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James ROBBINS (b 1796)

The gravestone for James Robbins in South Road Cemetery in Oakfield, Aroostook County, Maine states that he was born on 26 Feb 1796 in Nova Scotia, Canada. I know nothing of the identity of his parents or of the time of his arrival in Maine. It is possible that he is the James Robbins who appears in the 1820 US Census in Jonesboro (Washington) Maine. I do not know whether he immigrated to the United States on his own or with his parents.

The first observation I need to make about James Robbins is that the list of his children is probably incomplete. In 1830, when it would appear that James and his wife Mary were the parents of the children in the household, there were already four male children and three female children. In 1840, the older couple living with them in 1830 are gone and there are eight males under the age of 20 and one female child age 10-14 yrs. This listing is compatible with the list provided above but, if accurate, is still one child short.

The earliest US Census record that I can find that is very likely this James Robbins is one in 1820 in Jonesboro, Washington County, Maine. Jonesboro is on the coast of Maine rather than inland where he lived in later years. The household appears to have been composed of James, his wife, and two children under 10, a boy and a girl. In 1830, the couple were found in Dexter, Penobscot County, Maine. The composition of the household in 1830 was much more complex. It appears that the couple had been joined by perhaps one sibling and a pair of parents. In 1840, the household seems to have been simplified, but as mentioned earlier, there appears to be one child not named in the list of James' children.

One curious fact in these early census records is that James' wife appears to have been at least one or two years older than James. That is exactly the opposite of what would be recorded in the censuses in 1850, 1860 and 1870, when Mary Robbins was consistently reported to be a year younger than James. Is it possible that James' wife in those early years was not Mary Treadwell? Almost certainly not. The first of James' sons that appear to be well supported is Joseph T Robbins, born in 1820. The fact that Mary Treadwell's father was named Joseph Treadwell makes me think it very likely that Joseph T Robbins was the son of Mary Treadwell. Joseph himself attests to that in a record of his marriage in 1899.

A Maine marriage record makes it almost certain that James Robbins and Mary Treadwell were husband and wife. Unfortunately, the record as transcribed by Ancestry.com gives no date for the marriage. It would appear from the 1820 US Census record that the couple were married at least a few years before 1820, enough years to account for the two children that appear in the household in 1820. That would suggest they were married about 1817. James would have been 21 and Mary perhaps a year younger. This is all highly speculative, however, especially since there is not way to verify that the 1820 Census record is an accounting of the household of our James Robbins.

In 1850, when all the members of the household are recorded and named, the couple were living in Exeter in Penobscot County, Maine. James was age 55 and farming. He gave the value of his real estate as $800, an amount not unlike that of his neighbors. Mary was age 54 and gave her place of birth as Maine. There were only four children still in the household in 1850, Simeon (age 15), Henry H (age 10), Edward K (age 12) and Luther M (age 7), all boys, all in school, all born in Maine. Sons Joseph, John and Thomas were settled in what would one day be Brooklyn, New York City. Benjamin had apparently headed west, perhaps to Australia, following the gold rush. Benjamin does not appear in the 1850 US Censu but he reappears in San Francisco in 1852.

In 1860, the family was still in Exeter, Maine. Son Simeon had married and left the family home but was still living in Maine. Three sons were still living with their parents, Edwin (per the census), Harrison, and Luther. James was farming, but son Edwin (age 23) had taken up a trade as a joiner. Harrison (age 20) and Luther (age 17) were both helping their father with farming. Mary was age 63 that year.

In 1865, James and Mary were found by the New York Census in Huntington (Suffolk) New York. I do not know what the impetus was for the move from Maine to new York. James was farming and the owner of land. There is a married 24-year-old female, Leona, in the household identified as a child along with two grandchildren of the couple, Joseph and Elizabeth as well as three domestic servants. Son Luther was farming and lived in what appears to have been an adjacent home.

In 1870, James and Mary were still in Huntington. All of the children were out of the home. James and Mary, ages 74 and 73 respectively, shared their home with a domestic servant and her family. Mary died in 1872.

By 1880, James had remarried and returned to Maine. Perhaps James returned to Maine soon after Mary's death to live near his son Joseph T Robbins who was living and farming in Oakfield, Maine. James appeared in the US Census in June of 1880 in Oakfield with a wife named Charlotte. James was 84, Charlotte was 62. According to the record James had been farming during the year.

