Tuesday, September 1, 2009

The Roberts Family

A few weeks ago I attended the Roberts family reunion in Owensboro, Kentucky. This reunion brought together the descendants of Joseph Lawrence Roberts, my wife's great-grandfather. Joseph Lawrence had 11 children, 8 that lived to adulthood. All 8 of those children have now died, the last, Paul, passing in April of this year. However, the Roberts family is still very much thriving. We had dozens of Roberts cousins attend. Four spouses of the Roberts children are still alive and three of them attended the reunion. The oldest Roberts there was Catherine Roberts, age 93, widow of Manuel Roberts. She is in excellent health and I think she may even have driven herself to the reunion! Here are some pictures from the reunion.



At the reunion, Roy Roberts, son of Roy Gilbert Roberts and Ruth Taylor Roberts, presented each family with a book of the family's genealogy. Roy's book contains a lot of interesting stories about the family and paints a portrait of what life was like for a rural Kentucky family in the early 20th century. I contributed a bit to the book, mostly by referring Roy to other Roberts researchers who had far better and more detailed information than me. Since the Roberts family already has this detailed information on their family, I am merely going to post a summary of my findings on the Roberts family instead of my usual posting that includes source documents:

The earliest confirmed ancestor of the Roberts family is a John Roberts who died in 1724 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Family tradition is that this John Roberts was from Wales, but like most early Virginia settlers, it is impossible to tell where he was from as few colonial documents recorded this information.

John Roberts and his wife Elizabeth Trammell had at least five children. One son, John Jr., lived to be about 100 years old. We do not have exact dates for his life, but we know that he was born prior to 1703, and he is mentioned in an 1802 letter as being "one of the oldest residents in the county." He may have been over 100 when he died. He and his wife Elizabeth Russell had at least four children.

John Jr.'s son Benjamin was born in about 1741. He served as a Sergeant in the General George Rogers Clark's Illinois Regiment in the Revolutionary War from 1779 to 1782. This was the group that headed west to defend settlers on the frontier from Indian allies of the British.

It appears that Sgt. Benjamin signed up with Gen. Clark with the intention to permanently move to Kentucky. Three days after enlisting, he sold his land in Culpeper county, Virginia, and his family likely followed the army west.

Once in Kentucky, Sgt. Benjamin was part of the expedition that established a fort at the Falls of the Ohio, which was the founding of the city of Louisville. Also present in the expedition were several of Sgt. Benjamin's cousins, including the confusingly similar Captain Benjamin Roberts, son of George Roberts. Many researchers (including myself) have mistaken these two, as they were about the same age, from the same county, and both married to women named Anne (hence the reason I refer to him as "Sgt. Benjamin").

The Falls of the Ohio at Louisville, Kentucky, circa 1912, before dams largely removed the falls as an obstacle to boat travel.



During his service, Sgt. Benjamin filed for a land grant for land in Jefferson County, Virginia that eventually became a part of Henry county, Kentucky. His wife, Anne Duncan, died shortly after arriving in Kentucky in 1780. Sgt. Benjamin remained on his land in Henry county for the rest of his life, and died after 1810. Sgt. Benjamin and Ann had 8 children.

Sgt. Benjamin's son James was born in 1766 in Culpeper county, Virginia. He moved to Henry county, Kentucky with his parents in 1780 and then on to Daviess county, Kentucky around the time his father died after 1810. James was married twice in Henry county. James and his first wife, whose name is unknown, had three sons, James, Merry, and Benjamin. His second wife, Elizabeth, had two sons, Willis and Henry. All five sons moved with their father to Daviess county to the village of Yelvington. James died there in 1822.

James's son Benjamin was born about 1793 in Henry county. Moved to Yelvington in Daviess county prior to 1820. In 1821, he married Rebecca Frazier, daughter of James and Nancy Frazier. The had seven children, and lived in Yelvington their entire lives.

Marion Franklin Roberts and Relly Ann Bowlds Roberts


One of Benjamin's sons, Marion Franklin, known as Frank, was a bricklayer in the Knottsville area in Hancock county, Kentucky, who helped build one of the first Catholic schools in that area. On May 9, 1917, at age 80, Frank converted to Catholocism. He died at age 88 in 1924 and is buried at St. Lawrence Catholic Cemetery in Maceo, Kentucky along with his wife, Arilia Ann (Relly Ann) Bowlds, daughter of William N. Bowlds and Sarah Pickerell. Frank and Relly Ann had six sons and five daughters. Their son Joseph Lawrence, born July 6, 1881, married Anges Maud Hartley on January 2, 1909. It is the descendants of their children that attended the Roberts family reunion. Most of their descendants still live in Daviess and Hancock counties, Kentucky.

