at her Find A Grave memorial.  What a treat!  Cousin Ernest Edmonston has contributed some wonderful biographies, photos and documents there.  Family historians won't want to miss these!  - Elizabeth Royse at Find A Grave.

For more details on Elizabeth Royse and her husband William Edmonston, visit their pages at Family Stories, pamgarrett.com.

Moving back in time:  Albert Luther Clarkson 1901 > Samuel Edwin Clarkson 1875 > Elizabeth Jane Robinson 1848 > Sarah Nugent Edmonston 1821 > Elizabeth Royse 1799.

Bazil Brooke Edmonston, Indiana Pioneer

Bazil Brooke Edmonston plays a major role in My Own Edmonstons and a Few Others, the family history published by Charles Ninian “Chuck” Edmonston in 1971.  A remarkable gentleman with a large family, and even larger heart, Bazil Edmonston's entertaining and abundant correspondence, so painstakingly gathered by Chuck Edmonston, gives considerable insight into the entire Edmonston family line.

Bazil Brooke Edmonston is my 5xgreat-grandfather.  He was born in Prince Georges county Maryland 14 May 1766 and died January 1841 (about age seventy-five). As a young man he migrated first to North Carolina (Rutherford, Burke and Buncombe counties) and then to Indiana where he first set up on the White River in Harbison township, and later settled closer to the future town of Jasper in Dubois county Indiana. Bazil Brooke Edmonston was married to Hannah Rose about 1785 in North Carolina.  The story of her ancestry will be addressed in a future blog post.  They were the parents of a number of interesting children, including my own 4xgreat-grandfather, William Edmonston who married Elizabeth Royce.   

Bazil Brooke Edmonston, his wife, and a number of his children made the move from North Carolina to Dubois county Indiana in 1818, the same year the county was formed.  They were among the early settlers of this area.  Here are a few snippets from a letter written by Bazil Brooke Edmonston in July 1819, concerning his settlement in Indiana:

Well Beloved Children:

. . . I have wrote to you before concerning my moving to the River on the 23 November and has cleared 8 acres (of) first rate land in the State and in corn and it grows among the first rate water. I have built a snug cabbin, waggon shed and stabel etc. I saw then I was not able to make two sets of buildings . . .  And I have 2 acres first rate wheat turning ripe . . .  There is a quarter joining me (which) I intend to enter at the first opportunity as it is suitable to this place and if either or both of you intends coming here you can't come too soon, for land is entrying very fast on the other side of the Patoka River where there was no settlement when Ninian was out. We have sent on a petition to the Board of Commissioners for a new township with forty-nine odd signers so you may know how fast our county (several words missing) . . .

The family correspondence gives an interesting picture of the life and times of Bazil Edmonston and his family.  It is unfortunate that the letters, found spread around the country by Chuck Edmonston, don't cover a larger period of time. Much of what Chuck Edmonston gives in his book is paraphrased and not quoted. We mostly have a picture of Hannah Rose Edmonston as a very sick woman and then Bazil Edmonston as a widower, concerned with all the affairs about him and especially the affairs of his children. When he reports Hannah's death, 6 March 1831, he also says he has been appointed postmaster for the new town of Jasper which was made the seat of Dubois county Indiana in place of Portersville. He was building a new house. Bazil Edmonston was one of the first judges of the county Probate Court and served until his death in January 1841.

In the 1990's my mother, Blanche Aubin Clarkson Hutchison, read Charles Edmonston's book, researched on the Edmonston family, and wrote several brief biographies of the major characters.  For more details on Bazil Brooke Edmonston, visit his page at Family Stories, pamgarrett.com.

Letter: John Day to Bridgett Beatty, 1770

Charles Ninian Edmonston, author of My Own Edmonstons, collected a number of family letters.  These letters are briefly paraphrased, or quoted from, in his book.  I am placing this Beatty family letter here in its entirety.  It was written 10 October 1770 to Mrs Bridgett Beatty of Wilmington [North Carolina], care of Archibald McLaine, Esq in Philadelphia, from her brother, John Day.  A note is appended to the end of the letter, probably written by Charles Ninian Edmonston, that reads, "A descendant of these Beattys was Maria Beatty who married Thomas Benton Edmonston, son of Ninian Edmonston.  She died 11 April 1898, no record of the date of her birth.  Married 20 April 1876."  Thomas Benton Edmonston is my first cousin five times removed.  The original letter was in the possession of JN Himes of Haywood county, North Carolina, probably in the 1960's.

By a letter from Mr Archibald McLaine I received the Malacholy acct of the death of my dear old Uncle and of my brother's Beaty.  I cannot easily describe the shock it gave me.  Your situation appears to me truly distressing and afflicts me the more as I cannot properly quit this place in order to [be of] any assistance for I am connected in business with a man who knows nothing of it and of course the whole would stand still were I to go to you.  Besides this I have another consideration equally interesting.  My own affairs have been greatly embarrassed these few years past and I have waded through a sea of usury and apprehension in order to preserve a valuable estate to my family which I now find will be impossible as no person has ever lent me money on it but with a view to get my estate for a trifle which has drove me to the necessity of throwing myself out of the one usurer into that of another and as there is no one in Novascotia able to purchase my estate I am necessitated to dispose of it by a lottery which is to make its appearance next week. Thus situated, my dear sister, I cannot go to your assistance without injuring my family more than I can do you service.  I now write to Mr McLaine respecting your affairs.  Let me request it of you to exert yourself and be industrious to bring your matters to a speedy conclusion for the endeavors of your best friends will not succeed unless you stir yourself.  Let me beg of you to avoid lawsuits; they have been destructive to our family.  I would further recommend it to you not to leave N. Carolina until you are finally settled otherwise depend upon it they never will, at least I never could learn that any person could ever get their matters closed in that province in their own absence.  When you can with advantage to yourself and safety of your property leave that country and would choose to come to this province my house and a hearty welcome from all thats in it is at my dear sister's service.  Mrs Day cincerely joins me in condolance to you.  I am, my dear Bridgett, yr very affectionate brother, John Day.

Comments by Blanche Aubin Clarkson Hutchison, drawn from "My Own Edmonstons and a Few Others", by Charles Ninian Edmonston, 1971.

For more details on MariaBeatty, visit her page at FamilyStories, pamgarrett.com.  If you would like to read more about the Postal Service in 1770’s America, you might enjoy Benjamin Franklin: Man of Letters.  

Photo: Lady Reading a Letter; Gerard ter Borch (1617-1681); oil on canvas; current located at Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, France; courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.