Lawrence County KyArchives Deaths.....Roberts, Willis January 21, 1913
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Deanna Meeks http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00018.html#0004285 January 16, 2022, 12:39 pm


Name:                Roberts, Willis
Date Of Death:       January 21, 1913 Time: 4:07
Place Of Death:      Lawrence County, Ky
Residence:           Lawrence, Kentucky
Gender:              Male
Race:                W
Age:                 45
Marital Status:      Married
Spouse:              Webb, 
Date Of Birth:       March 18, 1867
Place Of Birth:      Lawrence, Kentucky
Mother's Name:       Adkins, Orpha
Mother's Birthplace: Pike, Ky
Father's Name:       Roberts, St Clair
Father's Birthplace: Tazewell, Virginia
Cause Of Death:      Pneumonia
Hospital:            Unavailable
SS Number:           Unavailable
Occupation:          Farmer and Stock Dealer
Funeral Home:        R.H. Kilgore
Doctor:              Rice
Coroner:             Unavailable
Informant:           J.W. Elkins
Date Of Burial:      January 23, 1913
Place Of Burial:     Roberts Cemetery, Star Route, Louisa, Ky
Date Recorded:       January 22, 1913
Source Of Record:    Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852-1965
Certificate No.:     2092

ROBERTS, Willis

By the death of Willis Roberts, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon at his 
residence at Cadmus, this county, Lawrence lost one of its most prominent 
business men. He was attacked by double pneumonia only a few days ago and in 
spite of the most skillful medical attention and nursing the end came, at the 
time mentioned. The funeral was held at 10 o'clock Thursday morning, with 
interment near the home of the deceased. Mr. Roberts is survived by his widow, 
who is a daughter of Levi Webb, of Webbville. He had been married twice, the 
first time to a Miss Ratcliff. Both wives had children, 6 of the 7 surviving the 
father. Willis Roberts was one of the best known men in the county. He was a 
storekeeper, a tock trader, a timber man and a large dealer in real estate, and 
through these various businesses he had come to be worth in the neighborhood of 
$40,000. He was a very shrewd trader but had the reputation of being square in 
his dealings. What he lacked in the education of the schools he supplied with a 
knowledge of human nature, the true value of the things he dealt in, the rise 
and fall of the market, and knowing when to buy and when to sell. He was a 
popular man, liked by all. He was a good husband and father, a kind neighbor, 
and his untimely death is much regretted.

 

Willis Roberts was the son of the late Sinclair Roberts, in his day one of the 
most unique characters in Eastern Kentucky. Totally without education, by native 
shrewdness and force of character he came to the front in the political history 
of this section as probably no other man ever did. He ran for the Legislature 
from this district and beat a man of fine ability, and fitness, a man of affairs 
and popularity. While a member of that body he introduced and had passed what 
was known as the fox scalp law, a law which gave a bounty for every red fox 
scalp offered as proof of the death of the animal. He declared in an address 
before the Legislature that the foxes were a hindrance to the spread of the 
gospel, in that they killed all the chickens, and that if there were no chickens 
in the country there would be no preachers. He had one trapped and sent to him 
alive at Frankfort. They turned the animal loose in a room in the capitol with 
some chickens and gave the assembled Solons an object lesson in the way the 
spread of the gospel would be blocked if Brer Fox were permitted to live. Big 
Sandy News, Jan 24, 1913

 

The funeral of Willis V. Roberts occurred on Thursday, Jan 23rd, and 
notwithstanding the very inelement weather it was largely attended, many coming 
from adjoining counties. The services were conducted by the Rev. C. M. Summers, 
of this city, who also preached an appropriate funeral discourse. The interment 
was made in a concrete vault on a point overlooking the old home of the 
deceased. Mr. Roberts is survived by his widow, 9 children, an aged mother, 3 
brothers and 4 sisters. Big Sandy News, Jan 31, 1913

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