39 comments:

Kole said...

So I've been reading about all these Roberts family time lines. But for some reason i cant find my great grandfather anywhere. His name was Jack Linwood Roberts and he was born in Virginia. I just cant find his name mentioned anywhere. I was wondering if you could help me?

Unknown said...

Sorry, the Roberts line I'm researching was in Kentucky going back many generations. Unless your family has a Kentucky link then he is unlikely to be related. Try posting a message on the Roberts family board on rootsweb.com, and please include more information such as dates and cities or counties. Be as specific as possible and you're more likely to find someone willing to help you research.

mj said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mj said...

Indy, I have John Roberts son of Benjamin and Ann Duncan in Mississippi Territory as of 1790, also have his will describing proberty he was willed by Grandfather William Duncan. At the time that John arrived he had a family of three, which cannot include a wife, since he remarried in 1790. He married Mary Elizabeth Montford Calvit, widow of Frederick Calvit. Children which were brought with him, were William, Isaac, and Elizabeth, children born to John and Mary were John and James

Unknown said...

Thanks! I knew Sgt. Benjamin's son John went to MS, but I didn't have all those details. I will add that to my Roberts info.

Unknown said...

hello,
my family tree includes nancy ann roberts married to william fallis who had a son born jan 12 1822 name of benjamin fraNKLIN FALLIS BORN IN SHELBY COUNTY, KY. I WILL CONTINUE ON THE FAMILY TIME LINE BUT I THINK HER FATHER WAS THE CAPT U MENTION.
BENJAMIN ROBERTS ARE WE RELATED
LIZ TEGTMEIER

mj said...

We are just a bit down the road, not sure who is still reading. I ran a maternal dna several years ago, spent a great deal of time running Maternal surnames, and decided to see what would pop up running a few Roberts.. And my goodness, a total of 262 showed up, some with no exceptions, some with 2 plus.. which deems past generations. One thing that amazes me, and I do spend time tracking them back, a number of the Roberts surnames are being tracked from Texas back.. Some the lower migration route through LA, Miss, Alabama, Georgia, SC, NC and back to Va. On some of the families it travels to Texas from Tenn, NC, and back to Va. Amazingly they all seem to filter right back to John Roberts and Gainor Pugh. I think as DNA become more widely used by Researchers, we will find it is a tool we cannot do without.

mj said...

Carl, If your Nancy Anne Roberts was the child of Benjamin and Anne Duncan Roberts. Yes.. you are related to the Same Roberts family we generate from. Here are a list of the children:
Benjamin Roberts
– 1819
Betsy Roberts

George Roberts

Henry Roberts

John Roberts
1750 – 1802

James Roberts
1766 – 1822

Nancy Roberts
1778 –

William Roberts
1782 –

Chickadee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chickadee said...

I could use some help with my Roberts line. I believe it could be related to this one. I have some hand written notes from my great aunt who say that our Roberts settled in Kentucky. However, our ancestor, Peter Henry Roberts, was actually born in Pennsylvania in 1795. His father was a Henry Roberts of Culpeper, VA, but I do not know who Henry's wife was. Peter Henry Roberts married Sarah Hughes Bailey in Lauderdale, AL. They are buried in the Vest Cemetery, east of Staunton, Clay, IN. Peter had a brother, Benjamin, who died in Posey, Clay, Indiana. Any help identifying this line would be appreciated!

Anonymous said...

I am looking for the parents of Henry Foster Roberts b: 11/9/1824 d: 4/4/1910 in Hickman County, KY. Buried at Columbus Confederate Cemetery. with his wife Metilda Ann Head b: 8/23/1827 d: 11/9/1889 also buried at Columbus Confederate Cemetary. Married 11/11/1847 in Hickman County, KY. Children - John Wesley b:1859 - Joseph J b: 1872 - Eliza b: 1870 - Robert L. b: 1866 - Henry M? B: 1864. Any help past Henry Foster Roberts would be appreciated.

Shannon Roberts said...

