I have only a few documents concerning Stephen Roberts -
He is on the Livingston County Tax List for 1808 and 1809:
1808 Stephen Roberts - - 1w 21+ 3 horses
1809 Stephen Roberts - - 1w 21+ 3 horses
(the blanks should list the number of acres he had, and the watercourse he lived on, so maybe he lived in a town?)
Then there is a marriage license for Elizabeth Roberts, in which he is (maybe) a bondsman:
(Elizabeth) Betsy - Johnston Lowry (X) - 30 Oct 1809 - both of this county
Stephen (X) Roberts - bondsman - but signed Stephen (X)Davis “as written”
Also signed by Johnston (X) Lowry. Test. Enoch Prince
And finally, there are the documents relating to the guardianship of his children:
[There is also a Stephen on the 1820 census for Livingston County, but surely that must be another man???]CO Book F, p. 20 - Monday, July 15th 1816 - Ordered that Jesse Roberts, John McKernon, ----- Menser be summoned to appear at next court and bring with them the infant orphants of Stephen Roberts, dec’d. to be dealt with as the law directs.
CO Book F, p. 26 - Monday, 19th August 1816. Ordered that Jesse Roberts be appointed guardian for Obadiah Roberts, Frances Roberts, Benjamin Roberts, Phereby Roberts infants orphans of Stephen Roberts dec’d. whereupon the said Jesse Roberts came into court and entered into bond with John McKernon his security in the penalty of $100 conditioned as the law directs.
-Court Order books transcribed by ET Stonecipher on visit to Livingston Co, Ky Courthouse - 16 Jan 19801816 Aug 19 - Jesse Roberts appointed guardian for Obadiah Roberts, Frances Roberts, Benjamin Roberts and Phereby Roberts, infant orphans of Stephen Roberts, dec’d and entered into bond with John McKernan his security
-Jerome, Brenda Joyce. Livingston County Estate Records 1799-1842. [Newburg, Ind: BJ Jerome, 2004 (Evansville, Ind: Evansville Bindery)]
I do not know for sure that the Obadiah Roberts mentioned as an orphan of Stephen is my Obediah. It has long been thought that my Obediah was the son of the Jesse mentioned above (Jesse did have a son Obediah), but an actual linkage has proved elusive. (There is no Kentucky census for 1790 or 1800. There is a male of the right age for Obediah with Jesse in 1810 - but not in 1820 (when Obediah might have been on his own anyway - aged 18-20). And Obediah was slightly out of step with the rest of the family - he moved to Illinois half-a-dozen years after all the rest of them, and apparently moved back to Kentucky again a few years later. I go back and forth on where I stand on this issue - I don’t think I can decide it with what I’ve got (my latest position is that our Obadiah was the son of Jesse - 30 march 2007) - but IF my Obadiah was the one mentioned in the guardianship paper above, then I need to find something about Stephen. I am making the following assumptions:
1. Stephen was related to Jesse - brother or cousin.
Not a son (one of the unknowns in Jesse’s 1810 census - born 1794-1800) because there doesn’t seem to have been time enough to have had all those children (22 years old in 1816 if born 1794) - although it is barely possible.
2. Therefore Stephen was from South Carolina.
Many of the settlers in Livingston County were from South Carolina so the assumption could be made anyway.
3. Stephen was born 1765-84
Jesse was born 1776 - his brother or cousin should? be in the same age group.
4. And of course, Stephen died before (or during) 1816
5. The children were born 1800 or later.
Maxine Lacy says an orphan, in Kentucky at that time, was someone 14 or younger - which would make the children born after 1802. That doesn’t fit my Obediah so well.
Censuses
For a complete (as far as I can make it) listing of Stephen Robertses over the years, see the Stephen Census page
Kentucky - I need to re -look up the census substitutes for Kentucky for 1790 and 1800 - I’m not sure I got all the Robertses (I wasn’t looking for the name Stephen.) He isn't in the lists I have copied - although a Stephen Davis was listed in Fayette Co in 1790, and in Bourbon County for 1800.
