The Roberts Family of Robertstown, Caldwell County, Kentucky [Transcribed]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                          THE ROBERTS FAMILY

 

                                  OF

 

                ROBERTSTOWN, CALDWELL COUNTY, KENTUCKY

 

 

 

 

                       Some of Their Ancestors

 

                                 and

 

                      Some of Their Descendants

 

                                 1946

 

 

 

                             Compiled by

 

                    (Mrs. W. T.) Ila Earle Fowler

 

                            215 S. Ashland

                         Lexington, Kentucky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 PREFACE         -           FOREWORD

 

               The Immigrants - Henry Roberts  (1)

                                Thomas Lynch

 

               From N. C. to Tenn. - David

                                     William

                                     John

                                     Henry (2)

 

               Their Life in Sullivan County, Tennessee

 

               Westward Ho - Another Migration - Henry (2)

                                                 Henry (3)

                                                 John

 

               Henry - Henry - John

 

               John in Livingstone County, Ky.

 

               Henry C. Roberts - 1801

 

               Nancy McNeeley - 1804

 

               James Harvey Roberts - 1808

 

               Lucinda Roberts Jones - 1812

 

               Henry (1)  -  Henry (2)  -   Henry (3)

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                      ________________________|

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                      Jane Traylor - 1799 or 1800

                      John Littleton Roberts - 1805

                      David Roberts - 1808

                      Thomas Lynch Roberts - 1812

                      Elizabeth (1) Weeks     (2) Strong - 1814

                      Mary Ann Crowder - 1817

 

               Misc. Records - Roberts - Drennan - Traylor

 

                               FOREWORD

 

     For the given name of the immigrant, Henry Roberts, of our line, we depend largely on tradition.  To this has been added facts found in county records; North Carolina Archives; census records,  especially those of 1850; Tennessee land grants; deeds and documents in Caldwell and Livingston counties, Kentucky.  Correspondence and interviews with various descendants have been fruitful.

 

     We now know exactly where the log house stood that sheltered our Roberts ancestors after they came to Caldwell County, for 60 years and more, which is still owned by descendants.  This was located by the old burial ground with its worn sandstone markers and one marble slab, which could be read by the light of old deed and "tales my grandsire told."

 

     Thanks are due to many and in double measure to W. E. Roberts.  Others are Mrs. Samuel O. Catlett, Miss Minnie Crowder, Mrs. Lena Jones Morgan, Albert McNeeley and Ed Barnes; also to Bayless Hardin of the Historical Society of Kentucky.

 

     The data on the family of William Roberts of Sullivan County, Tennessee was given by Mr. Rhea Anderson of Blountsville.  County officials of Sullivan County, Tennessee, and Craven County, N. C. have been most generous in response of the small fees sent them for copies of records.

 

     To start with I knew these facts:  that Henry was the family name "all the way back"; that Thomas Lynch Roberts, my grandfather, was named for his mother's father; that both his grandfathers fought in the Revolution (though I have no documentary proof of this); that his father was born in Tennessee "where you could throw a stone into three states".  The latter was confusing indeed until one studies what the early settlers on Watauga and Reedy Creek thought were the boundaries of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

 

     As records were studied and isolated facts brought together it became plain that "my uncle who was killed by the Indians" was the John Roberts mentioned in all early Tennessee notes; that the probability was that Henry Roberts (2) and Thomas Lynch were two of the unregistered heroes of the King's Mountain Battle; that the "grandmother who hid from the Indians" was the wife of Henry Roberts (2); the "grandfather born in Scotland" was Henry Roberts (2) "the grandfather born in Ireland" Thomas Lynch.

 

     Thus easily or not, the puzzle picture of genealogy falls into place through the practice of patience, ingenuity, interest and research.

 

     Approximate ages of these generations:

          Thomas Lynch Roberts .............1812-1886 - 74

          Henry Roberts (3) ................1776-1852 - 76

          Henry Roberts (2) ................app. 1730-after 1811 - 71

          Henry Roberts (1) ................cir. 1705-1785 - 80

          His father .......................probably 1670-1740 - 70.

 

     It was surprising to find that some descendants thought this family of Welch origin.  Whether Scottish or Welch, it is certain that Henry Roberts (2) was "born in Scotland".

 

     Of Physical characteristics it seems that the Roberts men were over rather than under average height; that many of them had dark blue eyes and black or very dark hair, though some blondes, especially among the women, were noted.  It also appears that many of them married rather late in life and had smaller families than was usual among pioneers.

 

                          THE ROBERTS FAMILY

                                  of

                      CALDWELL COUNTY, KENTUCKY

 

                      Some of their ancestors -

                      Some of their descendants

 

                             ************

 

     On June 7th, 1739, Henry Roberts asked for patent on 640 acres of land in Craven County, N. C. (vol. 4, Colonial Records of N. C., p. 348).  On November 24th, 1744, Henry Roberts asked for patent on 200 acres of land in Craven County (same vol. p. 709).

 

                     - WHENCE AND WHY THEY CAME -

 

     Fresh in the minds of the people was the disastrous attempt of William of Orange in the year 1700 to colonize 1200 Scots on the disease-ridden isthmus of Darien.

 

     After the death of King William in 1702 it was extremely uncertain whether Queen Anne could retain any control of Scotland.  By the time of her death in 1714 matters between England and Scotland were ready to culminate in the rebellion against the House of Hanover that attempted to restore the Stuart line in the person of the Old Chevalier as James III and VIII.  After this fiasco of 1715, "The Fifteen", there were such stirrings in Scotland that more and more men sold their holdings there and migrated to America to begin life anew.  There were new Jacobite attempts, riots caused by the malt tax and such disturbances as the Porteus Riot, immortalized in Scott's "Heart of Mid Lothian".  Those then who came before the rising of Charles Edward Stuart in the  "The Forty Five" were fortunate.  Of those who were out for the daring and charming "Pretender" at that time, and shared his bloody defeat at Preston Pans and Culloden, many were executed or attained, while all had to take a fearsome blood oath never to possess any gun, pistol or other arm, and never to use tartan, plaid or any part of the highland garb under penalty of death, burial in unhallowed ground, etc...........

 

     Before this, however, Henry Roberts and his young family had crossed the Atlantic, sailed into Pamlico Sound and up the Pamlico River past New Bern into Craven County.  There they began their new life to take their part as pioneers in a land they were to help preserve for their posterity.

 

     From Craven County records the following which probably refer to this Henry Roberts:  Book 11, p. 273;  sold land to Nathan Ward, 2/11/1763; Book 11, p. 341, sold land to Thomas Wilson 10/27/1763;  Book 11, p. 344, land to Arnwell Heron, 11/14/1763; Book 11, p. 34, bought land from Nathan Ward, in 1761; also Book 2, p. 148, Henry Roberts of Johnson County, N. C. sold land to John Taylor, in 1750.

 

     It is easy to believe that one of his sons would be born in Scotland and one in Ireland when we remember that Ireland was many times just a way station from Scotland to America, especially for Presbyterians.

 

P. 709 - Vol. 4 - Colonial Records North Carolina, same day Henry Roberts asked for land, November 24, 1744, Thomas Lynch - 300 acres in Edgecombe County, N. C.

 

    - - - - - - - - - - -

 

     Meanwhile in Ireland the half century following the Hanoverian Succession, 1714, was a time of oppression, despair and decay.  The great exodus of the gentry and the more adventurous spirits to join the Continental armies was balanced by the emigration of the poorer Protestants ruined by heavy rents and the commercial acts.  The penal laws steadily crushed the upper classes while the worst land system in Europe embittered those who wrested their living from the soil.  So, by 1744, when Thomas Lynch sailed up Pamlico Sound, and Pamlico River into Edgecombe County, N.C., the hopes of thousands of Irishmen centered on this new land that offered to each emigrant from 50 to 100 acres of land when he "proved his importation immediately from Great Britain into this Colony", and allowed him to purchase more at low prices.  Thus two streams of immigration came together and the melting pot began its work of fusing races and clans.  For the daughter or grand-daughter of Thomas Lynch married the son of Henry Roberts, another Henry, and here our exact knowledge of our ancestry begins.  Inquiring of the records at Princeville, County seat of Craven County, brought out the fact that there are no other early records there of this Thomas Lynch.

 

              From Eastern Carolina to Eastern Tennessee

 

     Hunting parties, cattle, or "cowpens men", and Indian treaty makers during the years between 1744 and 1765 were opening up the western part of Carolina and Virginia and again the next generation took the westward way, long and toilsome, through and across three mountain ridges into the Holston country where once again two streams of immigration met.  For pressing forward from the Virginia side came other thousands along the Great Indian War Path, "the path of migration", the chase and savage invasion.  They met at the North Branch of the Holston river at Seven-mile Ford, crossed it near Long Island and thus settled Sullivan County at a time when there was plenty of Indian Lands west and South while hundreds of Indians roamed the hills and valleys they still claimed.

 

     Here in the wilderness our ancestors and their compeers promised themselves independence and settled homes because every actual settler who erected a log cabin and began to cultivate his land was allowed the right to 400 acres including his improvement.

 

     Here at least three sons of the immigrant Henry Roberts took up land:  John, William and Henry, while David Roberts, was probably a son also, who settled just across in what was later in Virginia, the seat being Wolf Hills, Now Abingdon.  In 1775 Edmond Roberts also had a patent here, whether related or not we do not know.

 

     Virginia and North Carolina had conflicting claims on the lands of N. E. Tennessee, and several surveys were necessary to finally settle the boundaries.  Washington County, Tennessee was taken off Wilkes and Bertie Counties, N. C. in November 1777, and Sullivan was taken off Washington in October 1779.  The only county later out of Sullivan was Hawkins in 1786.

 

     Henry Roberts (2) lived on Reedy Creek in this vicinity before 1776 and had a grant in 1779 and several later ones.*  John Roberts lived a little lower down and William in the same general country.

 

*Record at Nashville, Tenn. (Archives)

                    THEIR LIFE IN SULLIVAN COUNTY

 

From "Historic Sullivan", by Oliver Taylor, print 1909, p. 29, says under "Tests of Courage" in the chapter entitled "The Frontier Woman":

 

     Once the men of Holston settlement were called to Shelby's Station, an Indian Raid being expected.  Should Indians come from an unexpected quarter, as they often did, and as was the case in this instance, it left unprotected a large number of families.

 

     A Mrs. Roberts living at King's Mill, on Reedy Creek, whose husband had responded to the call, heard the Indians were coming by their home.  Gathering up her three children, a bundle and a weapon whose service would ill avail, she started for the station and had gone but a short distance when she was made aware of the approach of the savages.  (As this was the location of the lands of Henry Roberts (2) we think this was his wife.)

 

     Stepping aside from the path and crouching beneath the undergrowth the Indians came by within a few feet of her and even stopped as if suspicious of her presence.  The children at once understood the meaning of her cautious warning, nestling close and keeping very still.

 

     After the savages had passed on she gathered up her little family and trudged along, arriving at the fort next day.

 

     This was not unusual as the children had been taught the "hush of caution" that enabled them to survive in  this terror-shadowed wilderness.  Mothers taught the sacredness of duty and the duty of courage.

 

     Besides this adaptability to circumstances they conveyed to their children and handed down to us a heritage of the frontier virtues, of industry, hardihood and rugged honesty which we hope still characterize most of their descendants.  Yet, we descendants of such women in such a place, do not now know their girlhood names nor the endearing names by which their own people called them.

                          - DAVID ROBERTS -

 

     David, probably a son of Henry Roberts, the immigrant, lived in Washington County, Virginia, just across the line from Sullivan County, Tennessee, where John, Henry and William settled.  He died there 1778-79.

 

     From Summers, S. W. Va., p.1343:  On 2/16/1779 Henry and William Roberts were executors of his will.  Wherein he left his estate to his daughter, Sarah.  Witnesses:  James Campbell and Abram Bledsoe.

 

     3/16/1779, Susannah Roberts, widow of David Roberts, came into court, renounced the will and claimed her dower, John Adair, William Elliott, James Campbell, Robert Gilliland, or any one of them were appointed to lay off her dower.  On motion, William Roberts, executor, obtained administration, giving bond of 2,000 pounds.  Henry Sphar, David Adair, Isaac Bledsoe, and Samuel Hendee were the Court of Commissioners, p. 1013 Summers, S. W. Va.  On 4/16/1779 the  inventory of David Roberts was recorded.

 

     Draper says p. 220, that David and James Roberts are listed by Summers as having fought at King's Mountain.  That battle, October 1780, was after the death of this David.  I believe this should be Henry Roberts (2) as it is based on the recollection of an old man 50 years later.*  (1778).  P. 538, Summers S. W. Va.  David Roberts bought land with William Ingels, 140 pounds, 620 acres on Woods River in Botencourt County, 3/7/1770.

 

*Our David was dead before Kings Mt. Battle.

                         - WILLIAM ROBERTS -

 

     William Roberts, on 5/27/1777 was appointed, with Gilbert Christian, James Elliott and James Fulkinson, to view land for road and to make report, on motion of John Anderson for a road to be cut from George Blackburn's by James Fulkinson's to the forks of the path leading to Kentucky and the mouth of Reedy Creek.  (P. 963, Summers S. W. Va.).

 

     On 9/3/1776, on motion of William Roberts, administration on the estate of Mary Roberts, deceased, was granted to him, on his bond giving security.  On this bond of 100 pounds were Brice Russell and David Adair.  Appraisers were William Aylett, James Campbell, William Cox and John Kerr or any three of them.  (P. 649, Summers, S. W. Va.)

 

     (P. 744, Summers) in Montgomery County, William Roberts, Neal Roberts, Moses Johnson, Richard Green, Richard Wright, Clem Lee and George Herd had their property restored, which had been taken from them by the Militia of Montgomery and Washington Counties as nothing appeared against them with regard to their being enemies of the state.

 

     On 3/7/1775 in the Court of Fincastle County, Virginia, on motion of William Roberts, Administrator of estate of John Roberts, gave as security Gilbert Christian, John Craig, Anthony Head and William Elliott, or any three of them, to appraise estate and slaves, if any, and make return.  (P. 641 Summers S. W. Va.)  On P. 643, the appraisement was returned and recorded.

 

     William Roberts (son of the immigrant Henry R.) b. 2/16/1732 in Ireland; d. 2/16/1816, md. in 1767 Isabella Graham, b. August 1744, d. 1/16/1833.  Their children:

 

     Mary Roberts, b. 9/16/1768

     Henry Roberts, b. 9/16/1763, d. 2/15/1812,

     Rachel Roberts, b. 7/16/1775, md. John Anderson

          (Knox Co., Tenn. 12/28/1792 - p. 10, Tenn.

          Hist. Mag. Apr. 1930).

     Margaret Roberts, b. 12/13/1777, md. 12/11/1797

          (Tenn. Hist. Mag. Knox Co., Tenn.)

     David Roberts, b. 1/1/1780 - (Letter of Mr. Rhea

          Anderson, Blountville, Tenn., Oct. 17, 1940 -

          gr. grandson of Henry Anderson, son of Rachel

          and John Anderson several of these girls

          married Andersons.)

     William Roberts, b.7/1/1783

     John Roberts, b. 10/28/1784

     Grimes Roberts, b. 3/26/1787

     Isabella Roberts, b. 2/25/1790

                           - JOHN ROBERTS -

 

                 Son of the immigrant, Henry Roberts.

 

     It was John Roberts and his family who were destined to make the supreme sacrifice and to leave to posterity an undying record.

 

     (15 D D 39, September 25, 1853 - p. 376, Col. Draper's Mss.) Wisconsin State Library.  Letter of George Christian to Lyman C. Draper:  "John Roberts whose family was murdered had two brothers, Henry and William".  P. 376 - August 25, 1853:  "murder of John Roberts' family and retreat of neighbors under John Anderson and James Clendennin to King's Fort which was on Reedy Creek".  #15 D D 38 - Wisconsin Draper papers.

 

     (From "Historic Sullivan" by Oliver Taylor, print 1909, p. 30-31").

 

     In the days when the Scalping knife and the tomahawk showed no respect for sex or age, regular reports were sent in of the condition of each settlement.

 

     From one of these comes this pathetic example of youthful courage and maternal love:

 

     From a mss. letter of Col. Arthur Campbell to Col. William Preston, October 6, 1774.  Colonel Campbell, accustomed to the cruelties and hardships of frontier life, happening in the neighborhood, went to see the little Roberts boy who survived several days.  He wrote to Colonel Preston, a portion only of his letter being preserved.

 

     "Upon whose first appearance my little hero ran off, his uncle called, he knew his voice and turned and ran to him rejoiced:  his uncle questioned him and he returned sensible answers.  Showed his murdered parents and sisters, his brother is not found, and I suppose is captivated."

 

     "He received but one blow with a tomahake on the back of the head, which cut through his scull, but is generally believed his brains is safe, as he continues to talk sensibly and being an active wise boy, what he relates is credited."

 

     "For my part I don't know as I ever had tenderer feelings of compassion for any one of the human species.  I have sent for him and employed an old man who has some skill to attend him.  I wish I could get Dr. Loyd to him.  If he cannot come please try if the doctor could not send me up some medicines with directions."

 

     Later he wrote - "The boy that was scalped is dead, he was an example of patience and resolution to his last frequently lamenting, "he was not able to fight enough for to save his Mammy".  I have been to tedious and circumstantial in relating the little hero's story, but it seems to be a singular instance I am persuaded you wont be displeased with it." (Draper Mss.)

