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Some descendants said he also had suffered from TB during his teenyears, which was cured by
a stay in the dry climate of Texas, as wellas having a slight hearing problem. In nearly every photo found of Robert, he looks like a southerngentleman, usually wearing a suit and tie, and always with a cigar. He was a member of the First Christian Church of Mattoon and the MooseLodge. Residences & events in his life: 1910-11 It is unknown where Robert and Edna started housekeeping butwas probably on one of the farms belonging to his father. At anyrate, it was some distance away from home when Edna received a letterfrom her mother shortly after their marriage. 4/1912 Morocco, Newton Co, IN, was their address when their firstchild was born. 12/1913 Salem, Marion Co, IL. Robert's father had bought a farmthere and sent Robert to take charge of it. Their second daughter wasborn while living there. 12/1914 Moultrie Co, IL. They were back home by the time their firstson was born. 5/1915 Being a farm hand for Irving Shuman of Sullivan, Robert wassent to Zapata Co, TX, as Shuman's representative. He carried lettersof introduction and 3 checks for $50 to be used only as necessary forexpenses. His mission was to take possession of land Shuman hadbought there and begin improvements. 6/1918 Morocco, IN. It is unclear what the attraction in IN was butit must have been a farm. At any rate, they had returned in time forson, Robert, to be born there. 12/1919 Morocco. Robert bought 1/2 interest in George Hammond'spatent on a cultivator improvement for $1. Two more children werealso born there. 1/1925 1100 Broadway, Mattoon, Coles Co, IL, was their address whendaughter, Maxine, was born. 2/1929 1412 Moultrie, Mattoon. 12/1930 1612 Prairie, Mattoon. Apparently Robert first rented thishouse, buying it a short while later. Two children were born whileliving there. 12/1/1931 Mattoon, Coles Co, IL. Robert bought 1612 Prairie (lot 9,blk 110) for $2500 from the Horace Clark estate. Apparently daughter, Agnes and Emmett Young, lived with her parentsfor awhile, as their first 2 children were born in the house onPrairie. 9/13/1932 Moultrie Co, IL. He bought property at E1/2 of SE quarter,S21, T14N, R5, E of 3rd P.M. from his father for $1300 with $1000 asdown payment, the balance at 7% for 1 year. 10/1932 Robert and Edna accepted another child into their family,taking in his first cousin, Robert Elmer Neaves, following the deathof his parents. 5/1/1933 Robert bought more property in Moultrie Co by quit claimdeed by paying $1 to his uncle, Elmer Van Gundy. 5/29/1933 Together with brother, Dewey, he bought more Moultrie Coland by quit claim deed, this time from their father for $1. 1937 The Mattoon property was in dispute due to abstractentanglements with the Clark estate settlement and Robert received acourt summons along with several attorney letters. 7/15/1940 Along with his brothers and sister, Robert paid $1 for1/256th royalty interest in an oil/gas lease in Marion Co, IL, whichwas probably located on his father's farm. He later allowed the landto be sold but retrained the interest for the next 10 yrs. No great fortune was ever collected from this venture. 1940-1942 Rockford, IL. Robert moved the family there afterobtaining a job in a foundry. While at work he was involved in anaccident in which he and a co-worker inhaled toxic fumes while workingin a closed room. The other man died and Robert was in the hospital for a week, his health never fully rebounding. As a result of notbeing able to return to work, they moved back to Mattoon 10/4/1940 Son, Robert Elmer (Elmer Henry), who was serving in the AirForce at the time, picked up the payments on 1612 Prairie for hisparents, including 3 back payments. 1941 It seems that as soon as one child left, another married andmoved in. Son, Bill and his wife had their first son while living inthe house on Prairie. 3/9/1942 Mattoon, IL. After 5 years of legal battles, they finallyreceived a clear deed to 1612 Prairie. 9/5/1942 Cooks Mills, N Okaw Twp, Coles Co, IL. He traded theirMattoon property for William and Sarah Floyd's 14 acre farm in Sec 10.They were still living there at reunion time in 1943. 1943 Rt. 1, Humboldt, IL, was their address when they received warration books. At that time Robert was still listed as a foundryworker. 