Robbins-Gifford Family Papers
M91-13
The Robbins-Gifford Family Papers is a collection of letters, historical materials, and family and historical photographs dating from the late nineteenth century to the year 1989. Centering on the life of Mrs. Mary E. Robbins Gifford, this collection is of particular interest to Arkansas historians as it contains much information about the history of North Central Arkansas, especially the towns of Heber Springs and Rose Bud. Considerable data is also available on several featured organizations in the state.
Mary E. Robbins was born September 3, 1901 in Rose Bud, Arkansas, to John William Robbins and Susan Ida Thomas Robbins. Educated at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Mary taught in both Heber Springs Public Schools and the Rose Bud Schools. She married Lt. Col. Joel S. Gifford in 1924 and had two children, a son Joel S. Gifford Jr., and a daughter, Julia Gifford Haines.
Mrs. Gifford was active in church and civic work throughout her life, and as an amateur historian she collected a wealth of information on the organizations in which she was involved. She compiled a history of Rose Bud itself. These papers, left after her death on February 26, 1989; make up the bulk of this collection.
NOTE: When requesting material, please specify collection number (M91-13), box number, series number, and file number.
Arrangement
Series I – J.W. Robbins materials in the form of correspondence, financial records, and funeral materials
Series II – Mary E. Robbins Gifford material in the form of correspondence, financial records, and funeral materials
Series III – Joel S. Gifford Sr. materials in the form of correspondence and general materials
Series IV – Wiley H. Robbins and O.B. Robbins Material in the form of correspondence, financial records and funeral material
Series V – Historical Materials
Series VI – Fraternal Organizations Materials
Series VII – General and Cotton Market Materials
Series VIII – Photographs
Series IX – Oversized: Heber Spring Study Club Scrapbook and St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge Financial Ledgers
Series I- J.W. Robbins Materials
Box 1
File 1- Correspondence, 1922-1924
File 2- Correspondence, 1925
File 3- Correspondence, 1926
File 4- Correspondence, 1927
File 5- Correspondence, Jan.- June 1928
File 6- Correspondence, July- Dec. 1928
File 7- Correspondence, Jan.- June 1929
File 8- Correspondence, July- Dec. 1929
File 9- Correspondence, Jan.- June 1930
File 10- Correspondence, July- Dec. 1930
File 11- Correspondence, 1931
File 12- Correspondence, 1932
File 13- Correspondence, 1933
File 14- Correspondence, 1934
File 15- Correspondence, 1935
File 16- Correspondence, Jan.-June 1936
File 17- Correspondence, July- Dec. 1936
File 18- Correspondence, 1937
File 19- Correspondence, Jan.- June 1938
File 20- Correspondence, July- Dec. 1938
End of Series I Box 1
Series I- J.W. Robbins Materials
Box 2
File 1- Correspondence, 1939
File 2- Correspondence, Jan.- June 1940
File 3- Correspondence, July- Dec. 1940
File 4- Correspondence, 1941
File 5- Correspondence, 1944
File 6- Undated Correspondence
File 7- Correspondence of Mrs. J.W. Robbins, (Ida Thomas)
File 8- Financial Records
File 9- Funeral Materials- Sympathy Cards and Notes
File 10- Funeral Materials- Sympathy Cards
File 11- Funeral Materials- General Data
File 12- Funeral Materials- Newspaper Clippings
File 13- Funeral Materials- Memory Book
File 14- General Materials
File 15- Newspaper Clippings
End of Series I Box 2
Series II- Mary E. Robbins Gifford Materials
Box 1
File 1- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Jan.- Aug. 1918
File 2- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Sept. 1918
File 3- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Oct. 1918
File 4- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Nov. 1918
File 5- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Dec. 1918
File 6- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Jan. 1919
File 7- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Feb. 1919
File 8- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., March 1919
File 9- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., April 1919
File 10- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., May 1919
File 11- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., June- July 1919
File 12- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Aug.- Dec. 1919
File 13- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Jan.- July 1920
