Robbins Nest in the Barnes Family Tree

An Arkansas Blessing

Bless this house, oh Lord, we cry.
Please keep it cool in mid-July.
Bless the walls where termites dine,
While! ants and roaches march in time.
Bless our yard where spiders pass
Fire ant castles in the grass.
Bless the garage, a home to please
Carpenter beetles, ticks and fleas.
Bless the love bugs, two by two,
The gnats and mosquitoes that feed on you.
Millions of creatures that fly or crawl,
In Arkansas, Lord, you've put them all!!
But this is home, and here we'll stay,
So thank you Lord, for insect spray.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN ARKANSAS IN JULY WHEN. . .

The birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.
The trees are whistling for the dogs.
The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
Hot water now comes out of both taps.
You can make sun tea instantly.
You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.
The temperature drops below 95 and you feel a little chilly.
You discover that in July it only takes 2 fingers to steer your car.
You discover that you can get sunburned through your car window.
You actually burn your hand opening the car door.
You break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m.
Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is,
'What if I get knocked out and end up lying
on the pavement and cook to death?'
You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.
The potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter, salt and pepper.
Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs.
The cows are giving evaporated milk.

Ah, what a place to call home. . .

God Bless Our State of Arkansas!!

The Year 1955 In Comment!!! The year I (Cathy Robbins) was born.

That's only 53 years ago! (July 4, 2008)

'I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20.00.'

'Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $2, 000.00 will only buy a used one.'

'If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.

'Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?'

'If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.'

'When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage.'

'Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls.'

'I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL of DAMN in it.'

'I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas .'

'Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the President.'

'I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now.'

'It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.'

'It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.'

'Marriage doesn't mean a thing any more, those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat.'

'I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.'

'Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.'

'The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.'

'There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend, it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.'

'No one can afford to be sick anymore, at $35.00 a day in the hospital it's too rich for my blood.'

'If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it.'

Through the Years 1920~1979

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.(We also ate snow in the North)
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because, WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day.And we were OK.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computer! s, no Internet or chat rooms.......
WE HAD FRIENDS........
and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them! Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:

'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

Contributed by Dewey and Jean Barnes

1930's and 1940's FLOUR SACKS

Some of you are way too young to know about the FLOUR SACKS, But some of you will remember.?

I hope ALL of you will enjoy reading this very well-written article.

*THE FLOUR SACK*
*BY COLLEEN B. HUBERT*

IN THAT LONG AGO TIME WHEN THINGS WERE SAVED,
WHEN ROADS WERE GRAVELED AND BARRELS WERE STAVED,
WHEN WORN-OUT CLOTHING WAS USED AS RAGS,
AND THERE WERE NO PLASTIC WRAP OR BAGS,
AND THE WELL AND THE PUMP WERE WAY OUT BACK, A VERSATILE ITEM, WAS THE FLOUR SACK. PILLSBURY'S BEST, MOTHER'S AND GOLD MEDAL, TOO STAMPED THEIR NAMES PROUDLY IN PURPLE AND BLUE.
THE STRING SEWN ON TOP WAS PULLED AND KEPT; THE FLOUR EMPTIED AND SPILLS WERE SWEPT.
THE BAG WAS FOLDED AND STORED IN A SACK
THAT DURABLE, PRACTICAL FLOUR SACK.
THE SACK COULD BE FILLED WITH FEATHERS AND DOWN,
FOR A PILLOW, OR T'WOULD MAKE A NICE SLEEPING GOWN.
IT COULD CARRY A BOOK AND BE A SCHOOL BAG,
OR BECOME A MAIL SACK SLUNG OVER A NAG.
IT MADE A VERY CONVENIENT PACK,
THAT ADAPTABLE, COTTON FLOUR SACK.

BLEACHED AND SEWN, IT WAS DUTIFULLY WORN
AS BIBS, DIAPERS, OR KERCHIEF ADORNED.
IT WAS MADE INTO SKIRTS, BLOUSES AND SLIPS.
AND MOM BRAIDED RUGS FROM ONE HUNDRED STRIPS SHE MADE RUFFLED CURTAINS FOR THE HOUSE OR SHACK,
FROM THAT HUMBLE BUT TREASURED FLOUR SACK! AS A STRAINER FOR MILK OR APPLE JUICE,
TO WAVE MEN IN, IT WAS A VERY GOOD USE,
AS A SLING F OR A SPRAINED WRIST OR A BREAK,
TO HELP MOTHER ROLL UP A JELLY CAKE,
AS A WINDOW SHADE OR TO STUFF A CRACK,
WE USED A STURDY, COMMON FLOUR SACK!

