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MAUD AND BESSIE, WHAT I KNOW
by David L. Taylor
(Family Photos)

This is a short story on the information I have compiled about Maude Mae Robinson and her daughter Bessie.

First I will give some background on Maude's parents. Her father was Frederick R. Robinson, born October 6, 1852 in Arkansas (death certificate). The earliest document I have concerning Frederick is from the 1860 U.S. census for U.S. citizens living west of Arkansas. He was listed in the free inhabitants of Townson County (Apukshunnubbee District) of the Choctaw Nation—1860, Post Office, Wheelock. He was listed as age 7, male, born Arkansas, with; Abel Robinson, age 35, male, farm laborer; Hannah, 25, female, born Arkansas; Mary, 5, female, Arkansas; Thomas, 3, male, Texas; Quincy, 1, female, Texas.

Frederick married first, Salina Durant—daughter of Dixon (or Dickson) Durant and Kate Harney Durant—on September 21, 1873 in the Choctaw Nation. Fred and Salina had the following children; Minnie Jane, Jessie, Frances, Tempie, and William. Salina was of Choctaw Indian descent (Report Of Commission To Five Civilized Tribes). She died on April 21, 1884, and was buried in the Highland cemetery at Durant, Bryan County, OK.

Fred married second, Arizona "Zona" (Carter, Hall, Johnson) on August 10, 1884 (Report Of Commission To Five Civilized Tribes). Arizona was born February 14, 1867 in Arkansas according to her death certificate. Arizona's maiden name has not been proven:

 

1885 Choctaw Census

Fred and Arizona were next listed in a transcribed Choctaw Census of 1885 in Blue County with Fred's father and children from his first marriage. See table below: 

Number Name Age Male Female Indian White Occupation Acres Cultivated Horses Cattle Hogs Bales of Cotton Bushels of Corn
1387 Frederick Robinson 35 x     x Farmer 50 5 50 30 4 20
1388 Arizona Robinson 17   x x                
1389 Jane Robinson 10   x x                
1390 Jesse Robinson 8 x   x                
1391 Francis Robinson 6   x x                
1392 Tempsey Robinson 4   x x                
1393 William Robinson 2 x   x                
1394 Abe Robinson 60 x   x                

 

   1896 Census of Choctaw Nation

Fred is next listed on the 1896 Census of Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. He is listed as: 

Name Age-sex Married when Race County
Robinson, Frederick R. 40M M-10-23-1878 White Blue

   1896 Citizenship Case Files

Fred is also listed in the 1896 Citizenship Case files as ROBINSON, F R Tribe: Choctaw Case Number: 675. This is the last I have found of him being approved as a member of the Choctaw Nation. This roll is not used for determining present day tribal membership. The Dawes Roll which was begun in 1898 is used for tribal membership. If an ancestor can't be traced to the Dawes Roll, membership can't be obtained.

  1900 Census, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory

Now we get back to Maud. She was born in March of 1888 according to the July, 1900 census for Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory. She appears to have had two siblings who had died before 1900. Arizona is listed as having had five children with three of them living. None of the children from Fred's marriage to Salina are in the household at this time. The youngest of them would have been about 17 years old. 

July 4, 1900, Twelfth Census of the United States: 1900—Population, Township #6, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory,  Supervisor's District #73, Enumeration District #184, Sheet #29, Enumerator, James Yarbrough. 

Dwelling-Family Name Relationship to head Sex Race or color Age last birthday Married Single Widowed Years Married Mother of how many No. of these living Place of Birth Occupation Can Read Can write Can speak English Home owned free or mortgaged Farm or house
595-618 Robinson, Fred R. Head M W 47 M 14     Arkansas Farmer N N Y F F
  ——— Arizona Wife F W 30 M 14 5 3 I.T.   N N Y    
  ——— Maud Daughter F W 12 S       I.T. At school Y Y Y    
  ——— Gertrude Daughter F W 8 S       I.T.            
  ——— Roscoe Son M W 3 S       I.T.            

 

    Frederick Robinson's Dawes Roll Application
Click on the link above to view my transcription of several pages of the application file.
(The entire file contains well over 100 pages.)

 

  "Report of Commission to Five Civilized Tribes"
F.R. Robinson v. The Choctaw Nation
Click on link above to see entire report.  

