Arthur Robbins, Sr.

The forth generation

Arthur Robbins, Sr. was the progenitor of all of the Robbins families in Brunswick County, NC.   Arthur Sr. is my 5th great-grandfather, by way of Arthur Jr., Thomas Sr., Thomas "Tommy" Jr., Isaac Tollman, William Manson and, my father, William Carlton.  Arthur Sr. is the common link for most of the above researchers and is used frequently by others as a link to the Revolutionary War and their memberships in the DAR.

Arthur Sr. was most probably the second son of William Robbins, Sr. and Mary Battle.  He was born in 1742 in the Toisnot  Swamp area of old Edgecombe County, NC.  Toisnot Township became a part of  the newly established Wilson County in 1855.  The Toisnot Swamp runs from above the Nash County line southeastwardly along a path just north of the present town of Wilson, and then continuing to a confluence with Buckhorn Branch. This is the area where the Tuscarora Indian Village known originally asTosneoc, was established in 1713. The present town of Elm City was originally named Toisnot when it was incorporated in 1873.  It was finally named Elm City in 1913.

The Tuscarora Indian Wars of 1711 to 1719 left many of these Tuscarora Indians without fields to farm or forests in which to hunt.  The North Carolina Tuscaroras abandoned their villages in the early 1700s to join their brothers of the Iriquois Nation further north.

Only a short distance north of this location on Buckhorn Branch was the Toisnot Church.  This church was established in 1756 and was probably the Baptist Church where Arthur Sr. married Mary Penelope Sellers on April 14, 1764.  Arthur's bondsman was Thomas Dixon.  They did not live there very long, but probably just long enough to become the parents of their first son Benjamin. It is very likely that Arthur, Jr. was also born in Toisnot.

Mary Penelope Sellers was the daughter of Benjamin Sellers and Sarah Hickman.  Mary was named in Benjamin's  will of 1761, and she was less than 14 years old at the time of her father's death; therefore, she was most likely born in 1748 and married at age 16,  which was after her father's death.

After their marriage, Arthur and his brother Jethro, along with Mary's oldest brother Matthew Sellers, and possibly two other brothers, Elisha Sellers and Simon Sellers, moved to what is now the southeastern corner of Columbus County, NC. Columbus County was formed in 1808 from the area in Brunswick County known as "Seven Creeks Tax District" and a larger part of Bladen County.  This area is somewhere around the present-day town of Pireway, NC.

Arthur entered an application to the King for a land grant on 20 Feb 1769 at which time a survey was completed according to the Court Minutes. The grant was issued on 16 Dec 1769 for 200 acres of land  including improvements, "on both sides of Shallott Swamp" which was located in the southwestern area of Brunswick County. He is listed in the 1769 Brunswick County tax listing.

Arthur entered his second application for a King's grant on 18 Apr 1770 for "100 acres of land on the west side of  White Marsh Swamp."  The grant was issued on 5 Sept 1770. White Marsh Swamp extends from northern Columbus County  where Red Mill Swamp and Western Prong joins. It flows southeast until reaching the Waccamaw River near the community of Old Dock, NC and then into Shalott Swamp.

He sold his Shalott Swamp property to Matthew Sellers, his brother-in-law, on 28 Mar 1771.

On 4 Mar 1775, in Bladen County Court, he witnessed the sale of 100 acres of land from B. Stevens to John Wingate "land on west side of White Marsh adjacent to Wm. Hester."

On 9 Sept 1782, he was appointed a juror, along with his brother Jethro, to court  which was held in Lockwood Folly.

On 16 Sept 1782, Arthur and his brother Jethro were appointed to be jurors for court on 9 Dec 1782.

On 21 Dec 1784, Arthur Sr. and eleven other men were appointed to lay out a road "from Pyraway crossing Seven Creeks at or near the Swamp House, thence extending up the Beaver Dam Swamp, a direct course till intersects with the road leading from Soules Swamp in Bladen County". The meeting was held at Robert Bell's house in Lockwood Folly.

On 20 Mar 1786 Arthur was "appointed a juror on 4th Monday in June next."

On 26 Jun 1786, he was appointed by the court to be overseer of the road leading from Pyraway to the White Marsh Road. Arthur must have lived on this road, probably near Old Dock, NC.