1/30/1945 Mattoon, IL. He paid $4200 to Mrs. Helen Owens for 1100Broadway (lot 12, blk 122), the same residence they had lived in some20 years before, and refinanced the Moultrie Co property at the sametime. 10/30/1946 He was billed for a 2 day stay at Memorial MethodistHospital in Mattoon, complete with 2 sets of x-rays, 2 lab tests,medicine, and room and board at $5/day, for a total of $36.60. Whilethe patient's name was not specified, Robert's name was the only oneon the bill. He paid it in 2 installments within 4 months followingdischarge. 3/1948 Robert retired from Brown Shoe Co as a "moulder," theoriginal date of employment is unknown but it must have been after1943 when he was still a foundry worker. 5/9/1950 & 5/15/1952 He refinanced the Mattoon property. Daughter, Dorisgene, holds some precious memories: "When Joe and I were first dating, he knew Dad 'kinda liked a littlenip' now and then, so one night when he came to pick me up, he askedDad if he wanted a 'little drink,' returning with a fifth of FourRoses. Dad poured iced tea glasses about half full for himself andJoe, picked up his glass and said "Here's to ya!" He downed his drinkand the sweat popped out, then he asked Joe, "Aren't you going todrink yours?" Joe took a sip, then handed his glass to Dad whofinished it too! Joe responded with, 'I thought you had hearttrouble!' I remember all the work parties we used to have at home...the kidsdoing the painting, fixing up, and cleaning while Mom did the cooking.I didn't realize until later that she had the hardest job. In her later years, Mom was quite a traveler. Once she took a bustrip seated next to a gentleman who said to her, "You're a realattractive woman till you get to your feet! Why do you wear those oldladies' shoes?" The shoes went to the Goodwill box as soon as she gothome. Being part of a big family has been a blessing. We have had manyhappy and many sad times but being together got us through them all,the reunions, the holiday dinners, the pinochle parties, and even thefunerals. One time when we were burying a 'loved one' and money wasscarce, June went to the bargain basement at the funeral home andbought a red casket for $200. There were few complaints about it." Other children told about Robert's clothing problems as a result ofbeing the father of several sons. As the boys grew into his size, hehad trouble keeping clean clothes in his drawers, so every year whenhe received new socks for Christmas, he immediately put them into thesafe so he could, at least, be the first to wear them. Despite all the moves and any hardships associated with such a largefamily, they were always a closely knit goup, always remaining loyaland supportive to parents and siblings, passing those traits to thenext generations. |
| Children declared this as the actual birth date even though his birthcertificate read May 27, 1887, the error being discovered when heapplied for Social Security benefits. The 1900 census also recordedhis birthdate as 4/1887. |
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On the eve of what would have been their 53rd anniversary, Ednareminisced back to the night
before their wedding and wrote in herdiary: "I washed my hair & Mamma curled it on her finger,
was longbelow my waist. Bob came in to see me, had frooze his feet Momma doctered them he didnt stay late, when he kissed me good night Hesaid, 'One more night Darling & we'll be together for ever' funny howyou remember these things, both young & didnt know anything Everythingwas covered with ice." The next day, still remembering, she wrote: "Was so proud of my newhome Momma Ella Earl & Joe went home with us, stayed all night MotherPop Carrie Ray Dannie (Chipps) & Dewey were there for supper & justgot the dishes washed up & a crowd came to chivalaree us filled allfour rooms, Bob had cigars & candy & Mother & Maurenna (?) servedcoffee. The crowd decided to put us to bed & Bob got mad they tore mywedding dress They all appologized." |
| His death occurred at 6:10 PM, the result of a heart attack. Some ofthe children believed his heart problems were the result of a workaccident at the foundry. He had bought his fishing license only 2months prior. On one anniversary of his death, he was remembered inhis wife's diary: "Bob been gone 5 lonely long years." |
| A wake was held at home from Wednesday until the funeral the next dayat 2 PM which was conducted by Rev Mont Massey at the First ChristianChurch of Mattoon. Expenses paid by the family consisted of $600 tothe Peers Funeral home and $25 for flowers. |