Robert George Winn

Robert George Winn

fourth and youngest child of George Albright Winn and Mary Stockburger Winn, was born in Schaberg (then Porter), Crawford County, Arkansas, March 17, 1903. His older siblings - Omer Addison, Martha Ann, and Lyda - were all born in Washington County, near West Fork. In 1905 the family moved from Porter to Winslow. George was the bank's only cashier during that institution's 24-year operation. Although the depression of the 1930s forced liquidation, it is believed to be the only bank in Arkansas that paid its depositors one hundred cents on the dollar. That hectic financial period was a factor which contributed to the death of George A. Winn in 1932.

All the Winn children attended the Winslow public school. Before finishing high school, Robert passed a required teacher's examination and taught three terms in county schools. He graduated from the University High School (Peabody) at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1923.

In 1928 Winn graduated from Asbury college, a Methodist college in Kentucky, with the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Oratory degrees. The next year he taught in Lydia Paterson Institute in El Paso, Texas, and the following year at Ferrum Institute, a mission school for mountain youth in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

In 1930 he was granted a teaching fellowship at the University of Florida and received a Master's degree in 1931. After teaching English for three years at the College of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas, he was granted another teaching fellowship, this time at the University of Southern California, where he continued work toward his Ph. D. He also taught in California public schools and did personnel work for the State of California.

When World War II began, he volunteered and was assigned to the reclassifying of Army Air Corps personnel.

Very soon he was given an honorable "For the Convenience of the Government" discharge to pursue the same work for the War Manpower Commission. After the war he was a Veterans' Representative and Employment Counselor for the State of California.

In 1970 Winn returned to Arkansas and very soon began to write for the Washington County Observer. His "Recollections" and "This 'N' That" provided much history that needed to be recorded. His informative and often amusing articles appeared in other newspapers, including the Northwest Arkansas Times, and in the Washington County Historical Society's quarterly Flashback.

Winn's first three books, published by the Hutcheson Press, are no longer available. They were Steel Rails and Cross-Cut Ties, Old Rails and Branch Lines, and Winslow:

Resort in the Hills. His last four books, published by the Washington County Historical Society, include Two Stars Belle, Bandit Queen, and Pearl, Riverfront Madam;

Winslow, Top of the Ozarks; The Cow That Went to Church and Other Folklore; Civil War in the Ozarks, Personal Glimpses; and Railroads of Northwest Arkansas, which was the author's contribution to the state's sesquicentennial celebration in 1986.

In 1987 Bob Besom, Director of the Shiloh Museum, nominated Winn for an award from the American Association for State and Local History. The association, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, includes all 50 states plus Canada. Winn was honored with a Certificate of Commendation, an individual achievement award for his outstanding contributions to regional history.

On May 6, 1983, Winn's home town of Winslow presented him with a bronze plaque stating "Robert G. Winn: The community of Winslow expresses appreciation for your dedication in preserving our History."

During the ceremonies in which the plaque was presented by State Representative Bill Ramsey of Prairie Grove the honoree received two standing ovations.

On May 23, 1933, Robert G. Winn married Bernice Withers of Brightwater, Benton County, in the Methodist Church, Gravette, Arkansas. The ceremony was performed by the Reverend Russell Harding, pastor of the Gravette church and a close friend of the groom. Bernice is now deceased.

The couple had one daughter, Betty Ann Winn (Naranjo). There are three grandsons and four great grandchildren. All live in southern California.

Robert G. Winn lives in Fayetteville, where he continues to write, lecture, and maintain voluminous correspondence with people from all corners of the United States who make inquiries regarding local history of Northwest Arkansas.

This section of the History of Washington County contains a sampling of Winn's articles. However, the Washington County Observer maintains a complete file of its issues for research use. In addition, Winn's articles may be found in files of the Washington County Historical Society, the Fayetteville Public Library, and the Shiloh Museum.