AS DISH TOWELS, EMBROIDERED OR NOT,
THEY COVERED UP DOUGH, HELPED PASS PANS SO HOT,
TIED UP DISHES FOR NEIGHBORS IN NEED,
AND FOR MEN OUT IN THE FIELD TO SEED.
THEY DRIED DISHES FROM PAN, NOT RACK
THAT ABSORBENT, HANDY FLOUR SACK!

WE POLISHED AND CLEANED STOVE AND TABLE, SCOURED AND SCRUBBED FROM CELLAR TO GABLE,
WE DUSTED THE BUREAU AND OAK BED POST,
MADE COSTUMES FOR OCTOBER (A SCARY GHOST) AND A PARACHUTE FOR A CAT NAMED JACK.
FROM THAT LOWLY, USEFUL OLD FLOUR SACK!

SO NOW MY FRIENDS, WHEN THEY ASK YOU
AS CURIOUS YOUNGSTERS OFTEN DO,
'BEFORE PLASTIC WRAP, ELMERS GLUE
AND PAPER TOWELS, WHAT DID YOU DO?'
TELL THEM LOUDLY AND WITH PRIDE DON'T LACK,
'GRANDMOTHER HAD THAT WONDERFUL FLOUR SACK!'
*FEED SACKS *TOO! REMEMBER??

*Most all these girls' dresses were made from flour sacks...* *Sugar sacks were used for underwear, so my mom told me. *

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Henry "Lacy" Barnes

Henry Lacy Barnes
Born: Jan. 07, 1907
Died: Dec. 15, 1972
Fort Valley, GA

Married May 09, 1929
to
Arlyn Elizabeth Holladay
Born: May 09, 1910
Died: June 02, 1994
Fort Valley, GA

Children:

Martha "Carolyn" July 16, 1942

Carolyn, You always tell me Mom (Gladys) reminds you of your dad. I just noticed that your dad was 35 when you were born and my mom was 35 when Carolyn and I were born. They each have a daughter named Carolyn. They did thinks alike eh? Love, Cathy

Alice Octavine Barnes

Alice 1918 @ 14 Alice 1907 age 3

Josephine and Alice 2002

Alice Octavine Barnes
Born: May 27, 1904
Died: Feb., 2003
Cambenton, MO

married Feb. 22, 1926
to
Schenck Daniel Holladay
Born: Oct. 15, 1878
Died: Dec., 26, 1943
Fulton, KY

Children:

Ruth "Josephine" April 7, 1927
Persia Melema Mar. 03, 1929

Persia was named after a character in a book his father was reading.

Alice married John Knight Nov. 28, 1948
By all accounts, he was not a very nice person, but they stayed married until his death.

Truman Dewey Barnes

Dewey 1918 @ 16 Pearl 1918 @ 15 Dewey 1907 Age 6

1930 ~ 1940 not sure Dewey, 1950's or early 1960's

Truman "Dewey" Barnes
Born: October 28, 1901
Died: December 27, 1963
Forrest City, AR

Married Sept. 05, 1920
to
Pearlie Ann Gray
Born: Sept. 12, 1902
Died: Dec., 1996
Forrest City, AR

Children:

Audrey Louise April 2, 1921
Dorothy Juanita Jan. 23, 1924 ~ Jan., 1941
Edmond Thomas
Truman
David Schenck
Martha Jane "Bobby"
Jimmy
Kenneeth
Mitchell
Betty

Friday, July 25, 2008

Rosa Lena Barnes

Born: June 27, 1898
Died: Jan. 07, 2000
Wynne, AR
Buried: Akins Cemetery
Vanndale, AR

Married June 05, 1920

in Vanndale, AR
to
Jim Robinson
Born: April 09, 1898
Died: Sept 05, 1930

Wynne, AR (train accident)

Buried: Akins Cemetery
Vanndale, AR
Jim took Rosa to their wedding
in a horse and carriage.

Children:

Frances Waring ~
October 12, 1921
Olive Marion ~
January o6, 1924
Muriel Gray ~
February 1, 1926
Alice Virginia ~

December 15, 1928

Allie, Muriel, Marion, Muriel, & mom Rosa

Sunday, July 13, 2008

THE BARNES FAMILY TREE

GREAT GRANDPARENTS

Unknown Gray ~~~~~~~~~Thomas Highsmith

Unknown Wife~~~~~ ~~~~Mary (Unknown)

Children: Thomas Gray ~~~Children:Abigail Highsmith

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unknown Barnes ~~~~~~~Church Smallwood

Unknown Wife ~~~~~~~~~Sally Choate

Children:Robert Barnes~~~~~~~Children:Sarah "Jane" Smallwood

GRANDPARENTS

Thomas Gray~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Abigail Highsmith

Born: Mar. 28, 1854~~~~~~~~~~ Born:

Died: 1934 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Died:

Married:

Children: Martha, Minnie, John William Thomas ~ a girl!

