John Roberts, I

Excerpt from: "West Jersey History Project"

http://www.westjerseyhistory.org/books/decou1/mtn17.html

Moorestown and Her Neighbors

Historical Sketches

By

GEORGE DECOU

Member of the Burlington County Historical Society Friends Historical Association HARRIS & PARTRIDGE, INCORPORATED

PHILADELPHIA

OLD MOORESTOWN FAMILIES pages 138-140

ROBERTS—John and Sarah Roberts of Overton, Northamptonshire, arrived on the“Kent” in 1677. The Kent was the first ship to bring English settlers to Burlington County and for some unknown reason anchored at the mouth of Raccoon Creek about opposite Chester. Before leaving England, John Roberts purchased one-sixteenth of a share of land in West Jersey from Thomas Ollive as shown by the following record dated Twelfth month 26th, 1676-7. “Thomas Ollive of Wellingborough, County of Northampton, haberdasher, to John Roberts of 'Ourston’ same County, yeoman, for one-sixteenth of a share of West Jersey bought of William Penn et at, January 23d, 1676-7.” The price paid for this tract which contained approximately 400 acres was Ten Pounds Sterling. In 1682 (no month given in the record) he purchased 68 acres on the northern side of the Rancocas about one mile above the road leading from Bridgeboro to Burlington. The following deed dated Eleventh month 14th, 1682, indicates that they settled on this tract. “John Roberts inhabitant upon Rancocas Creek, yeoman, to John Hollinshead for a wharf lot in Burlington belonging to the one-sixteenth of a share bought of William Penn et at on January 23d, 1676-7.”

On November 14th, 1682, Daniel Leeds surveyed 267 acres for John Roberts “at the Indian town of Penisoakin between the two branches of Cimsissinck Creek.”¹ They apparently did not settle on this tract before 1683 or possibly 1684, as the Burlington Meeting record of the birth of their daughter, Hannah, reads “Hannah, daughter of John and Sarah Roberts of Northampton River, born in Sixth month, 1683.” The Roberts Monument on the southern side of Camden Pike just over the bridge across the north branch of Pensauken Creek, marks the approximate location of their first home. Family tradition says they lived for a time in a cave on the bank of the creek. John Roberts died in 1695 and was buried in the old burying ground on the Pensauken a little above the Club House of the Valley Brook Country Club which was formerly the home of Charles C. Haines. His widow, Sarah Roberts, a woman of exceptionally, strong character and executive ability, died in about 1712. Their children were John, Sarah, Mary and Hannah. John, the only son, who married Mary Elkinton, daughter of George and Mary Core Elkinton, the founders of the Elkinton family, of Burlington County and Philadelphia, inherited the plantation. David, Joseph H., William H., and Horace Roberts of Moorestown as well as practically all other families in this neighborhood bearing the name Roberts, are directly descended from John and Sarah Roberts.

¹CimsIssinck sometimes spelled Simsisslnck, was the Indian name for Pensauken Creek. The word Pensauken which is spelled in many ways in the early records was the name of an Indian tribe who lived between the two branches of the creek, probably on the Roberts plantation.

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A note from Chuck Ivins, 13 July 2010:

     Between 2004-2006, a small group of distant cousins, all descendants of Thomas Watson, formed a wonderful, collaborative team to research the genealogy of Thomas Watson and his descendants. Eventually, we created an online presence on www.myfamily.com.

We called it: " Thomas and Rebecca (Marke) Watson Family Association"

Here is a link to the actual website, however, it is by invitation only: http://www.myfamily.com/isapi.dll?c=site&htx=main

Much of the work was digitized, condensed and uploaded to the website. I've downloaded the files and will be sharing them here on geni.

GEDCOM Note

progenitor Arrived from England in 1677 on the "Kent." Settled on Penisauken Creek, NJ.GEN: !Archive sheet - Source Thomas Butler (Historian) Phila. Pa. GEN: Lippincott Genealogy by Olsen - to W. Jersey 1677 on Kent from Ourton Eng. GEN: 1682 to Pennsauken Creek GEN: of Northampton Eng. GEN: Chart at Western Reserve University - " John and Sarah Roberts who came from GEN: Ourton, Eng. in 1677 with Daniel Wills and many other friends in the ship GEN: Kent settled North Branch of Penscenkin Creek, Burlington Co., NJ GEN: !CHECKED "Passengers and Ships Prior to 1684" by Sheppard