Some Early Robbins Generations in the United States

The information in this posting has been excerpted from the ROBBINS JOURNAL, Vol. I, No. 1, July 1989, pp. 1 - 5. The Journal was edited by Kevin K. Mittge, a Robbins family historian, archivist, librarian, and published genealogist. The Journal is now defunct.

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"Introduction To The Robbins Family History, by Kevin K. Mittge.

There have been many Robbins descendants over the years who have done research on the early history of the Robbins family in America. They haven't always agreed on each other's conclusions but they probably would agree that documentation is rather rare on our early Carolina ancestors. Putting together what information has been found to make any kind of conclusion is, therefore, difficult. The following article traces very generally what is known, or assumed to be known about the first four generations of the Robbins family, in particular, where the various lines out of Randolph Co., North Carolina, have emigrated. I shall leave it to others to prove or disprove any of this article.

I am grateful for information provided by Marvin Robbins, Ocala, FL; Mary Kate Horner, Lebanon, IN; and Margaret Davis, Yakima, WA; and many others who have worked and are still working on this topic. ...

Marvin Robbins of Ocala, Florida, has been the latest to put together what he feels is the correct, general, outline of the early Robbins generations. He claims our progenitor was one Isaac Robbins (born about 1670 in England), who had at least three sons: William, Elisha, and Richard. Supposedly the early family were 'Separate Baptists', a dissenter group, and moved from England to Wales and then to America.

Examining old family traditions, Marvin believes Richard Robbins went straight to North Carolina, Elisha to Virginia (before moving south), and William perhaps to New York and/or Pennsylvania before moving on to North Carolina. The early settlers of Isaac Robbins' family began appearing in Rowan Co., North Carolina, records in 1754, when Richard Robbins witnessed the will of a Joseph Robins. In 1757, Richard and Elisha Robbins are recorded as witnessing a land transaction for Marmaduke Vickery and two years later appear as chain-bearers for a land survey for the same Vickery land. After this, Elisha disappears from the records, but Richard and William continue to appear in tax records. It is not known if Elisha had children; the children and grandchildren of William and Richard are discussed below.

At the same time as our ancestor's emigration, an unrelated Robins family also moved to North Carolina and, perhaps just to vex future historians, settled near our Robbins family. The existence of the two unrelated Robbins-Robins families has been long disputed. ...

William Robbins (I)

William Robbins has been suggested as the father of Mathew, William (II), Jacob and Nathaniel Robbins. These family lines emigrated in a general pattern from North Carolina to Franklin and Montgomery counties, Virginia, to Shelby and Henry counties, Kentucky, and then into Indiana - only diverging on their final destinations in that state. Mathew Robbins was possibly married to Bethiah Nation and their family moved into Davidson Co., North Carolina. Their children have been listed as : Nancy (Ann), Isabel, Jonathan and Matthew. Ann was married to William Swaim and lived in Stokes Co., North Carolina; Isabel was married to William Wilson Livingston Jr. Not much is known of Jonathan or Matthew. ...

Jacob Robbins (I) was born about 1738 and it is suggested he died about 1830 in Jennings Co., Indiana. He married to Mary, who was possibly of the Wells family. Jacob and Mary are believed to be the parents of William, Absalom, Jacob (II), James, Mary, Martha (called Massey), and Margaret. The emigration pattern of his children and grandchildren is very similar. ...

Absalom Robbins, the second son of Jacob and Mary, was married to Mary Ogle shortly after arriving in Virginia. It has not been known for sure when he died, but just recently Robbins descendant Marlene Botkin has discovered evidence that Absalom may have died in 1860 (Breckinridge County, Kentucky) at the age of 95. Absalom's descendants are spread widely; some settled in Indiana, others returned to Kentucky from Indiana, some moved on to Missouri and Iowa, and still more settled in Oregon. ...

Richard Robbins

Richard Robbins, the third suggested son of Isaac, was born about 1712. He arrived in North Carolina about 1751. It is not known whom he married but is said that the following are his children: Richard Jr., James, William, Isaac, John, and Michael. Of Richard Jr., William and Michael nothing is known. ...

The eldest son, Jacob (born 1779), was married to Elizabeth Rousch. The Rousch name was later changed by some descendants to 'Rush.' This family left North Carolina and, moving through the South, settled in Blount Co., Alabama by 1850. ...

Isaac Robbins, another son of Richard, was born about 1740 in Wales. He was married to Ann Bryant about 1760 and they had eleven children: Diana, Isaac, John, Ezekial, Richard, Thomas, Daniel, Elizabeth, Ann, Amy, and Keziah. At this time I have no information on where these families moved to."

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It is intended that these excerpts from the ROBBINS JOURNAL and from the work of other careful Robbins family historians shall assist those just beginning or continuing to search for Robbins family information. I am not able to vouch for any of the data contained herein because I conducted none of the research and possess none of the documentation. I have documented my Robbins lineage which descends from Absolam's son, Micajah Robbins. Absolam was a son of Jacob Robbins and, according to the essay contained in this message, it is generally believed that Jacob was a son of William Robbins. More original research and documentation is suggested.

Much credit is due to Kevin K. Mittge for his tireless efforts to recover an accurate history of the Robbins family in the United States. Thank you, Kevin.