They had hoped for a boy & so she was known as Johnny.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert Barnes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sarah Jane Smallwood

Born: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Born: June , 1845

Died: ** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Died: March , 1926

Married: Feb., 09, 1868, Mc Nairy County, TN

Children: Alexander, John, Webb, Charlie, Jim, Truman

** Robert Barnes was killed by a felled tree. No reason is given

what happened to Abigail Highsmith Gray other than deceased.

*Thomas Gray Married Sarah Jane Smallwood Barnes and that is

how Alexander "Fate" and Martha met.

PARENTS

Martha Ann Gray ~~~~~~~~~~~Alexander Lafayette Barnes

Born: April17, 1880 ~~~~~~~~~ Born: July 4, 1874

Pittsburgh Landing, TN ~~~~~ Celburne County, TN

Died: Sept. 20, 1921 ~~~~~~~~~ Died: June 7, 1926

Vanndale, AR Akins Cemetery ~~~~Vanndale, AR Akins Cemetery

Married: September 18, 1897, Pittsburgh Landing, TN

Children: Rosa Lena, Truman Dewey, Alice Octavine, Henry Lacy,

Quentin Theodore, Ruth May, Grady O'Dell, Ruby Jewell,

and Gladys Lucille.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday, June 23, 2008

Late 1920's

Aunt Ruby and Aunt Gladys are on the far left along with Aunt Rosa's 4 girls, Muriel, Marion,Frances and Alice Virginia. The older lady in the picture is a friend of the family.

1918, Aunt Alice (far left),

Aunt Pearl (middle),

Aunt Rosa (2nd from right)

Uncle Dewey (seated on the left)

I will edit and update as soon as I find the list that tells me whos who of the friends at the picnic with them.

Photograph from Alice Virgina Bryant. I can't say who all is in the picture. I am thinking it may be Uncle Dewey and Aunt Pearls family. Far left my guess is Fate with Uncle Dewey next to him possibly 8 of Dewey and Pearls 10 children with Aunt Pearl on the far right with a baby.

Family Portrait 1907
Martha & Fate seated with Baby, Henry"Lacy" in Mommies lap, Alice in Poppies lap, Truman "Dewey" standing beside Poppy and Rosa (standing on a box) behind Mommy.

According to Gladys their parents were referred to as Mommy and Poppy.

Grandparents: Martha Ann Gray/Alexander Lafayette Barnes

1899

Uncle Charlie Barnes standing

Martha & Fate with baby Rosa Lena

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Robbins Nest

Welcome to the Robbins Nest. I am Catherine, Cathy, Cate, or Cat. I belong to the Ohio branch of the Gray~Barnes Family and I am attempting to create a time line from the 1800's. Our family is very near and dear to my heart. Along the way, Heavenly Father has set us all off in different directions. His directive, to go out and teach of His Son, Jesus Christ and to LOVE one another as He has loved us. We are of His image and likeness. That seems to be what our family has done. We are in different areas of the country: Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, Missouri, Colorado, California, Ohio. No matter where we are we take our families love with us and by the example of our living and belief's we have spread the word of God.
From what I understand Grandpa & Grandma Barnes were what they call Hard Shell Baptists. What all that entails I'm not quite sure, but I heard, no dancing, no make-up. On Sunday's there was no work, not even a pair of scissors were to be used to cut anything.
Our family sure has expanded on those belief's in many religions. We have Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Jehovah Witness, Lutheran & Mormon that I know of personally. I was brought up to respect each denominations and each persons personal choice.
In this blog, I am hoping others in the family will add family pictures and stories to bring our family closer together. Many of us have lost contact. So please share the blog and pass it along in e-mails.

Our family originates out of North Carolina, moving West through Tennessee and Arkansas, settling in Arkansas in the area around Crowley's Ridge in the towns of Parkin, Wynne, Forrest City, Levesque, & Vanndale. Grandpa "Fate" Barnes was a sharecropper and cotton was one of the main crops. Most are gone from that area, Uncle Dewey's farm in Forrest City is still there. I know Betty still has her home there and I believe Jewell(Thomas' wife) is still their although her Christmas card did come back this year.
Grandma and Grandpa are buried in Akins cemetery(Vanndale) as is Aunt Rosa and Uncle Jim and Uncle Dewey's daughter, Dorothy. She was 19 years old when she died from diabetes. She came home from being given a shot and said it hadn't felt right and passed away that evening.
Alice Virginia is still in Wynne. So is Neall and Becca with baby Sol. Many have moved to Memphis. Aunt Ruby is there in the Wesley Highland Manor Nursing Home. Gary and Harrison. Warner and Christi have announced a pending move to San Francisco, CA from Memphis. , Tara and John with Emmy Ruth in Memphis as is Muriel. Frances is in near by Southaven, MS. Different state but just a half hour from Memphis.