File 14- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Sept. 1920
File 15- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Oct. 1920
File 16- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Nov. 1920
File 17- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Jan.- April 1921
File 18- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., May- Nov. 1921
File 19- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., 1922
File 20- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., 1923
End of Series II Box 1
Series II- Mary E. Robbins Gifford Materials
Box 2
File 1- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., 1924
File 2- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Jan. 1925
File 3- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Feb. 1925
File 4- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., March 1925
File 5- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., April 1925
File 6- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., 1931, 1939
File 7- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., April 1942
File 8- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., May 1942
File 9- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., June- Oct. 1942
File 10- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., 1943
File 11- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Aug. 1944
File 12- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Sept. 1944
File 13- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Oct. 1944
File 14- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Nov.- Dec. 1944
File 15- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Jan.- Feb. 1945
File 16- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., March 1945
File 17- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., April- May 1945
File 18- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Aug. 1945
File 19- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Sept. 1945
File 20- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Oct.- Nov. 1945
File 21- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., 1946
File 22- Correspondence with Joel S. Gifford Sr., Undated
End of Series II Box 2
Series II- Mary E. Robbins Gifford Materials
Box 3
File 1- Correspondence with sister, Vergie Robbins
File 2- General Correspondence, 1928, 1938
File 3- General Correspondence, 1939
File 4- General Correspondence, 1940
File 5- General Correspondence, 1941
File 6- General Correspondence, 1970-1985
File 7- General Correspondence, Undated
File 8- Greeting Cards
File 9- General Materials
File 10- School Memory Book of Ouachita College 1922
File 11- Funeral Materials- Memory Book
File 12- Funeral Materials- Newspaper Clippings
End of Series II Box 3
Series III- Joel S. Gifford Sr. Materials
Box 1
File 1- Correspondence, 1939-1940
File 2- Correspondence at Veterans Hospital, Sept. 1941
File 3- General Materials
File 4- Funeral Materials- Memory Book
File 5- Funeral Materials- General Data
End of Series III Box 1
Series IV- Wiley H. Robbins and O.B. Robbins Materials
Box 1
File 1- Wiley H. Robbins Materials- Personal Correspondence
File 2- Wiley H. Robbins Materials- Financial and Personal Records
File 3- Wiley H. Robbins Materials- General Data
File 4- Wiley H. Robbins Materials- Funeral Data- Memory Book
File 5- Wiley H. Robbins Materials- Funeral Data- Sympathy Card and Notes
File 6- Wiley H. Robbins Materials- General Funeral Data
File 7- O.B. Robbins Materials- General Data
File 8- O.B. Robbins Materials- Newspaper Clippings
End of Series IV Box 1
Series V- Historical Materials
Box 1
File 1- “The Autobiography of Carey Smith” by Carey Smith, c.1890
File 2- Rose Bud History- How Rose Bud was named
File 3- Rose Bud History- “History of Rose Bud” by Mrs. Mary E. Robbins Gifford
File 4- Rose Bud History- General Materials
File 5- Rose Bud History- Newspaper Clippings
File 6- Rose Bud History- “History of Rose Bud Consolidated School” by Mary E. Robbins Gifford
File 7- Rose Bud History- “The Rose Bud School” by Henry A. Stroup
File 8- Rose Bud History- Founders of the Rose Bud School
File 9- Rose Bud History- Letters from Rose Bud Students to Mary E. Robbins Gifford
File 10- Rose Bud History- Rose Bud School Newspaper Clippings
File 11- Rose Bud History- “History of the Rose Bud Methodist Church” by Rev. Henry A. Stroup and Mrs. Mary E. Robbins Gifford
File 12- Rose Bud History- Early History of the Rose Bud Methodist Church
File 13- Rose Bud History- Rose Bud Methodist Church Memorials and Contributions
