The Robbins family
The Robbins family of Scott County originated in the Brimstone area, and is the namesake of the Robbins community.
Origins
The Robbins family in Scott County dates back to Michael Robbins (1781-1870). Originally from Virginia, he may have been the son of John Robbins (1741-1832) and Lydia Ledford (1750-1802), or he may have been the son of Therman N. and Ida Robbins. The genealogy isn’t clear. The most likely possibility is that he was the son of John and Lydia Ledford Robbins.
What is certain is that Michael Robbins married Mary “Polly” Lewallen (1802-1880), the daughter of Anderson Grant Lewallen and Lydia Rice. Polly’s parents were the first settlers on Black Wolf Creek near present-day Glenmary. Michael and Polly settled on the “other side of the mountain,” along Brimstone Creek. Their children included Elizabeth Robbins Goad, William Robbins, John Michael Robbins, and Jonathan Robbins.
William Robbins was the first man to sign an oath of allegiance to Scott County and the Union as a member of the Scott County Home Guard during the Civil War. As a result, a regiment of rebel soldiers visited his Brimstone Creek home in April 1862, intent on arresting and likely hanging him. He led a Home Guard attack on the Confederate troops, repelling them from the valley. He then enlisted in the Union army and was assigned to the 7th Tennessee Infantry that was organized in Scott County by Col. William Clift of Chattanooga. He died of typhoid fever in Lexington, Ky., on April 16, 1863, just a little over a year after the Battle of Brimstone.
It does not appear that William Robbins was a biological child of Michael Robbins. In his book, Scott County in the Civil War, Paul Roy recounted a history of the Robbins family compiled by Mildred Troxel, stating, “William’s mother brought him to Michael Robbins and his wife with the agreement that he could live with the family for two years and if the mother had not returned for him at the end of that period, then they could keep him as their own. When the mother returned to claim her child at the end of the two years, Michael and his wife were too attached to him to give him up.”
It is not clear who William’s biological parents were, if not Michael and Polly. He married Lucinda Lewallen, a granddaughter of Anderson Grant Lewallen. If Michael and Polly were his biological parents, he and Lucinda were first cousins. If Michael and Polly were his adopted parents, he and Lucinda were likely not related.
When the Cincinnati-Southern Railroad was built through Scott County in the late 1870s, Robbins was one of the stops along the route. The town that sprang up around the depot was originally named Ernie, then Bianco. Later, after Andrew J. Robbins (1862-1923) was named the community’s postmaster, it became known as Robbins. Andrew was the son of William Robbins and Lucinda Lewallen.
Melton James “Mitt” Robbins (1865-1834) served as Scott County Judge and was elected to the state legislature. He was a grandson of Michael Robbins (son of John Michael Robbins). Horace M. Robbins (1867-1947) was a physician who served as Scott County School Superintendent. He was the son of John Hughett and Lucinda Lewallen Robbins, born after William Robbins died at war. (Jasper and Lucinda never married.) Ora Shoemaker Robbins, who married Jasper Robbins, was the first and only woman elected to the position of Scott County School Superintendent.
Dating the move
The exact date of the Robbins family’s move to Scott County isn’t known. It seems likely that Michael Robbins moved here before marrying Polly.
The earliest record listing Michael Robbins in present-day Scott County comes on Nov. 11, 1811, when his name appeared on a land sale for 60 acres of property on Brimstone Creek, a branch of New River, “the place where John Triplett formerly lived.” However, he was also listed on an early tax list in Anderson County, Tenn., in 1805. Brimstone Creek was part of Anderson County at that time.
Family Tree
First Generation
Michael Robbins (1781-1870)
Born: 1781, Virginia.
Parents: Maybe John Robbins (1741-1834) and Lydia Ledford (1750-1802) of Virginia.
Siblings: Unclear.
Married: Mary “Polly” Lewallen (~1802-1880).
Children: Elizabeth Emily Robbins Goad, William Robbins, John Michael Robbins, Jonathan Robbins.
Died: About 1870, Scott County. Burial location unknown.
+ Mary “Polly” Lewallen (~1802-1880)
Born: Between 1796 and 1802, North Carolina.
Parents: Anderson Grant Lewallen (1764-1829) and Lydia “Lucy” Rice.
Siblings: Zachariah Lewallen (1785-1885), Thomas Lewallen (1786-1787), Wiley Lewallen (1786-1860), Anderson Rice Lewallen (1786-1862), Baby Boy Lewallen (1787-1787), Thomas Lewallen (1788-1789), Baby Girl Lewallen (1790-1790), Rebecca Lewallen (1793-N/A), Rev. Andrew Leutian Lewallen (1793-1873), Anderson Lewallen (1800-1862), Joel Davis Lewallen (1805-1888), William Lewallen (1809-1897), John Columbus Lewallen (1812-1896).
Married: Michael Robbins (1781-1870).
Children: Elizabeth Emily Robbins Goad, William Robbins, John Michael Robbins, Jonathan Robbins.
Died: About 1877, Scott County. Burial location unknown.
See Also: The Lewallen family.
Second Generation
Elizabeth Emily Robbins Goad (1831-1907)
Born: Sept. 29, 1831, Brimstone.
Parents: Michael Robbins (1781-1870) and Mary “Polly” Lewallen (~1802-1880).
Siblings: William Robbins, John Michael Robbins, Jonathan Robbins.
Married: Joshua Goad Jr. (1824-1910).
Children: Mary Goad Miller (1849-1932), Almira Goad Walker (1852-1924), Pharozina Goad (1854-1879), Lavina “Vicie” Goad (1856-1871), Phoebe Goad (1857-1870), John Robbins Goad (1860-1933), William Goad (1864-1900), Ettie Tennessee Goad Lee (1867-1890).