I am tracing my line of Roberts backwards from Boone County Indiana (1868- current) to Trimble County KY (at least 1850-1868). I'm stuck with James and Catherine Roberts in Trimble County KY in 1850. There were several Roberts families in Boone County Indiana in the late 1800s and I know that James and Catherine are buried near John and Velina (Caldwell) Roberts in Elizaville, IN. I'm curious if they may be related as they also owned land near each other in Boone County, but have not been able to prove it. Can anyone help me with my brick wall? County lines changed so often in KY around 1840-1850 that I'm not sure how to determine which county James and Catherine may have lived in prior to Trimble county being formed. I have seen some references to a John Roberts in the area in a land dispute but have not been able to identify anything further. John and Velina were married in Nicholas County KY. So I'm unsure if the two Roberts families in Boone County IN is coincidence or not.

Shannon Roberts

Unknown said...

Hi Shannon. If you live near Indianapolis or Boone Co IN, you can look up where the families lived in Boone on maps of the pioneer families. Both the State library in Indianapolis and the library in Lebanon IN will have them. The courthouse in Boone co will also have the property records.
If you are not in the area, I am and I could help look up the records. Just let me know if you need me to help!

Roberts said...

Just like Anonymous I am also looking for the parents of Henry Foster Roberts b: 11/9/1824 d:4/4/1910 in Hickman County, KY.
Several of his children migrated to Oklahoma/Indian Territory in the late 1800's/early 1900's.
Please e-mail me if you have any information nroberts2828@yahoo.com

Shannon Roberts said...

Looking for information on Elizabeth Roberts married to William Riddle around 1844 in Trimble or Henry Counties. I have a William Riddle born 1844 that lived with James and Catherine Roberts in Trimble County in 1850. Hoping to see if there is a relation. I saw somewhere that Elizabeth Roberts married a William Riddle and he died shortly after.

Shannon said...

How can I get a copy of this Roberts Family Book?

Unknown said...

The book I mentioned was just about the Daviess Co KY Roberts families. There were a number of other branches that split when the family moved from Virginia in the early 1800's. But those branches aren't in that book.
Probably your best bet for finding a relation between your Boon co IN families and Trimble Co KY families is to check deed books in the two counties. As I mentioned, I'm in the Boone Co area so I can check that for any names you'd like. Just let me know!

mlee said...

Steve, this is Mj again, I ran across a few interesting facts yesterday. I had read prior of Benjamen's involvement with Ft. Watauga and that he had helped build he settlement. This morning I found articles that confirm to my memory but something else popped in. I was never quite sure how John Roberts ended up in Miss, until this morning. Sgt Benjamin Roberts was included with Clark, along with the Calvit men. Another fact I ran across, Elisha Roberts was born in Watauga. All of these little facts put together, 1. puts Roberts in Natchez along side the Calvits and others who were on the expedition that just happen to go south prior to 1785, no papers, which explains why none of them had earlier passports, interrogated by the Spanish, accepted and given land grants. Roberts went back prior to 1790 to get his wife and children, but only his children the 3 boys arrived with him on the barge. This would explains many things, and the knowledge that Roberts and Mary Elizabeth Calvit already knew one another. Now, who are the parents of Elisha Roberts? "Elisha Roberts, pioneer and public official, was born in 1774 at Watauga Settlement, near the Holston River in Hawkins County, Tennessee, the son of George and Rhoda (Payne, Paine) Roberts." is written in the Texas Handbook..
looking for two brothers, Matthew and Edmund Roberts, ended up in the Austin Colony 1826, got documents on them, but can't put them in the families.

Unknown said...

@mlee
Hi Mj. Thanks for the update on the John Roberts family. I also wondered why he went to MS and pretty much the rest of the family ended up in KY.

One correction to this post: The photo that was attributed as Benjamin Roberts and Rebecca Frazier was more likely Marion Frank Roberts and Relly Ann Bowlds. There is a different photo on page 88 of "Hancock County, Kentucky: A Pictorial History" by Judy Blair. It appears to be the same couple pictured here. Plus it is very unlikely a photo of this quality was taken shortly before Benjamin Roberts death in 1863.

Anonymous said...

my Roberts line settled early in Henry County,Ky.on Six Mile Creek that runs into the Ky. River at Lockport,Ky. a large land grant giving to a Roberts who had served in the Rev. War.and was an officer of that war. Had a large family there and after his death it was divided among his heirs. their increases are many some stayed in that area and others moved elsewhere

Patrick H said...

