My Genealogy Hound

H. Frank Robinson was born in Kershaw County, S. C., December 24, 1839, and is a son of Wiley and Elizabeth (Forehand) Robinson, originally from South Carolina and North Carolina, respectively. Mr. Wiley Robinson was a farmer by occupation and moved to Florida in 1855, and died there in 1861. His wife died in 1853, eight years before her husband’s death. They were the parents of fourteen children, Frank being the youngest of the family. The subject of this sketch was in Florida during the Billy Bowlegs Indian War. In 1856 he returned to South Carolina, where he was married, on June 3, 1858, to Abigail Wood, a resident of the same State. He again moved to Florida in 1859, remaining here one year, then going to Alabama to assume the management of a plantation, which he had under his charge for about two years. In March, 1861, he enlisted in the Confederate army, in the First Alabama Infantry, Company K, in which he remained one year, and was then transferred to the Seventeenth Alabama, serving in this until June 3, 1863, when he was assigned to the Engineers’ corps. Mr. Robinson participated in the bombardment of Fort Pickens and Fort Berrancas, also the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, and a number of others, and was several times severely wounded. He carries as unwelcome tokens of the late war a minie-ball in his thigh and one in his right arm; was also shot in the side of the neck, had one arm and one leg broken, and was pierced with a bayonet. After receiving his discharge from service, at Mobile, Ala., he went to Texas, where he was joined by his family, then afterward went to Mississippi, where he spent three years. In 1869 he moved to Arkansas and settled in Jefferson County, where he remained until 1880, when he removed to Lonoke County. Here he rented a farm until October, 1887, when he bought an improved place. He now has a fine farm of eighty acres, all improved excepting fifteen acres. Mrs. Robinson died in January, 1880, leaving five children: Cornelia (now Mrs. Kirby), Henry, James, William, Lizzie and Jessie. His marriage to his second and present wife occurred October 26, 1880. This wife was a widow lady, Mrs. Bettie T. Motley (nee Hall), a native of South Carolina. They are the parents of three children: Marvin, Nancy, and one step-son, Thomas Motley. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are highly respected citizens.