                        - ANOTHER MIGRATION -

 

                             WESTWARD HO!

 

     True pioneers, by the early years of 1800, at least two sons of Henry Roberts (2) brought with them their aged father, and again started on the westward trail.  The lands of western Kentucky were being opened, new counties formed year by year:  Logan; Christian; Livingstone; Caldwell in turn.  Settlers traveling to and fro told true and wonderful tales of this land of springs, creeks and rivers and unbroken forest or white oak and tulip poplar, elm, hickory, walnut, beech and sugar maple.

 

     A map of their route in Ramsey's Annals of Tennessee shows Robertson's Route to Nashville, Tenn. (1783) from the Holston country through Cumberland Gap, then roughly following the Cumberland River through Kentucky and entering Sumner County, Tennessee at its N.E. corner.

 

     By 1807 this land route and on to Caldwell County, Kentucky, from Sullivan County, Tennessee was marked and opened well enough that John and Henry Roberts; and their friends and kin probably traveled it as a road they considered good.  It came through the Gap on through Russellville and Hopkinsville, to Princeton where they turned northward and traveled eleven miles toward Tradewater River and there started a settlement - a community known yet as Robertstown.

 

     The story of the journey into this wilderness is a saga of ingenuity, foresight, vision and endurance.  They came in wagons with beds shaped like galleys.  Each team was guided by a rider who rode the lead horse from whose tasseled ears sounded the tinkling of a bell.  A dog tied to the rear axle was at once companion and guard.  The wagons which were carryalls for furniture, clothing and tools served at night for beds and in case of attack by hostile Indians became forts from which the pioneers fought.

 

    Before and behind the wagons came men outriders well armed and women riding side-saddle, while young children rode in baskets slung across the packhorses, papoose fashion.

 

     Cattle with bells on were driven behind the wagons and at night the blazing campfires warned away wolves and bears, and served to break the "journey" and to cook ash cakes and to warm the dried meat and beans or the fresh meat shot on the way. "journey cakes"

 

     Some of the precious household wares were carried on pack saddles which rested on natural prongs of trees carefully selected for the purpose.

 

     Like white sails of the ocean these wagon trains came in groups, one behind the other.

 

     This party arrived in the wilderness, occupied the cabins built already, began to cut logs from the wooded hills, and neighbors laboring together, enlarged houses and barns.  The trees in the virgin bottom fields had been deadened and immediately the crops were put in; corn, potatoes, tobacco, turnips, beans, cabbage, while the women planted cotton seed in rows and flax and began to shear the sheep and card the wool to spin and weave.

 

     They made their pegged-in beds and began to select hickory for chairs and table legs.  They made sure of having water for themselves and stock, hence they had made their clearings near springs and creeks.

 

     Wild meat and fish were theirs for the taking and wild plums and pawpaws and grapes were theirs for the picking.  Hazel nuts and haws, of scaly bark, hickory, beech nuts and walnuts - of bee trees there were many and honey flowed.  While along Donaldson and Cove Creek and Flynn's Fork grew groves of the finest sugar maple trees.  Here their caravan rested - and here for more than 130 years this settlement has been called "Robertstown".

                        - HENRY ROBERTS (2) -

 

     Henry Roberts (2), son of Henry, the immigrant, was born in Scotland before 1739, had settled on Reedy Creek by 1776.  His first recorded grant found was in 1779.  Later he obtained grants from North Carolina:  300 acres on 12/26/1791; 35 acres on 7/29/1793; 180 acres on 12/2/1795; totaling 515 acres besides his earlier grants.  (Tenn. Land Grants at Nashville).

 

     There was an application made (by Henry Roberts) to lay off

and view a road from Sullivan C. H. to Roberts Mill on the Kentucky road about 1795.

 

     From his location we may easily surmise that the revolutionary service of which his grandson, Thomas Lynch Roberts, told his grandchildren was an "over-the-mountain man" at King's Mountain, October 1780, the turning point of the Revolution.  "Henry Roberts, Newbern Militia", found in Colonial records of North Carolina, may refer to his service.

 

     He came with his son, Henry, to Caldwell, lived there in 1811 (as Sr.) exempt from taxes either because of age or military service.

 

     Born in Scotland, reared in East N.C., he spent his active manhood in Sullivan County, Tennessee, and died in Caldwell County, Kentucky, after 1811.   His was a typical pilgrimage of the American pioneer that included a childhood in a harassed Scotland and a life spent in three wilderness communities in America and burial in an unknown, unmarked grave, such as became the sign manual of the great, majority of American frontiersmen.

 

     This Henry had two sons of whom we have record who came to Caldwell County in the early years of 1800;  John Roberts and Henry Roberts.  It is from these two that most of the Caldwell Roberts are descended.

 

     His recollections covered years of time and miles of land and water;  Scottish and Irish hills and dales, possibly of the shores of Wales, harrying of clans, changing kings, ocean travel by sailing ship, dark, forbidding, marshy shores of Carolina, dank woods, great storms in the creaking forests, wild grapes like those of Echosol, Impenetrable cane brakes, Indian terror, cabins in clearings, frozen rivers on the westward trail, mountains and valleys, homes and camps along the highway of life that he traveled.

                         - SULLIVAN COUNTY -

 

     From WPA records in the Cossett Library at Memphis, the following facts were culled.  Sullivan County is the second oldest county and fifth largest in population in Tennessee.  It was created out of Washington County by the State of North Carolina, in October 1779 and organized in 1780.  Part of Hawkins County was cut off from it in 1786.

 

     The French surrendered their claims by the Treaty of Paris in 1768.  The Iroquois by the Treaty of Ft. Stanwix, negotiated by Sir Wm. Johnson, surrendered to the English their claims to a large area between the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers.  Later the Cherokees in Council, 0ctober 14, 1768, at Hard Labour, S. C., appealed to the settlers to respect their claims and ceded 100 square miles setting the Indian boundary about 35 miles east of the Long Island of the Holston to the Kanawha River and then to the Ohio.  (Bureau of Ethnology, 5th Annual Report, p. 146, 1883.83.)

 

     This treaty was a signal to settlers from Virginia and North Carolina who rushed in, going beyond the Cherokee line and settling on the upper reaches of the Holston, while it was disputed whether this was in Virginia or North Carolina.

 

     On July 20, 1776, the battle of Long Island Flats was fought.  The Cherokees, led by Dragging Canoe, were routed with severe losses.  *(In this year Henry Roberts (3) was born in this vicinity.)  By Treaty of 1777 the Cherokees ceded all land north of Nolichucky River.

 

*Ky. V.S. - 1852 his death.

 

     The survey of Henderson and Thomas Walker and David Smith in 1777 proved these Holston settlements were in Washington County,  N.C.  Evan Shelby was the Colonel of the new country.  John Chissum and Isaac Shelby were commissioners.

 

     A glimpse of the earlier history in this rich valley is of interest to us because our ancestors knew these leaders, followed them and were in the very forefront of the pioneer settlers.

 

     The earliest grant of record was that to Edmond Pendleton in 1756 of 3,000 acres on Reedy Creek.  In 1758, a few settlers came but they had to retire northeast of the Kanawha River.  Ft. Patrick Henry on Reedy Creek near the upper end of Long Island in the Holston was built by Virginia militiamen on their way to the relief of Ft. Loudoun in the fall of 1758.

 

     In 1769 Joseph Martin came with Walker exploring and made a crop in Powell's valley, returned to Virginia and brought his family.  Evan and Isaac Shelby built a fort and general store in 1771 where Bristol now stands.  John and Thomas Sharpe were early in the valley and were followed soon after by Thomas Henderson, John Womack and the father of David Crockett.  The county was organized at the home of Moses Looney, February 7th, 1780.  In 1795, Blountville was located and first court was held at the home of Joseph Cole.

 

     These early settlers, among whom were the Roberts families, were not without preachers.  Before 1780 the famous frontier preachers, Samuel Doak and Joseph Rhea, preached in the county to Presbyterian congregations.  New Bethel was organized in 1782 in the Forks of South Holston and Watauga Rivers, first congregation of that order in the states.  (Pioneer Presbyterians in Tennessee by George W. Heiskel - J. W. Sweet, Religion on American Frontier.)

 

     The First Lutheran Church was formed between 1790 and 1795 on Reedy Creek by Revs. Paul Kenkel and John G. Butler (Taylor).  So it is easy to see why these first Roberts families who came from Reedy Creek to Caldwell County were among the first Cumberland Presbyterians.

 

     Moving Westward as the Indians retreated, our ancestors were not only hardy and industrious; but religious, as well.

              LINE OF JOHN ROBERTS OF LIVINGSTONE COUNTY

 

     John Roberts, son of Henry Roberts (2), came to Livingstone County, Kentucky, before 1808, owned on Skinframe Creek, in Caldwell County, 300 acres, two horses and one stud valued at $150.00.

 

     In county court orders - 1836-1837, 4 tracts of 116 ½ acres each, and one of 2 ¼ acres.  West of the Tennessee River he had 5 grants of 160 acres each, very early (Jillson's Index, p. 864).  Bought land from Henry Miller in Caldwell, 1812, listed with three horses.

 

     He Evidently lived in Livingstone County in 1813 and 1816.  Book 1, p. 161, he sold to W. B. Lemon, land in Caldwell, J. H. Clark, witness:  3/1/1854, bk., 42, p. 666; Lemon & Roberts land in Deer Creek, Livingstone est., John Roberts married (1) (possibly Miss Harvey).  Of this  marriage three children are known to us:  Henry Roberts, (b. 1801); Nancy McNeeley, b. 1804; James Harvey Roberts, b. 1808.  He married (2) Miss Love and had one daughter, Lucinda Roberts, b. 1812.  His children:

 

(1) Henry Roberts, Jr., aged 49 in 1850 b. 1801, Tennessee; d. April 1, 1861; married Nancy McNeeley, b. S. C. in 1801.  He died aged 63, on April 1, 1863 (hence b. between April 1, 1800 and April 1, 1801.)  Their children, all born in Caldwell County, Kentucky:

 

1.  Rebecca G. Roberts, married Thomas Sivils Jones, February 21, 1848, (brother of Chloe Jane Jones, who married James Harvey Roberts, Jr. ).

 

2.  William Roberts married Lucy Ann Boitnott, December 30, 1863, C. Beckner, surety; their daughter, Annie Roberts, married John McNeeley of Farmersville, whose only child, Leni McChesney, married Hervey McChesney.  Married before 1850, for in that census the following

 

3.  James Harvey Roberts, Jr., b. 1824, married November 3, 1853, to Chloe Jane Jones, who was b. 1830.

 

4.  Isabella Roberts, b. 1828, married November 6, 1853, to Andrew M. Hubbard.  This couple known as "Andy and Ibby" well and favorably remembered by many of the kin.

 

5.  Mary A. Roberts, b. 1831, died single in 1857, (Vital Stat.)

 

6.  Lucinda Roberts, b. 1834, married Robert C. Towrey, "Alabama Bob".

 

7.  John L. Roberts, b. 1836, d. May 9, 1870, married Elizabeth Powell, son, Larkin Roberts, B. 1857, (V.S.) Ky.

 

8.  Elizabeth Roberts, b. 1838 "Bettie", married Robert (R. C.) Towrey, "Long Bob", he aged 20, she 30 (S.C. Roberts), both b. Caldwell and parents of both b. Caldwell, date 9/16/1869.

 

9.  Paulina Roberts, b. 1839, married William Sigler.  She and one of her sisters, widowed, lived many years in Princeton and were possessed of much valuable antique furniture.

 

     Farm laborer in this family in 1850 was Benjamin F. Martin, b. Caldwell.  The will of this Henry Roberts, in Will Book B, was written 1/7/1861, probated (p. 209) 9/16/1861.  Witnesses were Lote Jones, John W. Lowry, John N. McNeeley, James H. Roberts, Jr., and Calhill Beckner.  To his son, John L. Roberts, he left all his land, several tracts, to be home for his wife, Nancy, and three single daughters; Lucinda, Bettie and Pauline, until married.  James H. Roberts, Sr., and John L. Roberts were executors.  He left $1.00 each to his sons, James H., Jr., William R. and daughters, Rebecca Jones and Isabel Hubbard.

 

     Some of his lands were:  6/4/1839, County Court order for 640 acres; 12/9/1835, 29 acres in Livingstone County on Tennessee River, G.2, Ky. Land Warrants; 11/19/1841, 100 acres on Donaldson (B. 15, p. 153); 11/19/1844, 100 acres on Donaldson, (B. 12, p. 234); 11/19/1850, 50 acres in Livingstone, on Tennessee River.

 

     In the census of 1870, P. 99-94, his widow, Nancey (McNeeley) Roberts, aged 71, (b. 1799), lists houses worth $200, she born, according to this, in N.C.

 

     The only one of the children of Henry and Nancey McNeeley Roberts of whom I have fairly full record is No. 3, above:

 

     James Harvey Roberts, Jr., born 1/8/1824, married 11/3/1853 to Chloe Jane Jones, b. 4/8/1829; d. 8/11/1901, sister of Thomas Sivils Jones who married Rebecca G. Roberts.  Their children:

 

1.  Marion Hodge Roberts, b. 1/19/1854; d. 10/5/1857.

 

2.  Mary W. Roberts, "Mollie"; b. 1859, married Mr. Albert Hewlett when she was near forty years of age, had two children.  d. 1944.

 

3.  Johnnie W. Roberts, b. 1862, married Mr. Rhea, lived near Dalton Hopkins County, Kentucky; died early in life.

 

4.  Willie A. Roberts, b. 1864, did not marry, d. 1914.

 

5.  Jim Ella Roberts, b. 1866, married late in life to Joe Daves, d. 1944, the same year as her two sisters who lived together in Princeton.

 

     James Harvey Roberts, Jr., was listed in 1860 census with wife, Jane, Mary, aged one year, and property valued at $2,000 and $5,700.  In 1888 he listed land on Donaldson.

 

     "Jim Harve", as he was called, was a prominent member of the clan and he and his family always made a fine impression wherever they were.  They were devoted to keeping up appearance, and with good right.  They lived at Robertstown on the Wilson Warehouse Road, where he had a tobacco factory and country store.  He bought tobacco, prized it in hogsheads, had it hauled by wagon to Eddyville where it was loaded on boats.  The new highway has now been completed to Old Robertstown, now Edd Barnes Store.  It was for a time a post office called New Quinn which has been discontinued in favor of a rural route from Dalton.

 

     The father was so proud of the good look's of his wife and daughters that he always called them "my beautiful ladies", and so anxious was he to provide for them that he worked early and late, and on Sundays, too, to the disgust of his church-going neighbors.  His disappointment in losing his only son was reflected in the more or less masculine names he gave his daughters.

 

     The second child of John Roberts of Livingstone, known to us is:

 

(2)  Nancy Roberts who was born in Tennessee in 1804, married 9/17/1822 to Joseph McNeeley who was born in S.D.

 

     Joseph and Nancy Roberts McNeeley lived near Farmersville in Caldwell County; their children:

 

1.  Rebecca McNeeley, b. 1826 in Caldwell, married 1/8/1859 to John C. Traylor; their daughter, Nancey S. Traylor, b. 11/3/1859. (V.S.)

 

2.  Isaac McNeeley, b. Caldwell, 1831.

 

3.  Hester A. McNeeley, b. Livingstone County, 1834, married Thomas Dunn, aged 22, in December 1857.

 

4.  John L. McNeeley, b. Caldwell 1837, lived near Farmersville.

 

5.  Thomas R. McNeeley, b. Caldwell, 1840, lived near Farmersville; member of 48th Infantry Co., joining 10/26/1863.

 

6.  Willis S. McNeeley, b. Caldwell, 1843, removed to Colorado.

 

7.  DeWitt C. McNeeley, b. Caldwell, 1846.

 

     Further on McNeeley:  Joseph McNeeley, above, was a brother to Matthus McNeeley whose son, John N. married M. J. E. Roberts, daughter of J. W. Roberts, Sr.  Joseph had a sister, Nancey, who married Henry Roberts  12/7/1822.  Another son Matthus McNeeley was Wilson McNeeley whose son, William T. married Mary P. Hubbard 10/11/1857.

 

     In the tax lists of 1813 are found James McNeeley in Caldwell and Michael McNeeley in 1821.

 

     The third child of John Roberts of Livingstone, known to us was James Harvey Roberts, Sr., b. June 21, 1808 in Kentucky, d. 9/29/1875.  He married (1) Sarah D. Kemp, 12/12/1832, return made 1/9/1833.  Of this union there was one daughter, Nancey E. Roberts, b. 9/16/1834, d. 6/18/1887.  She married Silas Watt Towery, b. 11/4/1832, d. 10/28/1907.  (Birth and dates from stones in old graveyard on a farm near Robertstown.)

 

     James Harvey Roberts, Sr., married (2) Regina Crowder who was born 1817-1818.  Their children:

 

1.  Mary Jane Elizabeth (Bettie) Roberts, b. 3/12/1844; d. 3/12/1916, married John N. McNeeley, b. 1/29/1844, d. 7/6/1906, son of Matthus McNeeley.  Their family were:

 

(1)  Albert F. McNeeley, b. 1/22/1870, married (1) Annie Coleman in Princeton, 1892.  She died 1899, mother of his two sons.  Married (2) Katie Lee Hurley in Kevil, Ky.; they had two daughters.

