EDMONSTON, Robert Taylor

Born 5Feb1870 /near Holden, Mo.
Died 23June1932 near Minco, Ok.
Buried Friendship Cemetery SW of Minco, Ok.

Married 20Nov1890, St. Clair, Missouri..

Wife: Millie Josephene Davidson
Born 19Aug1868
Died 21Feb1938, Minco Oklahoma, Buried next to Robert, Infant Son, and son Frank. Some of the Daughters are also buried there.
Her father was J. W. Davidson, her mother was Emmaline Hatton.

Children:

Raymond Eidson, born 1Oct1891 Holden, Mo., died 26Oct1956 Amarillo, Texas. Buried Lawn Haven Cemetery, Clovis, Curry County, NM USA
Raymond Eidson Edmonston

Edna Mae (Walker), born May 1893 in Holden, Mo., Died 9 days after giving birth to Gaylord Walker on 29Oct1915, buried in Friendship Cemetery.
Edna Mae Walker

Laura Effie (Cole), born August 10, 1895 in Holden, Mo., Died at age 77 in Farwell, Tx. Had Sons Bob and Jim, Daughters Ruth and at least one more.
Laura Effie Cole


Pearl Emiline (West), born October 17, 1897 in Holden, Mo., died age 70. Buried in Friendship Cemetery near her parents. Married Claude (Shorty) Cummins at some
point, had son named Jack.
Pearl Emiline West

Alice Orphia (Charlton), born March 1900 in Holden, Mo. Husband Ralph, sons Junior and Buddy. They moved from Muleshoe, Texas to Phoenix, Az. because Ralph had T.B. She
stayed there after Ralph's death and also died there. Her name was reported as Alice Glass in her sister Iona Lakin's obituary, so she had remarried. Her headstone was found in Phoenix, Arizona with death date of 28 May 1971.
Alice Glass

Mary Emma (Guthery), born September 18, 1903 in Minco, Ok., Died September 24, 1994 in Oklahoma City, Ok. Married Dennis Guthery, sons Duane, Donald Ray, Billy Bob, Frank, and Aaron Guthery. Daughter Bertha J. (Cobb).
Mary Emma Guthery

Frank Brooke, born 28June1906, died 29Jun 1937 in Minco, Ok. Buried next to his parents. Married to Bonnie Louise Wills 23Feb1928. One child, Velma Rae. Reportedly died after a car hood fell on his head while working on the engine. Died from complications a couple of weeks later.
Frank Brooke Edmonston

Iona Fern (Lakin) Born 17Dec1909, died age 52 in Oklahoma City. Buried Friendship Cemetery South of Minco, Ok. Married William E. Lakin. Two sons, Robert Willis and Roy Lee. Daughters, Nettie Jo and Mona Jean (Mona Jean died 4Jan2000 in Weatherford, Tx.)
Iona Fern Lakin

Infant Son (Un-named ?) 11Nov1908.

Robert and Millie raised Grandson Gaylord Walker, son of Edna Mae & Joe Walker. Edna died 9 days after giving birth to Gaylord. Gaylord died 29Jan1997 in Oklahoma City, OK. He married Lorene Clemmons 28Jan1937.

Commentary by Ernest R. Edmonston:

Raymond's middle name doesn't appear often, but was listed as "Edison" on draft registration card. I asked him once when I was a child if he was named after the inventor and he told me that it was spelled differently, so I am confident that his middle name was Eidson, the same as his mother's maiden name. Robert's Obituary states that he had 9 children, yet only 8 are mentioned. Mary is ignored for some reason, but this could have been a typo on the part of the newspaper, etc.

Robert's obituary also states that he moved to Minco, Oklahoma in 1902. This would have made him about 32 years of age at that time. His grandson, Billy Bob Guthery reported that they moved to Oklahoma because Millie's Father and Step-Mother had previously moved there. Oklahoma was known as "Indian Territory" at the time and cheap land may have also been a motivating factor. Billy Bob's wife, Lorene (Anderson) Guthery wrote that Robert T. and family arrived in Oklahoma in April 1900. She also told of Robert being a veterinarian and that he would often say that he arrived in Oklahoma they had five children, two mules, and 37 cents.

Census records list Robert's occupation as being a farmer. According to my father, Marvin, he was also a veterinarian of sorts (see note above) which is probably true as I inherited several "tools of the trade" that he used. Under "cause of death" on his death certificate, the Doctor writes: "Dead when I arrived. Dropped dead hauling hay." Also from word of mouth, I hear that he and Grandson Gaylord (Walker) were hauling hay they had loaded in a wagon when Robert complained of feeling ill. They stopped beside a tree where Robert could sit in the shade. He fell dead on that spot. Gaylord was with him at the time he died. Although not stated, it was most likely very hot and humid in Oklahoma on the day he died, not a good time to load hay.

I am in possession of the watch that was in Robert's pocket when he died. It is an Ingersol brand that probably cost less than a half dollar when new. It actually had three jewels in it and cost over $65.00 to be repaired in about 2002.

Friendship Cemetery is located 4 miles South of Minco on Highway 81 to Harold Road, six miles West to Cemetery Road, and ½ mile South. This Cemetery was sometimes referred to as Davidson or Arcadia Cemetery, Section 23 9-8. The land for this Cemetery was donated by the Davidson family. The entrance gate says 1903-1969. My father (Marvin) had been back to the old Home Place a couple of times and from what he said, it was only a mile or two from where the Cemetery is. Marvin died before I had the sense to write the directions down. However, I found on the back of an old photo that it was 1 ¾ mi. North and 1 ¾ mi. West of the Cemetery.

Location of Friendship Cemetery: 35°14'19.64"N and 98°01'26.81"W

Ernest R. Edmonston