File 14- Rose Bud History- Rose Bud Methodist Church Stained Glass Window Materials
File 15- Rose Bud History- Minutes of the Rose Bud United Methodist Women
File 16- Rose Bud History- Rose Bud Methodist Church Bulletins
File17- Rose Bud History- Rose Bud Methodist Church General Materials
File 18- Rose Bud History- Rose Bud Methodist Church Newspaper Clippings
File 19- Rose Bud History- Copies of “The Upper Room” a United Methodist Publication
File 20- Rose Bud History- Rose Bud Baptist Church Materials
File 21- Rose Bud History- Rose Bud Cemetery Association Materials
File 22- Rose Bud History- The Rose Bud Rambler Yearbook, 1949
File 23- Rose Bud History- The Rose Bud Rambler Yearbook, 1950
File 24- Heber Springs History- General Materials
File 25- Heber Springs History- Newspaper Clippings
File 26- Heber Springs History- Heber Springs Study Club General Materials
File 27- Heber Springs History- Heber Springs Study Club Yearbooks
File 28- Heber Springs History- Heber Springs Study Club Newspaper Clippings
File 29- Cleburne County History- General Materials
File 30- Quitman History- Newspaper Clippings
File 31- White County History- “White County Heritage” White County Historical Society
File 32- Robbins-Gifford Family History
End of Series V Box 1
Series VI- Fraternal Organizations Materials
Box 1
File 1- St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge Materials- General Correspondence
File 2- St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge Materials- Membership Records
File 3- St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge Materials- Financial Records
File 4- St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge Materials- Masonic Supply Catalogs
File 5- St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge Materials- Masonic Booklets
File 6- St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge Materials- Masonic Booklets
File 7- St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge Materials- General Data
File 8- Order of the Eastern Star Materials- Correspondence
File 9- Order of the Eastern Star Materials- Pamphlets and Programs
File 10- Order of the Eastern Star Materials- “Proceedings of the 76th Annual Session of the Grand Chapter O.E.S.” 1951
File 11- Order of the Eastern Star Materials- “Proceedings of the 77th Annual Session of the Grand Chapter O.E.S.” 1951
File 12- Order of the Eastern Star Materials- “Proceedings of the 78th Annual Session of the Grand Chapter O.E.S.” 1951
File 13- Order of the Eastern Star Materials- General Data
File 14- Order of the Eastern Star Materials- Newspaper Clippings
File 15- Woodmen of the World Materials- General Correspondence
File 16- Woodmen of the World Materials- Badge, Coins, Constitution, and By-Laws
File 17- Woodmen of the World Materials- General Data
End of Series VI Box 1
Box 1
File 1- Cotton Market Materials- Correspondence
File 2- Cotton Market Materials- General Data
File 3- Cotton Market Materials- Newspaper Clippings
File 4- General Materials
File 5- General Materials
End of Series VII Box 1
Box 1
Envelope 1 – J.W. and Ida Robbins and family c1900
Envelope 2 – Family of Will and Ida Robbins, Rose Bud, White Co. 1908
Envelope 3 – Ida W. Robbins 1912
Envelope 4 – Home of Ida Thomas Robbins’ parents, where Ida and Will Robbins were married Rose Bud, White Co
Envelope 5 – Will Robbins Home at Rose Bud Built 1907
Envelope 6 – Bailey Hoggard in front of Will Robbins’ home 1913
Envelope 7 – Will Robbins with hay crew at the Bottoms Farm, at Rose Bud c1914
Envelope 8 – Elbert A. and Will Robbins Rose Bud c1914
Envelope 9 – Elbert A. Robbins and Will Robbins Rose, White Co. 1915
Envelope 10 – J.W. Robbins Heber Springs November 1939
Envelope 11 – J.W. (Will) Robbins on 80th birthday Heber Springs Jan. 1940
Envelope 12 – Will Robbins (left), his sister Mollie Holmes (center), and half brother Otha Gravelly 1940
Envelope 13 – Ice Cream Social at Myrtle Robbins’ home c1914
Envelope 14 – Vergie Robbins, Rose Bud 1920
Envelope 15 – Wiley Robbins and W.E. Blume Central Church November 2, 1958
Envelope 16 – Oscar B. Robbins, 1st Lt of 153rd Infantry on Motor cycle at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana 1917
Envelope 17 – O.B. and Minnie Lee Jones Robbins at Heber Spings, Cleburne County 1942
Envelope 18 – O.B. Robbins Motor Company, Office at Heber Springs, Cleburne County March 21, 1932
Envelope 19 – O.B. Robbins 1942
Envelope 20-21 – Vivian Robbins c1900
Envelope 22 – Vivian Robbins Web Behrens at San Antonio TX 1986
Envelope 23 – descendants of Vivian Robbins Web Behrens?