 

     Albert McNeeley has an enviable business record.  46 years and 10 months in classified postal service of the United States.  Earlier he had service in Post Office in Princeton, Ky., and Clarksville, Tenn.  He was appointed substitute railway postal clerk in 1893 and promoted to regular January 17, 1894.  He served until 1911 and was reinstated 2/14/1914; transferred to clerk in Louisville Post Office 12/1/1917.  He had a number of promotions until made foreman in 1923 and served until his retirement January 31, 1940, at which time he received a commendatory letter signed by James A. Farley, Postmaster General, which stated among other things:

 

     "You may indeed be justly proud of your record and the loyal and efficient service you have rendered for so many years" - and ended with good wishes and "many years of happiness and contentment".

 

     His children:

 

1.  John D. McNeeley, b. July 10, 1893.  Insurance Business.

 

2.  Clifton C. McNeeley, b. 7/29/1895; has a son, Gerald A. McNeeley, b. 12/14/1924, now in the Navy (ca. 1942); and daughter, Dorothy McNeeley, b. 7/13/1927.  He is a railway mail clerk on the Illinois Central Railroad.  Both sons were educated in public schools in Princeton and Henderson.

 

3.  Geraldine McNeeley, b. 8/19/1905, married Joe C. Fox, lives near Army base at Great Bend, Kansas.  She was with WHAS for several years and when WAVE opened went with them and was their staff pianist for four years, known there as Geraldine Thompson.

 

4.  Alberta McNeeley, b. 9/27/1913, married F. Dion Smith, lives N.  Hollywood, California.

 

(2) Eddie S. McNeeley, b. 3/21/1872; d. 1876.

 

(3) Annie McNeeley, b. 5/19/1874, married Elvis C. Menser, widowed, lives near Princeton, Ky.

 

(4) Ella McNeeley, b. 9/23/1876.

 

(5) Charles R. McNeeley, b. 9/13/1878.

 

(6) Lena McNeeley, b. 3/29/1882, married F. M. Doss, widowed.

 

(7) Byrd McNeeley, b. 2/8/1886, married J. A. Seaman.

 

2.  Melissa Roberts, daughter of James Harvey and Regina Crowder Roberts, b. 1851, married James P. Davis.

 

3.  Henry Clay Roberts, b. April 24, 1854.

 

4.  James Harvey Roberts, Jr., b. 1857, his wife was M. E. Roberts. (Probably should be listed as III, to distinguish from Henry Roberts' son of same name who was known as "Jr".)

 

5.  Lucinda Roberts, "Lou", b. 1860 married James P. Davis, after death of her sister, Melissa.

 

6.  Amanda L. Roberts.

 

     In the 1850 census James Harvey Roberts, Sr., is listed as farmer, age 52, property worth $2,000 and $4,000 b. Kentucky, wife, Regina 43, b. Kentucky; Bettie, 12; Melissa, 9; Henry, 6; James, 3 and J. W. Roberts, farm hand, age 21.  In 1870 census, p.  100-95, he is listed with wife Regina; Melissa 19, Henry, 16; James, 13; Lucinda, 10; and J. Wilson, laborer, who listed $400. property.

 

     In 1844 he bought land from Henry Roberts (3).  In County Court orders 1848 he received 50 acres of land on Donaldson and same in 1849; in 1856 35 acres on Donaldson.  He sold land to James H. Roberts, Jr., Book V., p. 197.

 

     From the Caldwell county Order Book we find that on 10/18/1848 he was appointed constable with Rezin Fryer and John Jones as sureties - also in 11/18/1850 with John Jones and Henry Roberts, sureties - and 6/16/1851 with R. B. Ratliff and Rezin Fryer, sureties.  Page 210, constable with John Jones and J. M. Harper, sureties; page 376, on 5/24/1855 Coleman Brown was ordered to turn over the books of Justice of the Peace to him; page 532, he was to confer with Samuel Hollman of Hopkins county in regard to repairs on bridge over Tradewater at Wilson Warehouse, 8/17/1857; p. 587, 5/18/1858, he and J. W. Jennings were awarded $49.75 for "moving drift" obstruction at this bridge; p. 638, he was paid for helping to district the county.  And so on, through the books we find his many activities as a citizen and an active farmer.

 

     John Jones having died, 1857, he was made administrator of the estate of David Roberts (Melissa Roberts' widow) with Thomas Jones and Rufus L. Harper as sureties.  The appraisers were Zebulon Blackburn, Rufus L. Harper and Henry Roberts.

 

     In 1880 his estate was being settled and the names of his heirs mentioned.

 

     Regina A. Roberts, widow, sold her dower to Morris A. Crowder.  Amanda L. Roberts also sold to him her land (b. 4,492) and (5,131).  James H. Roberts, Jr., sold land to William Jones (6,281) and to John Holeman (7,327) and to W. P. Maxwell (11,572).  In Book 2 there are other records which show that these heirs sold or exchanged land.  Some of this land was sold to John Holeman and passed to his son-in-law, Tom Stevens, later sold to Leonard Barnes, and on it is found the original site of the settlement of Henry Roberts (3) and original Roberts graveyard.

 

ROBERTS - (1) Henry - (2) Henry - John - Lucinda, Line of John, son of Henry (2).

 

     Lucinda Roberts was daughter of John Roberts and his second wife, who was Miss Love.  She was born 1812, married about 1840 to John Jones who died 1856, adm. 4/20/1857, married (2) Mahlon Wadlington.

 

     Her first husband, John Jones, was brother of Melissa Ann Jones who married David Roberts.  By him she had two children:  William H. Jones and Lucinda Jones.  Chose as guardian, 1857, J. H. Roberts, Sr.

 

     William Henry Jones, b. 12/23/1841; died 4/17/1920; married Maggie Fryer, daughter of Richard and Mildred Ann Harper Fryer.  Margaret Elizabeth Fryer b. 9/16/1856; d. 4/20/1928.  Their children:

 

1.  Lena Jones married John Francis Morgan of Princeton.  Their daughter, Anniebelle Morgan, married James W. Thomas of California a Civil engineer in War Department.  First Lt. in service.

 

2.  Dr. John Richard Jones, present address 120 S. 4th St., Clarksburg, W. Va.  His home address, 4029 Deepwood Road, Baltimore, Md.  Physician with B&O Railroad, Baltimore, Md.  He was a Captain in World War I and overseas 8 months.

 

3.  Charles Fryer Jones, 305 Lexington Avenue, Apt. D, New York City.  He is a certified bank accountant and bank examiner.

 

4.  Annie Lucinda Jones, d. 1900, ages 15.

 

5.  Clyde Terry Jones, farmer, Crider, Ky.  Two children:  Robert William Jones and Mary Elizabeth Jones.

 

6.  William Eli Jones, bachelor.  Postmaster of Princeton, Ky. for 12 years.  Treasurer of Caldwell County.  At present Assistant Clerk of the Court of Appeals of Kentucky.  Was a sergeant in World War I and overseas two years.

 

     Lucinda Jones, daughter of Lucinda Roberts Jones and John Jones, married Eli Nichols, a farmer and legislator, member of Kentucky House of Representatives.  Her guardian after her father's death was J. H. Roberts, Jr.  Her children were:

 

(1)  Dora Nichols, who married Sam Rich, both deceased by 1945.  Their children:

 

          1.  Sabine Nichols, Seattle, Washington.

          2.  Chester Nichols.

          3.  Homer Nichols.

          4.  Velma Nichols.

 

(2)  Mary Nichols married Albert Neel.

 

(3)  Fred Nichols married                       Children:

 

          1.  Frederick Nichols.

          2.  Vernon Nichols.

          3.  Edwin Nichols.

          4.  Jack Gordon Nichols.

          5.  Charles Eli Nichols.

          6.  William Nichols, single.

          7.  Mary Elizabeth Nichols.

 

(4)  Effa Nichols married Dr. W. L. Cash, Princeton, one son, Dr. Ralph Cash, Capt. in service World War II.

 

(5)  Gertrude Nichols married Ernest Lane, teaches Tech. School, at Cooksville, Tenn.  Their children:

 

          1.  Mary Virginia Lane, married Jared Maddox, a banker, now in service.

          2.  Lt. Joe E. Lane, Radar - Submarine, U.S.N.R.

 

(6)  Nannie Nichols married M. T. Guess, farmer, (deceased) - one child, James Nichols Guess.

 

(7)  Birdie Nichols, unmarried.

 

(8)  Myrtle Nichols, unmarried.

 

     William H. Jones was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church for 55 years and a Mason for about the same length of time.  He served three years in the Union Army in the Sixties.  He was a Republican in politics.  Elected to the Kentucky House or Representatives in 1901 and served six consecutive terms and another one later, a record of public service.  He was a farmer and business man.  More than one correspondent of mine who spoke of him said "he was the finest man I ever knew".  Once on the train during the time he was in the Legislature my husband who knew him well introduced me to him and I marveled at his close resemblance to my Grandfather, Thomas Lynch Roberts.  I always thought they were double first cousins but the records do not bear me out.  Grandfather may have been a first cousin of both his father and mother.

                          HENRY ROBERTS (3)

 

     Henry Roberts (3), Son of Henry Roberts (2), was born in 1776 on Reedy Creek, Sullivan Co., Tenn.  As Henry Roberts, Jr. on December 26, 1807, he sold 109 acres of Reedy Creek and again on December 30th sold 80 acres.  This was likely part of his father's holdings through land grants.  He married Elizabeth Lynch, who died before 1852 in Caldwell Co., Ky.  His death record lists him as "widower".  Her given name we find in V.S. and her maiden name we know because she named one of her sons Thomas Lynch for her father, and Mrs. Sarah King Hollman Roberts, wife of his son, John Littleton Roberts, told her grandchildren the same.

 

     Henry Roberts lived to see longer and larger caravans set their white sails for farther west, saw relatives and neighbors of the next generation go on toward the setting sun - but here he stayed and the majority of his descendants stayed with him until modern means of travel began to scatter and carry them afar in wars and in peace.

 

     With his brother, John Roberts, he came to Livingstone Co. (later Caldwell) as he is listed in 1807, 1807 and 1808 with 5 horses and no land.  This was a usual procedure.  The father came ahead of his family, sometimes making two or three trops - and swapping work with neighbors, located his home place, built a cabin and fences before bringing children and possessions.

 

     By 1810 he had bought 400 acres of land on Donaldson Creek from Arthur Williams, the deed dated 1812.  He had 7 horses and owned in 1823 133 acres patented by Conley.  He soon bought 90 acres more on Tradewater, patented by Core and 133 acres patented by Flint, and 400 acres patented by McNabb.

 

     Immediately following his first listed land, in 1811, appears:  "Henry Roberts, Jr. exempt", which is proof that his father came with him to Kentucky.

 

     In 1826, September 16, he bought from Michael Campbell, assignee of John Campbell, by patent dated 1/20/1816, 400 acres of land on Tradewater.  Witnesses to deed were Joseph McNeeley and Robert Hart.

 

     On June, 4, 1839, in County Court orders he was granted 640 acres; November 19, 1841, 100 acres on Donaldson; (15,153); November 19, 1844, 100 acres on Donaldson (12,234); in all he owned from 1810 to 1852 more than 1,256 acres of land.

 

     There was no lack of corn break in that vicinity.  In 1810 Jesse Williams had a grist mill - and 1811 William Castleberry on Flynn's Fork, near the mouth.

 

     Taxes were laid by districts divided into militia companies.  Henry Roberts was captain in his district from 1800 through 1815, at least.  In Capt. Henry Roberts' District, 1811, Mercer Wadlington was tax collector; 1812 Jesse Williams, and so on.

 

     *In the 1812 service the name of a Henry Roberts is found in Capt. Benjamin Shackett's company with two months service as private.  It is the tradition as to him and others of that locality (Isaac or John Harper for one) that they started for battle of New Orleans and got there too late.  Could it be that these militia companies set out "on their own" and were not registered with the central authorities?  It seems strange if he were a private when he commanded this militia company for years.

 

*This not same man.

 

     The militia company commanded by him had - among others - those who lived across the Livingston Co. line:  1816-1817 - Noah Taylor; Reading Spell; William Redkins; John Roberts; William Peppin; Jonas Menser; Hugh Lewis; Jacob King; Moses Hensley; David Fort; Asa Edwards; Matthew Davis; George Groghan; Sherot Barren.

 

     Among other activities Henry Roberts was a leader in road building.  To mention only a few of the entries concerning this activity, from Order Book B, p. 224 with Isaac Harper, Resin Freyer, Thomas Morse and Micajah Bowen, or any three of them being sworn to act, he was ordered to view and mark a way the nearest and best from Princeton in the direction of Belleville unto Donaldson's Fork.  April term, 1827, (p.294).  He was to survey in place of Benjamin Hart a road 15 feet wide for that part of Princeton - Wilson Warehouse Road beginning at Campbell's old horse mill to the county line, precinct #3 all hands on both sides to be warned.

 

     About 1832 he began to sell off his land to relatives and others.  This, too seems to have been usual.  The reasons were to lessen the estate, for one thing, the principal one being that as physical strength waned the accumulated land was made to yield the living for later years.

 

     3/18/1832 sold to John Jones 150 acres on Tradewater, part of Michael Campbell grant, assignee of James Campbell - mentions David Roberts Spring branch junction with Buffalo Branch hollow near edge of flats - (G,320).  On page 321 Book G, is a deed to David Roberts, for $5.00 and "for near relation and natural affection", 350 acres on Tradewater River, part of William Campbell survey, mentions edge of flats of Buffalo Branch and a small branch.

 

     5/17/1841, he sold to Thomas (L.) Roberts for $500, 133 acres on Donaldson's Fork.  Mentions John Denton's line and Arthur Williams survey, except what he had sold to Henry Roberts, Jr., and James H. Roberts 198 a. $375.  11/5/1844, 258 acres (G,321; E,267; L,416 part of William's land, O,271, Book 4, p.267, sold land to M. A. Crowder (his daughter)).

 

                          The Original Home

 

     The original home plot was the 400 acres deeded in 1812 from Arthur Williams.  This appears to have been sold to James H. Roberts, Sr., 198 acres - to Henry, Jr., 60 acres; to Thomas L. 133 acres, which makes 381 acres, a little short of the 400 acres.

 

     The 133 acres was his home place and Thomas L. Roberts lived there with him until his death.  His daughter, Elizabeth Weeks, widowed, and daughter Pernecie were living there in 1850.  She married Elijah Strong and Thomas L. married Nancy Jane Jones Young in December 1851.  They lived there also after his death in 1852.

 

     Then on April 10, 1854, they lost their first child, Sanford Henry Roberts.  The slab marking to this grave, along with the sandstone markers of Henry, Elizabeth, his father Henry and others, notes the place of the original house - sold by Thomas L. Roberts to Beckner who sold to Stevens, he to Holeman and then passed to Leonard Barnes, the latter a descendant of this Henry Roberts who came to the end of the trail and lies buried in the land he wrested from the wilderness.

 

     This old graveyard is on an old road that has been reserved but not built, running direct from Flat Rock, crossing Princeton - Shady Grove Road, to intersect the road from Princeton to Providence at a point near Edd Barnes' store, old Robertstown.

 

     Mrs. Dolly Crowder Catlett remembers well playing with the Stevens children around the little enclosed plot in a thicket of cedars.  Her father, Morris A. Crowder, sold his farm then to Tom Stevens, who was son-in-law to Mr. John Holeman, a large land-owner, whose son, Pettiller Holeman, bought the Bob Hubbard place which M. A. Crowder sold to Hubbard, just across from home where Morris Crowder lived.

 

     Mr. Edwin Niles Roberts says that the old log house on the farm where the child, Sanford Henry Roberts, was buried was torn down long ago, that Tom Stevens built a small cottage just in front of the old home which they used for their kitchen for a few years.  He can show the spot where the old home stood, and remembers two families who 1ived there before Stevens did.

 

     Mr. W. E. Roberts, who lives about four miles from Robertstown toward Hopkins Co., rode horseback over the unimproved part of old Wilson Warehouse Road, on June 23, 1945, and went to Mr. Edd Barnes store.  Together he and Mr. Barnes visited the graveyard on Roberts' Hill, about a mile from the store.  There they found some of the stones in good condition, some old and colored and hard to read.  They made out these:

 

     John Quincey Adams Barnes, b. 1834, d. 1920

     Nancy Jane Roberts Barnes, b. 1844, d. 1902

     Henry Roberts

     John L. Roberts

     J. Harvey Roberts, b. June

     James H. Roberts

     His wife, Chloe Jane Roberts

 

     The same day they located the original burial plot and old house place.  In original graveyard "not in such bad condition.  Trees have grown up on it but no undergrowth, briars or weeds.  It will be right beside the highway when it is built.  It is a very pretty place, level ground sloping just enough each way to drain it.  The people who cultivate the last , respect the place enough to plow all around and just leave the trees that make a pretty shade."

 

     Other burial places are Liberty Church where many of the Roberts kin are buried, including Marigold Roberts, daughter of W. E. and Odella Roberts; David and his wife, Melissa Jane Jones Roberts are buried in "Young" graveyard near Liberty Church.

