This is a really long post and has to do with the Feltnor family and the Robinson family in Newton/Johnson County. I decided to post it to the list because I had several questions about the Robinsons--So I'll get you all at once! This was provided to me by a distant relative in Texas who has done alot of research. However, while I have found her info to be reliable, I can't vouch for all of it. I also have a lot of family info--stories and such--on the Feltners--their trip to California and back during the gold rush, etc. If you are interested. William Robinson or Roberson Wiliam Roberson, whose name was also spelled Robinson, was born in Kentucky in 1797. His mother's maiden name was Elem. About 1798 Daniel Boone made an agreement with the Spanish authorities to bring one hundred families from Kentucky and Virginia to settle in the "Upper Louisiana" (Missouri) Territory. It is possibly what brought the Robersons to that area.. What is now Arkansas had been a part of the Missouri Territory since 1812. When Missouri petitioned for statehood in 1819, Congress created the Arkansas Territory including what is now Oklahoma. In 1815 Lawrence Co. had formed, covering a large part of the northern half of Arkansas Territory and across southern Missouri. When Wayne Co. MO was formed in 1818 it took in the Missouri part of Lawrence Co. leaving the rest in Arkansas. White settlers were invited to move to Lawrence Co. AR to homestead the territory in order to petition for statehood. They began forcing out the Cherokees who lived there but records show many Cherokees were still there as late as 1822. Gradually Lawrence Co. was divided into smaller counties. In 1815 a William Robinson, among others, was appointed to locate the seat of justice for Lawrence County. They chose Davidsonville which was located seven miles east of the junction of the Spring and Big Black Rivers. Davidsonville had the first post office in Arkansas. The only real road in Arkansas then was one that came by Hix's Ferry, Davidsonville, Little Rock, and on to Ouachita, Louisiana. William Robinson and William Hix settled at Hix's Ferry on the Current River. About 1831 William Roberson, probably after he came to Missouri, met and married Mary, b. 1816 in Indiana. Family records say she was a Ruebotham (also spelled Rowbottom, Rubottom or even Rheubottom). Her parents were born in North Carolina (1880 Ark. Census). According to census data and family records their first child was born. Family letters said they lived in Wayne Co., MO. The 1820 Missouri census lists a William Roberson in Wayne Co. and also lists a Rubottom. The 1830 Wayne Co. MO census has a William Robinson and Ezekel Rubottom. The History of Newton Co. AR, by Lackey, states, "The first white settlers in Limeston (now Newton Co.) were (among some others) William Robinson and Louis Felton (sic)". On page 47 of the same book it says, "William Roberson came to Arkansas in 1834, bought land in Limestone described as SW 1/4 of the NW1/4, Sec. 13, 40 acres, cost $50.00, on 10Jan1848." Whether this William Roberson and the William Robinson of Hix's Ferry are one and the same is not proven The 1840 Ark. Census shows _____ (name blurred) Robinson in Lawrence Co. Union twp, and a William Roberson in Johnson Co. The 1850 Ark. Newton Co. census (Union twp): William Roberson, age 53, b KY Mary " , age 34, b. Ind. Rutha " , age 16, b. Ark Sarah Ann " , age 14, b. Ark. Martha M. " , age 12, b. Ark. Mary " , age 10, b. Ark. Louisa " , age 7, b. Ark. Pricilla G. " , age 5, b. Ark. Tennessee A. " , age 2, b. Ark. Also on the same page of this 1850 Ark. Census is William and Mary's oldest daughter Samantha Lodoiska age 18, b. Mo. Listed as Leodicia with her husband Lewis Felner (sic), age 28, b. Tenn. and their daughter Pricilla E.J. age 1, b. Ark. Isabell (Belle) Feltnor Williams, Lodoiska and Lewis Feltnor's daughter wrote in her letter [to my grandfather Luther King, a copy is available] that William also had three sons but did not give their names. It is possible Mary was William's second wife. In 1860 Newton Co. Union twp. Mary Roberson is listed head of house with four of her children. It is assumed William had died. Louis and Lodoiska and their children are also in Union twp. on this 1860 census. In 1870 Mary (spelled Robertson) still in Union twp. With her youngest daughter Tennessee, age 21, whose last name is also erroneously listed as Robertson, but Ark. Marriage records show she married James Harris 1864 who is living there listed as a farm hand In 1880 Ark. census Mary (Robinson) is living with dau. Tennessee and her husband James Harris and their children in Pilot Rock, Johnson County. William and Mary Roberson's known children were: 1.. Samantha Lodoiska ROBERSON b. 1832, m. 1848 LEWIS FELKNOR (later changed to Feltnor) 2.. Rutha ROBERSON b. 1834, m. Robert Farmer, res. Newton Co. (children from 1870 AR. Newton Co. census) Mary E. Farmer, 9; Marah Farmer, 6; John Farmer, 2. 3.. Sarah Ann ROBERSON b. 1836, m. Jordon Woodward, b. 1833, son of William and Elizabeth Woodward of Newton Co. In 1870 the lived next door to sister Rutha Farmer in Newton Co. Their children: Willis Woodward, 15; Mary J. Woodward, 8; Isabell Woodward, 5; Rufus Woodward, 4. Also living there: William Robinson, 15 and Emley E. Robinson, 13). 4.. Martha M. ROBERSON b. 1838, m. Sam Dotson, res. Newton Co. Union Township (1870 Ark census shows they lived next door to sister Sarah Woodward). In Washington Co. 1880 census, children Eliz. A. Dotson b. 1860; Missouri Dotson, 1861; George M. Dotson b. 1863; John F. Dotson b. 1865; William Wane Dotson b. 1868; Mary Dotson b. 1870. 5.. Mary ROBERSON b. 1840, m. William Dotson, res. Newton Co. Union twp. Lived next to sister Martha Dotson (1870 Ark. Census). A son George Dotson b. 1864. 6.. Louisa Ann ROBERSON b. 1843, m. William G. Harris as his 2nd wife, res. Newton Co. Union twp. Lived near sisters in 1870. Moved to Johnson Co. by 1880. Their children Gaines A. Harris b. 1864; Jerusa L. Harris b. 1866; Mariah A. Harris b. 1870; Wm. A. Harris b. 1873; Hozal (Royal?) W. (son) b. 1876; Zailin Z. Harris b. 1879. 7.. Pricilla ROBERSON b. 1845 8.. Tennessee b. 1848, m. James C. Harris 1864 (Newt. Co. Marriage Records) res. Union twp. 1870 and in Johnson Co. 1880. Mary Robbinson (sic) age 66, her mother, is with them by 1880. Their children: Rachel Rose Harris b. 1870; John Harris b. 1871; Lafayette Harris b. 1874; Benjamin Harris b. 1876; Sarah Harris b. 1879 Luther King, a great-grandson, did much family research in the 1950s, wrote that William Roberson and his wife were buried near Ft. Douglas, Newton Co. but their graves have not been found. Carol King Stiffler Little Rock, AR cstiffler@earthlink.net