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 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 Box 2
End of Series I
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. – Dec. 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 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 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 Box 3
End of Series II
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 Box 1
End of Series III
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 Box 1
End of Series IV
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
File 17- 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 Box 1
End of Series V
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.” 1952
File 12- Order of the Eastern Star Materials- “Proceedings of the 78th Annual Session of the Grand Chapter O.E.S.” 1953
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 Box 1
End of Series VI
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 Box 1
End of Series VII
Box 1
Env 1 – J.W. and Ida Robbins and family, c. 1900
Env 2 – Family of Will and Ida Robbins, Rose Bud, White Co., 1908
Env 3 – Ida W. Robbins, 1912
Env 4 – Home of Ida Thomas Robbins’ parents, where Ida and Will Robbins were married Rose Bud, White Co.
Env 5 – Will Robbins Home at Rose Bud Built, 1907
Env 6 – Bailey Hoggard in front of Will Robbins’ home, 1913
Env 7 – Will Robbins with hay crew at the Bottoms Farm, at Rose Bud, c. 1914
Env 8 – Elbert A. and Will Robbins Rose Bud, c. 1914
Env 9 – Elbert A. Robbins and Will Robbins Rose, White Co., 1915
Env 10- J.W. Robbins Heber Springs November, 1939
Env 11- J.W. (Will) Robbins on 80th birthday Heber Springs, Jan. 1940
Env 12- Will Robbins (left), his sister Mollie Holmes (center), and half brother Otha Gravelly,1940
Env 13- Ice Cream Social at Myrtle Robbins’ home, c. 1914
Env 14- Vergie Robbins, Rose Bud, 1920
Env 15- Wiley Robbins and W.E. Blume Central Church, November 2, 1958
Env 16- Oscar B. Robbins, 1st Lt of 153rd Infantry on Motor cycle at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, 1917
Env 17- O.B. and Minnie Lee Jones Robbins at Heber Spings, Cleburne County, 1942
Env 18- O.B. Robbins Motor Company, Office at Heber Springs, Cleburne County, March 21, 1932
Env 19- O.B. Robbins, 1942
Env 20-21- Vivian Robbins, c. 1900
Env 22- Vivian Robbins Web Behrens at San Antonio TX, 1986
Env 23- Descendants of Vivian Robbins Web Behrens?
Env 24- Mark Robbins and Sara Jane Fisher Wedding photo, 1985
Env 25- Mary E. Robbins-Gifford Baby picture, 1902
Env 26- Mary E. Robbins Gifford, c. 1920
Env 27- Mary E. Robbins at Rose Bud, 1920
Env 28- Portrait of Mary E. Gifford, 1936
Env 29- Joel S. Gifford and Mary E. Robbins during “Courting days” Rosebud, White County,1918
Env 30- Joel S. and Mary E. Robbins Gifford
Env 31- Joel S. Gifford
Env 32- Joel Gifford and Mary E. Robbins-Gifford
Env 33- Capt. J.S. Gifford
Env 34- Joel and Mary E. Gifford, baby Joel at Tulsa, Oklahoma, November 1926
Env 35- Joel S. Gifford Jr. at 2 months, 1926
Env 36- Joel S. Gifford Jr. at 4 months, 1926
Env 37- Joel S. Gifford Jr. at 1 year
Env 38- Mary E. Robbins-Gifford, Joel Jr., and Julia
Env 39- Joel S. Gifford and Joel Jr., 1929
Env 40- Joel and Julia Gifford with Grandmother Gifford at Rose Bud, 1930
Env 41- Joel S. Gifford Jr. and Julia Gifford Louisville, KY, 1931
