John Roberts

Not the husband of Susan Roberts (Pettus)

The final settlement of the estate of John Robers totaled 1666 Pounds, 3 shillings and 10 Pence and included the sale of seven negroes. The settlement included the order from the State of North Carolina, Surry County: "Pursuant to an order to us from the court to lay off and appoint out what portion will be sufficient for her support, for the term of one year, of Elizabeth Roberts, widow of John Roberts, deceased, do report as follows to Wit: That she have 36 barrels of corn, 500 ponds of bacon, 3 cows and calves, 1 good beef, 4 hogs of her choice, 10 bushel of wheat, 25 gallons of  whiskey, 11 dollars in cash for the use of puchasing sugar and coffee, 2 good sides of leather, one horse called by the name of "Old Bay", 12 hg. of wool, 2 ploughs, 2 hoes, and a chopping axe and two sets of gear for ploughing. Under our hand and seale this 23rd day of May, 1808. (One feather bed and furniture omitted above.) Signed Thos. Perkins, Matthew Davis, Leonard Davis, Bennet Creed." The above is a verbatim copy.

 PRF CD 81, submitted by E Donovan Mounts

research notes

From https://www.familysearch.org/photos/artifacts/6545968?p=2518756&ret...

John Roberts (1730 – 1808) Name: 1) John Roberts – multiple records.

Birth: 1) 1730 in Brightsfieldtown, Cork, Ireland. FamilySearch Family Tree

Marriage: 1755 to Elizabeth Russell

1) Family Search and Ancestry.com have him marrying Elizabeth Russell in 1755.

2) U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 about John Roberts and Elizabeth, Ancestry.com. Name: John RobertsGender: Male Spouse Name: ElizabethSpouse birth place: Of NC Marriage Year: 1755

3) Elizabeth Russell reportedly died on 21 May 1917 in Surry County. An Elizabeth Roberts is listed on the Surry County Tax Records in 1813 and 1815 living on 160 acres on Stewarts Creek. The year of her death in 1817, the acreage dropped to 120 and 100 acres from 1819 to 1822.

2nd Marriage: 1788 to Susanna Pettus (doubtful) John Roberts has been tied to Susannah Pettus because of a single record in the "Virginia Marriages, 1660-1800" wherein a John Roberts married Susannah Pettus on 21 Jan 1788 in Lunenburg County, Virginia. See Ancestry.com, Dodd, Jordan. Virginia, Marriages, 1660-1800.

Reasons that this marriage does not pertain to the John Roberts who lived and died in Surry County, North Carolina:

a) The most compelling reason comes from the settlement of John’s estate in May of 1808 in which Elizabeth Roberts is named as the widow of John Roberts. To me this is indisputable evidence that Elizabeth Russell was John Roberts' wife and not Susanna Pettus.

b) The Surry County Tax Lists show property owned on Stewarts Creek by Elizabeth Roberts during the years of 1813 to 1822. An Elizabeth Roberts is listed on the Surry County Tax Records in 1813 which was “given in by her son John” as 156 acres. In 1815 she was living on 160 acres on Stewarts Creek. Elizabeth Russell Roberts reportedly died on 21 May 1917 in Surry County. That year, 1817, the acreage dropped to 120 and then to 100 acres from 1819 to 1822. This would indicate to me a selling off of her estate. There is one exception to the above tax records. The same property on Stewarts Creek is listed once under the name of Susanna Roberts during the year 1821 and it then reverts back to Elizabeth the next year. I cannot explain this anomaly.

c) Elizabeth Russell, John’s wife, did not die until 1817, 29 years after this marriage took place. The only way to explain that John was married to Susannah is that Elizabeth and John were divorced after she bore over a dozen children with him and that John then married a much younger Susannah. This divorce scenario is remotely possible but seems highly unlikely.

d) There are 83 John Roberts listed on the 1790 census. Although none of them are living in Virginia, most of them are from North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and Maryland. Any of them could represent this union. I have yet to find any evidence that this John Roberts interacted in Lunenburg, Virginia

e) Susannah Pettus was 40 years younger than John. Not a strong argument but must be considered.

f) One inconsistency as to Elizabeth's death date (does not impact her marriage to John). There is an Elizabeth Roberts listed on the 1820 census. Two females greater than 45. She is enumerated on the same page as James, John, and Jonathan – all presumed sons of John and Elizabeth Roberts. She cannot be the widow of another Roberts son, however, because they were all living in 1820. Does this mean that Elizabeth’s death date of 1817 is wrong and that she died after the 1820 census?

Death: before 23 May 1808 in Surry, North Carolina

1) According to Family Tree and Ancestry.com Member Family Trees.

