William Robbins

    William Robbins (deceased), the subject of this sketch, was born in Kentucky in 1784. He was brought up in perilous times from the wild beast of the country and the still wilder and more cruel men, the Indians. His first visit to Indiana Territory was in 1804, when he came to visit his mother's brother, John Ryker, who had a claim in Eagle Creek valley, about three miles east of where Madison now is.

    He brought flour, sugar and coffee to his uncle, luxuries which were not to be had at that time in the little settlement of Indiana. During his journey he saw deer, bears, panthers and various kinds of smaller game. He crossed the Ohio in a pirogue, his horse swimming by the side of the boat.

    In 1809 Mr. Robbins settled permanently in Jefferson County, or what was afterward so named, making his home with his uncle, Mason Watts, who had built a log cabin two miles north of the present site of Canaan. The Indians were troublesome about this time, and he enlisted as a ranger, and was several months in that service, headquarters at Buchanan's Station. The company in which he served was along Indian Kentucky Creek, and was commanded by James McCoy as Captain; this was in 1811-12.

    He was with Gen. W .H. Harrison when Detroit was taken, and at the battle of the River Tham3es where Tecumseh was killed; but just who fired that fatal shot he could never tell. After the war he settled on a tract of land, two and one-half miles north of Canaan, which he bought of the Government.

    He was married on the 21st of January, 1816, to Elizabeth Wildman, who was the daughter of James Wildman, and early settler. He was married by Elder Jesse Vawter.

    Mr. Robbins was a great hunter, and kept his family fully supplied with meat by the use of his gun. Game of all kinds was plenty in the forest at that time - beasts and birds. He was in Madison at the first sale of lots by John Paul and Jonathan Lyons; the lots were about where the court house now stands; they sold for about fifteen dollars apiece.

    The result of his marriage was eight children, who lived to the age of maturity, viz: Eliza, Mary A., James, Aaron, Elizabeth, Martha, Ryker and John W., of these two girls and four boys are now living (in 1888).

    Mr. William Robbins died in 1884, at his son Aaron's; he had been blind for some years. He was centenarian, and the last of his compeers to pass away to the Spirit Land. His wife died in 1856. He was a member of the Baptist Church for many years before his death.

    His youngest daughter, Martha, was married to James Christie, February 24, 1846, and to them were born two children: John W. and Mary Elizabeth. Her husband died July 11, 1850, and she re-married in October, 1855, to William B. East, and tot hem were born five children, viz: George O., Ryker A., Minerva A., Fannie D. and Bailey S. Her second husband died January 26, 1865, and she married a third time, in 1884, to Enos Miles, who died in 1887. She still lives in the village of Bryantsburgh. Her eldest son enlisted in the Tenth Reg. Indiana Volunteers, and served through the war.

    Mrs. Miles has raised her family almost unaided, and has been successful in giving all of them a good common school education. She has lived to see all of her children grown and married.

    She has been an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for some twenty years.

Source: Biographical and Historical Souvenir for the counties of Clark, Crawford, Harrison, Floyd, Jefferson, Jennings, Scott and Washington, Indiana. By John M. Gresham & Co., 1889.