Robinson Family Cemetery 

Inventoried by Thomas Earnest Robinson  
tomnjan@bellsouth.net

Location:
Three miles north of Spring City, on the west side of Highway 27, a 
private road leads across a railroad track, then northward past an aged 
barn to a modest home. The visitor must then travel on foot  
approximately 300 feet north of the house and turn west on a trail. 
After passing Van's Spring, the visitor turns south into a pasture near 
a farm shed. The cemetary is surrounded by a sturdy chain link fence and 
is visible upon entering the pasture. The current land owner, Dewey 
Sheppard, requests a courtesy phone call one day before visiting.

History:        
The land surrounding the cemetary was purchased by James Robinson in the 
spring of 1838. Soon, brother John purchased the adjoining farm on the 
south side. The barn which is seen on the approach to the site was 
constructed in the manner associated with the early 1800s, with hand 
hewn square timbers and pegged mortise and tenon joints. The barn has 
several horse stalls original to the structure which gives credence to 
the family legend that James raised fine horses for work as well as 
pleasure.

The 1938/9 WPA survey does not list a marker for Hannah Mae (Earnest) 
Robinson, probably due to the condition of the cemetary, as it was 
described then as "long since abandoned."   In later years a subsequent 
owner of the farm moved all the engraved markers to a nearby creek bank 
for reasons unknown. Family members threatened legal action, which 
prompted the farmer to move the stones back to their original location. 
However, as discovered during restoration, the stones were not replaced 
in the proper order, and even today, the position of markers does not 
truly represent the exact sites of each grave.  It is not known exactly 
how many graves are present, the 1938 survey reported "some 25 with 
about 10 marked with engraved stones."

Restoration:
The condition of this cemetary today is largely due to the financial 
support of the late Clayton Robinson, great grandson of James Robinson. 
The restoration was completed just two weeks prior to Clayton's death. 
Special thanks to David Robinson of Decatur, TN for his persistence and 
supervision of fencing, laying out, and negotiating with the land owner. 
Although I had desired for several years to undertake restoration, it 
was Clayton and David who gave their time and money and made it all 
possible. Thomas Earnest Robinson

Brunetta Robinson
Aug 31, 1836
June 25, 1901
(married Wm. Stubbs)

Ward H. Robinson
Nov 5, 1851
Oct. 28, 1855
(probably son of  John)

James A.
Son of John and Hanna Robinson
Apr 20, 1846
Aug. 9, 1856

Martha E. Heiskel
wife of T.J. Robinson
May 4, 1855
Oct. 24, 1887
(lived in Meigs Co. at time of death)

James Robinson
Jan. 27, 1805
Nov. 10, 1880
Age 75 yrs.
"Dear Husband,
we'll meet again."

Elizabeth Earnest
wife of James Robinson
May 10, 1810
Aug. 1, 1887
Age 77 yrs.

John Robinson
Feb. 10, 1799
July 27, 1886
Age 87 yrs.

Hannah Earnest
Wife of John Robinson
(b)1809
Jan. 10, 1871