I recently learned of a story of my Great~grandpa Robert Barnes, (possibly from Iowa). He was a Union soldier in the civil war. Their regiment was needing food and approached my
Great~great grandpa Church Smallwood's home. Food was kept underground and my Great grandmother Jane was asked to fetch preserves . She was handing them up the ladder to Robert and he told her how pretty the sun shone in her hair. He asked if she would wait for him and he would come for her after the war. She told him Yes, of course or I wouldn't be talking grandparents!

I am assuming at this point this was in North Carolina. Church Smallwood was married to a full Cherokee woman, Sally Choate. A miss-spelling in her last name kept the family in the 1960's from being able to claim Cherokee heritage, but none the less our family knows our heritage. It is said that Great great Grandma Sally could through a green walnut and kill a chicken . I can't remember how far but I seem to recall 50 feet! Mema Gladys said Sally lived to be 100. They are long livers!

Now I cannot go so far back with the Gray's, but they came into the family picture because Great Grandpa Robert Barnes was killed by a felled tree. Great Grandpa Thomas Gray lost his wife, Abagail Highsmith. I have no cause of death for her, bless her heart.

This now sounds like the Brady Bunch T.V. show, but here was Great Grandma Jane with boys to finish raising and there was Great Grandpa Thomas with girls to finish raising and they decided they could become a family.
Now this is how our Grandparents met. Alexander Lafayette Barnes and Martha Ann Gray were step-brother and sister. They were already young adults when their parents met and married. They too, fell in love and married. Grandpa Fate was some older than Grandma Martha and had been away. He returned home (I am assuming from military duty) met Martha and decided she was the gal for him! From that point on I am able to know who is who because they had all my aunts and uncles that I truly adore.
Aunt Rosa (Jim)Robinson (Wynne, AR)
Uncle Dewey Barnes (Pearl Gray) (Forrest City, AR)
Aunt Alice (Schenck)Holladay (John)Knight (Fulton, KY)(Rolling Meadow, Illinois)
Uncle Lacy Barnes (Arlyn Holladay) (Georgia)
Uncle Ted Barnes (Virginia "Midge" Whitehorn) (Illinois)
Grady O'Dell ( died as a toddler)
Aunt Ruth (Edgar) Daniels (Wynne, AR)
Aunt Ruby (Warren)Witt (Helena, Forrest City, Wynne, AR)
and my mother,,, Gladys(Mitchell) Strauss(Cleveland, Akron, Streetsboro, OH)

Most have gone on to their reward, but their goodness and kindness, their love for one another and others, lives on. They love and worship, the Lord Jesus Christ and have passed the belief on to another generation. We would do well to remember their ways and be the light to others who know and meet our family.

Our 2 remaining matriarchs, Ruby and Gladys, are 90 (June 17) and 88(July 5). Each suffer with Alzheimer's. Ruby in Memphis and Gladys, here in Streetsboro. They have good days and bad. This past week, we traveled to Memphis so Ruby and Gladys could be together for Ruby's 90 th birthday. We lit one candle for Ruby to blow out so the fire department wouldn't be called! Visiting were Ruby's family Gary and Harrison, niece Allie, sister Gladys and her daughters , Carolyn and Cathy(me!) and Carolyn's mother-in-law, Dorothy. We had cake, told stories, and enjoyed our time together.

Ruby & Gladys 2002

Today We Walked by Thelma Greene Reagan

Today we walked where others walked
On a lonely, windswept hill;
Today we talked where others cried
For Loved Ones whose lives are stilled.

Today our hearts were touched
By graves of tiny babies;
Snatched from the arms of loving kin,
In the heartbreak of the ages.

Today we saw where the grandparents lay
In the last sleep of their time;
Lying under the trees and clouds -
Their beds kissed by the sun and wind.

Today we wondered about an unmarked spot;
Who lies beneath this hollowed ground?
Was it a babe, child, young or old?
No indication could be found.

Today we saw where Mom and Dad lay.
We had been here once before
On a day we'd all like to forget,
But will remember forever more.

Today we recorded for kith and kin
The graves of ancestors past;
To be preserved for generations hence,
A record we hope will last.

Cherish it, my friend; preserve it, my friend,
For stones sometimes crumble to dust
And generations of folks yet to come
Will be grateful for your trust.

Robbins Nest in the Barnes Family Tree

An Arkansas Blessing

Hometown: Wynne, AR

The Year 1955 In Comment!!! The year I (Cathy Robbins) was born.

Through the Years 1920~1979

1940's Rosa and Allie lived here

1930's and 1940's FLOUR SACKS

1850 ~Contributed by Dewey and Jean Barnes~

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