Died: Feb. 17, 1907, Fentress County, Tenn. Buried at Slick Rock Cemetery, Robbins.
+ Joshua Goad Jr. (1824-1910)
Born: May 3, 1824 (present-day Scott County).
Parents: Joshua Goad (1786-1880) and Sarah Smiddy (1787-N/A).
Siblings: Aaron Goad Sr. (1814-1884), John Goad (1817-1904), Elizabeth Goad Newport (1827-1899), William Goad (1833-1925).
Married: Elizabeth “Betty” Emily Robbins Goad (1831-1907).
Children: Mary Goad Miller (1849-1932), Almira Goad Walker (1852-1924), Pharozina Goad (1854-1879), Lavina “Vicie” Goad (1856-1871), Phoebe Goad (1857-1870), John Robbins Goad (1860-1933), William Goad (1864-1900), Ettie Tennessee Goad Lee (1867-1890).
Died: Dec. 31, 1910, Scott County. Buried at Slick Rock Cemetery, Robbins.
See Also: The Goad family.
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William Robbins (1832-1863)
Born: 1832, Brimstone Creek.
Parents: Michael Robbins (1781-1870) and Mary “Polly” Lewallen (~1802-1880).
Siblings: Elizabeth Emily Robbins Goad (1831-1907), John Michael Robbins, Jonathan Robbins.
Married: Lucinda Lewallen (1835-1913).
Children: Amanda Hughett, Vicie Robbins Hughett (1860-1894), Freeman Johnson Robbins, Andrew Johnson Robbins (1862-1923).
Died: April 16, 1863, Lexington, Ky. Buried at Lexington National Cemetery.
Note: It does not appear that William Robbins was the biological child of Michael Robbins and Mary “Polly” Lewallen. However, it’s not clear who his parents were. According to Paul Roy’s “Scott County in the Civil War,” Amanda Hughett was born out of wedlock before William Robbins and Lucinda Lewallen were married.
+ Lucinda Lewallen (1835-1913)
Born: Feb. 27, 1835.
Parents: Joel Lewallen (1803-1892), Rachel Sue Taylor (1798-1892).
Siblings: Zachariah David Lewallen (1822-1910), Lavicy Ann Lewallen Lawson (1824-1909), Christena Lewallen Hughett (1829-1875).
Married: William Robbins (1832-1863).
Children: Vicie Robbins Hughett (1860-1894), Andrew Johnson Robbins (1862-1923), Horace Maynard Robbins (1867-1947), Joe L. Robbins (1877-1921), Etta Robbins (1879-1935).
Died: March 26, 1913, Scott County. Buried at Robbins Cemetery.
See Also: The Lewallen family.
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John Michael Robbins (1834-1869)
Born: May 24, 1834, Brimstone.
Parents: Michael Robbins (1781-1870) and Mary “Polly” Lewallen (~1802-1880).
Siblings: Elizabeth Emily Robbins Goad (1831-1907), William Robbins (1832-1863), Jonathan Robbins.
Married: Mary “Polly” Newport (1839-1915), 1851.
Children: Calvin Robbins (1856-1927), Elizabeth Robbins Phillips (1858-1930), Melvin Cox Robbins (1861-1932), William M. Robbins (1863-1940), Melton James “Mitt Robbins (1865-1953), Almira Robbins Walker (1866-1903).
Died: Nov. 5, 1869, Scott County. Buried at John Robbins Cemetery, Robbins.
+ Mary “Polly” Newport (1839-1915)
Born: May 5, 1839, Brimstone.
Parents: Calvin Newport (1810-1858) and Elizabeth Begley.
Siblings: Ezekiel Newport (1837-1895).
Married: John Michael Robbins (1834-1869), 1851.
Children: Calvin Robbins (1856-1927), Elizabeth Robbins Phillips (1858-1930), Melvin Cox Robbins (1861-1932), William M. Robbins (1863-1940), Melton James “Mitt Robbins (1865-1953), Almira Robbins Walker (1866-1903).
Died: Jan. 26, 1915, Norma. Buried at Slick Rock Cemetery, Brimstone.
—
Jonathan Robbins (1837-1929)
Born: April 24, 1837, Brimstone.
Parents: Michael Robbins (1781-1870) and Mary “Polly” Lewallen (~1802-1880).
Siblings: Elizabeth Emily Robbins Goad (1831-1907), William Robbins (1832-1863), John Michael Robbins.
Married: Malinda Lawson (born 1836).
Children: Michael Robbins (1857-1890), Eli Robbins (1861-1927), Mary Robbins Pemberton (1873-1916), Samuel S. Robbins (1875-1936), William Lawrence Robbins (1878-1954), Elihu Robbins (1883-1948), Oliver Goldsmith Robbins (1892-1934).
Died: Jan. 14, 1929, Hot Springs, Ark. Buried at Buckville Cemetery, Ark.
+ Malinda Lawson (1836-N/A)
Born: 1836, Tennessee.
Parents: Samuel Lawson (1802-1880) and Emilia McDonald (1808-1880).
Siblings: Elizabeth Lawson Lewallen (1830-1900), Pheby Lawson (born 1832), Serepta Lawson (born 1835), Sterling Jasper Lawson (1838-1914), Rebecca Lawson Miller (1839-1890), David Lawson (1843-1920).
Married: Jonathan Robbins (1837-1929), about 1856.
Children: Michael Robbins (1857-1890), Eli Robbins (1861-1927), Mary Robbins Pemberton (1873-1916), Samuel S. Robbins (1875-1936), William Lawrence Robbins (1878-1954), Elihu Robbins (1883-1948), Oliver Goldsmith Robbins (1892-1934).
See Also: The Lawson family.