South Carolina
1790 - Orangeburg
Stephen (268) 1 2 5 - -
in the same county - Absalom, John jr and sr, Bartholomew, Roland, Solomon, William
right age group - wrong part of state IF the assumption is that our Robertses were from the Little PeeDee - of course, others of them (like Jesse) could have moved on. Although Jesse would still have been in SC at this time.
However, Orangeburgh is right by Barnwell, where there are several Stephens up until 1830 - so it seems more likely that this is one of the Barnwell Stephens and not Jesse’s Stephen.
On the third hand, about the Barnwell Stephen - there is a well-published family group that includes a couple of Stephens - BUT there is at least one Stephen in the census who doesn’t seem to fit with them. BUT again, he doesn’t seem to fit with ours either - too many children, too early.
1800 and onward -
Besides the Barnwell SC Stephens, the only other Stephens in the country cluster in New England, and they seem to continue (and spread out from) there. In 1810, there was a Stephen in Virginia, but the name continues there for several more censuses, so he is not a likely candidate.
In 1820, there is a Stephen in Livingston County (right place) aged over 45 (right age group) - but our Stephen was supposedly dead by then.
IN SHORT - I have found NO ONE in the censuses who might be this Stephen.
Nor have I found any other documents. He remains a total enigma.
New information as of 30 Mar 2007. There was a Stephen Roberts in Charleston who had a wife named Elizabeth - and the Kentucky Stephen had a probable daughter Elizabeth. He is possibly the brother of Thomas, a coachmaker, and William (no idea what his occupation was - there a couple of Williams in Charleston). Since both Jesse and brother Oba were saddlers (or at least apprentices to saddlers), this is a possible connection - they were all members of the artisan class. This is the documentation I have on him:
1787-8 - L&R from Henry Gaffkin et ux (Y-5, 225, Charleston)
1784-5 - Rt agt Mtge from Abram G Hammond to Stephen Roberts (N-5, 561)
1785 - L&Mtge to Henry Gafkin (P-5, 365)
P5-365-371 - Lease & mtge - 1-2 Jan 1785
Stephen Roberts of Charleston, carpenter & Elizabeth his wife
to Henry Gafkin cabinet maker
½ lot 261 no side Allen Sterrt
pr. 16 Aug 1785 - rec ditto
Thomas R leased other half of lot at same time
1786-7 - L&R to John M Hemley (S-5, 270, Charleston)
1787-8 - L&R from Henry Gaffkin & ux (Y-5, 225, Charleston)
1787-8 - Receipt to Martin Remley (Y-5, 241, Charleston)
1787-8 - L for 5 yrs from Rebecka Bampfield (Y-5, 395, Charleston)
Y5-395-397 - 9 Apr 1788
Rebecca Bampfield, Charleston, widow & exec of William Bampfield, merchant, dec to Stephen Roberts of said city, carpenter, for yearly rents, lease of lot assigned to Thomas and William Roberts, signed Stephen
1787-8 - L&R to Thomas Aikens (Z-5, 254, Charleston)
1787-8 - L&R to John Henry Grossman (Z-5, 443, Charleston)
1797-9 - Ren Dow to John Henry Grossman (U-6, 305, Charleston)
This Stephen doesn't seem to be on the censuses.
Two off the wall possibilities:
1. He is the Stephen Roberts in the 1820 census. He abandoned his wife (Nelly?) and children before 1810, (Nelly appears by herself in the 1810 census):
1810 Kentucky Livingston
Nelly 2000 3101 1 (2 m under 10; 3 f under 10, 1 f 10-16, 1 f 26-45; 1 slave)
2m under 10 - Obadiah, Benjamin
3 f under 10 - Frances, Phereby, Unknown
1f 10-16 - Unknown
1 f 26-45 - Nelly
Then reappeared in 1820 (after Nelly died) with a new wife.
1820 Kentucky Livingston Salem p. 11
Stephen Roberts - 200001 12010 01 (Ag)
2m under 10 new wife’s children
1f under 10 ditto
2f 10-16 Frances m 1821 if female, Phereby or Unknown?
1f 26-45 wife?
1m over 45 b bef 1775 Stephen?
Obadiah and Benjamin are missing (none of the orphans are with Jesse as far as I can tell - possibly they lived with Jacob Eison - he had a lot of extra people around?)
