Bleimes Family History
Chapter 16. Peyton - and Beyond
Although the Robinson family folks were not bloodline to me, they certainly were as ornaments on the tree, therefore they should have their space in this yarn.
Aside from what was said about Peyton in Bertha’s chapter, not much
is known about him since he expired at 27. The family was and had been
farmers or probably well-to-do planters would be more descriptive. Their
land holdings were considerable and they had slaves. They also had a gin
and a tie factory. When I first heard of the factory, I thought it to
be a slow-moving enterprise to make neckwear for post-bellum Southerners.
Then I learned that they made railroad ties, probably a faster moving
item.
A minor loose end: Bertha and (I suppose) Peyton made a trip west to –
at least – Terrell, Texas, where she had a studio picture taken.
Possibly they were on a holiday to nearby Dallas. We may never know.
The family properties included a home and cemetery at McAlmont, a settlement
north of Little Rock. When we visited there that name was gone and the
area was unincorporated, but the graveyard was in decent condition due
mostly to the efforts of Mr. Charles Boyer, a shirt-tail descendant. He
was pleasant and cooperative, allowing me to make copies of some documents.
Also, he had rebuilt the surrounding wall and kept the foliage down. I
later tried to get the Pulaski County Historical Society to take the place
under their wing, but they declined, citing lack of funds.
Peyton, his parents and his siblings are all buried here. Most of the
monuments were in good condition, but smaller stones were in disarray
and/or broken. All could be read and we copied the inscriptions, some
of which are quite wordy. Most markers are obelisk types with larger bases.
Peyton’s brother George belonged to Woodmen of the World, so his foot stone reads WOW.
When photographing the markers, it was apparent the sun was not positioned
optimally for eliminating shadows. (Naturally) After a little thought,
I tried rotating the obelisks on their bases. It worked. Of course after
the shoot I turned them back.
Eva Robinson Burmeister at Robinson Cemetary, 1981
Peyton's parents, Fenton and Louisa, original owners of the graveyard, had lived nearby, but their house and previous houses are gone. There was an informative article in the Times newspaper of 30 July 1970 that covered some of this history and has pictures. It shows headstones for four slaves who were buried outside of the wall. Unfortunately these stones have vanished.
In the 13 December 1936 Arkansas Gazette an article tells of the first Robinson home, a log house on nearby property, and of its history during the Civil War. It also mentions the graves of the original owners, the location of which has been lost, though a shopping strip seems to occupy the site.
Fenton was what Charles Fenton Mercer Robinson liked to be called. Born in Virginia soon after the 1812 war was over, he came to Arkansas with his parents, likely around 1840. He married Arkansas native Louisa Roberts in 1844 at Springhill. They had eight children [Charles Fenton Mercer Robinson's Family Chart], none of whom had any of their own except Peyton. When C.F.M. died in 1890 his estate went to his only surviving son, George W., called "Wash". Wash married but had no children, so his wife, Susie inherited the whole works when Wash died. Susie married a Dr. Prothro and they disposed of the wad over time. The mementos that were left went to her relative, Mr. Boyer, mentioned above. One of those items was Hardy Robinson's military saber, which the Morbitzer ladies had coveted.
Progenitor to all of the above Robinsons was Hardy - the one who generated most of the interest shared by the Morbitzer family and some others. We all like to chase ancestors who were colorful or controversial or prominent or lurid - or any combination of those things. 'General' Hardy Robinson fits some or all of those parameters. Start with his title: This seems to have been used perhaps jokingly or as a reference to his personal characteristics or demeanor. It could not have come from his military rank, either, since he was discharged from the 1812 action as a lieutenant, and there is no indication of him serving after that time.
From the war he received bounty land in the Hot Springs, Arkansas area. He evidently made one or more trades and wound up with good stuff in Pulaski County. They had crops and raised animals on this 640 acre property which he named Mt. Gallant.
In April of 1831 Hardy had an "encounter" with a Mr. George Owens in a woods sixteen miles south of Little Rock which resulted in Hardy killing Mr. Owens. In June he went on trial, lasting a week. The jury found him guilty of manslaughter and sentenced him to eighteen months imprisonment in the county jail, and to pay a fine of five dollars.
In Virginia, Hardy had married Frances Drewry who became the mother of all of his six known children. [Hardy Robinson's Family Chart] She died in 1841 and was succeeded in 1843 by Martha Bradford, from whom it seems he was divorced. Then in 1847 he married Mary Frances Street, 32 years his junior, who survived him and benefited from his will.