SEVIER COUNTY, TN - WILLS - Journal of Walter P. Roberts

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Linda Roberts Neal 	ohiomom@ameritech.net
http://www.ameritech.net/users/ohiomom/tennessee.htm
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Contributor's Note:  The following journal was written by Walter P.
Roberts, a great-grandson of Isaac Roberts..I have tried to transcribe
it as close as possible to the original text. I have added notes and/or
corrections in parenthesis.

A Grandson's Journal

My greatgrandfather, Isaac, came from NC in the later part of 1700, dont
know who his wife was, but as far as I am able to get the correct data
the following children was born to them: Elisha Roberts who married
Grace Reed, Juda Roberts sister of Elisha married Joshua Williams a
resident of Sevier County, another daughter name unknown to the writer
married a Mr. Brown resident of Jefferson County, Tennessee but very
little is known other than that there is quite a few of her descendants
scattered in both Jefferson and Sevier Counties. Another son bearing the
name Isaac Roberts went to Texas and never married leaving quite a
fortune which Lawyers consumed and the heirs received nothing. This is
as far as I am able to trace our people.

Juda Roberts and Joshua Williams a resident of Sevier County and several
children were born to wit, Morton Williams, Houston Williams who both
married sisters, Hodges, one daughter Evaline who married John Rose a
resident of Knox County and their children being part owner and operator
of the D.M. Rose Lumber Company of Knoxville, Tennessee. Another
daughter married Andrew Pitner of Sevier County and several children
were born to this union, among them part owner and operator of the D.M.
Rose and Company Mills. (note: there are seven known children of Juda
and Joshua Williams).

The Family of Elisha Roberts and Grace Reed Roberts

Elisha Roberts married Grace Reed a resident of Sevier County, Tennessee
and the following named children was born to that union. Levi Campbell
Roberts was born December 13, 1827; John Sevier Roberts was born June 4,
1830; William Mitchell Roberts was born December 14, 1833; Nancy
Angeline Roberts was born May 28, 1835; Albert Galloway Roberts was born
June 1, 1837; Eli Harrison Roberts was born December 25, 1840; Elijah
Houston Roberts was born November 25, 1843; Sarah Jane Roberts was born
May 14, 1846 and Joseph Birdwell Roberts was born April 3, 1850.

Levi Campell Roberts the oldest son of Elisha and Grace was named for a
uncle of his on his mothers side. Levi C. Roberts was always a farmer
and lived and died very close to where he had lived for many years
before his death. In the latter part of 1840 he married Miss Russell
(Nancy Jane Russell) with whom he lived until her death in the year 1863
when she and a daughter as well as his mother (Grace Reed Roberts) died
from brain fever (meningitis) within a few days of each other and are
buried at Alderbranch Cemetery and to this union was born the following
children:

John Roberts being named for his Uncle John S. Roberts, the uncle being
exactly 20 years old when John Jr. was born. John Jr. grew to manhood
and married Delilah Denton, a daughter of Isaac and Mary Denton with
whom he lived until her death which occurred in Knoxville, Tennessee
about the year of---. Her remains being taken back to the Old Home
Cemetery which he had given and deeded as a Family Cemetery across the
road from his old home in Jefferson County, Tennessee. A year or two
later he married Belle (?) with whom he lived until his death which
occurred 1928. He being a little more than 78 years of age at his death.
There was no children to either of his wives, he was considered a honest
man and always did what he said he would do, he as well as his first
wife a member of the Methodist Church in the later part of his life was
very devoted and thought lots of his church.

The next son of Levi and Nancy was Samuel Houston Roberts carrying part
of his Uncle Houston's name in early life married Mary Letherwood
(Leatherwood) a daughter of John Sr. and Hannah Leatherwood with whom he
lived until her death in the year (?). Sometime after he married Ida
Rackard with whom he lived until her death, again he married a Mrs.
Widner of Knoxville, Tennessee where they resided until his death in
1926. He was buried at Seven Island he was also a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church and was a exorter for many years previous to
his death he was always considered a honest hardworking man, and always
lived on a farm.

Mary Jane Roberts the next in order married Jim Cowden and had several
children at her death, two in Knoxville, and one in Texas she was buried
at (?) another girl named (?) died about the same time her mother died
and was buried at Alderbranch. (There is only one headstone at
Alderbranch, so perhaps the young daughter was buried with her mother,
Nancy J. Russell Roberts).

John Sevier Roberts the second son of Elisha and Grace Reed Roberts
married Rachel Atchley and the following named children were born:
(Unfortunately this page is missing) John S. Roberts was a exorter in
the Methodist Church.

William Mitchell Roberts the third son when a young man joined the
Federal Army and served throughout and returned with his brother Eli H.
Roberts, who enlisted with him, and married Sarah Kear (Kerr) a sister
of his oldest brother's last wife. (Levi's second wife was Harriett
Kerr). William lived on Flat Creek and reared his family on part of the
Keer (Kerr) farm and farmed and served the 15 District as J.P. for
several years, was a member of Providence Baptist Church and was clerk
of the church for years. And died and was buried with his wife in what
is known as the Keer (Kerr) Cemetery (Family Cemetery) with his older
brother Levi C. Roberts. And to this union was born the following named
children:

Ulysis (Ulysses) Grant Sevier now living in Knoxville in charge of stock
room Cherokee Motor Company, Daniel Milton named in part for his
grandfather, Daniel Kear, Thornton L., Carry, Flara (Flora) Bertha,
Chlora (Chloe) and Zora and William Jr. Ulysis married Ida Kear, a
cousin, and a few years later she died and he married Miss (?) and is
now living in Knoxville. Milton married Kate Brock and had two boys one
who is living. Thornton L. lives in Knoxville and has been a city mail
carrier for several years and married Sue Lawson who died a few years
ago. Carry married Leonard Brock and had several children and lived near
Knoxville, Tennessee. Flara Ann married Pink Catlett and had quite a
number of children and is now living on a farm five miles below
Sevierville, Tennessee, Bertha married Lee Atchley and has children,
Cloa (Chloe) married a cousin and has children and lives in (?) Zora
married a Sutton and lives in (?) William Jr. married and was by
profession a Graduate Licensed Pharmacist and died from Mitral
regurgitation a few years ago while at work in a Chattanooga Drug Store
and brought back and buried in the Kerr Cemetery.