THEN he took off again - or died.
And considering he was such a bad hat, no wonder nobody named anyone after him.
2. He also went by the name of Stephen Davis.
This is a pretty silly scenario. But there is that marriage bond:
Roberts, (Elizabeth) Betsy - Johnston Lowry (X) - 30 Oct 1809 - both of this county
Stephen (X) Roberts - bondsman - but signed Stephen (X)Davis “as written”
Also signed by Johnston (X) Lowry. Test. Enoch Prince
And another:
Davis, Phereby - James Ferguson - bond 16 Apr 1805 - bondsman Wiley Davis
This Phereby is too old to be the 1816 orphan - but it does make a connection - she could be a sister to Stephen Roberts/Davis.
There is a Stephen Davis in Fayette County in 1790 and in Bourbon County (formed from Fayette) in 1800. There are three Stephen Davises in Kentucky in 1810 - in Fayette, Mercer, and Shelby - but none of them are likely candidates.
1810 Ky Fayette Lexington 43 - Stephen Davis 00121 00101
1m, 1f 16-26 / 2m 26-45 / 1m, 1f over 45
It depends on who the Stephen in the census is. If the eldest male, then he’s possibly too old - and he has no young ones to be orphans in 1816.
1810 Ky Mercer 320 - Stephen 10100 01100
this Stephen is a little young - 16-26 (b. 1784-94)
Also on this same page Jonah, Robert and Jesse Davis (Jesse - 10010 00010)
1810 Ky Shelby 236 - Stephen 10100 10100 - also in the 16-26 age group.
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Stephen’s Children:
This has been a pretty frustrating search, since I know so little about the people. I was more thorough with some than with others. Maybe I will come back to this sometime.
Elizabeth
born ~1794 (this assumes she was at least 15 when she married in 1809)
married 1809
Roberts, (Elizabeth) Betsy - Johnston Lowry (X) - 30 Oct 1809 - both of this county
Stephen (X) Roberts - bondsman - but signed Stephen (X)Davis “as written”
Also signed by Johnston (X) Lowry. Test. Enoch Prince
I haven’t had much luck finding her in censuses. Here is a what I found:
No good prospects in 1810. In 1820 there was a Lowry in Livingston County in 1820, but it looks as though it were Thos (page is blurred)
1820 Kentucky Livingston Salem 3
(Thos) Lowry 000011 00101
the younger female is in the right age group for our Elizabeth.
There is also a Johnson Lowry in Ohio
1820 OH Trumbull Poland
Johnson Lowry 000010 001
again, the right age group for Elizabeth
HOWEVER, there is a Johnston Lowery in Livingston County in 1830 - and in Trumbull County as well, so probably the Ohio one is not ours.
1830 Ky Livingston Smithland 24
Johnston Lowery 01000001 (50/60) 000001 (30/40)
- right age group for Elizabeth.
1830 Oh Trumbull Poland 242
Lowry, Johnston 10200001 (50/60) 20001 (20/30) - a little young
also on the same page in Ohio
Robert Lowry - 10200001 0110001
Polly Lowry - 02100 1112101
In 1840, Johnson Lowry is still in Trumbull County OH
1840 Oh Trumbull 193
Johnson Lowry 111000001 (60/70) 110101 (30/40)
There is also a Johnson Lowry in Calloway County, Ky
1840 Ky Calloway 90
000000001 (60/70) 00000001 (40/50)
There is also an Elizabeth Lowery in Scott Co, Ky
1840 Ky Scott
00003 (20/30) 00000101 (30/40) (50/60)
on the same page - Abram - also in the 20/30 age group
(There were 2 John Lowrys in Scott Co in 1810)
In 1850 there is a Johnson Lowry in Tennessee - but his wife is Tabitha:
1850 TN Henry Dist 14 p. 370
Johnson Lowry 57 m farmer SC / Tabitha 56 Ky
There is a John Lowry with a wife Elizabeth in Mississippi in 1850. She is a little young to be our Elizabeth, but lying about one’s age is not a new invention:
1850 MS Chickasaw Western
John Lowry 57 m farmer SC / Elizabeth 52 SC / William 21 GA / Elizabeth 18 Ga / Sarah 16 GA / David 13 Ga
My conclusions/guesses:
The 1830 Johnston Lowery in Livingston is her husband - and that being so, she can’t be the person in Ohio. I think it possible that she and her husband were living with Thos? in Livingston County in 1820. And it is possible that they were the ones in Calloway County in 1840 - Calloway is in the same general area as Livingston County (Livingston on the north border, Calloway on the south).