 

          Children of Henry Roberts (3) and Elizabeth Lynch -

 

     Jane Roberts, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Roberts, b. Tenn. 1800-01, married Andrew Traylor, November 28, 1821, return made by John Travis.  Andrew Traylor died before 1850.  Their children:

 

     I.  Hester Ann Traylor, b. 1825, married William Brown, October 19, 1852.  Their children:

 

     (1) Harrison Brown, married Addie Sisk, live in Hopkins near Dalton (June 1945) and have children and grandchildren.

     (2) Sarah Brown, b. April 7, 1859, married David Sigler.  She died 1944.

     (3) Nannie Brown, married John Utley, live near Shady Grove, Crittenden Co.

     (4) Florence Brown, married Pearl Sigler, lives Marion, Ky.

     (5) Mitt Brown (a nickname), married George Daves.

     All these have descendants scattered far and wide.

 

    II.  William A. Traylor, born 1827, lived to be old died single.

 

   III.  Andrew Traylor, b. 1829, married Ibby Creekmore.  Their children:  John; Bill; Henry; Mollie; Lucy; Bertha; Lena.  (Almost all these passed away - WER).

 

     Jane Traylor to James V. Campbell, John P. Campbell, W. G. Smoot, oil and coal and salt and mineral, April 3, 1865, land where she lives.  50 acres bounded by Beckner farm, Josiah Nichols, Erastus Cook, John H. Holeman - Witnesses:  William H. Traylor, R. H. Fryer.

 

     P. 675 - Census of 1860 - Mrs. Jane Traylor is listed as Family Governess, with property valued at $500 and $535.

 

     "Aunt Jane" or "Jennie" was well and favorably remembered by those of my mother's generation, probably lived to be well over 70 years old.

 

            Line of Henry Roberts (3) and Elizabeth Lynch

 

     John Littleton Roberts, oldest son of Henry and Elizabeth Roberts, was born 11/17/1805 in Knox Co., Tenn.  He married 6/4/1835, Sarah King Holloman, who came from N.C. about the turn of the century when their eldest son, Samuel, was six months old.  He lived in Madisonville, was elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for 50 years and died in the 80's.  John Littleton Roberts died of pneumonia in Crittenden Co. near Deanwood 2/8/1852.  His widow survived him for 46 years, passing away in 1898 on the anniversary of his burial, at the home of her youngest son, George T. Roberts, with whom she made her home.  Mrs. Edna Morgan, her granddaughter, says, she always called in-laws "Mother Roberts and Daddy Roberts" and said, too, that Mother Roberts was a Lynch before her marriage.  John Littleton Roberts was taken back to Hopkins Co. for burial.

 

     This couple had seven children:

 

     (1)  George W. Roberts, b.12/8/1836; died 8/22/1838.

 

     (2)  Mary Ann Roberts, b. 11/19/1838, died about 1915; married William Marion Travis.  Their three children were:

 

     1.  Sarah Elizabeth Travis, who married John Turley.

     2.  William Travis, who died in young manhood.

     3.  Mary Alice Travis, who married James Gipson and with her family lives in Marion, Crittenden County.

 

     (3)  Sarah Jane Roberts, b. 7/5/1841; died about 1917; married William Newbern Travis.  Their eight children were:

 

     1.  Sarah Elizabeth Travis who married John Corley, had several children, died about 1942.

     2.  James Edward Travis, married Fannye McDowell, his family live in and around Marion.

     3.  Dora Travis married James L. Woodside, lives with her family in Crittenden Co.

     4.  Thomas Travis, married Helen Kemp and lives in Crittenden Co.

     5.  George Travis had no children, died in Marion about 1940.

     6.  Elmer Travis married Nannie Corley, lives near Crayne.

     7.  Charles Travis married Myrtle Boyd, lives near Deanwood, has one daughter who is a WAC.

     8.  Vida Travis died in young womanhood.  Several grandsons of Sarah Roberts Travis,are in service.

 

     (4) John Nelson Roberts b. 11/7/1843, died 1909.  First married Rena Travis.  Two children:

 

     1.  Harvey Daniel Roberts whose family are all gone.

     2.  George Franklin Roberts who has three sons and one daughter living, several grandsons in the army.

 

     John Nelson Roberts married (2) Ida Kemp.  His children are in Oklahoma, Florida and Illinois.

 

     The Travis' who married the three Roberts were not closely related.

 

     (5) Nancy Elizabeth Roberts b. 12/17/1845; died 10/11/1857, of flux.

 

     (6) Thomas Henry Roberts, b.10/6/1848, died 12/18/1938, past the age of 90.  The Thomas in his name was for his uncle, Thomas Lynch Roberts.  He married (1) Sarah Hurst, in 1881.  All their children died in infancy.  Married (2) Cora Burton.   Their one son, George Houston Roberts, served in the Navy in World War I, has six children.  He and his wife work at Camp Breckenridge.  (1945) their children:

 

     1.  Mary Corene Roberts, married her husband in service in Italy, she working in Motor Freight Service in Evansville, Ind.

     2.  Leonard Earle Roberts, in service in Germany.

     3.  Glenn Roberts in service in Florida.

 

     Thomas Henry Roberts married (3) Mary Terry.  Their two sons died in infancy.  She lives with her brother, John Terry, at Fredonia.  She is granddaughter of Nancy Jane Jones Roberts by her first marriage to Hiram Young.

 

     (7) George T. Roberts, born 6/30/1851; died 12/27/1916; married Louise J. Baker, 6/5/1881.  They had two daughters:

 

     1.  Edna Roberts married R. B. Morgan (deceased) 4/17/1920.  She is proprietor of a furniture store in Salem, Ky.  Her only daughter, Pauline Morgan, is supervisor of music in the school at Willow Springs, Missouri.

     2.  Anna Roberts married F. L. Corley, 1/28/1909.  Two children:   (1) Carol Corley Graves who has a daughter, Martha Nelle and (2) George Randolph Corley.

 

     From tax records of Crittenden County, it appears that in 1844 Thomas (1) Roberts listed 300 acres on Piney Creek, value of $200.  The next year, 1845, John (L) Roberts as agent for Thomas Roberts listed 200 acres on Piney, valued at $600.  In 1846, John L. Roberts listed 300 acres on Piney; 2 horses, value $60, 1 mule, value $35; total value of $695.  At this time he listed one child between five and sixteen years.

 

     In 1847, 300 acres on Piney, value $600; 3 horses, value $70.  In 1848, 2 horses, value $50; 7 cattle, value $80; two children between one and sixteen.  Also as agent for Thomas Roberts 300 acres on Piney, value $600.

 

     In 1849, 60 acres in Livingston Co. on Deer Creek, value $200; 300 acres on Piney in Crittenden, value $600; 3 horses, value $200.  In 1850, 60 acres in Livingston, Buck Creek, value $100; 1 horse, value $120; 16 cattle, 1 stud, $4 rate per season; 133 acres on Piney Fork, value $400; 2 horses at $75; 7 cattle; 3 children 4 to 16.  A notation as to value of cattle seems to mean that a man was allowed cattle not taxed to the value of $30.

 

     David Roberts, son of Henry and Elizabeth Roberts, was born 1806 in Tenn., married December 30, 1830, Melissa Anne Jones, sister of John Jones, who married Lucinda Roberts.

 

     By County Court order he obtained 150 acres of land on Tradewater River, November 23, 1841.  In 1844 his father, Henry Roberts, Sr., sold to him 350 acres of land "for near relation and natural affection" and $5.00.

 

     David died, and his widow relinquished her right to administer and John Jones was appointed, with Thomas L. Roberts as security.  Appraisers:  Joseph Nichols, Timothy Creekmur, James H. Roberts, Jr., and William Franklin, 10/21/1851 ,D. H. pp. 68-112.

 

     David died comparatively young at the age of 48 or 49.  His estate was being settled in 1856, and the children mentioned were:

 

     1.  Cynthia A. Roberts, born 1836, who married William Creekmur, on November 16, 1857, he being at that time 22 years old (1835).

     2.  John W. Roberts, who died single in Illinois where he lived.

     3.  Nancy J. Roberts ("Nan"), who married John Quincey Adams Barnes, January 20, 1858, return of license made by Thomas E. Young.  This couple had 12 children.

     4.  Elizabeth K. Roberts, "Bettie", who married (1) Noah Strong and (2) Marshall Seeley.  The latter husband was a Federal soldier, 48th Ky. Infantry, Co. C. mustered in October 26, 1863.

     5.  Melissa A. Roberts, "Lissie", who married F. Mac Morse.

     6.  David Franklin Roberts, born 1849, married Victoria Woodruff, in September 1873 and died October 25, 1892, age 43.

 

     Cynthia A. Roberts, infant of David Roberts, chose Thomas Jones as guardian, and John Jones and William A. Morehead became sureties.  William H. Morehead became guardian of Elizabeth K., Nancy Jane, Melissa Ann and David Franklin Roberts, with John and Thomas Jones as sureties.  (Order B. H. p.253, Caldwell Co.)

 

     David Roberts' heirs lost a suit to William Moreland.  (Book S. 296)  In subsequent deeds they sold lands as follows:

 

     David Roberts heirs sold land to Elizabeth Strong       U,199

     Heirs of David Roberts                                  U, 52

                                                             U, 10

     John W. Roberts sold land to John Barnes                U, 48

     Land to David Roberts, deceased to Nancy J. Barnes      U,104

     Land to David Roberts, deceased to Melissa Roberts 1861 W,303

     Melissa Roberts sold land to W. H. Jones(spelled        W,484

                                             Melissia A.)

     Heirs of David Roberts, deceased to David Roberts       X,447

     David F. Roberts to William H. Jones                    X,448

     David F. Roberts to Z. I. Moore                         U,295

 

In Caldwell County:

 

     Did not find an 1850 Tax Book of the County, but the 1848 Tax Book shows David Roberts with 350 acres on Tradewater, 4 horses, and 2 children between 5 and 16.  The 1850 census shows him as follows:

 

     David Roberts, 37, farmer, born Kentucky 1813.

     Malissa A., 36, born Virginia, 1912

     Cynthia A., 13, born Kentucky, 1837

     John W., 12, born Kentucky 1838

     Nancy Jane, 9, born Kentucky, 1841

     Elizabeth, 7, born Kentucky, 1843

     Malissa A., 5, born Kentucky, 1845

     David, 2, born Kentucky, 1848

 

     (3) Nancy Jane Roberts, daughter of David Roberts and Melissa Ann Jones Roberts, married 1/20/1858, John Quincey Adams Barnes, consent of her guardian, William H. Morehead.  This couple had 12 children:

 

     1.  Willie Barnes (de'cd) married Jack Moore, had two children; Alvin Barnes died in infancy; Calvin Barnes lived to manhood and had a family.  Willie Barnes married (2) Martha Cook, who is living near the old home place (1946); they had seven children.  Leonard Barnes, son of Willie owned the original Henry Roberts home and cemetery.  His widow owns it now and lives near with her mother, Mrs. Sigler.

 

     2.  Melissa Barnes married Lewid Oldham, both deceased, three children.

 

     3.  Julia Barnes married Lije Traylor (separated) they had nine children who live widely scattered.

 

     4.  Sarah Barnes (Sach) married  W. S. Crowell, and she lives in Hopkins County; had six children, some deceased.

 

     5.  Cynthia Barnes married Ed Mayes, both deceased, 4 or 5 children.

 

     6.  James Barnes married Banner Morse, no children; she deceased.

 

     7.  Flave Barnes married Mollie Sigler; 2 children:  Vera Edwards and Walter Barnes.

 

     8.  Ashley Barnes married Nettie Seymore; two children:  Harmon Barnes and Irene Davis.

 

     9.  Edward L. Barnes married (1) Katie Brandon who died; their child also died.  He married (2) Flora Blackburn; 2 children:  Mrs. Cecil Sigler and Arnold Barnes.  The latter was on Iwo Jima, now home from service.  Edd Barnes lives at Robertstown where he has a store called "Barnes Store" on Wilson Warehouse Road in Caldwell.  The post office was called New Quinn, Old Quinn was on same route, all now included in Route 1 Dalton, Kentucky.

 

     "Edd Barnes reared a nephew who was in service in Germany.  Edd is a wonderful man, has always been burdened with the misfortunes of his people.  He took care of his aged father, after his mother died, also a blind sister who still lives with him, kept a widowed sister and her baby several years.  An older brother who is a widower stays there a lot.  Always a crowd of relatives visiting, he is always cheerful, and glad to have them.  He has a wonderful little wife, too."  From this we see a survival of the old time hospitality which once ruled in every household, now mostly a thing of the past.

 

    10.  Laura Barnes married Bradie Egbert, he died leaving three or four children; she remarried and lives in Hopkins.

 

    11.  Lee Barnes, female, almost blind, unmarried.

 

    12.  Lula Barnes married Herbert Hanly who is deceased, their  one daughter is married and lives in Detroit.

 

     Most of the descendants of Henry Roberts had blue eyes and dark or black hair.  Nan Morse and Melissa Barnes were blondes.

 

     (5) Melissa Ann Roberts, daughter of David and Melissa Ann Jones Roberts, married F. Mac Morse; their children:

 

     1.  Sydney Booth Morse (Boothie), deceased, married Nola Nichols, one child, Otis, a widow, with two girls, lives in Eddyville.

 

     2.  Carrie Morse married Al Berry (separated), 4 children living, 1 dead.  Two of these are Hugh and Anna Bob.

 

     3.  Chester Morse married (1) Annie Williams (deceased), one son, Almo Morse, lives in Madisonville and he married Mary Jones, one son.  Chester Morse married (2) Evalee Beard.

 

     4.  Rev. Tascoe A. Morse, died 1845, married Grace Boitnott, served as pastor of Big Spring C. P. Church 1924-1926; no children.

 

     5.  Lamuel L. Morse, married Emma Franks, no children; he is Chief of Police, Princeton, KY.

 

    (6)  David Franklin Roberts, son of David and Melissa Ann Jones Roberts, b. 1849, married Victoria Woodruff, September 1873, died 10/15/1892.  Their children:

 

     1.  Callie Hollis Roberts, be 9/1/1874, died single.

     2.  Wilse Edwin Roberts, b. 1/15/1876, married O'Della Williamson, December 20, 1905; she b. 8/27/    , granddaughter of late W. W. Blackburn of Caldwell County, who was b. N.C. of an old and honorable family.  Their children:

 

     (1) Donald Elmo Clinton Roberts, b. 7/18/1910, married Pearl Barnes 5/1932, she b. 8/17/1911, youngest daughter of William Henry Barnes and Victoria Valimer Barnes, he was nephew of J. Q. A. Barnes.  Their children:

 

     1.  Donald Glenn Roberts, b. August 24, 1937.

     2.  Mabel Marigold B. Roberts, b. 4/26/1944.

 

     (2) Marigold Roberts, b. 7/16/1913, died 2/8/1930.  "Not a sweeter better child ever lived in the world, her friends were everyone who ever met her, from infants to the aged and feeble.  She loved all, all loved her, a faithful, consistent Christian since nine years of age, member of Quinn Baptist Church to which all this family belongs."

 

     3.  Edella M. Roberts, b. 1/27/1878, married Dr. Redmond G. Davis, she died November 1934, he December 1936.  Their children:

 

     (1) Cleo W. Davis, b. 1904, married Prof. J. P. Truitt, of the University of Kentucky, live in Lexington, 2 children.

     (2) Coy Davis, b. December 1906.

     (3) Robinette Davis, B. March 1909.

     (4) Howard Davis, b. January 1911, lives in Evansville, Indiana.

 

     Dr. Redmond C. Davis was a physician and teacher, superintendent of Caldwell County schools, 1901-1905.

 

     4.  John Richard Roberts, b. 3/14/1881, lives Eddyville, Ky., married Laura Morse, no children.

 

     5.  Josephine Roberts, b. 1883, a lovable character, married Joseph Davis, brother of Rev. Davis, January 1904; both died June 1904, teachers stricken with pneumonia.

 

     6.  Alpha 0. Roberts, b. 5/28/1895, married J. B. Sisk, November 11, 1905.  His mother was an O'Brien of Dawson Springs, 2 children.

 

     (1) Ishmael Sisk, b. November 1909,  married Ruth Scott, their daughters, Ann Sisk.

     (2) Mrs. Hazel Sisk Shipley.  All these live at Sturgis.  Mrs. Shipley born November 1914, son David Keith Samuel.

 

     7.  Allie Hampton Roberts, b. 11/2/1890, married Cora Barnes, 1/13/1911.  She is oldest sister of Pearl Barnes Roberts above, b. 4/1/1892.  He died 11/3/1934, "a good kind considerate neighbor, always a good boy, brought up his children in the fear and admonition of the Lord."  Their children:

 

     (1) Roosevelt Hampton Roberts, b. 11/22/1913; married 12/16/1936, Willie Belle Horning, b. 7/24/1918; one son, Wendell Hampton Roberts, b. 7/11/1940, live R.I. Dalton, Ky.

     (2) Reba Christine Roberts, b. 6/10/1916, married 11/17/1935, J. W. Horning, b. 1/24/1919, live Henning, Indiana.  Their children:  Reba Grace Horning, b. 2/6/1937; Gary Dale Horning, b. 7/24/1932.

     (3) James Delmo Roberts, b. 3/7/1922, married 7/3/1945, Lora Collins, b. 12/19/1925, residing Evansville, Indiana, now home from service.

 

     8.  Maude Alma Roberts, b. 10/11/1891, married 9/8/1912, Hugh Clift, b. 1/7/1884, d. 1/7/1932.  Their children:

 

     (1) Alma Justine Clift, b. 12/5/1914, married Norwood Cummins, one son.

