Genealogy: Finding Your Folks

Readers share Roberts, Stone family information

Judy Fowler Kilgore is the religion editor and genealogy columnist for The Citizen. She regrets that time does not permit her to do personal family research for others. She may be reached at jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

As promised two weeks ago, I’m sharing Mike Roberts’ family of Tennessee this week. Mike, who lives in Spartanburg, S.C., wrote and asked about tips on getting started and making contact with other researchers. His letter suggested the topic for the past two columns.

I normally don’t run letters about folks who were not in the Atlanta metro area, unless the writer of the letter is presently a resident of our readership area, namely Fayette, Coweta or South Fulton County. But I was so grateful to Mike for suggesting a column topic, I told him I would make an exception in his case. Mike’s information on the Roberts family appears below.

Also, more information and another contact on Wilkins Stone has surfaced in a letter from Ed Stone of North Carolina. Wilkins, you remember, was the gentleman who “disappeared” from Meriwether County, leaving his wife to believe she was a widow, then surfaced later in Illinois and Arkansas with another wife and family. Very interesting family story.

First, the letter from Mike:

“Dear Judy,

“I am trying to get into my family and know just a little about my ancestors. With this little that I have collected, what is the best way to get feelers out to the right people that could help tie in the links etc.?

“I am sending my first efforts at collection the ones that I know of. I do have some background information on most of these that are listed that might help if I found someone to converse with that is into the Roberts clan.

“Thank you for any help. Paul M. (Mike) Roberts, (pmikeroberts@charter.net.”

I wrote to Mike privately first, then added all the tips on beginning genealogy which you read about in the past two weeks’ columns.

Mike’s information on his family said that his earliest known Roberts ancestor was James Roberts, b. cir. 1790 in Tenn., d. cir. 1868, married Nancy Ramsey Rogers b. cir. 1786 in Va., d. unknown. James and Nancy were the first white couple married in Sequatchie Valley, Tenn.

Nancy was the daughter of William Rogers, b. 14 Oct. 1763, d. unknown, and Rosanna Heard. Mike added a note that there may be a question here but Rosanna Heard is probably correct.

The children of James and Nancy Roberts included: (Children 1-4) two sets of twins who died in infancy; (5) Susan Roberts; (6) Catherine Roberts, b. cir. 1812; (7) Rosa Roberts, b. cir. 1813; (8) William Commodore Roberts, b. cir 1818; (9) Mary Webb Roberts; (10) Mary Jackson Roberts; (11) Elizabeth Roberts, b. cir. 1820; (12) James Roberts (died unmarried); (13) Lydia Roberts; (14) Nancy Roberts (died unmarried); (15) Sampson David Roberts, b. 20 Mar. 1825 in Tennessee, d. 21 March 1881; (16) Champion Emanuel Roberts, b. 1828; (17) Elizabeth Parham Roberts; and (18) Patience Igou Roberts, b. cir. 1829.

Child number 15, Sampson David Roberts, married Hester Ann Roe Ingram, 30 Nov. 1846. Hester was the daughter of Thomas and Nancy M. Ingram.

The children of Sam and Hester Roberts included four girls and two boys: (Children 1-3) Females who died in infancy. (4) James English Goodwin Roberts; (5) Rebecca Rosanna Roberts; and (6) Marshall Green LaFayette Roberts, b. 13 April 1865 in McLemore's Cove, Hawkins Co., Ga.

That concludes the research Mike sent on his Roberts family. I hope anyone who may connect or have further information will contact him at the above e-mail address. If you don’t have a computer, you may write to me at The Citizen and I’ll see that he gets it.

Our second letter concerns that rascal, Wilkins Stone, and his disappearing act from Meriwether County between 1860 and 1870. Ed Stone, who formerly lived in Newnan, writes;

“Dear Judy, I ran across your story about The Mysterious Mr. Wilkins Stone and it really interested me a lot. Wilkins was my grandfather's grandfather and just last week I visited Sarah Walton Stone’s grave to make some photos.

“I learned two things from you I did not know. I did not know that Sarah claimed to be a widow and that Wilkins moved to Illinois after he and Anna married. I had always wondered how he met a woman in South Carolina and was married at her home in 1866. It was a puzzle to me and can only bring on speculation. I did know about Arkansas but missed the 10 years in Illinois.

“Sarah Stone's headstone is engraved with the words, ‘Sarah, wife of Wilkins Stone.’

“I lived all my life in Newnan, Georgia but the past 10 years I have lived in Greensboro, N.C. I used two weeks of Christmas vacation to do some ancestry research in Troup and Meriwether. I got some good help at the Troup County Archives helping me locate old family grave sites.

“Again, let me say I really enjoyed your article and appreciate it very much. Best wishes for a happy 2005. Ed Stone (Ed.Stone@Takata.com).”

It always makes me feel good when someone out of nowhere finds the column and a discovers a family connection. Makes me feel even better when we have some information they didn’t have and can use. Thanks for taking the time to write, Ed. I really appreciate it.

I welcome all letters and e-mails about genealogy and info on south metro Atlanta families. Send them to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; e-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com. Any letters and/or e-mails I receive are subject to being used in the column.

Until next week, happy hunting!