I'm a descendant of Benjamin Roberts and Rebecca Frazier through their son James, who married Anastatia Duncan. We may well have been in touch at some point (I hope so, since I recognize the research ;). My question is mostly related to DNA. Have any male descendants of Marion Roberts been YDNA tested? If not, one of my mothers cousins, amazingly enough named John Roberts has been tested on https://www.familytreedna.com and either our research is messed up or somebody else's is, because he was not a match for another descendant of John Roberts of Spotsylvania Co., VA. I'd prefer to believe we were right and the others were wrong, especially since I can't reproduce their research results, but...

Anonymous said...

MH I was searching the Sixmile Church Low Dutch looking for leads about my family and saw these postings about the Roberts of Ky.and the Roberts of Sixmile Ky.line my line also.I have been searching my closest family lines more then others.Saw the posting about the Sixmile Roberts line by Anonymous. I found about the same info. as they have. In or about 1827 Indiana became a state. The land was sold so cheap many people left here in Henry and Shelby and moved there including some Roberts,Untill then the Sixmile Creek area was well populated.Today it is one of the least populated areas of Henry County.Lots of the old homes and other buildings along that creek are in total disrepair or totally gone.Mostly now used for hunting since Tobacco is not a cash crop as in the past.I attend Union Baptist Church, Is located on a high ridge above Sixmile creek on back side and between Banta's fork creek to the front side of church it has an old grave yard and some early Roberts are buried here. This old Church was burned down twice by indians, was first built in 1810 My mother was a Chisholm and her mother was born a Beverly from Lockport area,their family grave yard located beside the road between Lockport and Gratz near present Rock Quary. My grand mothers mother was Alice Roberts a daughter of James Roberts and Nora or Mary Alice McAllister, Her father was Michael McAllister also buried in the Beverly grave yard.Of those families they have several family members buried at Cemetary Hill Church grave yard just off highway 22 on one of the highest hills there above Lockport.On a clear day you can see for miles away. Pleasureville has the largest grave yard around with family there. I purchased the farm that my Dad grew up on just before I retired 1/2 mile from where I grew up and 1/2 mile from Grubridge Church where my more imidiate family is buried of the older generations the Halls,Adams,Bramblettes,Downeys,ChisholmsPaytons and Hughes.My Children are grown and on their own living in Jefferson, Shelby,Henry and Carroll Counties. I hope that some of this info. may be of help or a lead to someone searching their family history. Kentucky being mostly a vast forest when our early ancestors arrived here was tough life. You and I today could we have survived what hardships they encountered,I do not think so! As much as I love this land and being here I am sad to the fact that we nearly wiped out a whole culture and race of people in getting to the now.

Anonymous said...

John Roberts of Spotsylvania is my seventh great grandfather. His son Benjamin Roberts is my sixth great grandfather, and John's grand daughter Mary Roberts married my fifth great grandfather Dr. William Dulaney who died of a gunshot wound in 1776.
gr8chemistry@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Anyone know of a Paul Roberts in North Carolina, married Belva Green I believe great grandfather was a lighthouse keeper.

Anonymous said...

Hi I'm looking for my biological father mark roberts. He was living in florida in 1987. He would be in his late forties to early fifties now. I was told all his family was in kentucky and my dna matches on ancestry have led me to kentucky but no roberts descendants. If you have a mark roberts in your family PLEASE contact me at 352 875 8792 or mccaffertymade@live.com. Thank you! Katie

Unknown said...

I have a photo of a Roberts family gathering from the late 1880's. I believe George is the patriarch holding the family Bible.

Unknown said...

I can't upload it for some reason, so if anyone wants to email me at pamela@prjewels.com, I'm happy to share it. There are 3 generations of Roberts in this photo. My great-grandfather was a toddler in the foreground. I am 50 years old.

Unknown said...

Our line is in Western Kentucky.

Pastor Scott said...

I am looking for information on John M Roberts who Married Lucretia Robertson in 1818. He was born in circa 1795 in Madison County, KY, died in MO in 1874. I am trying to find his parents. The ancestry.com keeps trying to steer me to Elisha Roberts 1751-1822, but i found information at jesshistorical society that seems like maybe a Nathan Roberts, Jr. would be his ancestors given their burial in the same cemetery.
Can anyone help me with this? I would love to have a clip from a family bible or some other info that showed a direct tie to one or the other. If you want to email direct use pastorscottroberts at gmail.com

thanks, Scott

Unknown said...

My website has 42 coats of arms with the surname Roberts from The General Armory published in 1842 by the famous genealogist Bernard Burke
https://coadb.com/surnames/roberts-arms.html

Anonymous said...