James died on 04 Jul 1888, age 92. Son Joseph died in November 1900, just two years later. The graves of both father and son are found in the South Road Cemetery in Oakfield, Aroostook County, Maine.

Sources:

Marriage record for James Robbins (b c1795) and Mary Treadwell (b c1796): Citation: Ancestry.com. Maine, U.S., Marriage Index, 1670-1921 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Content: A Maine marriage index record show that James Robbins married Mary Treadwell. No date is given.

1820 US Census, Household of James Robbins (b 1796): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1820 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. 1820 U S Census; Census Place: Jonesboro, Washington, Maine; Page: 304; NARA Roll: M33_37; Image: 180. Content: The 1820 US Census of Jonesboro, Washington County, Maine on 07 Aug 1820 lists the household of James Robbins composed of males (1 under 10, 1 age 16-25) and females (1 under 10, 1 age 26-44), a total of 4 persons. Note: This record may very well not be our James and Mary Treadwell Robbins. If it is, and the record is accurate, we are short one daughter born before son Joseph.

1830 US Census, Household of James Robbins (b 1796): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Year: 1830; Census Place: Exeter, Penobscot, Maine; Series: M19; Roll: 51; Page: 457; Family History Library Film: 0497947 Content: The 1830 US Census of Exeter, Penobscot County, Maine on 01 Jun 1830 lists the household of James Robbins composed of males (2 under 5, 1 age 5-9, 1 age 10-14, 1 age 30-39, 1 age 50-59) and females (1 under 5, 1 age 5-9, 1 age 10-14, 1 age 20-29, 1 age 30-39, 1 age 50-59), a total of 12 persons. Note: There appears to be an older couple living with James and Mary, but all of the children could well be theirs. There is one more male child and several more girls than I have accounted for.

1840 US Census, Household of James Robbins (b 1796): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Year: 1840; Census Place: Exeter, Penobscot, Maine; Roll: 149; Page: 267; Family History Library Film: 0009707. Content: The 1840 US Census of Exeter (Penobscot) ME on 01 Jun 1840 shows the household of James Robbins. The household includes 2 males under 5, 2 males 5-9, 2 males 10-14, 2 males 15-19, 1 male 30-39 (presumably James), 1 female 10-14, 1 female 40-49 (presumably James' wife). Two are employed in agriculture . Total free white persons is 11. Total all is 11. Note: The composition of the household is not without challenges. There is one female age 10-14 (Sarah) and one female age 40-49 (Simeon's mother Mary). And then there are nine males, two under 5 (Edward and Harrison), two age 5-9 (Simeon and Thomas), two age 10-14 (Benjamin and ?) two age 15-19 (Joseph and John), and one age 30-39 (James). There is one more male child in this accounting than I have named in the list of Simeon's parents children. I do not know if this was an enumerator's error or if there was a sibling whom I have missed. I do think that father James has been placed into the wrong age grouping. He should have been age 44.

1850 US Census, Household of James Robbins (b 1796): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Year: 1850; Census Place: Exeter, Penobscot, Maine; Roll: 265; Page: 116b. Content: The 1850 US Census of Exeter, Penobscot County, Maine on 06 Aug 1850 lists dwelling (13/14) with a household composed of (1) James Robbins, age 55, male, farmer, (real: $800), born Nova Scotia, (2) Mary Robbins, age 54, female, born Maine, (3) Simeon Robbins, age 15, male, born Maine, attended school, (4) Henry H Robbins, age 10, male, born Maine, attended school, (5) Edward K Robbins, age 12, male, born Maine, attended school, Luther M Robbins, age 7, male, born Maine, attended school, (6) ?Lawry? A Pullin, age 15, female, born Maine, attended school.

1852 California Census, Entry for Benjamin T Robbins (b 1828): Citation: Ancestry.com. California, U.S., State Census, 1852 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. County: San Francisco. p 129. line 12. Content: The 1852 California Census of San Francisco County on 17 Jul 1852 shows an entry fo B T Robbins, age 24, male, white, carpenter, born Maine, last residence New York, US citizen.