 

Maud's Marriage to William D. Rushing

My next finding for Maud is her marriage record to W.D. Rushing on March 26, 1910, in Durant, Bryan County, OK. She is listed as 21 and he as 35, both white and both born in Arkansas. Marriage performed by Charles A. Phillips, County Judge of Bryan County. Witnesses were Josie Thorn and J.M. Herman, Clerk.

 

  1910 Census, Bryan County, OK

On May 10, 1910, Maud is listed on the 1910 Census for Bryan County, OK, Township 2, Supervisor's District #4, Enumeration District #17, Sheet #7. She is listed with William D. Rushing, Thomas Rushing (her stepson), and her daughter Bessie. This is the first I have found of any mention of Bessie. 

Number Name Relationship to head of household Sex Race or color Age last birthday Married Single Widowed Years Married Place of Birth Trade or Profession Nature of Business Own or Rent Home Farm or House Number of Farm Schedule
133 Rushing, Wm D. Head M W 35 M2 3/12 Arkansas Laborer Farm R F 128
  ———- Maud Wife F W 21 M2   Oklahoma Laborer Home      
  ———- Thos. W. Son M W 9 S   Oklahoma          
  Newman, Bessie Daughter F W 1 S   Oklahoma          

Bessie was listed as Bessie Newman, age one, on this census. No record has been found as to whom her father was. I have found no marriage or divorce record for Maud and any Newman. It is possible that she married in another county or state. It was customary at that time for someone who was pregnant to leave the home county or state to get married or to have the child, so as not to disgrace the family. On the 1910 census (above) Maud was listed as married for the second time (M2). It is possible that she was never married to Bessie's father, but told the census taker she had been married before, instead of telling the census taker that she had had a child out of wedlock.

Birth of William F. Rushing

William Freddie "Bud" Rushing, a half-brother to Bessie, was born on October 29, 1911, at Cobb, Bryan County, OK. William F. Rushing's Form SS-5 (application for Social Security number) lists his parents as ; father—William Duke Rushing and mother's maiden name—Maud Robinson..

Research into the descendents of William F. Rushing is ongoing.

  Maud's Death

Maud died in March of 1917. A funeral record dated March 5, 1917, lists Mrs. Rushing, wife of Wm. Rushing. The order for the funeral was given by Doc Robinson. (Jesse "Doc" Robinson was the son of Fred & Salina) The funeral took place on March 4, 1917. Residence, place of death, and funeral services were listed as northwest of Durant. Her occupation was listed as housekeeper.

  Bessie's Guardianship
Click on the link above to view my transcription of the entire guardianship file.  

Grandfather, Frederick R. Robinson, filed for and was granted guardianship of Bessie after Maud's death. Her half-brother continued to live with his father, William D. Rushing and his new wife Pearlie Masters Rushing.

School Records

The following school records are from School District #12 - Cobb - Jan. 1919 & Jan. 1920, which is located about six miles north and three miles west of Durant. The ages were taken from the 1920 records. 

Name Sex Date of Birth Age
Robinson, Nolan (Noel) m 11-10-1905 15
Robinson, Bessie f 4-11-1909 11
Robinson, Virgie f 12-15-1909 11
Robinson, Nellie f 4-22-1913 7
Robinson, George m 7-01-1902 18

 The following school records are from School District #14 - Pleasant Hill - Jan. 1920. I haven't located a Pleasant Hill community on a map, but there is a Pleasant Hill Cemetery located about seven or eight miles northeast of Durant. They may have moved during the 1920 school year, or a new school may have opened at Pleasant Hill. (Pleasant Hill school district was not listed on the 1919 school records) 

Name Sex Date of Birth Age
Robinson, George m 7-01-1901 18
Robinson, Nolan (Noel) m 11-10-1905 15
Robinson, Bessie f 4-11-1908 12
Robinson, Virgie f 12-15-1908 11
Robinson, Nellie f 5-2-1912 8

    1920 Census, Bryan County, OK

January 26, 1920, Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920—Population, Township #7, Bokchito, Bryan County, Oklahoma, Supervisor's District #3, Enumeration District #27, Sheet #288. 

On this census Bessie Robinson was listed in the household of her grandparents, listed as granddaughter.