On the same day in court Arthur was appointed to the Grand Jury.

The DAR lists Arthur as having given "Civil Service" during the Revolution. This means that he was a constable, justice of the peace, judge, sheriff, or some other public office holder during that time. It is also possible that he was a merchant who sold provisions to the Colonial Army.

Arthur, Sr.  appears on the Brunswick County Census records in 1790, 1800, and 1810.

Arthur Sr. is shown on pages 67 & 68 of the Brunswick County Real Estate transfers on 17 Nov 1791 as having bought 100 acres of "Plantation Parcel" from Benjamin Williams for 15 pounds. This property was on a branch of Mill Creek and Jonathon Robbins, Arthur?s son, witnessed the transfer.

During the October term of court in 1792, Arthur, Sr., Arthur, Jr. and Benjamin were asked "to assist in the building of bridges over Town Creek, Allens Creek and Orton Creek and to open the road from Town Creek down to the Town of Brunswick" (on the Cape Fear River Bay).

Arthur, Sr. was appointed as a juror in 1793, 1794, again in 1795 during which term Matthew Sellers was jury foreman, and again in 1796.

On 27 Jan 1794 Arthur Robins witnessed the sale of land on Middle Swamp.

On 11 Jan 1796 a "deed of conveyance from William Wheeler to Arthur Robbins for a piece of land on Mill Creek, Proved by the oath of Benjamin Robbins. One of the subscribing evidences thereto and ordered to be registered."

On 5 April 1798, Arthur received a grant of 50A on the west side of the main prong of Mill Creek, between Horse and Horse Pen Branches to the mouth.  Mill Creek rises in northeast Brunswick County and flows southeasterly into the Brunswick River.

On 9 April 1808 Arthur sold to his son William Absolom Robbins 320A on Mill Creek including the plantation where Absolom resided.  Simon Sellers had previously owned this land.

On 25 Jan 1812, Arthur bought 100A on the south side of the first branch of Mill Creek from James Sellers. Just prior to his death in September, he sold  this same 100A on 20 Jan 1819 to Drewry Harris. Also, he sold to Drewry Sellers 50A on Harris Swamp.

On 15 Dec 1814, Arthur, Sr. was granted 50 acres of land by the State "beginning at a pine."  We assume this was in the Town Creek Township of Brunswick County.

Children of Arthur Robbins, Sr. and Mary Penelope Sellers:

Benjamin Robbins, Sr. - born about 1765, died 1831 Arthur Robbins, Jr. - born abt 1766, died 13-Mar-1843 Joel Robbins, Sr. - born abt 1770, died Sept-1821 Penelope Robbins - born abt 1772, died 22-Sep-1844 Jonathon Robbins - born abt 1774, died undetermined date William Absolom Robbins - born abt 1775, died 5-Mar-1828 Elizabeth Robbins - born abt 1781, died undetermined date

The record book of the Mill Creek Baptist Church which started being written sometime in 1816 recorded "Arthur Robbins, Senr." as a member of the church; however, his name was scratched through and beside it was written "Dead 29 September 1819" His son Absolom was the Pastor of the church but was also shown and "Deces" in the 1816 minutes. Arthur, Jr. was also listed as a church member and appears later as the Pastor of the Church. His son Joel is noted as a member and "clark" of the Church. His son-in-law (husband of Penelope), Joel Reaves, is noted as Deacon of the Church.

This is photo of the first page of the Minute Book of  the Mill Creek Baptist Church. This page was written sometime around 1816, and lists the male members of the Church. It is very likely that when a Member died the book was updated.  This page indicates that Absalom Robbins, Pastor   Deces  and Joel Robbins, clark  Decd September 182?  and Arthur Robbins, Senr, Dead 29 September 1819.

Some think that Arthur, Sr. was buried at the "Old Drew Cemetery."  This cemetery  was located on the old River Road which originally led to Old Brunswick Town, and which is probably the road mentioned in the Court Records of 17 Nov 1791.  This cemetery was  moved when the Old River Road was closed and the property became part of the "Sunny Point Army Terminal."  "The New Drew Cemetery" to which those graves were moved still exists on SR1529 about a mile from the entrance to Old Brunswick Ruins. Joel Reeves's tombstone is still there.  Arthur, Sr. died at age seventy-seven.