Nancy Angeline Roberts married Esq. N.B. Pate and there were two
children born a boy and a girl Clementine who in 1874 married Eli M.
Blair and there were four children born of this union: Walker W. Blair,
Lillie Blair Houser, Amos and William Blair, Mrs. Blair (Clementine)
later married about the year 1890 James H. Catlett but no children was
born of this union, she died at her home in Knoxville, Tennessee in the
year 1929 and was buried there. C.C. or Columbus Pate (Nancy's son) as
he is known now lives on the old Pate Farm where he was born and reared
being twenty years younger than his Uncle Eli H. Roberts both being born
on Christmas Day. He married Mollie Bird and six children had been born
to them the oldest Hettie died when small leaving Pearlie, Maggie,
George, Clifford and Josie. C.C. was as his father and mother before him
members of the M.E.C. She and her husband are buried at Union Grove
Cemetery.

Albert Galloway Roberts enlisted with his brother Eli in the army and
served until his death in the year 1863 when he died from measles and
pneumonia and is buried at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He never was married
but as I have always been told was engaged to have married Mary Atchley
a sister of John S. Robert's wife.

Eli Harrison Roberts was born in the year President Harrison was elected
and carried part of the name when 21 years of age joined the Army
returning home engaged in Teaching, traveling and in the year 1877 he
married Sallie Henry daughter of Sam and Martha Douglas Henry and four
children were born: Dr. A. W. Roberts being born August 1, 1878, Martha
Angeline born January 22, 1881, Hallie Deen born August 18, 1883 and the
baby Carrie Jane Roberts born March 18, 1886. A. W. Roberts, Martha and
Carrie are all married and Carrie had one child who died at the age of
one year. Hallie remained single and is living at Knoxville, Tennessee
and owns the Old Roberts Farm which has been in the family before the
turn of the century. Eli Harrison Roberts bought out the heirs of his
father and lived at the Old Place until his death on August 21, 1916. He
engaged in Farming and was U.S. Pension Attorney for years. Was elected
J.P. for the seventh district in 1906 and served until 1912 and refused
to make the second race on account of ill health. In the year 1915 a
cancer developed in his mouth and after taking treatment for some months
under a quack it broke out on his face. He died in the year mentioned
above. He never joined any church but said in his last days that he was
ready to die, his sympathy being with the M.E.E. Church and I am of the
opinion if he had every joined any church he would have joined it. He
was buried beside his wife in Alder Branch Cemetery where his father and
mother now sleeps. He was a man of splendid education of his day wrote a
good business hand and was of high temper and easley wrought up and was
not slow in telling you how he stood on any subject.

Elijah Houston Roberts, or as he wrote it H.E. on account of the same
initials as his brother, he reversed them, was of a different type from
that of his brother Eli H. Slow to anger and had very little to say, a
good citizen and a fine carpenter honest in all of his dealings, and
married to Elizabeth Atchley and there was born the following children
to wit: Jarusha (Jerusha) Mary Ann, Nancy, Tina (Sarah Clementina),
Jones, Laura, Bertha and Walter. Family all married and scattered
several years ago. He (Elijah) moved from the Alder Branch Settlement
and located in South Knoxville, Tennessee where he lived until his death
in 1908 and was buried near his home and later his wife died and was
buried with him. (Woodlawn Cemetery in South Knoxville) He was a member
of the B.C. (Baptist Church).

Joseph Birdwell Roberts the baby of the family being named for the
physician who delivered him. Born April 3, 1850. His father and mother
(Elisha and Grace Reed Roberts) died in the time of the Civil War, the
mother from brain fever (meningitis) and the father from dropsy supposed
to be the same as the son died from and after that he made his home with
his sister, Nancy Roberts Pate, and later with his brother Eli H.
Roberts, and during this time he taught a great many schools after his
marriage to Martha Bird 1892 he continued to teach for a few years and
was considered one of the best of his days and time, as also he was said
to have been one of the best disciplinarians and when necessary could be
stern and ridged but he knew enough of human nature of all children
couldn't have a education whipped into them, therefore he used the
milder punishment which is now considered to be the best, it is said
that he taught at least 10 years at one place in Jefferson County and at
different places in Sevier County, there was one son to his wife and him
and he bears the name of Columbus Radford (Bradford) Roberts and is
married and lives near his mother who survived the father and husband.
He was a member of the Union Grove M.E. Church and has been found at
Sunday School and Church of upward of 40 years was teaching the men
class for years, as well as treasury of the Sunday School. Joseph B. was
somewhat milder in temper than that of Levi C. and Eli H. but when made
mad was a very dangerous man feared neither man or devil and people who
were acquainted with him will attest to this fact for three or four
years before his death he had a leaky heart. He suffered a great deal
and finally dropsy developed and he passed away March 18, 1929 at his
house near Union Grove Church and was buried on March 20, 1929 in that
church yard. A very unusual circumstance accrued on the day of the
funeral an old lady and a friend of his, Mrs. Harrison Leatherwood, was
buried at the same hour both caskets carried into the church and funeral
service for both very nicely conducted by Reverend Glen Lapper, Pastor
in charge who spoke in beautiful terms of life and character of both,
very unusual for two people 97 and 79 years.