Number Name Relationship to head of household Sex Race or color Age last birthday Married Single Widowed Place of Birth Place of Birth of father Place of Birth of mother Trade or occupation Farm or House
164 Robinson, Fred Head M W 67 M Arkansas Don’t Know Don't Know Farmer General farm
  " Arizona Wife F W 50 M Texas Alabama Alabama none  
  " George Son M W 18 S Oklahoma Alabama Texas Laborer Farm labor
  " Noel Son M W 15 S Oklahoma Alabama Texas none  
  " Essie Grand Daughter F W 11 S Oklahoma Don't know Oklahoma none  
  " Vergie Daughter F W 11 S Oklahoma Alabama Texas none  
  " Nellie Daughter F W 7 S Oklahoma Alabama Texas none  

 

    1920 Census, Johnston County, OK

January 5-6-7, 1920, Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920—Population, Township, Garrett, Johnston County, Oklahoma, Supervisor's District #14, Enumeration District #86, Sheet #2, Enumerator, John M. Harris. 

Number Name Relationship to head of household Sex Race or color Age last birthday Married Single Widowed Place of Birth Place of Birth of father Place of Birth of mother Trade or occupation Industry
23-24 Rushing William D. Head M W 47 M Arkansas Tennessee Tennessee Farmer General farm
  " Pearlie V. Wife F W 38 M Arkansas Texas Arkansas none  
  " Thomas W. Son M W 19 S Okla Arkansas Texas Laborer Home Farm
  " Loyd L. Son M W 14 S Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas Laborer Home Farm
  " Thateus L. Son M W 13 S Arkansas Arkansas Arkansas Laborer Home Farm
  " William F. Son M W 8 S Oklahoma Arkansas Oklahoma none  

William D. Rushing married Pearlie Masters on July 7, 1917, after Maud's death. Thomas W. was William D.'s child from before he married Maud. William F. is Bessie's half-brother. The other two children listed were Pearlie's from before her marriage to William D. Rushing.

Frederick Robinson's Death

Frederick Robinson died on July 11, 1923, at the age of 70 years, 9 months, and five days (death certificate), at Durant, OK. Cause of death was listed as paralysis, according to A.C. Jenner, M.D., of Durant, OK. He was buried in Highland Cemetery on July 12, 1923 in Lot #0893-W, location 02-2/02/03. Undertaker was Holmes Brothers Funeral Home of Durant. Information for death certificate was provided by Jessie Robinson, his son by his marriage to Salina.

  Arizona Robinson's Death

Arizona Robinson died on November 23, 1923, at the age of 56 years, 9 months, and 9 days at Roberta, Bryan County, OK (death certificate). Cause of death was listed as chronic cata??? and nephritis(kidney inflammation), according to A.C. Jenner, M.D., of Durant, OK, on her death certificate. She was buried in Highland Cemetery on November 23, 1923 in Lot #0893-W, location 02-2/02/03. Undertaker was Holmes Brothers Funeral Home of Durant. The Reverend Gilmore performed the service. Information for death certificate was provided by Doc Robinson. (unknown if related)

  Bessie Robinson's Marriage

Bessie Robinson, age 18, married Ira Lee Simmons, age 23, both of Caddo, Bryan County, OK, were married on November 4, 1924, at Durant. The service was performed by A. Neely, Justice of the Peace. Witnesses were John Walker and J.D. Early, both of Durant.(from marriage license) School records—above—state Bessie's birth as April 11, 1908 or 1909, which would have made her either 15 or 16 years old at her marriage, instead of 18 as stated on the license.

  Bessie and Ira Simmons

Bessie and Ira Simmons lived at Caddo, Oklahoma after their marriage until sometime in 1927-1929 when they moved to Alex, OK. They moved from Alex to Wylie, Collin County, Texas, sometime about 1936. Bessie and Ira had the following children:

  Bessie's Death?

Bessie died April 17, 1938, after giving birth to twins, William Lee and Shirley Marie on April 12, 1938, near Wylie, TX. Shirley was stillborn and William lived one day. **** They were buried in the Old Wylie Cemetery. No records can be found to verify their burial. The family had very little money, therefore they were buried in the "pauper's cemetery", with no headstones. The funeral home said records burned many years ago, leaving no records of the funeral or map of the plots.

Research is ongoing.