Roberts

WRIGHT LITTLE ROBERTS
& Elizabeth Horton

Excerpts from Roberts of Roane Co.TN, and Roots of Roane County, by Snyder E. Roberts

Wright Roberts was one of the first permanent settlers in present-day Roane County. He was a contemporary of Elias and Zaccheus Roberts, and a neighbor to Elias Roberts, but no family connection has been found.

WRIGHT L. ROBERTS was born 1771 in VA, and he married ELIZABETH HORTON (1776 VA--aft. 1850). His name first appears in Roane about 1796 in survey records as a chain bearer. His second child was born in Roane in 1796. He first bought from Stockley Donelson (Knox Co. Book F, p 152) 200 acres on the north side of the Clinch River dated January 2, 1799. Wright bought slaves (Book C, p. 148), and bought two tracts of land from Lemuel Harvey on the south side of Clinch in the Poplar Springs Church area, where he lived until his death March 4, 1847. He was a charter member and Deacon in the Poplar Springs Baptist Church organized in 1826. His wife and children are listed in his will dated 1847 on record at Kingston. After Wright's death in 1847, most of his children left Roane County and TN before 1850.

The 1805 Roane County Tax List included Right, Elias, Zaccheus, John, William and Thomas Roberts. Wright Roberts is shown on the 1812 Enumeration list of Capt. Matlock and Capt. Walker's Company.

A Hezekiah Roberts was a Revolutionary War Soldier from VA. and may have been kinsman of Wright, John and William Roberts. If not brothers, were very closely associated. There is possibility that Wright was related to Elias and Zaccheus Roberts. The three bought land at approximately the same time in the area along Clinch River.

His will, signed 4 March 1847, mentions these children: JOHN S ROBERTS, WILLIAM ROBERTS, DAVID ROBERTS. RACHEL ROBERTS, POLLY ANN ROBERTS, ELIZABETH ROBERTS. Then he gives all his negroes to John S. Roberts, William Roberts, David Roberts, Rachel Boake, Sofiah Holder, Polly Ann Dugger, Elizabeth Manning, Mahala Dugger. A son, Samuel E. Roberts predeceased him, and his sons are John and Elisha

Children:

Sally Roberts (12-28-1793 - died as a child)

John S. Roberts (7-22-1796) married Charity Johnson. John S. died in Perry County, TN, about 1828. His widow and most of his children remained in Perry County, but one son, WRIGHT LITTLETON (1829) returned to Roane and married (1852) Margaret Ann Keller. They had 8 children, including Cornelius "Bud" Roberts (1859) who was a preacher and singer.

William S. Roberts was born 28 September 1798 Knox Co. (now Roane). Wright Roberts family records show him as having married (1/26/1821) Lavina Roberts. The marriage records at Kingston show her name to be Zerviah Roberts. Records indicate that he married, 2nd (10/12/1830) Letitia MILLER (1813). In 1848, William was living in Bradley County, TN, and sold his interest in his father's estate to his brother, David.

In the 1850 Roane census, William S. is shown as living in the old 14th District, 3 houses distance from Elias Roberts' widow, Rebecca.
The census lists these children:
GRANVILL, SUSAN, SYDNIA M., SAVIRA, ELIZABETH, MARGARET.

{Note from Pat McDonald: **I suspect first wife was dau of Littleberry Roberts??}**
Camden County, MO 1860 census shows: Letitia (Loutia) ROBERTS 53 F TN Greenvile (Granville) D 25 M TN Sydney M. 21 M TN Elizabeth S. 16 F GA Margaret 13 F TN Rebecca R. 5 F MO Letitia ROBERTS (nee Miller) was widow of William S. ROBERTS (son of Wright Little & Elizabeth (Horton) ROBERTS. Our Susan Roberts was married to John A. Elmore on July 20, 1854, and died in 1859. I believe this is our Susan Roberts...can anyone prove or disprove this? Does anyone have any additional or different information?