     (2) Richard Harvey Clift, b. 8/5/1912, now home from service, badly wounded in jaw and back, lives with his mother in Evansville, Indiana.

 

     David Franklin Roberts had very blue eyes, black hair, sandy beard and mustache.  He was a lively, agreeable man, always ready for fun.  All his nephews and nieces loved to visit "Uncle David" and have a big time.  Like most of the Roberts he was a farmer, living close to the soil, carrying on the traditions of his ancestry in integrity and honesty and taking great interest in his community and church.

                         THOMAS LYNCH ROBERTS

 

           Son of Henry Roberts and Elizabeth Lynch Roberts

 

     Born Jan. 30, 1812 in Caldwell Co., Ky., died April 25, 1886 at Charleston, Hopkins County, Kentucky, in home of his daughter, Mary Ann Roberts Earle.  He was there because his wife had been called to see her daughter, Eliza Ashmore.  Sent for, she arrived before he passed.  Coming home from his funeral, she was met in Charleston by a friend who had ridden down to tell her the daughter had also died.

 

     He married Mrs. Nancy Jane Jones Young, license issued Caldwell Co., Dec. 13, 1851, returned by James E.  Weller, solemnized Dec. 14, 1851.  She was born June 26, 1828 married (1) Hiram Young, July 24,1844, who died leaving her with two little girls, Cynthia Young (md. Milton Terry, lived in Crittenden Co.) and Eliza Jane Young (md. Shep Ashmore, lived in Hopkins near St. Charles).  She died Sept. 20, 1903, at the home of her daughter, which had been her home after the death of her husband 27 years.

 

     The children of Thomas Lynch and Nancy Jane Roberts were:  Sanford Henry Roberts, b. Sept. 3, 1852, d. aged 20 months (1 yr. 7 mo. and 2 days) of scarlet fever, April 5, 1854, buried at the original burying ground at Robertstown, Caldwell;  Thomas Lynch Roberts, Jr., b. March 17, 1855, died Sept. 16, 1857, aged 30 months, lacking one day, of flux, buried at Young graveyard in Hopkins Co., 2 miles from Charleston; Mary Ann Roberts, b. Nov. 26, 1857, near Ilsley, Ky., the next year moved with her parents to the home built by her father in Charleston and held by her until her death, married April 22, 1875, to Dr. Benjamin Prince Earle, died March 25, 1918.

 

     The earliest recollection of Thomas Lynch Roberts were of deer hunts, muster days of the militia of Dist. 4 of which his father was Captain; soldiers coming home from the Battle of New Orleans; all the details of pioneer home making in house, field and garden; "sugaring off" in the maple groves of Donaldson bottoms; and it was of these events he told his grandchildren.  Meanwhile reading his Bible daily and resting his full faith in such stories of "the Valley of Dry Bones" and the incident of the sick man let down through the roof.  Other books he read too, among them "Oddities of Southern Life" and "Major Jack Downing", especially relishing the "Giasticutis" tale.

 

     Life began early in the backwoods of Kentucky.  In 1830, Thomas L. Roberts listed 100 acres of land in Caldwell County.  At the age of 20 he had a Kentucky Land Warrant for 100 acres on Donaldson, 3/11/1832, Book 2, p. 9.  His last acquisition in Caldwell County was 100 acres, 4/9/1847, on Tradewater by a County Court Order (Book 23, p. 540).

 

     The census of 1850 lists him as "farm laborer", aged 38, with his father and widowed sister, Elizabeth Weeks, 36, and her daughter, Pernecie L. Weeks.

 

     In Order Book T, p. 248, 273, 4/20/1845, he was ordered as overseer of Road from Princeton to Wilson's Warehouse, to begin at Campbell's old horse mill and proceed to county line and warn all hands to make a road 18 feet wide.  On p. 273 this road is ordered changed to go around Crowle's Pond instead of through it.

 

     In 1837 he listed land on Dry Fork, Caldwell Co. In 1839, 100 acres on Flynn's Fork.

 

     P. 157, O.B.H., 1852, he was dissatisfied with "a writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Henry Roberts", making Mrs. Elizabeth Strong the executrix.  He appeared in Court as one of the heirs and stated that in February last in the last sickness of his father and only a few days before his death he was induced to make this will; that he was not then of sound mind or mental capacity - called on John J. and Martha Drennan as witnesses to this fact.  The case was continued because of the illness of Martha Drennan's child.  On 12/18/1852 it was dismissed by consent of the parties.  This doubtless arose, to judge from existing records, because of the fact that after the death of her husband and until her marriage to Elijah Strong, Elizabeth had stayed in the home and kept house for her father.  So far as the record shows, she had no deed to lands, as did Thomas L., Mary Ann and David, though all paid for this land except David.

 

     When his brother, David Roberts, died, (Adm. 10/21/1851) he was security for John Jones, the administrator.

 

     In moving from Caldwell to Hopkins he sold to James H. Roberts, for $500, Oct. 29, 1856, land on Donaldson, part of 400 acre survey, entered, surveyed and patented by Arthur Williams .. mentions white oak, Henry Roberts' corner, "branch scatters" or "flats".  He also sold to Henry Roberts, Sr. (II) 190 acres, a tract patented by himself, mentions corner of H. Roberts, and is on Donaldson.  (Orlean Bishop clerk of Hopkins and Stephen C. Doris, D.C.)

 

     He and his wife also sold land on Donaldson, making deed to William R. Goodaker, 2/3/1870, U239.

 

     They then bought land near Ilsley, Hopkins Co., and their daughter, Mary Ann Roberts (Earle) was born there in the fall of 1857, and the little boy, Thomas Lynch Roberts, Jr., died there and was buried at Young graveyard.

 

     At some time after October 26 they removed near Ilsley to Charleston, where he built on land he bought from M. M. Lynch and Mr. Cordis, also built a store house where he kept store until the armies broke it up.  The deed to this place was never recorded and is in my possession.  They lived there until 1886 then Grandmother owned and operated the farm, living with us until her death, more than forty years.  When deed had to be made after Mother's death in l9l8, it was necessary to make it from an acre tract Thomas L. Roberts bought from George Potts, and attach it to the "land owned and occupied for 61 years" by Grandfather, Grandmother and Mother.

 

     Deed Oct. 25, 1856, from S. N. Woodruff, Hopkins, to Thomas Roberts, 150 acres, $700, of which $600 was cash, and $100 in case of Plaintiff, Judge Lindsay, who had a case against Woodruff.  Woodruff was to obtain deed from Ninian Edwards' heirs.  Witness:  Lysander G. Gordon, possession to be given March 1, 1857.  Then Book U, p. 239, he sold to William Goodaker, for $00, same land he had from commissioner, E. P. Watkins, date June 3, 1861, sold to Goodaker, Sept. 1, 1863, signed by Thomas and Nancy J. Roberts .. witnessed by E(lisha) Williams B.(en) P. Dunn.  0. R. Barker, clk., J. C. Barnes, D.C.

 

              Abstract of deeds relating to these lands.

 

     D.B. Z, p. 63:

 

     Thomas L. Roberts sold land Nov. 2, 1872, to Bayliss Goodaker, Ben P. Earle, D. Clerk.  This was land belonging to his step daughters, Cynthia Terry and Eliza Ashmore, for whom he was guardian - $200., to Rebecca Gooch, land on Cove Spring Branch, mentions Robert Cook's 200 acre survey and William Jackson's line, 50 acres.

 

     Deed - Hopkins Co., Ky.  S. N. Woodruff.  $700 paid, $100 involved in suit in Hopkins Circuit Court between S. Lindsay, plaintiff, and said Woodruff.  Sold to Thomas Roberts of County of Caldwell, Kentucky, 150 ½ acres, more or less.  Woodruff binds himself to obtain a deed from Ninian Edwards' heirs 10/25/1856 - Woodruff to retain possession until 3/1/1857.  Signed - S. N. Woodruff.

 

     Hopkins Co., 2/16/1857 - Deed - B. L. Gatewood deeds to Thomas Roberts, $265 to be paid on or before 2/16/1859, as per note, etc., 50 acres on waters of Lick Creek.  Mentions C. D. Franklin's spring branch line; road leading from Princeton to Madisonville; Ann White's line; Ibby Bishop's line; bank of Lick Creek.  Signed B. L. Gatewood, Lucinda (x) Gatewood.  Witnesses:  H. H. Harper, E. P. Watkins.  Acknowledged Caldwell Co. Court and certified to Hopkins Co. Court for record, 3/28/1857.  James C. Weller, Clerk, per W. E. Mitchurson, D.C. 5/27/1827, Orlean Bishop, Clk., Hopkins County, by T. W. Campbell, D.C.  This piece of land was my mother's birthplace.

 

     Hopkins - 2/16/1857.  Deed from B. L. Gatewood to Thomas Roberts.  $300 received for 60 acres on Lick Creek.  Mentions:  Madisonville and Princeton Road; Ann White's line;  Ann White's corner.  Signed B. L. Gatewood, Lucinda Gatewood;  witnesses: H. H. Harper, E. P. Watkins.  James Weller, Clk, Caldwell Co., p. W. E. Mitchurson, D.C., 3/28/1857;  Orlean Bishop, Clk, Hopkins Co., per T. W. Campbell, D.C., 3/27/1857.

 

     Hopkins - 8/13/1858.  Deed - Ninian W. Edwards, Benjamin S. Edwards, Albert G. Edwards, Margaret B. Lane, by Livingstone Lindsay, their agent and attorney in fact, to Thomas Roberts.  $227 - land on Caney Ford of Tradewater, part of 1,025 acre tract belonging to estate of Ninian Edwards, deceased, ancestor of parties of first part.  About l5l ½ acres.  S.W. corner of tract sold to James Hamby, now owned by Elisha Williams, another piece sold to James A. Franklin or Samuel Goodacre.  8/13/1858, James C. Weller, Clerk, Caldwell, by W. E. Mitchurson, D.C.;  4/19/1859, Orlean Bishop, Clerk, Hopkins Co.  This bought after mother's birth - 26l ½ acres with the other deeds of 1857, near Ilsley Town (later).

 

     9/2/1863 - Receipt and bond signed by Milton W. Terry with D. F. Terry as security to Thomas Roberts, Guardian of Cynthia A. Terry, wife of M. Terry, formerly Young, she not being 21 years of age.

 

     $325 9/7/1863, Morgan Read & Co.  Receipt in full of bill 6/10/1863.

 

     August 16, 1867 tax assessed against T. L. Roberts, Charleston, Ky., for the month of July 1867 was $18.75 from the office of Internal Revenue, James A. Wallace, Collector, of 2 District, Ky.

 

     On Feb. 2, 1875, T. L. Roberts paid $7.50 in full of state and county taxes for 1874.  At that time J. A. Brown was Sheriff of Hopkins and G. W. Fowler, deputy sheriff.

 

     On March 11, 1876, he paid $3.65 in full of his tax on the Hopkins County Bonds for the S. L. and S. E. R. R. for the year 1875.  H. T. Winstead was sheriff and A. F. Winstead, deputy.  At the same time he paid $16.05 revenue tax and county levy.  A total of $9.70.

 

     2/2/1877 he paid $10.20, revenue, county levy and R. R. tax.  (Same officers.)

 

     At the regular Nov. Term, 1878, Hon. D. Hall presiding, he was exonerated from paying poll tax in future.  Att. R. C. Speed, Clk.

 

     2/22/1879, Thomas L. Roberts paid $7.95 in full for revenue tax and county levy for year 1878.  W. A. Morton, Sheriff, by Jas. A. (?) Brown, Deputy.

 

     1/14/1880, he paid to D. J. Howten, $7.88 on an execution in favor of A. B. Chapel.  (Ase Chapel - probably he stood a suit for labor claimed by Chapel.  This explains Grandmother Nancy's dislike for "Ace

Chapel").

 

     1/13/1880 he paid $3.95 for revenue and R. R. tax for 1879, J. N. Nisbet, Sheriff.

 

     4/2/1883 he paid $6.91 for Revenue and R. R. tax for listed property, 1882 - W. F. Winstead, Deputy Sheriff.

 

     For year 1868 he paid $13.45 state and county tax.  A. J. Sisk, Sheriff, by J. M. Castleberry, Deputy, and $10.60, his interest on the Hopkins Co. Bonds for the benefit of the E. H. and N. R. C.

 

     The receipt for state and county tax is embellished with a buxom lass carrying a great sheaf of grain.  The path she is traveling seems a rocky one as represented and as ever since (and before) that of the taxpayer was ditto.

 

     The R. R. tax receipt was adorned with a locomotive, tender, baggage car and three or more coaches steaming merrily along, a house on a hilltop in the background and a graceful bridge in front.  In 1879 the farm boy appears lifting a shock of corn, and the train is coming head on toward the onlooker and is a mixed freight and passenger.  The sum paid that year, 1869, was $6.75 and $4.75 respectively.

 

     In 1870 his taxes were $7.43 and $6.50.

 

     His tax receipt in Caldwell, signed by Thos. W. Pickering, S. C. C., for the year 1856 was _____(undecipherable dollars and 6O¢).

 

     1/15/1867, he paid $18.75 as special tax for occupation of produce broker to be carried on at Charleston for year ending May 1st, 1868 dated at Hopkinsville, Sam'l. Wallace, Deputy, Collector, 2nd District, State of Kentucky.

 

     Feb. 6, 1868 Whitlock, McKenney & Co. sold for him hogshead of tobacco which brought $120.10 with charges of $16.65, leaving him $103.45 net.  These charges included inspection, storage, and cooperage, $2.25, Com. @ 1%, $1.20, Cort. (?) tax 18¢ on 20¢, freight and charges paid, Str. Linton $12.00, Drayage, $1.00.

 

     In March, 1885 he paid to E. W. Sisk, D. S., $6.40, 3/17/1885 in full for revenue and R. R. tax for 1884, and 12/23/1885 $6.40 for Revenue, County levy and R. R. tax.

 

     These tax receipt slips were printed by Bradley, Gilbert & Co. of Louisville and bear on the left hand side a list - Land, town lots, horses, etc., hogs, sheep, cattle, stores, equalization, Pleasure carriage, watches or clocks, Gold or silver plate, pianos, tithes, dogs, with a space opposite each.

 

     In 1886 tax was still $6.40 and this was paid 9/22/1886, in his name, though he had passed in April - another type receipt.

 

     6/10/1887 the receipt notes 400 acres land and 80 personalty not subject to equalization and $5.60 was paid to J. B. Laffoon, D. S.

 

Nancy J. Roberts

 

     This receipts:  Land, No. acres;  Town lots, No. of same, Personal property subject to equalization, Personal property not subject to equalization, Tithes, Total.

 

     8/11/1888 to J. B. Laffoon, $5.35, 400 a. and personalty subject to equalization, $105.

 

     In Dist. No. 5, Hopkins, Father paid for her $2.39 school taxes for 1899 - 7/31/1899, T. G. Chapel, Tr. to J. B. Laffoon, 6/13/1889, $6.30.

 

     Same 10/31/1890 - $4.90, J. B. Laffoon.

 

     9/30/1891 - $4.90 R. C. Tapp, Sheriff, J. W. Thompson, D.S.

 

     Same 8/13/1892, $5.45.

 

     Same D.S. and Sheriff - 8/8/1893 - $6.43.

 

     Same officers - 9/24/1894, B. P. Earle, agt. for her $6.48.

 

     1895 J. W. Thompson, Sheriff, B. F. Earle, agt. $7.15, also $1.20 for school tax, 12/24/1895 to T. C. Chapel, for year ending 6/30/1896, in Father's handwriting and typical of his forehandedness in such matters.

 

     6/27/1895 - $6.52, J. W. Thompson, Sheriff, I. H. Hankins, D.S., 6th Mag. Dist.

 

     1897, Oct. 21 - $8.26, Earle Agt.

 

     1898, Oct. 20 - $7.03, Earle Agt.

 

     J. H. Hankins, Sheriff, S. C. Jennings, D.S.

 

     10/25/1899 - $8.83 same officers and paid it herself.

 

     Next year Father was agent.

 

     10/24/1900  - $6.96.

 

     10/23/1901  - $7.63.

 

     9/22/1902 - $8.50 W. E. Ashby, S.

 

     Grandfather was a bachelor for 39 years when he married Grandmother, a young widow of 23.  Mr. Lowry of Princeton told me that Grandfather stayed at his father's home the night before he married and that when shaving the next morning, he said, "Well, you've always heard there was no fool like an old fool, and that, I guess, applies to me".

 

     A bachelor who was 39 was quite ancient in those days, and rather a rarity.  Mr. Lowry said Grandfather was 45 at that time, but the dates are 1812-1851.

 

     Her two daughters by first marriage had some property and land and Grandfather was their guardian.  He was a man of fine standing for honor and honesty, called "droll" as he grew older from his way of saying dry funny things.

 

     He read a great deal and thought much.  I remember his reading the Bible to me; and his simple faith with no helps from commentators on the hard parts.  He and Grandmother were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  He enjoyed Major Jack Downing and other books of the War period.  He chuckled particularly over "Giasticutis".  He knew the stars and constellations, could tell time of night at any season, so could Grandmother in less degree.  "Mare's tail", "Seven Sisters", "Dipper" and the "Dog Star" and many others were their time pieces.

 

     He and Grandmother could wind thread with an opening in the center of ball just like machines do now.