Hi, I've just started researching my line. I live in the UK. My research has just hit late 1600's in Wales which may tie in with your suggestion. If I find a link I'll let you know. Dom Roberts

Unknown said...

i am trying to help a person find their family.his grandmother was ida belle roberts married a petitt all from henry county kentucky
ida belle's dad was peter roberts married lucille harlow. peter's father was hiram roberts born 1812 died 1869 then i hit brick wall cant find hiram's dad his mother was hanna????? any help out there

Unknown said...

i am trying to help a person find their family.his grandmother was ida belle roberts married a petitt all from henry county kentucky
ida belle's dad was peter roberts married lucille harlow. peter's father was hiram roberts born 1812 died 1869 then i hit brick wall cant find hiram's dad his mother was hanna????? any help out there

Steve said...

I seem to be in the same boat as a lot of you. I am the GGGGrandson of a John Roberts. He was born about 1803 (probably in Kentucky) and married in 1823 in Hopkins County, KY to Mary Matthews. He died probably in 1835 and his widow married Isaac Grubbs. This John Roberts probably had a brother, David Roberts. I also suspect that their father was Thomas Roberts, but that is only speculation due to age and location in the same county.

Pastor Scott said...

Here is some work i have done, gladly receive any input to fill in the holes/questions

Nathan Roberts

Born prior to 1800 since in Boone County at 1816.
Originally from Madison County, Kentucky
Had two bad land claims that proved to belong to others before finally settling on a clean plot.
Donated land to Red Top Church and cemetery
If the John Roberts below is the father of Judge William Franklin Roberts, then Nathan’s

Nathan Roberts
Son 1 – Thomas (died shortly after 1818 but before 1825; first white buried in Red Top cemetery)
Married and 1 daughter who married A.M. Roberts
Son 2 – John (born in Madison Co. KY, bef 1816)
Married Annie (born in Madison Co. KY)
Son – William Franklin, born Nov 22, 1831 in Rocky Fork township, Boone county, MO. Became a judge. Became elder in church in 1862. Married Miranda Asbery (born July 11, 1836)
9 children
Jasper Newton – oldest son
IS JUDGE WILLIAM FRANKLIN ROBERTS THE SON OF THIS JOHN ROBERTS DESCENDED FROM NATHAN? IF SO THEN THE WIFE IS RIGHT, IF NOT THEN THIS NEEDS TO BE MOVED TO ANOTHER SECTION AND RELATIONSHIP OF THE JUDGE NEEDS TO BE DETERMINED TO NATHAN, WILLIAM M., JOHN M., LARRY AND LOUIS.
Son 3 – Richard T.
Married Thomas’ widow. He was a minister of gospel
Son 4 - James
Son 5 – David B.
Daughter 1
Daughter 2
Daughter 3

Had a brother named William (Wm.) who came to Missouri about the same time. William was a preacher with a large family of sons and daughters.
(Possible wife Susan Johnson of John Johnson and Nancy Hughlin both of TN – (A History of the Pioneer Families of Missour with Numerous sketches, anecdotes, adventures, etc. relating ot early days in Missouri, by William S Bryan and Robert Rose, 1876. Section on St. Charles County, 161 @ https://archive.org/stream/historyofpioneer00bryauoft/historyofpioneer00bryauoft_djvu.txt)

Other Roberts from Madison County, Kentucky who came shortly after Nathan were William M., John M., Larry and Louis Roberts.
Larry died younger than rest, and lived at Harrisburg, in Perche township.

William M. Roberts (born Madison county, KY) (descendants of VA families) (moved to MO in 1827)
Married Martha (Born KY) (descendants of VA families)
Son – John Roberts (born prior to 1800, maybe 1792, in KY?)
Drafted for service in War of 1812, but procured a substitute
Married Nancy Johnson in Sept 1839 (born 1818 in Boone co, MO) (daughter of Anderson and Edith Johnson who were KY born, moved to MO in 1814)
2 Sons (all alive in 1882)
6 Daughters (4 alive in 1882) all married except on of the surviving daughters
IS THIS WILLIAM ROBERTS THE BROTHER OF NATHAN ROBERTS MENTIONED ABOVE?

WHAT INFO IS THERE ON JOHN M WHO CAME TO BOONE and married Lucretia? RELATIONSHIP TO NATHAN, WILLIAM M. LARRY AND LOUIS?

From the History of BooneCounty MO, vol 2.

mlee said...

Marriage
1750 • virginia
Anne Duncan - daughter of william Duncan in culpepper, va.