Envelope 24 – Mark Robbins and Sara Jane Fisher Wedding photo 1985
Envelope 25 – Mary E. Robbins-Gifford Baby picture 1902
Envelope 26 – Mary E. Robbins Gifford c1920
Envelope 27 – Mary E. Robbins at Rose Bud 1920
Envelope 28 – Portrait of Mary E. Gifford, 1936
Envelope 29 – Joel S. Gifford and Mary E. Robbins during “Courting days” Rosebud, White County 1918
Envelope 30 – Joel S. and Mary E. Robbins Gifford
Envelope 31 – Joel S. Gifford
Envelope 32 – Joel Gifford and Mary E. Robbins-Gifford
Envelope 33 – Capt. J.S. Gifford
Envelope 34 – Joel and Mary E. Gifford, baby Joel at Tulsa, Oklahoma November 1926
Envelope 35 – Joel S. Gifford Jr. at 2 months 1926
Envelope 36 – Joel S. Gifford Jr. at 4 months 1926
Envelope 37 – Joel S. Gifford Jr. at 1 year
Envelope 38 – Mary E. Robbins-Gifford, Joel Jr., and Julia
Envelope 39 – Joel S. Gifford and Joel Jr. 1929
Envelope 40 – Joel and Julia Gifford with Grandmother Gifford at Rose Bud 1930
Envelope 41 – Joel S. Gifford Jr. and Julia Gifford Louisville, KY 1931
Envelope 42 – Mary E. and Joel S. Gifford, 1972
Envelope 43 – James Stanford Gifford (1832-1918) c1900
Envelope 44 – Grant S. Gifford (1864-1928) c1925
Envelope 45 – Grant G. Gifford, Mattie M. Gifford (1864-1949)
Envelope 46 – Mattie Matilda Smith Gifford, Terry Smith, and Elizabeth Dorothy Smith Young c1900
Envelope 47 – Carey Smith with Buffalo Bill troupe c1870
Envelope 48 – Mattie Gifford near Rose Bud c1923
Envelope 49 – Mattie M. Gifford c1925
Envelope 50 – Mrs. Grant Gifford c1942
Envelope 51 – Rosewood Grove No. 117 Rose Bud c1900
Envelope 52 – Copper Spring School Group, Rose Bud c1900
Envelope 53 – Bessie Walters, Ethel Best, Myrtle Walters, Maude Starns, Lee Walters, Alice Brooks, Myrtle Taylor, Vergie Robbins, and Violet Taylor. Rose Bud c.1907
Envelope 54 – Rose Bud School 1907
Envelope 55 – Youth outing at Buffalo Hump near Quitman, Cleburne County on Easter c1908
Envelope 56 – Youth outing near Rose Bud c1908
Envelope 57 – Youth picnic c1909
Envelope 58 – Rose Bud Youth outing c1910
Envelope 59 – Eighth Grade Girls: Zair Williams, ? Marwood, Madge ?, Hora Hamilton, Cara Sandford, ? Silby, and Lillian Stuart 1912-1913
Envelope 60 – Eighth Grade picture: Cara Sandford, Zair Williams, ? Marwood, Ray Martin, Bernie Issacs, ? Silby, Madge ?, Flora Hamilton , Lillian Stuart, ? Hamilton, 1912-1913
Envelope 61 – Singing School, Rose Bud c1913
Envelope 62 – 1st Rose Bud High School, 1914
Envelope 63 – Lena Hassell with children (Winnie Bly, Cleo, and Dane Hassell) and Maggie May Hall in front of old Robbins’s Store at Rose Bud c1915
Envelope 64 – Quitman High School Basketball Team: Lucille Tarver, Maurine Tarver, Mary Ella Robbins, Eva Robbins, Clarice Beasley, Mabel Wood, Mavis Flowers, and R. L. Newton 1915-1916
Envelope 65 – Children’s Day Service Rose Bud Methodist Church c1916
End of Box 1
Series VIII- Photographs
Box 2
Envelope 1 – Rose Bud Faculty and Students, Elementary and High School 1919
Envelope 2 – Heber Springs High School Graduating class c1923
Envelope 3 – Senior Class Rose Bud High School 1949
Envelope 4 – Original Methodist Church Rose Bud
Envelope 5 – Rose Bud Baptist Church 1973
Envelope 6 – “New” Methodist Church Rose Bud 1967
Envelope 7 – Maggie May Holl and possibly Pearl Owens Biles, Bridge near Mt. Vernon c1900
Envelope 8 – Unidentified photograph c1915
Envelope 9-10 – B. Marwood and male friend
Envelope 11 – Old College friend Elizabeth, Ouachita College, 1918
Envelope 12 – College friends, Fountain at Ouachita Campus, Arkadelphia 1918-1919
Envelope 13 – Olive Webb, Ouachita College, Arkadelphia 1921
Envelope 14 Ima Zoe Curtis 1921
Envelope 15 – College friend Gladys, 1918-1922
Envelope 16 – Candle stick Rock near Heber Springs, Cleburne County c 1900
Envelope 17 – Gathering on Saturday Heber Spring, Cleburne County
Envelope 18 – Sweet Home Pike, Little Rock, Pulaski County
Envelope 19 – Co-Ed Classroom c1900
Envelope 20-21 – Unidentified school photograph c1900
Envelope 22-28 – Unidentified women
Envelope 29-32 – Unidentified
Envelope 33 – Indian woman with crafts
Envelope 34-37 – Mid Continental Petroleum Corporation c1930s
Box 1
Item 1- Heber Springs Study Club Scrapbook
Item 2- St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge Financial Ledger
Item 3- St. Mary’s Masonic Lodge Financial Ledger
Item 4- 19.5" x 23" Framed black/white photo of John William (Will) Robbins - father of Mary E. Robbins Gifford- 1860-1941
End of Series IX Box 1
End of Collection
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