 

     Once Lula and I went to spend the night, as we often did, and as he delighted to have us do.  When we went in he was sitting by the fireplace across the room and looked up from his reading at the two little girls with their night gowns under their arms.  "Humph," he said, "What did you two little 'brats' come for?"  We did not reply a word to what he meant for drollery, but turned straight around and marched home in perfect silence.  When asked Why I said not a word, but Lula lisped, "Grandpa called us 'brats'."  It was a great joke on him, but he didn't relish it much.

 

     The story is told of him that once when he went to Evansville overland for goods for his store that the dealer sold him a keg of beer, telling him that the back country people, not being near breweries, would appreciate the "rarity".

 

     On the way home it was very hot, and one of his wagoners, wiser in the ways of beer than he, and wanting a joke, suggested they draw the spigot and have a drink.  He drew it and a stream of ferment and foam almost knocked him down and every last drop of beer spewed into a long stream of hot foam.  There was no such thing as stopping the "bung" again.  That became a standing joke on "Uncle Tommy" as he was affectionately called.

 

     Mother was his darling and the apple of his eye, naturally.  They had lost two little boys and she was born when he was 45 years old.  I well remember his pride in her once when she dressed for church in a "wine-colored" cashmere with velvet "panels" on the sides with a scalloped, pleated and draped apron in front trimmed with silk and chenille fringe.  He said, "Nobody has a prettier nor finer dressed daughter and grandchildren".  He was fond of my father, but I have been told that at the wedding he walked the yard in positive agony at giving her up.

 

     Mother's wedding dress was "mode-colored" with a sort of lighter chiffon full front in the basque.  A very lovely dress, many told me.

 

     When she was dressed for her casket it was in a pearly sort of gray with pinkish chiffon vest and when Father saw it, he gasped, "Her dress is exactly like her wedding dress".

 

     When Mother and Father married, April 22, 1875, they rode horseback from Grandfather's to his home (about ½ mile), she riding Father's spirited horse "Eureka" which gave Grandfather a great fright.  This was told me by Ruby Laffoon as one of his childhood recollections.

 

     During a number of years he kept a tavern, and his license for this also included, by law, a license to retail liquor.  This was sold at his general store at the corner of the home lot above the spring.  At this time (1937) this corner is so eroded and washed away that the real site has gone down the hill.  In my childhood the site was plainly to be seen and some old planks and boards were still there, a part of the original.

 

     Grandmother kept the boarders and transients, cooked and managed the place, calling in "Aunt Rhoda" or "Old Boo" to help sometimes.

 

     Arbor big meetings were held in the orchard lot on the other side of the house from the store and here the Cumberland Presbyterians preached and had large congregations, though they did not build a church.  Grandfather and Grandmother were members.  Perhaps they had been members in Caldwell as the Cumberland Presbyterians were strong there, Princeton being a center.

 

     One thing I remember Grandmother Nancy telling was how beautiful "Peg" Lamb was when Dr. Bill Johnson used to bring her to these meetings on horseback.  One costume that took my fancy was a thin black lawn with pink sprigs on it, made with full skirt and short sleeves and a wide thin black hat with pink roses.  (Mrs. Jane Johnson, mother of Mrs. Vera O'Brien, Dawson Springs.)

 

     One incident during the war was that a man shot entirely through the body was brought in and a white silk handkerchief used to cleanse the wound was drawn entirely through the body.  Whether he lived or died I do not remember - my memory stopping with the passage of the big white silk handkerchief.  This may have been an election tragedy, though occurring during the war.  Seldom an election day passed at Old Charleston in those days without a shooting.

 

     Among those boarding with Grandmother were Father, before he moved his father in; Mr. Cordis, partner of Lynch; and Arthur and Myrtle Schwab, young Jewish Dutch boys.  Arthur made a great impression on that community, being well educated and good looking.  Myrtle S., after living away for many years, came back to Dawson Springs and reared a family.  Another visitor of that time was Mahlon Wadlington, a kinsman of the Fox and Mullins family.  He sometimes came to our house in my childhood and reminisced.

 

     Liquor was sold to travelers by the drink and to residents by the jug or quart.  That saloon, as we knew it later, was a different development.   Grandfather and Grandmother had a wholesome hatred of the saloons that in the 80's were so flourishing in Charleston - the shifting of trade may have had something to do with this.  I wouldn't know except through modern psychology.

 

     His tavern license 9/1/1862-1863 was for 8th class tavern, and he paid $5.00 for it, conformably to an act entitled "an act to provide internal revenue to support the government and to pay interest on the public debt", approved 7/1/1862.  Given at Russellville, Ky., 3/2/1863 and signed by Geo. D. Blakey, Coll. of 1st Collection Dist. Ky.

 

     Of course, Grandmother was mistress of every pioneer skill in preparing wool, cotton and flax for household use - cards - reels - spinning wheel and loom.  She rode miles to "put in cloth for people to loom".  They could both wind a ball of thread to be unwound from the inside as machines did later.  This is done by holding the thumb in the center while thread is wound perfectly as any machine.  She cut elaborate "love baskets" of white or colored paper with cut work designs.  These were hung from the ceiling and besides decorations served a practical purpose as flies alighted on them instead of the ceiling.

 

     At the old home place at Charleston the weathered ceiling was decorated by the use of a red hot poker held close enough to darken but not scorch the wood.

 

     Taxes were as important in other days as now.  One can see the careful, thrifty ones who, when money was scarce, kept hidden the inevitable tax money.  How well I remember seeing both Grandfather and Grandmother look and find the wallet and carefully count out the amounts.  At that time Father attended to all their matters and they trusted him fully, but each kept every receipt and these are before me now.  I can see Grandfather reaching into his jeans trouser pockets and carefully opening the yellow pocketbook lined with red morocco.  After I was ten I can see Grandmother extracting the same one from the highboy or bureau drawer and going through the same performance.  She made a long pocket with a series of flaps of brown cambric and in this kept all papers and tax receipts, etc.

 

     We fuss about taxes and money matters now, but they regarded it with even more seriousness.  Once Grandfather was robbed of a Ten Dollar bill kept for taxes in the top bureau drawer.  It was taken from there by a farm hand (Ben Graham) who belonged to a respectable family.  He took it one morning early in an interim between feeding time and breakfast.  It represented a month's wages at that time - it also represented the hoarded tax money.  They sent for Father and there was a great stir about how to handle the matter, to get the money back and not injure this good family.  Grandmother was for hauling him into Magistrate's Court, Grandfather for going to the field alone and "making him give it up."  (He had been where he could see the boy at work and had seen him take it out of his pocket and look at it furtively - poor boy.!)

 

     Father sat as judge, and while I do not remember all that went on, I fancy that he handled it through the boy's father who was a good man and a hard worker.

 

     I do remember that I wanted terribly to be a "witness".  When the theft presumably occurred Grandmother was getting breakfast and I was still in bed in her room in the three-quarter spool bed where I always slept when there.  I piped up, that I remembered someone tiptoeing across the room.  Or at least, I argued, I had dreamed it.  Being at that time one of the junior order of the seven sleepers and well under ten years old, this was not considered likely, and Father looked across at me and said, "No, you didn't.  Now, let's hear the last of that.  Don't you ever mention any of this again."  I really can't imagine how they ever let me stay in the room while the discussion was going on.  It is further proof of the immense excitement that prevailed.

 

     4/30/1864, bought of R. S. Ruston, No. 4 Water St. -

 

     1 box cheese @ 17 (48 lbs.)        $ 8.l6

     1 keg brandy 10 @ $1.50             16.50

     1 box herring                         .80

                        Drayage            .25

 

                        Pd.             $25.7l

 

     At the same time he secured license as retail liquor dealer and paid $20.00 to same collector.

 

     At the same time he paid Ten Dollars as Retail Dealer in Groceries.

 

     In 1864-65 he paid license as retail liquor and tavern keeper of $20.00, Retail Liquor, $20, and retail dealer (General Store) $10.00.  12/8/1864 at Paducah, Ky., George 0. Yeiser, Coll. 1st Dist. Ky.

 

     Also $5.00 on Hotel, 8th Class.

 

     In 1863, his license as 8th class Hotel was $3.33, Exp. 6/1/1864 - George D. Blakey $13.00 as Retail Liquor Dealer and $6.68 as Retail dealer.

 

     12/31/1862, Johnson and Roberts sold through Watts, Crane & Co., Broad Street, New York, 2 hhgs. tobacco, some at 16, some at l7¢, totaling $510.75.

 

     Charges were Interest on Disbursements:

Freights:  Inland Insurance $200 per hhd @ 12, $4.90; Fire Insurance @ 150 @ 12, $5.10; Drayage, 75¢ per hhd, $1.50; storage, $3.60; Inspection and Cooperage (2), $2.50; Brokerage (2), $1.00; Commission @ 2 ½ %, $12.75, amounting to $30.45 and leaving a net balance of $480.

 

     This did very well for tobacco dealers was ever a gamble, some years brokers losing all they put in if sales were slow and storage charges mounted.

 

     Also Dec. 31, 1862, Watts Crane & Co., N. Y. sold for Johnson & Roberts 1 hhd. tobacco for $275.00 with charges of $45.58, netting $229.62.  On the same date they sold another hogshead for $365.75 which netted $346.15, placed to their credit.  Also another which netted $243.75 and one which netted $275.35.

 

     9/13/1866 - Speed, Summers & Co. (Evansville, Ind.) accounted to T. L. Roberts, Esq., for 3 hhd. sold to F. Fischer - E. & 0. E. and dated at N. 0. signed per I. Murray, which netted him $76.l0 after charges of $56.82 had been paid.  This included River Insurance on all @ $240, ¼ %, $7.20.  Freight $20, and charges on Bill of Lading, $10.

 

     3/5/1861 - he bought 184 bars of iron @ 4¢ ($7.36) and 1 slab of steel (81 @ 8) $6.48 of R. L. Cobb & Sons, Eddyville.  Receipt signed by R. L. Cobb & Sons, 5/27/1862, for 1 hhd. tobacco, 2,010 lbs. gross for account of Johnson & Roberts, Charleston, Ky.

 

     Received of J. P. Yeaman one Note on A. C. Brown for $20 Acct. November the 15th, 1851, for which I'll collect or account per according to law, April the 17, 1852.  Signed J. H. Roberts.

 

     1865 he bought of Head & Menifee, wholesale dealers in groceries, cotton, yarns, nails, etc., etc., No. 13, Main St., opposite Branch Bank.  From Jan. 7 to Apr. 14 - mdse. - $799.72 Pd. cash Jan. 7, 240, Pd. cash Apr. 14, 155.

 

     1865, Madisonville, Ky., T. L. Roberts, to J. W. Pritchell, Dr. March to Medical Att. to self $25.00.  June Cr. By Cash $10.

 

     2/8/1868 Trice's Landing Whitlock, McKinney & Co. sent him $103.45 as proceeds from a hhg. of tobacco, saying it opened up entirely too dry.

 

     1862 - Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. $1,l28.31 which was paid in draft on Watts, Crane & Co. to Archer Mackey & Co.

 

     W. B. Floyd - Receipt for Medical attention

 

            July 2 - visit & medicine at Grigsby  $3.00

            July 3 - visit and directions          2.00

 

                                 Pd.              $5.00

Probably at Evansville

 

                           Headquarters U. S. Forces at

                           Madisonville, Ky.  Feby. 9, 1863

 

Col. John W. Foster,

     Comdg. Ohio & Green River Forces

           Henderson, Ky.

 

               Sir:

 

     Allow me to introduce to you Mr. Thomas L. Roberts of Charleston, a strong Union man who wishes to purchase Dry Goods and Groceries at Evansville, Ind.

 

     If you can aid him in any way you would greatly oblige me.

 

                    Very respectfully,

 

                            John Mehringer

                              Lt. Col. Comdg.

 

In pencil

 

Approved John We Foster

        Col. Cmd.

 

     Bill of goods - amounting to $280.2l - re'd payment

                                 S. E. Gilbert & Co.

 

Guard will pass this bill amounting to

$280 & 21 cts       -            Geo. M. Priest

                                      Pro. Marshal

 

Date app.

 

(Not copied in detail - interesting)

 

     Acct. with R. L. Cobb & Sons, Eddyvil1e - $5,470.60

     Credits of same from tobacco               5,470.60

                9/27/1867

 

     Some of the difficulties of doing business then may be imagined by knowing the roads, passable to horseback and to wagons, very poorly graded, none piked, slowness of travel and a trip to Russellville or Paducah to obtain license, to Eddyville to deliver tobacco - to Evansville to buy goods which were shipped wither by way of Henderson and Madisonville overland, or down the Ohio and up the Cumberland to Eddyville and overland to Charleston.  Tobacco by slow boat to N. 0. or by train to New York.  Journeys that now seem easy - then how long and difficult - but the same thrills of travel and change and commerce, with talk of politics along the way and problems of getting through the lines of the Sixties.

 

     6/18/1864 - Hopkins Co. Deed from R. B. Speed to A. M. L. Cotton, wife of T. L. Cotton $900 pd. by sd. Wm. Cotton on Pogue's or Greasy Creek near to and west of town of Madisonville.  Mentions:  Henry Morton's (now ________) S. W. corner; corner of lot formerly owned by Austin Brewer; the way dedicated by A. L. Gordon, O. Bishop and John T. Greenfield for a 30 ft. rd; said Morton's line.  Said that his wife Laura Speed relinquished her dower - signed only by Robt. B. Speed.

 

                 Line of Henry Roberts (3) - Crowder

 

     Mary Ann Roberts, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Lynch Roberts, born 1817, died June 17; 1857, was married to William Daniel Crowder (1810-1862) by John Harris, according to the rites of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, October 25-27, 1836.

 

Their Children Were:

 

(1) Morris A. Crowder, born 1837, died 1902;  married (1) Lucy Jane Traylor, May 22, 1862, surety, return by Joseph Beard.

 

     She was an invalid and they had no children.  After her death he remained a widower for 14 years - then married (2) Mrs. Nancy Margaret Wilburn.  They had two daughters:  Dolly Crowder who married Samuel 0. Catlett; and Miss Minerva (Minnie) Crowder, now a valued employee of the Post Office at Princeton, Ky.

 

     Morris A. Crowder's name appears many times in the books of Caldwell as Commissioner, Witness, Bondsman, and buying and selling land.  In 1877 he was Commissioner concerning the dower of Regina Roberts, and in this is mentioned:  Arthur Williams land;  Towery's line;  dower line; slough; H. Williamson line; A. W. Smith's corner; Richard Fryar's corner;  all on Donalson's Fork of Tradewater.

 

     Morris Crowder was a surveyor by profession, also a farmer.  He had little formal schooling but educated himself.  He learned latin and other languages and collected a valuable library of good editions of leather bound volumes in which he immersed himself.  Being hard of hearing in his later years, he thus compensated this lack by literary and mathematical attainment.

 

     In his speech he was eminently correct, never falling into grammatical error, though using some of the pioneer pronunciations.

 

     In his chosen field of surveying he was accurate to the 1000th of an inch, and his skill became nationally known through his association with Louisville and New York engineers who worked with him on the papers connected with the "Grand Rivers" project, a promotion scheme of eastern men for the development of iron and coal between the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers.

 

     Problems were sent to him from distant places in the nation, and an edition of one of Milne's school arithmetics carried the notice, "approved by M. A. Crowder".  As long as he lived in the country district he and Jas. H. Roberts and Mr. Hubbard supplemented the salaries of the school teachers.

 

     By nature he was deeply religious and through his study of the Bible and the classics he was an authority along spiritual lines.  He often conducted funeral services in the absence of ministers.  His honesty and integrity were proverbial.  It is safe to say that no man in Caldwell County was held in higher esteem for mental and moral traits and good judgment.

 

     He lived in the North part of the county at Robertstown on land bought from Jas. H. Roberts, part of the original ground settled by his grandfather, Henry Roberts.  A short time before his death he removed to Princeton in order to educate his daughters.

 

     His daughter, Dollie Crowder, married Samuel O. Catlett, is now a widow (1948), living in Princeton.  Her children are:

 

(1) Robert Morris Catlett, born January 20, 1911, was mail expert when discharged from army service in January, 1945; married LaVerne Murphy, May 1, 1932.  Has four sons; Robert Wayne; Jimmy; Gary Marris; and Jonathan.

 

(2) Charles Wilburn Catlett, born November 28, 1914, married Lillian Harvey, October 14, 1940; one daughter, Judith Marie, age 5 (1946).

 

(3) Nancy Elizabeth Catlett, born December 11, 1921, married Wm. Howard Solley, March 18, 1944.

 

(4) Reginald Orr Catlett, born December 16, 1923, unmarried, served four years and one week in U. S. Navy, on two ships, Neville and Vicksburg, coxswain;  was in almost continuous combat.

 

     From Caldwell Court record:  Page 468, M. A. Crowder's administration, July 21, 1902 and November 11, 1902, bond $300., Mary J. widow, mentions daughters Dollie and Minnie;  land on Donaldson bounded by lands of Richard Fryer, E. S. Traylor, R. A. Hubbard heirs, C. N. Hubbard lot, 2nd part of Regina Robert's dower, Jas. H. Roberts line, Fryer's line.

 

(Children of Wm. D. and Mary A. Crowder continued - )

 

(2) Willis T. Crowder, married Amanda M. C. Traylor, March 11, 1865, W. H. Jones, surety, Caldwell County.  He was a member of the 48th Kentucky Infantry, Co. C, joining October 28, 1863.