Env 42- Mary E. and Joel S. Gifford, 1972
Env 43- James Stanford Gifford (1832-1918), c. 1900
Env 44- Grant S. Gifford (1864-1928), c. 1925
Env 45- Grant G. Gifford, Mattie M. Gifford (1864-1949)
Env 46- Mattie Matilda Smith Gifford, Terry Smith, and Elizabeth Dorothy Smith Young, c. 1900
Env 47- Carey Smith with Buffalo Bill troupe, c. 1870
Env 48- Mattie Gifford near Rose Bud, c. 1923
Env 49- Mattie M. Gifford, c. 1925
Env 50- Mrs. Grant Gifford, c. 1942
Env 51- Rosewood Grove No. 117 Rose Bud, c. 1900
Env 52- Copper Spring School Group, Rose Bud, c. 1900
Env 53- Bessie Walters, Ethel Best, Myrtle Walters, Maude Starns, Lee Walters, Alice Brooks, Myrtle Taylor, Vergie Robbins, and Violet Taylor. Rose Bud, c.1907
Env 54- Rose Bud School, 1907
Env 55- Youth outing at Buffalo Hump near Quitman, Cleburne County on Easter, c. 1908
Env 56- Youth outing near Rose Bud, c. 1908
Env 57- Youth picnic, c. 1909
Env 58- Rose Bud Youth outing, c. 1910
Env 59- Eighth Grade Girls: Zair Williams, ? Marwood, Madge ?, Hora Hamilton, Cara Sandford, ? Silby, and Lillian Stuart, 1912-1913
Env 60- Eighth Grade picture: Cara Sandford, Zair Williams, ? Marwood, Ray Martin, Bernie Issacs, ? Silby, Madge ?, Flora Hamilton , Lillian Stuart, ? Hamilton, 1912-1913
Env 61- Singing School, Rose Bud, c. 1913
Env 62- 1st Rose Bud High School, 1914
Env 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, c. 1915
Env 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
Env 65- Children’s Day Service Rose Bud Methodist Church, c. 1916
End of Box 1
Series VIII– Photographs
Box 2
Env 1 – Rose Bud Faculty and Students, Elementary and High School, 1919
Env 2 – Heber Springs High School Graduating class, c. 1923
Env 3 – Senior Class Rose Bud High School, 1949
Env 4 – Original Methodist Church Rose Bud
Env 5 – Rose Bud Baptist Church 1973
Env 6 – “New” Methodist Church Rose Bud 1967
Env 7 – Maggie May Holl and possibly Pearl Owens Biles, Bridge near Mt. Vernon c1900
Env 8 – Unidentified photograph c1915
Env 9-10 – B. Marwood and male friend
Env 11- Old College friend Elizabeth, Ouachita College, 1918
Env 12- College friends, Fountain at Ouachita Campus, Arkadelphia 1918-1919
Env 13- Olive Webb, Ouachita College, Arkadelphia, 1921
Env 14- Ima Zoe Curtis 1921
Env 15- College friend Gladys, 1918-1922
Env 16- Candle stick Rock near Heber Springs, Cleburne County c 1900
Env 17- Gathering on Saturday Heber Spring, Cleburne County
Env 18- Sweet Home Pike, Little Rock, Pulaski County
Env 19- Co-Ed Classroom c1900
Env 20-21 – Unidentified school photograph c1900
Env 22-28 – Unidentified women
Env 29-32 – Unidentified
Env 33- Indian woman with crafts
Env 34-37 – Mid Continental Petroleum Corporation, c. 1930s
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
Item 5 – ‘Smith-Robinson Club’ Presidential campaign announcement, c. 1928
Item 6 – Political candidate cards
Item 7 – “Thomas McRae: Candidate for Governor” political circular, c. 1920
Item 8 – “Vincent M. Miles: Candidate for United States Senator” political circular, c. 1932
Item 9 – “Smith’s ‘Let Whiskey Rule’ Propaganda Gets Him in Bad” political article, c. 1920
Item 10- “Hodges the Candidate of Machine Politicians” political article, c. 1915
Item 11- “Complete, Unofficial, Returns of Bradley County” – political article, March 30, 1916
End of Box 1
End of Series IX
End of Collection