Elizabeth on the census is always in the 1790-1800 age group - and since she married in 1809, she’s probably closer to the 1790 number. Combining the censuses gives Johnston a probable birth-date of 1774-1780.
They don’t seem to have had many children - or perhaps they had many infant deaths, poor things. The only child shows up in 1830 - a boy, aged 5-10 - but he is not with them in 1840 (if they are the ones in Calloway).
It doesn’t seem as though any of the 1850 people are them. Elizabeth would have been 50-60 and Johnston 70-80, so that is not terribly surprising, especially since many Robertses died young.
Stephen?
No document, but there is a Stephen in the 1820 census - who actually seems a bit old to be the brother.
If this Stephen were the brother of the orphans, perhaps the younger children are his brothers & sisters, with the ages messed up a bit? Because the orphans are NOT living with Jesse (the guardian appointed for them in 1816) in 1820
1820 Kentucky Livingston Salem
p. 11 Stephen Roberts - 200001 12010 01
2m under 10
1f under 10
2f 10-16
1f 26-45 wife?
1m over 45 b bef 1775 Stephen?
If we forget about this particular Stephen, and look instead for a Stephen born ~1800 in Kentucky or South Carolina, there are a couple of possibilities - but they don’t get us much further.
Possibility 1 - in Indiana - this one seems too young for an older brother -
1840 - Ripley, Rush
1850 - Stephen Roberts Indian Creek, Monroe, IN abt 1810 Kentucky
p. 346 - Stephen 40 farmer Ky / Polly 40 Ky
Elizabeth 16 / James 11 / Lolletha 12 / Aaron 10 / John 8 / Nelson 6 / Minerva 4
kids all b. Ind (1834 Eliz)
1860 Indiana Martin Baker Twp (Mt. Springs) 867
Mary 48 f Ind / Aaron 19 farm lab / John 16 / Nelson 15 / Manerva 11 / Mary 7
same page - Nelson 29 Ky / Caroline 22 Ind / Marshall 5 / Levi 5/12
Possibility 2 - in North Carolina - there is a Steven born ~1801 - but born in NC
Possibility 3 - in Ohio - there is a Stephen born ~1801 - but born in MD
Possibilities 4 & 5 - In Iowa - but they were born 1808, 1809 in ME
Possibility 6 - in Missouri (Platte County) - in 1840 only, in the 30-40 age group
However, as I said, none of these possibilities is particularly illuminating.
Obadiah
If we are looking for an Obediah born ~1800 then the only one that seems to match is my Obediah. There was an earlier Obadiah, more of an age to be a brother of Jesse’s (he died in 1811), who had dealings in Bourbon, Christian, and Livingston counties. He married the daughter of Bartholomew Wood, and had (sons) Joshua, Joseph, John, Elijah and James, and daughters Frances (married James Elliott) and Nancy (married John McFaddin).
There is a tempting candidate who shows up in Missouri in the 1830s in Clay County, and then moves (or the county name changes - I haven't checked the Missouri county formation info yet) to Andrew County in 1850:
1833 Jan 24 -
Obediah Roberts - Elizabeth Edwards - 24 Jan 1833 (Henry Hill, MG Baptist)
Clay County, MO marriage records
1840 Mo Clay - p. 6 Obidiah Roberts 110001 10001
1850 Missouri Andrew Nottaway 29 - 11-11
Obadiah Roberts 41 farmer KY / Elizabeth D 36 Ky
John M 16 farmer / Sarah N 13 / James A 10 / Frances J 8 f / Eliza A 4 / Marinda 2 - all MO
1860 Jefferson (p. 20 - 175?)
162-154 - Obidah Roberts 52 farmer Ky / Elizabeth 45 Ky
Sarah 23 / James 19 / Jane 17 / Ann 14 / Annette 7 / Obidah 5 - all MO
However, this Obediah seems to be connected to Arnett Roberts. And it's too bad because there is a Benjamin (right age to be a brother) eventually in the same county, but he seems to be connected to Gideon Roberts. I haven't had any luck in tracing his possible father Arnett, but his probable brother Arnet (who had a son named Obed) is mentioned in the Roberts GenForum site.