 

(3) Ewing Philander Crowder (Pitts) married, Nancy E. Blackburn October 19, 1865.  He was a member of the same company as his brother, Willis.

 

(4) Reba A. Crowder, born 1844, died March 30, 1855. (Ky. Vital Statistics)

 

(5) Samuel H. Crowder, married Charlotte McDowell.

 

(6) Maria Elronder Crowder married Capt. Small of the Federal army and removed to Illinois where she lived thereafter, dying there.  Captain Small was stationed in Princeton where the Farmers Bank now stands.  He was a small man.  In later life he told most interesting stories of his experiences.  He and his men were hungry and were fed by the ladies, young and old, who favored the federal side, and thus he met his future wife.  She was a pretty woman, small but with a wonderful and dominating personality.  She completely dominated her sister while she lived.

 

(7) Mary Jane Crowder, younger than Maria, a lovely person.  She went to live with Mrs. Small and after her sister's death asserted herself by marrying late in life a gentleman who lived in Illinois.

 

(8) John N. Crowder, born March, 1855, died June 30, 1855.  (Ky. Vital Statistics).

 

     From records, Book ___, Page 210, Will of W. D. Crowder August 17, 1861 - March 17, 1862.  Divided his land between:  Morris A.; Willis T.; Ewing Philander; Samuel H.; while Maria E. and Mary J. were to have $300.  Family to keep together as long as possible.

•  

                              CROWDER FAMILY

 

Samuel D. Crowder, born in Virginia in 1770, son of Frederick and Mary Crowder, died in Caldwell County, Kentucky, 1852;  married ................. (Vital Statistics, Ky.)

 

Children of Samuel D. Crowder:

 

(1) Wm. Daniel Crowder, 1810-1862

 

(2) Martha Jane Crowder married George T. Smith. December 26, 1835.  Said to have been a most beautiful woman.

 

(3) Regina A. Crowder, born 1817, married as second wife, James Harvey Roberts, Sr., after 1835.  She survived him.

 

(4). Mary Ann Crowder was married to George Towery August 10, 1837, by John Travis, Minister of the Gospel.

 

From Hopkins County, Ky., Vital Statistics: J. J. Crowder of Hopkins, born October 16, 1850 in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, son of John N. and Minerva I. (Hudson) Crowder.

 

                         - - - - - - - - - -

                             Children of

                    ROBERTS:  HENRY AND ELIZABETH

 

Elizabeth Roberts, daughter of Henry Roberts and Elizabeth Lynch Roberts, was born in Caldwell County, Ky., in 1814.  She married February 1, 1836, (1) Zachariah Weeks.  By this marriage she had one daughter, Pernecie Weeks, who at the age of 20, married on October 30, 1856, William Strong, aged 20, who was born in Cannon County, Tennessee.  (Census records and Caldwell marriages) Elizabeth Weeks and Pernecie Weeks were 4iving with Henry Roberts, Elizabeth's father, in 1850.  Some time between 1851 and 1853 she married (2) E1ijah Strong, blacksmith, who had by a former marriage the following children:

 

            Noah Strong, born about 1840

            Betty Strong, born 1845

            Maria Strong, born 1849

                (Census records)

 

Elizabeth Strong and Elijah Strong lived on Tradewater River near Wilson's Warehouse Bridge.  They had the following children:

 

(1) Henry J. Strong, born August 7, 1854 married Miss Andres and had:

 

        Charles Strong, Salem, Ky.

        Effie Strong, married Dr. Stewart, and lived in Kansas.

        Mary Strong, married Mr. Nelsom, lives in Miami, Florida,

and has three sons in service in World War II (1946).

 

(2) Ritta Jane Strong, born April 2, 1855, married a McDowell, lived on Tradewater River near the Wilson's Warehouse Bridge.

 

(3) Mildred Strong who married Mr. Prowell.

 

        (Information from Mrs. Edna Morgan, Salem, Ky.)

 

                         - - - - - - - - - -

                    MISCELLANEOUS ROBERTS RECORDS

 

                          Craven Co., N. C.

 

Marriage Bonds as follows:

 

A-291  Holston Roberts to Polly Kilpatrick dated 3-25-1806

A-455  John M. Roberts to Mary Elizabeth Jones 1-13-1819

A-94   Patience Roberts to William Trehi1l 1-7-1791

A-13   Elizabeth Roberts, widow of James to John Folly 1-25-1785

 

Marriages:  Old Free State, p. 426 - 373

 

11/16/1789 - John Roberts and Rebecca Sammons (James Sammons bond)

1/13/1812 - Peter P. Roberts md. Mary Wyatt, Overstreet Wyatt surety

12/12/1766 - Thomas Roberts md. Susanna Dozier, Leonard Dozier

1/21/1788 - John Roberts md. Susanna Pettus - William Hatchett, p.393

1/1/1796 - Philip Roberts md. Elizabeth Davis - Nevil Gee.

 

From North and South Carolina marriages:

 

     October 1785, at Charleston, Thomas Roberts and Mary Haney md. and May 4, 1785, in Chowan County, Thomas Roberts md. Christian Lessiter.

 

     In Chowan County, also - 2/21/1767 - William Roberts md. Mrs. Elizabeth Bonner.

 

     Amherst Co., Virginia - Henry Roberts, bachelor - Fany Harris, spinster, December 16, 1794 - Matthew Harris, Jr., who gives consent as to Fanny Harris.   Worell - S. W. Va.

 

Caldwell, Kentucky, marriages:

 

William Finch to Polly Roberts, Nov. 17, 1809.

John Gray to Betsey Roberts, Jan. 4, 1810, by William Gi1likin, J. P.

Rowland Jennings md. Rhoda Roberts, May 17, 1817, by H. Darnall.

William Roberts md. Melinda Campbell, 9/27/1829, ret. 10/12/1829 - Samuel Julian with separate paper for Crt. I. S. Dallam, C. D.

 

1938 Record of Revolutionary soldier

 

Thomas Roberts - 1832 - age 95 - Virginia line.

 

Jonesboro, Tenn. - April 21, 1790 - Thomas Duncan md. Mary Lynch.

B. Test - Thomas Godbey,  C. C. - Solemnized by Thomas Dunkin (he must have witness instead of Minnikin - John Roberts a witness, (?)

William Roberts - Eve Ruble - Feb. 14, 1811 - State of Tennessee.  William Roberts - Jacob Gyer.

 

These copies of WPA with witnesses in wrong spaces.

Jonesboro, Tenn. - April 21, 1790 - Thomas Dunkin to Mary Lynch about 1808 - James Roberts, a witness

Married - William Roberts to Eve Ruble, Feb. 4, 1811 - State of Tennessee.  William Roberts, Jacob Gyer.

 

Other Roberts:

 

John Roberts - 1742 - 1846, b. St. James Island; d. Robertsville, S. C. md. Elizabeth Dixon.

 

Livingstone Co., Ky., marriages:

 

James Roberts, f. John - Mahala Jones F. Peter Jones, b. Silas Roberts 8/3/1837.

John Roberts Adams, Lucinda, Ntl. Adams, bondsman 7/4/1835.

(S)ilas Roberts - Carey Medlock John Roberts, bondsman 8/7/1820.

Matthias Roberts, Willey Blackwell, b. Thomas Campion 6/20/1817.

 

Roberts:  Smithland, Livingstone Co., Ky. copied Aug. 1940

 

12/20/1832 - Henry Roberts md. Martha C. Hughes, D. C. Brown, J. P.

12/2/l834 - Cornelius Roberts md. Mary Adams.

7/4/1835   John Roberts, Jr., to Lucinda Adams, license returned 8/16/1835 by James McCawley,  J. P.

8/3/1837 - James Roberts md. Mahala Jones.

Matthias Roberts md. Willy Blackburn, - Bond Thomas Champion 6/20/1817.

Obediah Roberts md. Louisa Eison, Bond Jacob Eison, 11/19/1827.

William Roberts md. Sarah Susan, Bond Arch McAlister - 11/4/1832.

Henry Roberts md. Martha Caroline Hughes, William Hughes, father, Bond Benjamin Hughes - - 11/4/1832.

 

In Caldwell Co. Tax lists these Roberts names:  Hezekiah, Isaac, John

Joseph, (Garner, Evan on Eddy Crk.) David.

 

p. 199 - V. 1 - Chalkley S.I. Set - Augusta Co.

May 21, 1778, p. 326, David Roberts death abates suit.

p. 138, Aug. 22, 1767, David Roberts to be bound out.

p, 93 - Eliamer Roberts, servant of William Holdman

p. 49 Joseph Roberts proved his importation immediately from Great Britain into this colony - 50 acres (grant) Nov. 29, 1751.

p. 306 Dickinson vs. Lewis, George Lewis, 13, of Township Connery and

County of Lancaster, Pa., Yeoman bond to Nicholas Roberts of Township

of Coventry, and Co., Chester, Pa. 1742.

 

In Livingstone Co. 1801 - Jesse Roberts - 200 a; 1806 -- Evans Roberts on McNabb's Creek and 1 black, later in Caldwell.  Obadiah Roberts.  1812 in Caldwell.

Jane R. - 2h.

Garner R. - 4 h.

 

     Evan Roberts in Livingstone 1 bl. 5 h. early - a David R. in 1808 lists 6 horses.  A Jane R. lists 2 horses 1810 - Livingstone.

Roberts 1810 4 horses.

 

                    Miscellaneous Roberts Records

 

Parentheses indicate those I can place. - Others. may be interested in those not placed.

 

(David Roberts (son of Henry (3) in 1841, 100 acres on Tradewater.)

First D. B. R.- 1, Caldwell Co.  Augustin Roberts, Atty. in fact for Wm. Roberts of Shelby Co., KY., land on Eddy Creek sold to Roberts Parker, in 1809.

 

Genealogy and History Magazine, D. C. 12/15/1941 - 4473, note Brewer,

West, Caldwell, Roberts, Hough, N. C., Ky.

 

    a.  - William Brewer from Chatham Co., N. C. to Christian Co., Ky. c. 1808 with w. Milly West and severa1 young children; son, William Jr. b. 1803.

 

    b.  A letter written before 1834 to Mary Caldwell, of somewhere near Princeton, Ky., mentions Delilah and cousin Henry Roberts of Elkton, Todd Co., Ky.  Delilah is known to be a Hough, wife of William Brewer to whom the letter was addressed.  Who were Mary and Henry and who was the common ancestor of the three cousins?  XHAS (N.Y.)

 

Genealogy and history Magazine, D. C. 12/15/1942 - 6740 - Roberts, Russell, Kirk, Kirtley, Peyton, McKenzie, Field, Duncan, Rawley, Stewart, Branson, Gerrard, Lemmon, Bean, Hay; Va., Ky., Miss.

 

     Want parents of w. of John Roberts who made will 1724 in Spots, Co., Virginia and men. children; John (2) md. Elizabeth Russell; George md. Elizabeth (Kirk/); Benjamin (w.?); Margaret md. Francis Kirtley; and Mary md. William Peyton.

 

     What kin to this family was Malcolm McKenzie who in 1741 left (p.172, w.b.1. Orange Co., Va.) all property to William & John (3) Roberts, sons of John (2) whom he called John, Sr.  John (3) d. by 1752 (ever md?) and brother William inherited his share of this property located in what is now Culpepper, Co., Va., later; William (1752) sold this land to his father who later gave it to his other son, Benjamin (3) and Francis (Culp. deds. 1766 and before).   Want children of Benjamin and Francis.

 

0ther Roberts:   Jilison's Index

 

In Virginia Grants:  Benjamin, Fayette Co., P. D., Fayette; William, several grants; Thomas and Betty, Nelson Co.

 

In old Kentucky Grants; William Roberts, thousands of acres from Gaspar, Green, Rolling Fork, Big Eddy, Pond, Red.  Joseph, more than 6,000 acres in Christian Co. and Lincoln.  On Crab Orchard, Pond  R., Red River, etc.  (George Roberts, his executor).

 

     There are several Roberts in Jefferson Co. entries, also in military entries, a few in Court of Appeals Deeds, both Grantors and Grantees.

 

     In Grants South of Green R;  Boanergesin Logan on Elk Fork and Gaspar, (1816-17); Obadiah (1798) and Obadiah, Jr., in Christian on W. Fork, Little R; also Collins; Monroe; Joel, David, James and Joel in Pulaski; John in Wayne Co; William, Joshua in Christian; Joshua; Elijah, James (Red R.) Joseph; Thomas Q. in Logan on Little Whippoorwill; Elizabeth, Logan on Elk and Red River (1814).

 

     Those in Western Kentucky who could have been related:

 

Silas Roberts, 200 A. B. G2, 21 11/16/1835, Livingstone on Tennessee River (Ky. Land Warrant)

 

Jesse Roberts, lands S. Green R. 1799, in Livingstone;

 

John Roberts, 1798 - on Little River in Christian, and Thomas;

and in 1785, John on N. Fork Tradewater and in Jefferson County.

 

                        Kentucky Land Warrants

 

James Roberts, 100 acres 1827 on Ohio River.

 

Silas Roberts, 200 acres, 1835 on Tennessee River.

 

William Roberts, 100 acres, 1835, Boswell Creek.

 

Edmond Roberts, (Jonesboro) N. C. Grant, 10/14/1782, B. 1, p. 13.

(Jonesboro) James Roberts to John Hamilton, deed, 1/21/1786, B.7, p.170.

 

James Roberts to Samuel Dunnaway, deed, 2/12/1793, B.5, p. 184

 

Reuben Roberts, N. C. grant - 10/27/1792.

 

Jonesboro, Tenn. - Richard Roberts to Abraham Williams, deed, 8/7/1814, B. 14, p. 17.

 

Richard Roberts to James Parker, deed, 1/15/1807, B. 11, p. 339.

 

James Roberts to Samuel Dunwoody, 2/13/1793, B. 5, p. 194.

 

Livingstone Co.

 

Jesse Roberts, 400 acres - 1810.

 

Caldwell Co. Deed Books:

 

Henry C. Roberts to M. A. Crowder, 4, 161

Regina Roberts to M. A. Crowder, 4, 162

James H. Roberts to James H. Roberts, Jr. 6, 281

F. C. Roberts to W. J. and E. B. Morse, A2, 162

Mrs. V. Roberts to W. E. Roberts, 18, 339

James H. Roberts, Jr. to William W. Jenkins to W. H. Williamson 1 - 556 421

J. H. Roberts, Jr. to James U. Campbell, V-150

John L. Roberts to James H. Roberts, - U. -154

James H. Roberts, Jr. to Andrew M. Hubbard, 1860 W-390 Arthur William's land

James H. Roberts, Jr. to John L. Roberts W-408

James H. Roberts to J. W. Brownfield - X - 40

James H. Roberts to William H. Jones X -

William Roberts to Robert Parker A-1

William Roberts to Miles Hollowell A-33l

David Roberts from William Brooks, H. 601

William Roberts from Robert Parker, X-p.

 

Tax lists of Shelby Co., Ky., show Benjamin Roberts a large landowner in Shelby, Washington, Jefferson and Nelson Counties.  William Roberts, same. in Logan.  William for Joseph Roberts of Logan and other counties.  Thousands of acres.

 

Virginia Grants:

 

John Roberts - 1200 acres - Military Land - N. Fork Tradewater - 5/16/1785 B. 9, p. 453 - Clear Creek, H. Co.

 

6/20/1789, Indian Lick River.

 

Green River

 

This William evidently a Revolutionary soldier, also John.

 

George Roberts, 1758-1864, enlisted 1777 in Capt. Samuel Johnson's Co. at Guildford, C. H. and Ninety Six, b. in Chatham Co., d. Buncombe Co.

 

Dr. John Roberts d. 1826 in Frankfort, Ky.

 

1795 - John Roberts of Prince George Co. - Military lands on Green River in Logan Co., Ky. - 1,200 acres.

                        Roberts in Revolution

 

     Henry Roberts, Franklin Co., Ky., pvt. 96 an. Received $302.22 Virginia Line - January 8, 1831, age 76.

 

     Ramsey, p. 415, Warren Co., Tenn., Vol. 2, Reuben Roberts, Revolutionary soldier.  His grandson was Capt. John Kelly Roberts - King's Mountain and New Orleans.

 

     Besides Henry Roberts (2), of Reedy Creek (Sr.) who was likely an "over mountain man" at King's Mt. there was Henry Roberts, Newbern militia, (N.C. Arc.); David M. Roberts, Sgt. Pa. line, 1818, pension, E. Tenn; Reuben Roberts, Pvt. N. C. Line, W. Tenn; pension, 1818, and Edmond Roberts, Caswell Co., N. C., 3 campaigns, pension, 1832, McMinn Co., Tenn., aged 75 years, Certificate No. 22054- E. Tenn. agency.  Also a Henry Roberts, Del., soldier under Colonel David Hall, 1777-1781, Capt. J. Patten's Co., dis. 1783, Del.  Reg Foot Pension rept.

 

     Washington Co., Virginia records state:

 

            James Roberts, Revolutionary soldier.

            David Roberts, Revolutionary soldier.

 

     See Delaware Archives - Vol. 3 - p. 1160.

 

Henry Roberts, pvt., Patton's  Co.  Joined 8/20/1777; deserted 3/13/l778; rejoined 2/26/1782; served to end of war.