1860 US Census, Household of James Robbins (b c1795): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Year: 1860; Census Place: Exeter, Penobscot, Maine; Page: 767. Content: The 1860 US Census of Exeter, Penobscot County, Maine on 10 Jul 1860 shows dwelling (516, 543) with a household composed of (1) James Robbins, age 64, male, farmer, born Nova Scotia, (2) Mary Robbins, age 63, female, born Maine, (3) Edwin [Edward] K Robbins, age 23, male, joiner, born Maine, (4) Harrison Robbins, age 20, male, farmer, born Maine, (5) Luther Robbins, age 17, male, farmer, born Maine, attended school, (6) Sara Smith, age 30, female, born Maine.

1860 US Census, Household of Stephen Perry (b c1811): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Year: 1860; Census Place: Corinna, Penobscot, Maine; Page: 74. Content: The 1860 US Census of Corrina, Penobscot County, Maine, lists dwelling 559 with a household composed of (1) Stephen Perry, age 49, male, M[edical] D[octor], (real:$1500; pers: $1070), born New Hampshire, (2) Martha Perry, age 48, female, born Maine, (3) Melvin Perry, age 22, male, born Maine, farm laborer, (4) Eugene Perry, age 8, male, born Maine, idiotic, (5) Simeon T Robbins, age 25, male, no occupation, (real: $500, pers: 275), born Maine, (6) Elizabeth [Perry] Robbins, age 24, female, born Maine, and (7) Walter S Robbins age 1, male, born Maine.

1865 New York Census, Household of James Robbins (b 1796): Citation: Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., State Census, 1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Content: The 1865 New York Census for the 2nd Election District in Huntington (Suffolk) New York enumerated on 21 Jun 1865 lists dwelling 299 with a household composed of (1) James Robbins, age 69, male, married, first marriage, born N[ova] S[cotia], farmer, native voter, owner of land, (2) Mary Robbins, age 68, female, wife, born Maine, mother of 11 children, married, first marriage, (3) Leona Robbins, age 24, female, child, born Maine, married, first marriage, (4) Joseph Robbins, age 11, male, child, born Kings County, single (5) Elizabeth Robbins, age 8, female, child, born Kings County, (6) Mary Day, age 25, female, servant, born Ireland, single, (7) William Lock, age 58, servant, born Suffolk, single, farmer, native voter, (8) John Berry, age 30, male, servant, born Ireland, married, first marriage, native voter. Note: Joseph and Elizabeth are the grandchildren of James and Mary, the children of their son Benjamin T Robbins. Benjamin had lost his wife in 1857 and a Civil War draft registration show that he was working as a builder in Newark, NJ in 1863. I do not know how Leona relates, but the fact that she is married would suggest she is not the child of James and Mary but perhaps a daughter-in-law.

1870 US Census, Household of James Robbins (b c1795): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Year: 1870; Census Place: Huntington, Su olk, New York; Roll: M593_1100; Page: 542A; Family History Library Film: 552599. Content: The 1870 US Census of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York on 27 Jul 1870 shows dwelling (1088/1155) with a household composed of (1) James Robbins, age 74, male, white, farmer, (real: $3500; pers: $500), born Nova Scotia, both parents of foreign birth, male citizen, (2) Mary Robbins, age 73, female, white, no occupation, born Maine, blind. Also in the household are (3) Mary F Payne, age 30, female, white, domestic servant, (4) Charles G Payne, age 11, male, at school, born New York, and (5) Mary E Payne, age 24, female, no occupation, born New York.

1880 US Census, Household of James Robbins (b 1796): Citation: Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Year: 1880; Census Place: Oakfield, Aroostook, Maine; Roll: 477; Page: 365B; Enumeration District: 216. Content: The 1880 US Census of Oakfield Plantation, Aroostook County, Maine on 07 Jun 1880 lists dwelling (54/56) with a household composed of (1) James Robbins, male, age 84, married, farmer (unemployed 8 mos in previous year), born Nova Scotia, parents born Nova Scotia, and (2) Charlotte E Robbins, female, age 62, wife, married, keeping house, born New Brunswick, father born Connecticut, mother born New York.

Find a Grave Memorial 98512892 for James Robbins (b 1796) .

Find a Grave Memorial 98513361 for Joseph T Robbins (b 1820) .