10 Feb 2007 - Finally, there is an Obediah, of about the right age, born in South Carolina, found in Arkansas (I had been assuming this Obediah was born in Kentucky but probable father Stephen didn’t start showing up in records there until 1808 or so)
1830 Arkansas Philips St Francis 118
Obeidah Roberts 0000110010
1840 Ark Philips Richland 56
Obediah Roberts 210012 00101
1850 Ark Philips Independence 170
39-39 Obediah Roberts 48 SC
Nancy 35 Ky
Benjamin 18 / Frances 13 / Stephen 10 / Elizabeth 8 / Mitchel 6 / Squire 4 - all Ark
Look at those names! AND there is a Benjamin Roberts in the same general location.
Frances
Male or female? In 1821, in Livingston County, Fanny Roberts married Abraham Neill (Neal) (21 July 1821)
---In 1820 (before she was married), there was a Neal living next to Jesse. I can’t read the first name:
1820 Ky Livingston Salem 8
Neal — 121200 01110 02
---In 1830 and 1840, there was an Abraham Neill in Johnson County, Illinois
1830 Il Johnson p. 70 120001 0001
(male 30-40; female 20-30 - right age group for our Frances)
1840 Il Johnson p. 411 (indexed as Null) 2102001 201001
I tried looking for an Abraham Neal/Neil/Neill in 1850 but didn’t have much luck - never found one with a wife Frances. (There was one in Massac Co, Il - maybe with a new wife?: However, there should be a few more children:
1850 Il Massac 252
523-523 Abraham Neel 55 SC / Louisa 39 SC
Bennett 15 / Joshua 14 / Julia A 12 / Charlotte 8 / John 1 / Parthenia 7/12 - all b Il
ET Stonecipher, who did some research for Maxine Lacy, looked at marriage records in Livingston County, and has Frances Roberts marrying a William Neal. Unfortunately, I had as little luck finding William and Frances as I did Abraham and Frances.
Benjamin
There are plenty of Benjamin Robertses, and I haven’t really been able to make much headway.
In 1850, I found a nice suspect in Indiana:
1850 Indiana Morgan Jackson 103
Benjamin Roberts 39 m farmer KY / Elizabeth 40 KY
Gideon 18 Va / Margaret 14 Va / Rebecca 12 / John 11 / Malinda 9 / EJ 6 /
JM 4 / Joseph 1 // Gideon 78 NC / Malinda 78 Ga?
next door : Joseph 35 Ky / Milly 34 Ky
Elias 16 / Martha 13 / Albina 8 / Samuel 6 / David 3 / Ezariah 1
but it looks as though Gideon must be the father (possibly the Gideon who was in Pulaski County, Ky in 1810 and 1820).
This Benjamin moved to Missouri by 1860:
1860 Mo Andrew Jackson (101) 457 - PO Fillmore
726-710 - Benjamin Roberts 48 Ky farmer
Elizabeth 51
Jno 21 / Elizabeth 16 / James 13 / Joseph 11 - all IND
nest door - Gideon Roberts 28 - with Jno Townsand 24 / Malinda 18 and Spencer Dorr 7
1870 MO Andrew Jackson
142-147 - Roberts, Benjamin 59 farmer KY / Elizabeth 60
Joseph 21 Ind / Mason 23 Ind / Rebecca J 20 Mo
Landsrum, Sally 15 / Elizabeth 14 / James H 10 - all MO
And it's a terrible shame that Gideon seems to be his father, because there is an Obediah, also born in KY - and just the age to be Benjamin's brother- in the same county. However, it looks as though Obediah's father might have been Arnett Roberts. Sigh. (According to a Rootsweb file by Timothy Chase, this Benjamin was b 24 July 1811 and d 6 July 1887. His father, Gideon, was b 1774 and married a woman named Malinda. Gideon's father, according to this file, was Humphrey, of Virginia or North Carolina.)
