Mumblings: Edward Robbins

I received a question from a reader of the August 5 - August 11 anniversaries posting asking to know more about Edward Robbins.  Edward was my great great grandfather.  He was born December 21, 1859 in Brownington, VT and died August 8, 1941 in Lowell, MA.  As I previously posted in "Anniversaries," Edward's father, Eli Robbins died May 11, 1864 in Spotsylvania, VA at the Civil War Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.  I am not sure of the spelling of the first name of Edward's mother, but she went by the nickname "Alma".  Alma's marriage record to Eli Robbins shows her as Malena Lunn.  After her husband Eli's death, she remarried Rufus C. Lund in 1869.  The marriage record shows the bride as Mialma (Lund) Robbins.  (Thanks to Jonathan Milligan for posting the marriage records on Ancestry.com).

The 1870 U.S. Census lists Rufus Lund, his wife Alma living in Barton, Orleans County, VT.  Rufus must have been a widower at the time of his marriage to Alma as he had a child Hattie aged 13.  Rufus and Alma had a son Percy aged 5 months.  Also living in the household are the children of Eli and Alma, Edward Robbins age 10 and Mary Robbins age 5. Alma's mother, Mary Lund age 57 is also listed as living in the household.  Rufus was a farmer and Edward, age 10, is listed a farm laborer.

On August 11, 1877, Edward married Emma Jane Scott.  Emma was the daughter of George and Mary (Emery) Scott.  Emma was born on February 11, 1859 in Groton, VT and died in 1897 at Everett, MA.  Edward and Emma's children were Effie Louraine born June 10, 1880, Charles born in 1881, Frank born in 1883, and Louisa born in 1887.  Effie Louraine married married Herbert F. Milligan.  Effie and Herbert were my great grandparents.  After Emma died, Edward remarried Minnie Annie Clark on September 9, 1899.  Minnie was born in March 1870 and died July 13, 1953.

   Edward and Minnie (Clark) Robbins, 2nd wife (back row center); Harold Tompkins is in back row right and Herbert F. Milligan is seated front row left

The 1880 U.S. Census lists Edward, wife Emma, and "child birth" as living in Chicopee, MA.  Edward's occupation is working in a cotton mill.  The 1900 Census shows Edward, Minnie, married daughter Effie Milligan, Charles, Frank, and Louise living at 60 Central St., Somerville, MA (not far from where my daughter and son are now living). Edward's occupation is listed as an "Engineer (Stationary)".  By 1910, the Census shows Edward and Minnie living at 14 Stevenson Avenue, Everett, MA.  Edward is a real estate agent at this time.  By 1920, Edward and Minnie are living at 180 Baldwin St., Lowell, MA.  Edward is working again as a stationary engineer in a woolen mill.  The 1930 Census has Edward and Minnie still in Lowell living but now at 147 Humphrey St. and at age 71, Edward is still an engineer at a cotton mill.  The 1940 Census shows Edward and Minnie residing at 112 Humphrey St., Lowell and at age 81, Edward is a boss in a manufacturing mill bobbin shop.  Edward died in 1941.