Biographical/historical information

Robert "Bob" Boyd Robison III was born on February 21, 1948, in Halifax County, NC., to Robert and Katherine Robinson. He was involved in various groups such as the Society of the Cincinnati, Sons of the Revolution in the State of North Carolina, SCV, Military Order of the Stars and Bars, among others. He also published a column entitled "Confederate Letter" in The Daily Herald newspaper of Roanoke Rapids, N.C. He died on November 30, 1999, in Durham County, N.C., and is buried in Garysburg, N.C.

Scope and arrangement

This collection (1823-1999) contains the papers of Robert "Bob" Boyd Robinson III (1948-1999) of Garysburg, N.C. Included are documents related to his involvement with groups such as Sons of the Revolution in the State of North Carolina, among others; his column in the Daily Herald newspapers of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., titled "Confederate Letter"; Boyd family Bible Records; a publication (1917) titled "Ceremonies Attending Dedication of the Virginia Memorial on the Battlefield of Gettysburg"; and typescripts of Robinson family letters (1813-1851).

Also included are legal documents, genealogical notes, clippings, correspondence, family charts, photographs, school certificates, VCR tapes and Bible Records transcriptions which concern the Boyd, Coker, Crossland, Ellis, Gary, Kee, Palmer, Person, Purnell, Read, Ricks, Robinson, Stephenson, and Turner families of Northeastern North Carolina and Southeastern Virginia.

Administrative information

Custodial History

February 8, 2016, (unprocessed), 3.33 cubic feet; This collection (1823-1999) contains the papers of Robert "Bob" Boyd Robinson III (1948-1999) of Garysburg, N.C. Included are original documents related to Andrew Jackson Ellis and other Ellis family members such as correspondence (1843, 1854, 1861-1865), 1884 invitation and order of exercises for Howard University commencement, memoriam letters (1912-1913), and photographs (large tintype, cartes de visite). Other documents include Boyd family Bible Records and a 1917 publication titled "Ceremonies Attending Dedication of the Virginia Memorial on the Battlefield of Gettysburg." Genealogical notes, clippings, correspondence, family charts, and Bible Records transcriptions concern the Palmer, Gary, Ellis, Coker, Kee, Turner, Boyd, Robinson, Read, Ricks, Purnell, Crossland, and Stephenson families of Northeastern North Carolina and Southeastern Virginia. Other documents relate to his involvement with groups such as Society of the Cincinnati, Sons of the Revolution in the State of North Carolina, SCV, Military Order of The Stars and Bars, among others; and his column in The Daily Herald newspaper of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., titled "Confederate Letter." Donor: The Robinson Family c/o Katherine S. Robinson.

February 10, 2016, (unprocessed addition 1), 2.25 cubic feet; This addition consists of correspondence, receipts, legal documents, and 1870s photographs related to the Person family (1823-1886) and Ellis family (1858-1940s) both of Garysburg, Northampton Co., N.C. Also included are correspondence (1850s-1880s), photographs, school certificates and a diploma (1870s-1880s) from Petersburg Female College (Virginia) and Suffolk Female Institute (Virginia) related to the Coker family; and an autograph book (1865-1868, 1873) kept by Fannie M. Ellis of Gold Ridge, N.C. More recent material includes clippings and transcripts of Bob Robinson's "Confederate Letter" newspaper columns (1992-1999); typescripts of genealogical material (with documentation) related to the Gary, Turner, Purnell, Ellis, Coker, Stephenson and Kee families of Virginia, and Northampton and Halifax Cos., N.C.; and typescripts of Robinson family letters (1813-1851). Donor: The Robinson Family c/o Katherine S. Robinson.

July 13, 2018, (unprocessed addition 2), 1.05 cubic feet; This addition (1828-1860, 1936-1998) consists of original documents (1828-1860) related to the Gary, Ellis, and Person families; genealogical correspondence (1936-1998), clippings and family history material related to the Person, Ellis, Gary, Coker, and Kee families of Virginia and Northampton and Halifax Cos., N.C.; and photographs related to the Ellis, Robinson, and Stephenson families of Northampton Co., N.C. Donor: The Robinson Family c/o Katherine S. Robinson.

October 19, 2023, (unprocessed addition 3), 1.0 cubic foot; Addition (1905-1916, 1991) consists of two photograph albums, loose photographs, negatives, and two VCR tapes. Though many of the photographs aren't identified, they seem to be related to Sara Virginia Ellis of Garysburg, North Carolina, and her friends (and relatives) in their late teens or possibly early twenties in their travels, everyday life, and gathering of friends. Infrequent dates are 1907, and 1912 through 1916. Some photographs show men as soldiers in an encampment and at least some of them appear to be a part of General John J. Pershing's "Punitive Expedition" against Pancho Villa in 1916. The VCR tapes are Sons of Confederate Veterans events. Donor: The Robinson Family on behalf of Katherine S. Robinson.

Source of acquisition

Gift of the Robinson Family c/o Katherine S. Robinson

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law. The donor retains the literary rights to the publication titled Confederate Letter.

Key terms

Personal Names

Ellis, Andrew Jackson
Robinson, Robert B., 1948-

Family Names

Boyd family
Ellis family
Person family
Robinson family

Places

Halifax County (N.C.)--Genealogy
Northampton County (N.C.)--Genealogy
Virginia--Genealogy

Container list