10 Feb 2007 - But if we do not assume Benjamin was born in Kentucky, we find one living in the same county and county as an Obediah-not-born-in-Kentucky:
1830 Ark Phillips Walnut 123 - Benjamin Roberts 00001 1001
1840 Ark Phillips Walnut 58 - Benjamin Roberts 210002 01101
1850 Ark Phillips Richland 150
Benjamin Roberts 45 farmer SC / Sarah 32 Pa? Ga?
Obediah 18 / GW 12 m / FM 10 m / Newton 8 / Oleaner 2 f - all Ark
Rebecca Davids 10 Il / John H 8 Ky / Benilla 6 Il Sillistia C 4 Il
1860 Ark Phillips Bear Creek 427 Jeffersonville
Ben Roberts 55 SC / Sarah 41 Ind
FM 20 Ind
John David 18 Ky / Seelestia David 14 Ill
July A Roberts 9 / Fanny 7 Susanna 4 / Sarah 1 - all Roberts all Ark
Phereby
At first I thought that Phereby was a mis-spelling of Phoebe, but it seems to have been a name in the Davis line for a couple of generations - and it is occasionally found among the Robertses.
I have had NO luck at all with the orphan Phereby Roberts, b. after 1802.
I did look for the Phereby Davis, who married James Ferguson in 1805 and this might be her in 1810:
1810 KY Livingston Smithland 158 (727)
James Ferguson 30010 00100 07
3m under 10
1f 16-26 1784 - 94
1m 26-45 1765 - 1784
In 1820 there are several Fergusons in Livingston County. One, indexed as Martin, but looked to me like Charles
1820 Ky Livingston Salem 8
Charles/Martin Ferguson 110010 32010
This is on the same page as Jesse Roberts and an unreadable Neal.
Also in Robinson’s Parish (p 23) there are three more:
Charles? 210011 22010 01
Wesley? (and I’m not sure the last name is Ferguson) 000200 010100 49!
Hamlet 000010 -----
And there is possibly a Ferguson possibly a Flanigan, possibly St. James? (or the writing may have been scraped off?) 220010 03001
There is a James in Gallatin County, Illinois (I looked in Illinois because Jesse moved there)
1820 Il Gallatin
James 410010 40100 This female is really too young (16-26) to have all those children!
In 1830, Illinois
1830 Il Knox
James 000001 (30/40) 222001 (30/40) - a little young, but just possible
There were a lot of Fergusons in Calloway County, Missouri in 1830
1830 Mo Callaway 65 - Moses, Joshua, Susan, Moses, John
James 100001 (30/40) 10001 (20/30)
This one is really too young - and in 1850 there is still a James Ferguson in the same county:
1850 Mo Callaway Dist 12
James Ferguson 60 Ky / Catherine P 42 ? Me? / Mary F Price 11 Mo / Calvin Nichot? Va
The P could stand for Phereby, but she is way too young.
In 1850, in Tennessee:
1850 TN Macon Dist 6
James Ferguson 72 SC / Jane 75 SC
Alexander 30 TE / Margaret I 17 TE / Ellen 38 TE / William 47 wagon maker SC
Working backwards, there is a James Ferguson in 1820 in Jackson Co
1820 TN Jackson 131
James 220201 41
I don’t know what to make of this. And I am going to set it aside for now.
More stuff - it's too tenuous to call it info - on Phereby Roberts. I believe I got this from the online genealogies at Rootsweb.
Phereby Roberts ~1763 Orange Co, NC m Joshua Richmond - 4 Jan 1800
One listing has her as the daughter of John ~1730 Craven Co, NC m Sally Tapley ~1740 Orange Co, NC
Another listing has her as the daughter of John ~1718 Craven Pct, NC - Jan 1784 Caswell Co, NC
but what's 12 years among friends? EXCEPT that the second listing has the John who married Sally Tapley listed as Phereby's brother (born 1767 - d. after 1830)
Neither listing has a Stephen (or Jesse, or Obadiah) anywhere.
Another genealogical tangle. And I'm going to set it aside for now.
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