Thomas Edward Roberts (1808 - 1852)

Born 14 Oct 1808 in Lee, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 7 Jul 1852 at age 43 in White, Tennessee, United States

Biography

Thomas Roberts lived in Appalachia, in Tennessee.

Thomas was born 14 October 1819 in Virginia, United States. He was the son of William C Roberts and Sarah Walling.

Copied from Thomas' find a grave memorial

Thomas E. Roberts is believed to be the son of William Roberts, but there is controversy about the identity of his mother. Some family historians believe his mother was Sallie Humphrey(s) and some say it is Sarah Walling.

Thomas's tombstone gives his date of birth as October 14, 1808 but in his son, George Washington Roberts's, Bible, the date is written as September 4, 1804. Whatever the correct date, Thomas lived a brief life leaving his wife, Mary, a widow at a young age with a house full of children to raise alone. Only two of her children, Francis Asbury and James M. were married at the time of their father's death.

Thomas was married to Mary A. "Polly" Webb, the daughter of Rev. Jeremiah Webb and Sarah "Sallie" Copeland Webb of White Co. TN. Thomas and Mary had twelve children as stated in Mary's obituary. Several of their children migrated to Morgan County, Alabama; some just before the Civil War and others just afterward. Mary also moved to Alabama where she lived to be almost 94 years old and is buried at Johnson Chapel Cemetery in Morgan County.

Little is known about Thomas Roberts's life. There is a mention in the history of Mt. Gilead Church of a Thomas Roberts being one of the original trustees of the church and it is possible it could have been this Thomas Roberts. There are three young Roberts children buried adjacent to Thomas at Mt. Gilead who are likely his sons. They are Jeremiah, John W. and Thomas H. Roberts. All died young.

Their other nine children are:(1) Francis Asbury Roberts who married (1st) Elizabeth Denton (2nd) Martha Ann Denton. (2) Pamelia Roberts who married James O. Johnson (3) James M. Roberts who married Melsena Holland (4) Sarah Roberts (probably never married) (5) Joseph Herd Roberts who married Sophrona Cook (6) George Washington Roberts who married Elvira Jane Denton (7) William Jefferson Roberts who married (1st) Elizabeth (Betsie Ann) Swindell (2nd) Josie Brook. (8) Mary Jane Roberts who married Thomas Johnson (9) Elizabeth Keathley who married James W. Swindell.

Thomas was in a tax record in 1833 in White, Tennessee, United States.^[1]

Thomas was in a tax record in 1836 in White, Tennessee, United States.^[2]

In the 1850 census Thomas (age 41), Farmer, was in District 3, White, Tennessee, United States.^[3]

Name	Sex	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Thomas Roberts	M	41	Farmer	Virginia
Mary Roberts	F	40		North Carolina
Milly Roberts	F	19		Tennessee
James Roberts	M	17		Tennessee
Sarah Roberts	F	15		Tennessee
Joseph H Roberts	M	12		Tennessee
George W Roberts	M	10		Tennessee
William J Roberts	M	8		Tennessee
Mary Jane Roberts	F	6		Tennessee
John W Roberts	M	4		Tennessee
Elizabeth Roberts	F	0		Tennessee

Thomas is buried in Mount Gilead Cemetery, White County, Tennessee, United States with a death date of 7 Jul 1852.^[4]

Research Notes

• I added some more of the children but I believe someone added John Cantrell as a son, not sure if he is or not? I could be wrong but it does not fit , I did not put some of the ones that died young , I did add Mary but not her husband Thomas Johnson , the records for him are a mess will come back to it as it does need to be sorted.
• Thomas was in a record on 1 September 1852 in White, Tennessee.^[5] An earlier date on document is 9 Jan 1830.

Sources

1. ↑ Tax Record: "Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895"
   The Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, Tennessee; Early Tax Lists of Tennessee
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2883 #152247 (accessed 29 April 2023)
   Name: Thomas Roberts; Residence Date: 1833; Residence Place: White, Tennessee, USA.
2. ↑ Tax Record: "Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895"
   The Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, Tennessee; Early Tax Lists of Tennessee
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2883 #154184 (accessed 29 April 2023)
   Name: Thomas Roberts; Residence Date: 1836; Residence Place: White, Tennessee, USA.
3. ↑ 1850 Census: "1850 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1850; Census Place: District 3, White, Tennessee; Roll: 900; Page: 30a; Line Number: 28
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8054 #6932248 (accessed 19 July 2022)
   Thomas Roberts (41), Farmer, in District 3, White, Tennessee, USA. Born in Virginia.
4. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #21575653 (accessed 19 July 2022)
   Memorial page for Thomas E Roberts (14 Oct 1808-7 Jul 1852), citing Mount Gilead Cemetery, White County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by C. R. Lane (contributor 46928647).
5. ↑ Land Record: "North Carolina and Tennessee, U.S., Early Land Records, 1753-1931"
   Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, Tennessee; Early Tennessee/North Carolina Land Records; Roll: 148; Book: X
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2882 #16158 (accessed 29 April 2023)
   Name: Thomas Roberts; Record Date: 1 Sep 1852; Location: White, Tennessee; Warrant Number: 11027.