Sun setting on sea of cotton at Robinsonville.
One of the benefits of living in a small community is knowing the neighbors around you and the history of the area. Knowing history seems to help this writer put life in context as against the unfinished book of one's life.
Living in the Robinsonville/Canoe area one can see the ebb and flow of those who have came and went in their lives and the effect their lives had on others. Likewise, looking into the old newspapers of our area gives us a new perspective on our local history.
Robinsonville has a long history in its own right. Much of the area was settled by those seeking low cost farm lands and therefore settlers from Monroe, Conecuh and other points north found their way to the wide and splendid fields and their labors to clear the land and establish homesteads gives us the abundant crops and sweeping landscapes of today.
Farming, logging and religion was important to these settlers. The Atmore Record noted on July 20, 1905, "Rev. J.B. Trotter of Bay Minette is conducting a protracted meeting at Robinsonville." One would assume the paper was referring to a revival at Robinsonville Baptist Church in that the church has always been an integral part of the community.
The local papers record early residents living their lives as if chapters in a book. Their tide of humanity flowing across a sea of cotton and corn fields as the sun came and went on their day to day endeavors. "Mr. Arthur A. McNeil, of Robinsonville, accompanied by a few close friends, went to Mobile where he married Miss Bettie Kearley," noted The Atmore Record in the same July 20, 1905 edition.
The same paper noted a diphtheria outbreak at Canoe with Dr. A.P. Webb stating there little danger of the disease spreading.
As Mr. McNeil married his bride in Mobile and prepared for a new life, the final chapter of Mrs. Harriett Robinson was concluding when she was found dead in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ed Burgess near Robinsonville. She was visiting Mrs. Burgess, had went to bed and was found dead the next morning. "There was nothing to suggest the end was near," stated The Atmore Record from July 20, 1905. Rev. G.W. McRae conducted her funeral.
The community of Robinsonville needed roads and bridges to get crops and goods to distant markets and some in the community rose to the challenge. A local paper from March 11, 1909 noted, "J.S. Kearly of Robinsonville was paid $67.55 for lumber for a bridge on the road from Robinsonville to the Monroeville Road known as the Bell Bridge."
At one point, Robinsonville had a local baseball team. The Robinsonville Soda Crackers, as they were called, practiced to the west of the old Maxwell place on weekends. The Atmore Record noted a local game between Robinsonville's team and the Canoe baseball team on June 10, 1909, "The Robinsonville baseball players came up last Saturday and played Canoe. Both teams were composed partly of first and second nines. The score was 11 to 0 in favor of the Canoe team."
Local papers also recorded social calls between locals as well. On Thursday, April 1, 1920 The Atmore Record documented, "Mr. Dale Reeves was the guest of Miss Ola Page in the Sunday PM."
The Robinsonville area had a post office of its own for a short time. Mrs. J.C. Gulley was the post mistress, and she presided over the post office from its opening as noted in the Brewton Standard Gauge article of June 2, 1904. Yet the short-lived post office was ordered to be closed as noted in the Montgomery Advertiser on October 21, 1916; "Notice is given that the Robinsonville Post Office, Fourth Class will be discontinued." According to Mr. Gulley, a very astute scholar of local history, the post office was located on the site of what would later become the home of Mr. Billy Reeves and family.
Robinsonville had its own school as did so many other communities. Between Robinsonville and Wawbeek existed the McQueen School. Yet by 1922 the Maxwell School was built several miles west across from Fore's Store on the Robinsonville Road. The Atmore Record covered the opening on January 26, 1922, "In spite of inclement weather and almost impassible roads, the scheduled dedication of Maxwell Consolidated School at Robinsonville was carried out with splendid success," the paper went on to document some notable persons in attendance.
"Dr. N.O. Patterson of Florala delivered a most fitting sermon. The school was dedicated to the late Lt. Willie Maxwell, World War I vet, who lost his life in the Philippines.....The ladies of Robinsonville served a bounteous lunch at the school building and aided materially in making the service successful. Music for the event was rendered by Mrs. E. F. Goldsmith of Atmore," concluded the paper.
Today the ladies and gentlemen of Robinsonville still aid materially in the success of weekly services at Robinsonville Baptist Church and at annual Homecomings and at other events. The post office long removed and the school having burned in earlier times, the gentle whispers of the ghosts of those far removed residents who have long since slipped their earthly bonds can still be heard on early Sunday morning walks along dirt roads when one can retreat to memories of long gone neighbors and family members. There is a certain continuity that can be cherished when one can walk the steps of one's ancestors and reflect on memories that go back to precious people and simple but sweet events; and such is found along the dusty roads of Canoe and Robinsonville.
A great time was had by all at the Claiborne Pilgrimage of October 13-14th. It was a great day of interacting with fellow lovers of history, finding previously unknown cousins and meeting with other authors along the streets of Old Claiborne.
Shadows and Dust Volume III: Legacies is available for purchase in the amount of $30.00+$5.00 shipping and handling to PO Box 579 Atmore, AL 36502 or visit Lulu Publishing.com; Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles.com OR at the Monroe County Heritage Museum in Monroeville, Alabama or by calling 251 294 0293.