(1730–1820)

1750

53
Birth of Son James Roberts(1766–1822)
1766 • Culpepper, Virginia, USA

1766

69
Death of Brother George Roberts(1699–1775)
1775 • Culpepper, Virginia, United States

1775

78
Birth of Daughter Nancy Roberts(1778–)
1778 • Culpepper, Virginia, USA

1778

81
Death of Sister Margaret M Roberts(1698–1781)
20 Mar 1781 • Culpeper, Culpeper, Virginia, United States

1781

84
Death of Sister Mary Roberts(1700–1781)
1781 • , Culpeper, Virginia, USA

1781

84
Birth of Son William Roberts(1782–)
1782 • Culpeper, Virginia, United States -

1782

85
Death of Brother Benjamin Roberts(1721–1782)
14 Feb 1782 • St Marks, Culpepper, Virginia, United States

1782

85
Death of Brother John Roberts(1695–1782)
1782 • Culpeper, Culpeper, Virginia, United States -
1782

85
Death of Son John Roberts(1750–1802)
1802 • Mississippi Territory = migrates to Nachez, Miss,builds a home returns to NC where his family was left, record of his return is on a barge with three other passengers, either a pregnant wife and 2 sons, or 3 small sons.. in 1790 he marries the Mary Elizabeth Montford Calvit, Widow of Federick Calvit in Nachez.. He dies in 1801 and she passes in 1805. leaves a will that his grandfather william Duncan of Culpepper, Va, had left him slaves he inturn leaves the slaves to a god son, James Duncan Stewart. Thus begins the lawsuit war for the calvits that lingers in Mississippi and in La for over 20 years.


1802

105
Death
1812 • Kentucky

Lisa McKim said...

I'm looking for any information on my ancestor John J Roberts and his wife, Elizabeth. They lived in Rhode Island prior to migrating west. They had a daughter, Margaret who married William McKim on 19 Sept 1796 in Jefferson County, Kentucky. William and Margaret had 4 children, 3 sons and 1 daughter.

John Roberts and William McKim took part in the New Madrid Spanish settlement scheme started by Colonel George Morgan, and moved to Missouri between 1799 and 1803. John was granted 400 arpents of land by Captain Henry Peyroux. He might have lived in Rising Sun, Indiana prior to this move.

Their properties were washed away by the ever changing banks of the Mississippi River. They were later compensated for the material loss of property due to the New Madrid earthquakes in 1811. John moved to Shelby County, KY after this.

Margaret's husband died in 1807 and she married William Shannon immediately after, she was left penniless with only "a cracked oven, a broken rifle gun, and a cracked axe" and unpaid debts. She petitioned to take her children to Indiana. John Robert's will was probated in 16 Jul 1821 in Shelby County, Kentucky and he mentions Margaret's husband, William Shannon.

John J Roberts ( -1821) h/o Elizabeth
Margaret Roberts (18 Nov 1771- ) w/o William McKim and then William Shannon

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know where Benjamin Roberts (1793-1863) and Rebecca (Frazier) Roberts (c. 1802-c. 1870) are buried? Iron Ore Cemetery in Daviess County seems the most likely resting place, but memorials for the pair have not yet been located there. How completely and exhaustively has this cemetery been surveyed? Is it reasonable to attempt another survey or would that just be a waste of time? Also, one has to wonder whether a long ago weather event — a tornado, for instance — damaged the cemetery (or any nearby cemetery, for that matter), causing the destruction (and loss) of some memorials.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if I am somehow related to this Roberts line. I have many DNA matches on Ancestry with Roberts surname from Spotsylvania and Culpepper and Kentucky. My fifth Great Grandfather was John Roberts who migrated from Barnwell South Carolina to Amite Mississippi in 1810. In Barnwell there was another Roberts fellow named Captain James Roberts of a well documented Roberts family from Craven Dobbs area but my trail with this line runs cold because of lack of documentation. I have more DNA matches with the John Roberts from Spotsylvania line. Two of son’s of my fifth Great John Roberts Sr. who were named John Jr. and Luke were among the first settlers of what would become Texas Lamar County. They were killed in battle with the Osage. Another son stayed named James Sr. Stayed behind in Franklin Mississippi and had children. One of which was my Third Great Grandfather who was born a mulatto slave and was granted manumission by his father James Sr. Roberts in 1822. He went on to own many many acres of land and was successful farmer with more swine than most in the area. He was also a constable of Lincoln County Mississippi in 1883.