 

     Henry Roberts, W. 164 - B L Wt - 18018 - 160-55.

 

Enlisted 1777 - Va. Line, 3rd Reg. light dragoons - prisoner - then after under Col. William Washington, 4th troop commended by Capt. Cadwaleander Jones.  Also served Md.  Continental Line under Capt. Frederich Sams.  Md. in Baltimore, Md., in 1810 - Katherine Austin - pension records.

 

Edmund Roberts - Cert. #22054 - Pension - In McMinn Co., Tenn., in l832-l840 - In N. C. line - enlisted in Caswell Co. - 1775 - 75 years old in 1832 (as interesting record).

 

In War of 1812.

 

p. 364, Roster - p. 364.

 

Capt. Benjamin Shackett's mounted volunteers, detached military command of Col. William Russell.

 

     Henry Roberts, pvt, enlisted 6/24/1813 - To 7/25/1813.

 

p. 168 Capt. James S. Whittaker's Co., Ky. Mounted Volunteers, Militia commanded by Lt. Col James S. Sinnall.

 

     Henry and Jesse Roberts enlisted Newport, 8/15/1813 - 11/8/1813.

                          N. C. Land Grants

 

     Roberts who asked land grants in 1734 to 1754 - N. C. 4 -278 - Capt. Roberts on Neuse River.  Henry - 348 - 789 - 4 Craven 1744

 

     James - 4 - 329, in Craven Co. - 200 2/17/1737

                 332, in Craven Co. - 250 6/29/1738

                1047, Ownslow - 7/28/1750  640

                1240, 2,000 Ownslow -   3/28/1751

                      2,000

                      2,000

 

     John - 4 - 588, in Cartaret Co. - 400, 3/10/1740

                650, 200 a. - Craven - 11/17/1743

                805, 100 a. - Craven - 6/26/1746

                947, 100 a. - New Hanover - 4/6/1749

               1253, 200 a. - Cartaret - 10/7/1751

 

     Thomas - 4 - 1046 - 150 a. Cartaret - 9/27/1750

 

     William - 4 - 619 - 200 a. Bladen - 6/7/1742

                   651 - 300 a. Craven - 11/18/1743

                   250 - 800 a. - Bladen - 10/1/1751

 

Bath Town - 1743

 

Brunswick - 1744

 

Edenton - 43

 

New Bern - 1746, 1744

 

Sec. Fee 40 Shi1lings currency

                             N. C. Deeds

 

     From Superior Court, Craven County, New Bern, N. C., September 25, 1945, the following records:

 

1-175 Deed from John & Elizabeth Roberts to John Williams  1-14-1742

1-307           John Roberts to John Williams             5-7-1740

1-424           George Roberts to Edward Cortez and Elizabeth

                his wife, daughter of the late wife of George

                Roberts, Joanah                            3-21-1741

1-498           Sam Roberts to James Roberts               8-28-1750

1-500           Sam Roberts to James Roberts               8-29-1750

1-522           Moses Roberts to Brother Joseph Roberts    10-20-1770

1-97            Grant from George 2nd to George Roberts    11-17-1738

                Deed from John Ackis & Margaret to James

                Roberts                                    8-12-1738

1-309           Town Commissioner to George Roberts        11-4-1723

2-36            William Herrigate, Ex of George Roberts

                to Richard Caswell                         1-9-1761

2-148           Henry Roberts of Johnson Co. to John Taylor 1750

2-591           Samuel Roberts to James Roberts            8-28-1750

2-392           Samuel Roberts to James Roberts            8-29-1750

11-269          James Roberts to Christopher Neal          1-20-1763

11-273          Henry Roberts to Nathan Ward               12-11-1763

11-288          James Roberts to Joseph Crisper            1-20-1763

11-34l          Henry Roberts to Thomas Wilson             10-27-1763

11-344          Henry Roberts to Arnwell Hern              11-14-1763

11-369          Samuel Roberts to James Roberts            11-27-1762

11-34           Nathan Ward to Henry Roberts               1761

11-267          James Crispen to James Roberts             1-20-1763

9 & 10-422      Joseph Crispen to James Roberts            1-27-1757

14-169          Charles Webb to Samuel Roberts             12-13-1763

14-23           Samuel Roberts to Christipher Dawson       7-29-1765

15-160          Samuel Roberts to William West             1768

17-176          John Roberts to Joseph Roberts             8-28-1769

 

I also find the following wills:

 

5-320       Will of Joseph Humphrey mentions "cowzen" Sarah Roberts, her son, Jesse, daughter Ruth, daughter Lidia, dated 10-14-l752.

 

8-235       Wil1 of James Roberts, mentions son James, daughter Mary and Smithy, dated 12-28-1761.

                          Roberts in Indiana

 

Information letter of Dr. John E. Marvel, Waynesville, Illinois, dated October 15, l945.

 

     I have a special interest in John Roberts, Sr., and his family on account of having a grandmother, Jane Roberts, the wife of grandfather, John S. Marvel, both of whom were born in Gibson County, southern Indiana, and married out here in central Illinois about 1846.  Jane was a granddaughter of John Roberts, Sr., and daughter of Elisha Roberts.

 

     Also upon my maternal lineage, I have a great grandmother, Nancy Roberts, another daughter of John Roberts, Sr.

 

     Now in regard to John Roberts, Sr.  He married in North Carolina a Mary Johnson about 1786.  They were parents of eleven children.  The two oldest sons, John, b. 1787 and William, remained in Kentucky and we lost all trace of their descendants.  The other nine children were born in Kentucky except the youngest child who was born in Gibson County, southern Indiana, Princeton, county seat.  The other children were Nancy Roberts, born l790, married in Gibson County, Indiana, Walter Crockett Montgomery, the son of Lieut. Thomas Montgomery and wife, Martha Crockett of Virginia.  Thomas, a Revolutionary War soldier, Sarah Roberts, next daughter, born 1792, married in Gibson County, Indiana, Greenbury Duncan from Kentucky.  Joseph Roberts, born 1794, in Kentucky, was married three times.  Elisha Roberts, my greatgrandfather, married Elizabeth Montgomery, a daughter of Judge Thomas Montgomery and Elizabeth Warwick (Warrick) both from Virginia to Kentucky to Indiana.  James Roberts, next son, married a sister of Elizabeth, namely Nellie, Marh Roberts born 1803 in Kentucky, married a Henry Gambrel in Indiana.  His folks were from Southern Caro1ina.  Next son, Thomas Roberts, born 1806, married Elizabeth Mauch in Indiana.  Elizabeth Roberts, born 1808, married Thompson P. Gambrel, a brother to Henry, and the last daughter, Jane Roberts, born 1810, married Joseph Williams from Tennessee.

 

     Now, John Roberts, with all his family except his two older sons left Kentucky, presumably Christian County, in 1807 and became one of the early pioneers in Gibson County, Indiana.  His wife died and he later, about 1836, married the widow, Mrs. Winifred (Elkins) Gambrel, the mother of his two sons-in-law, Henry and Thompson Gambrel.

 

     I wish I knew more about John Roberts, Sr., who was born about 1760 across the sea, according to family tradition in Wales.  My mother's cousin in Indiana told me that he remembered John Roberts, Sr., and he said that he spoke with a very decided foreign accent, that he was a strong, sturdy man of blond hair and hazel eyes.  He was a farmer and owned a farm north of now Owensville, Montgomery Township, Gibson County, Indiana, where he died about 1845.  He was and intellectual and religious man, and many of his descendants were prominent as farmers, politicians and professional people.  It is quite possible that your Roberts family lineage may be connected with that of John Roberts, Sr.  The names of any of his brothers or sisters have not come down to the knowledge of later descendants.  My knowledge is based largely upon a history of him and his descendants written twenty-five years ago by my grandmother's cousin, Rev. David B. Montgomery.  As my mother wrote up the Illinois and other western state descendants and sent her data to the author, he decided that it would not pay to publish his family history in book form and then sent his entire manuscript to my mother when I put same in a box and preserved it until a relative, R. E. Turman, of Los Angeles, California, made inquiries through G. & H. and I proceeded to surprise him by being able to give him the information about John Roberts, Sr., and his lineage.

 

                                        Yours truly,

 

                                        Dr. John E, Marvel,

                                        Waynesville, Illinois

 

                            Drennan Family

 

     Fol1owing from records does not give the exact relationship of the Drennan Family to the Roberts Family, but is included here to help anyone who wishes to pursue the relationship further.

 

     The history of Sangamon County, Illinois, printed in 1876, states that the Drennans who came into that county were from Pendleton, S. C., moved in 1803 to Caldwell and in 1817 to Illinois.  David J. is a usual name in the Illinois family and there were a number or second marriages and half brothers and sisters.

 

     From Caldwell and other records:

 

     John H. Drennan, married Patsey Roberts, February 16, 1829.

 

     Eli Drennan married Peggy McDowell, November 14 or November 17, 1825, return by Aber Wilson Smith, J. P.  She died July 8, 1855, aged 48 (b. 1808), "decline of life", parents John and Elizabeth McDowell, b. S. C.

 

     Andrew Drennan married Mildred Harper, Donalson, Fk., their daughter, Ophelia L. J. Drennan, b. March 5, 1853, V. S.

 

     David J. Drennan married Margaret Brown, August 29, 1831, James W. Mansfield return April 6, 1835.  Their son, David J. Drennan, died in Dawson Springs about 1938.  His daughter told me her grandmother was Margaret Brown.  He was related to Thomas Lynch Roberts.

 

     William F. Drennan married Fanny Campbell, July 26, 1836.

 

     George Drennan married Eliza J. Lunsford, October 21, 1837, by J. A. Kirkpatrick.

 

     David J. Drennan was married to Elizabeth M. Towry by R. B. Tudor, M.G. on March 1, 1865, at N. Towry's witnesses were J. Weller and D. T. Maxwell.

 

     Pernetta Jane, daughter of a David J. Drennan, married B. H. Crowell - January 23, 1860.  Census of 1870 - David J. Drennan.

 

     R. W. S. Frier married Mrs. Mariah Drennan, October 18, 1858, David E. Drennan, surety.

 

     On December 24, 1857, David J. Drennan, born in Caldwell, age 22, lived in Hopkins, married Julia Barnes, age 20, who was born in N. C. and lived in Hopkins Co., Ky.

 

     David J. Drennan, 54; Elizibeth Drennan, 44; Sarah A. Drennan, 15; Truella Drennan, 4; Harvey Drennan, 2, a11 born in Kentucky.

 

Census of 1860; p. 654:

 

David Drennan, age 22, farmer, $100 b. Ky.

Ann Drennan, 20, b. Ky.- Housewife.

Jane Drennan, 2; b. Ky.

 

Book C, p. 34:  John Drennan's wife was Unity Drennan. George Drennan lived on John Drennan's land; mentions daughter, Martha Anhart (or Anleant) and Unity Drennan's children as: Eli T; Unity and John S. Book C, p. 210, mentions Mary Jane Drennan, March 1, 1875.

 

     In 1839 tax lists, Eli Drennan had 123 acres and Polly Drennan 73 acres in Caldwell.

 

     Andrew Drennan married Sarah Cunningham, December 20, 1808 in

 

From Early Letters of Sangamon County, Illinois, Power - 1876

 

p. 26 - William Drennan, b. April 9, 1768, in Pendleton District, S. C., six children born there.  About 1803 to Caldwell Co., Ky. six more children born.  To Illinois in fall of 1817.

 

     Joseph Drennan was his half-brother.  Wi1liam's daughter, Mattie married Joseph Dodds.

 

     Samuel Drennan married Celia Greer in Kentucky and died there leaving a family (he was b. S.C.)

 

     David Drennan, b. July 3, 1816, in Caldwell Co., Ky. Married 1833 in Sangamon County to Nancy Wilson, b. April 6, 1816, in Morgan Co., Tennessee (family moved to Fannin Co., Texas).

 

     Joseph Drennan, half-brother of William and much younger; married in S. C. Rebecca Evets, had one child there, in 1807 to Caldwell Co., 1818 to Sangamon.  Joseph, Jr., son of above, married (1) Elizabeth Richardson; (18 children; most not traced).

 

     David J; son of above marriage three times and lived near Springfield, Ill.

 

     Winter of deep snow in Sangamon - 1830-1831 - first meeting of Old Settlers in l859.  Sangamon county established January 30, 1821.

 

Drennan

 

     Clipping from Leader - Princeton - January 12, 1934.

 

     William F. Drennan had disappeared Tuesday, January 2nd, from home of his sister, Mrs. Charles Ladd.  Body discovered Wednesday, a week later by James Alexander on the Denham Knob, highest point in county.  Was 65 - son of the late George Franklin and Mariah McNeeley Drennan.

 

     John Drennan of Eddy Creek died Friday, September 1, 1933.  Member Caldwell Fiscal Court.  Farmer - children and wife.  Masonic - Mrs. Sam Makris and Mrs. William Campbell of Colorado.  Vance Drennan, Canada

 

     Hershel, George and Tinsley Drennan of Caldwell County.  Buried Eddy Creek Church.

                            Traylor Family

 

Caldwell County Marriages:

 

James Mitchell to Palantine Trailer, 4/23/1812, by John Travis, M. G. Cyrus Wood to Polly Trailer, 4/24/1828.

 

John Travis to Cynthis Traylor, 9/19/1815.

 

John Traylor sold to Samuel J. McNeely and others for $l5.00 thirty acres on Cove Creek.  B. V,  p. 370.

 

W. L. Traylor to A. J. Lamb, B. Z, p. 10.

 

J. N. Traylor, Jr., to M. A. Crowder, B. I, p. 78.

 

B. 6, p. 628; dower Matilda Jane Traylor, wife of Joseph Traylor, land conveyed by her husband to son, James, deed January 30, 1873.  D.B. T, p. 358, February 26, 1884.

 

     William Traylor, probably a brother of the Andrew who married Jane Roberts, married Ann Duckworth, May 24, 1820.

 

     Alexander Traylor, b. 1801, S. C., son of John and Margaret Traylor, married Elmira Kennedy, August 30, 1820.  He died July 3, 1855.  (His parents names from this V. S. record)

 

     Chi1dren of Alexander Traylor and Elmira Kennedy Traylor:

 

Sarah A. Traylor, d. 1853, born 1820 - d. pneumonia - single.

Peggy J. Traylor, b. 1824, married Samuel Jones - d. May 30, 1853.

Mary Emmeline Traylor, b. 1827, married William Jones, d. September 18, 1855.

 

     Their children:  Rebecca N. Jones, b. 1853, d. September 5, 1855;

daughter, aged 2 years, d. 1855.

 

     Cynthia Traylor, b. June 5, 1833, d. September 1855 - dysentery.

Andrew, William and Alexander Traylor were evidently brothers, b. S.C.

sons of John and Margaret Traylor.

 

     A Harriet A. Traylor married Daniel McDowell, 8/10/1853, G. B. McDowell, surety.

 

     In Caldwell tax lists:

 

l822 - John Traylor.

1823 - Alexander, Andres and William, Sr. had 1,000 acres.

                           Arthur Williams

 

(p. 265 - Annals S. W. Va., Pendleton)

 

     Arthur Williams bought 64 acres on Craig's Creek from William Preston and William Thompson, executors of James Patton, May 10, 1780, Botecourt County.

 

     p. 316 - 1785, February 1, Arthur Williams sold to William Scott

for 20 pounds, 64 acres N. side of Craig's Creek.

 

     To Caldwell County about 1812.

 

     (Jillson's Index) - page. 435, S. Green River, 1/8/1798, Arthur Williams 200 acres Christian Co., on Donaldson's Fork, B. 28, p. 52.

 

     In Summer's Washington Co., Va. - Henry Roberts, Sr., and Jr., appear also 1783 - both. these to Caldwell Co., KY., and bought this Wi1liams' land.

 

     Arthur Williams - 1809 in Livingstone, 400 acres on Donaldson, 3. bl. and 4 horses.

 

     In 1806 Arthur Williams had entered in his own name 400 acres on Donaldson, had 400 acres on Cumberland, entered by Sanders and 200 acres on Donaldson entered by Lacy.  In 1807, 400 acres on Donaldson, entered by Campbell, 200 acres by John Denton - 1 black and 3 horses - 1808, 200 acres entered by J. Wilkins' survey and 200 acres entered by J. Maxwell.

 

     The first land bought by Henry Roberts was a 400 acre tract bt. from Arthur Williams.  Of this he sold part to Thomas L. Roberts in 1844, who held it until he moved to Hopkins when he sold it to James Harvey Roberts, Sr.

 

     Arthur Williams will in Caldwell Co., Ky., January 6, 1813, Caldwell Co., Kentucky - inventory - appraisers:  Matt. Stewart; Samuel Henry, John Holman - Brown, Justice of Peace.

 

Arthur Williams, private to Gates Co., (N.C. Arch.)

 

     Arthur Williams - Book E. p. 163, Caldwell Co., Ky., 1812.  April 5, - sold land to Henry Roberts for $700 - 400 acres.

 

     B. p. 119 - heirs - from Jeptha Johnson or to witnesses to this deed:  Jacob Holeman - Jesse Williams.

 

     Keziah Williams, wife of Arthur Williams relinquished her dower -

September 9, 1812, John H. Phelps, Clerk.  She married January 24, 1826,

Absolem Duckworth, Caldwe1l Co., Ky.

 

     Arthur Williams' father was Jesse Williams; will in Caldwell Co.