2) Note from John Roberts’ Family Tree page entered on 26 Aug 2013 by E. Donovan Mounts. “The final settlement of the estate of John Roberts totaled 1666 Pounds, 3 shillings and 10 Pence and included the sale of seven negroes. The settlement includes this order from the State of North Carolina, Surry County: "Pusuant to an order to us from the court to lay off and appoint out what portion will be sufficient for her support, for the term of one year, of Elizabeth Roberts, widow of John Roberts, deceased, do report as follows to Wit: That she shall have 36 barrels of corn, 500 pounds of bacon, 3 cows and calves, 1 good beef, 4 hogs of her choice, 10 bushels of wheat, 25 gallons of whiskey, eleven dollars in cash for the use of purchasing sugar and coffee, 2 good sides of leather, one horse called by the name of "Old Bay", 12 hg. of wool, 2 ploughs, 2 hoes and a chopping axe and two sets of gear for ploughing. Under our hand and seale this 23rd day of May, 1808. (One feather bed and furniture omitted above.) Signed; Thos. Perkins, Matthew Davis, Leonard Davis, Bennet Creed." The above is a verbatim copy.

Census:

1) 1790 Census, Surry County, North Carolina John RobertsMales >16 4Males <16 2Females 6Slaves 4

2) 1800 Census, Surry County, North Carolina, page 686 John Sr. Roberts (would have been age 70, living on Stewarts Creek) M >44 1M 16-25 2 F 26-44 1F 16-25 1 Land & Tax Records: 1) Surry County, North Carolina Abstracts Deed Books A B, and C (1770-1788) 975.665 R2a Pg 12 Deed Book A: 195,196. 12 Nov 1775. John Reed planter & wf, Judith to John Roberts, planter, 100 pds Virginia Money 290 ac W side Tarrarat River & Stewarts ck; (Land originally bought of Granville Gr 10 Aug 1762) Pg 28 Deed Book B: 12. 3 Apr 1780. N.C. Grant John Roberts 451 ac Haw Branch adj McCollum & agreed line with Henry Speer. Pg 35 Deed Book B: 96,97. 25 Aug 1779. Robert Doak, Guilford Co to John Roberts 100 pds 125 ac Stewarts Creek in the Hollow; part tract sd Doak bought from Andrew Bailey. Pg 42 Deed Book B: 180 13 May 1782. William Phillips to John Roberts, Senr. 4,000 pds, 125 ac S side Stewarts Creek adj Roberts Doak; State Grant to Phillips 3 Apr 1780.

Court Records:

1) Surry County, North Carolina Court Minutes Volumes I & Ii 1768-1789 975.665 p2a 1985 v. 1-2

a) Pg 8 13 (Jan) 1779 Ordered as jurors: John Roberts

b) Pg 22 9 May 1780 Deed from Robert Doak to John Roberts 

c) Pg 37 15 February 1782 Ordered articles be allowed Elizabeth Roberts, wife and relict John Roberts, deceased; Cattle, stock, household furniture and rents and profits of her said husbands plantation; the said John Roberts having acted Inemican to the United States.

Note: This cannot be the same John and Elizabeth Roberts. Perplexed by who this could be.

d) Pg 41 12 August 1782 Deed from William Philips to John Roberts

e) Pg 114 17 May 1787 Jury duty: John Roberts

f) Pg 133 16 Feb 1788 Juror: John Roberts 

g) Pg 150 2nd Saturday Nov 1788 John Longino vs John and Thomas Roberts; Hugh Morris, witness for Pltf. 40 miles, 7 days.

Tax Lists: Note: All John Roberts are included.

1) Surry County North Carolina 1813 Tax Lists 975.665 R4h 1813 NameLandsWhite PollsBlack Polls Pg 50 Captain Deatherage’s District Roberts, John582 Roberts, Elizabeth given in by son John Roberts 156 Roberts, John Jun.752

2) Surry County, North Carolina Tax Lists 975.665 R4hv and R4w 1815, Pg 8 & 9 NameAcresAdjoiningWater CoursesValuePolls LandholdersWhBl Capt Achilles Deatherage’s District Roberts, John20Thomas ForknerLoverns Creek300 (son of James) Roberts, John Senr.70John ZacharyStewart Creek210 1816 No John Roberts listed 1817, Pg 3 Roberts, John20Thomas ForknerLoverns Creek300 (son of James) 1819, Pg 10 Roberts, John296B TuckerFish River500.1 (son of James) 1820, pg 10 Roberts, John296Branch TuckerLittle Fish River550.11 (son of James) Pg 20 Roberts, John155Pleasant RobertsSnow Creek500.1 (son of Olive Branch) 1821, Pg 3 Roberts, John234William TuckerLittle Fish River475.11 (son of James) Pg 23 Roberts, John155P B RobertsSnow Creek600.1 (son of Olive Branch) 1822, Pg 35 John155P B RobertsSnow Creek600.1 (son of Olive Branch)

• http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/16281164/person/1224233883/media/1?p...
• http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/16650671/person/422412803