Henry Louis ROBERTS (21 Jan 1832-9 Sep 1898) +
Martha Susan ARMSTRONG (24 Feb 1831-12 Jan 1870)

Sarah Ann (4 Oct 1854-21 Mar 1923) — m. Samuel James Smith on 22 Feb 1872

Mary Melina (5 Feb 1855-13 Aug 1909) — m. Spencer Leroy Clark on 25 Feb 1875

Talitha Caroline (27 Sep 1858-1909) — m. William Riley Dority on 1 Feb 1878

Neomi Isabelle (16 Sep 1860-30 Oct 1932) — m. Charles Wesley Bell in 1879

Jacob Sherman (2 Jun 1865-18 Nov 1891)

Martha Melissa (16 Jan 1868-7 Jan 1964) — m. Robert Monroe Biggers on 22 Jan 1885

Henry was born in Monroe County, Tennessee, eldest of the nine children of Moses Roberts from Knoxville and Mary Ann Kyle from Sweetwater. He was presumably named for his maternal grandfather, Henry Kyle, Sr. The Roberts family moved from Tennessee to Lawrence County, Arkansas about 1849.

Martha was born in Marion County, Alabama, eldest child of Thomas Henry Armstrong from North Carolina and Margaret Malina “Peggy” Lockridge from South Carolina. Her family moved from Alabama to Mississippi between 1843 and 1845, and from Mississippi to Lawrence County, Arkansas by 1847.

The 1850 census found both the Roberts and Armstrong families in Lawrence County. Henry and Martha married there on 5 Jun 1853.

The 1860 census for Richwoods Township, Lawrence County listed Henry Roberts (29), wife Martha (29), and children Sarah A. (5), Mary M. (4), and Tabitha C. (2). As noted elsewhere, this was not the Richwoods Township in the modern Lawrence County. It was the one that includes the town of Ash Flat, in what’s now Sharp County.

The family might have been in Iowa during part of the 1860s, as son Jacob is listed as having been born there.

Martha died in January 1870. She’s buried in the Henry Roberts Cemetery, which findagrave.com says is “Located on old family homestead outside of Ash Flat. Three miles west of Main Street, just off of Peace Valley Road.” This is about two miles west of the Moses Roberts Cemetery where Henry’s parents are buried, and also not to be confused with the Roberts Family Cemetery in Izard County where at least one of Henry’s brothers is buried.

That summer, on 17 Jul 1870, Henry married Alpha Caroline Bell (11 Jan 1848-23 Sep 1885) from Tennessee (some said Kentucky), daughter of William Bell from North Carolina and Rebecca Williams. The 1870 census for Richwoods Township listed them: Henry Roberts (39), farmer, his new wife Alpha C. (22), and children Sarah E. (16), Mary M. (15), Tabitha (13), Naomi I. (11), Jacob S. (5, born Iowa), and Martha M. (2). I have no explanation for Jacob’s Iowa birthplace. Maybe the family moved west because of the war?

Henry and Alpha went on to have eight children:

John Wesley (14 Aug 1871-13 Jul 1934) — m. Cora Lee Fisher on 7 Mar 1900

Rebecca (22 Dec 1872-7 Nov 1889)

Margaret Elvira “May” (10 Oct 1874-12 Oct 1960) — m. James F. Gibson on 24 Nov 1895

Dora A. (28 Jul 1876-2 Nov 1877)

Ocena A. (7 Nov 1878-16 Dec 1879)

Louvina Florence “Lou” (9 Aug 1880-15 Jun 1957) — m. William Harvey Estes on 9 Sep 1898

Henry Louis, Jr. (26 Nov 1882-29 Jan 1959) — m. Cecile Lewallen on 31 Jul 1918

James Luther (11 Mar 1885-6 Dec 1974) — m. Donie Demarius Rowe on 16 Jul 1911

The 1880 census for Richwoods Township listed Henry Roberts (49), wife Alpha C. (32), and children Jacob S. (15), Martha M. (12), John W. (9), Rebecca (7), and Margaret E. (5). The four older girls were all married by this time.

Alpha died in 1885. Henry married for a third time on 29 Aug 1886 to Edith L. Wiles Evans (1840-12 Mar 1929) of Fulton County, widow of Robert C. Evans. They had no children together.

Henry died in 1898 in Ash Flat, Sharp County, Arkansas. He’s buried in the Henry Roberts Cemetery with his first two wives, his son Jacob, and daughters Rebecca, Dora, and Ocena. It appears that most of the individual graves lack legible markers, although Henry’s and Alpha’s are exceptions. A newer stone in this cemetery says, “In memory of Martha S. Armstrong Roberts, Sherman Roberts, Dora A. Roberts, Ocena A. Roberts, Charles Wesley Bell, Ammon Smith, Henry Bell”. It doesn’t list dates.

Edith died in 1929, and is buried with her first husband in the Wiles Cemetery in Ash Flat.

Children of Henry and Martha

Sarah Ann Roberts (1854-1923)

Sarah Ann married Samuel James Smith (May 1850-14 May 1909) from Tennessee in 1872. They lived in Richwoods Township, Sharp County, Arkansas until at least 1900 before moving to Oklahoma. Their children:

Martha Rebecca (19 Dec 1874-27 Jul 1929) — m. John Jacob Anderson on 10 Aug 1911

Arminda Ellen “Minnie” (7 Jun 1878-6 Sep 1908) — m. William Milton Orr on 30 Jun 1901

Mary Melissa (26 Feb 1881-30 Mar 1910) — m. Charles Newton Martin, Sr.

Theodore Sherman (21 Oct 1884-13 Aug 1964) — m. Gerthie Lee Mills

Samuel Arthur (13 Jan 1886-14 Apr 1941) — m. Lela May Bristow on 25 Jan 1920

Lacy Leroy (7 Apr 1889-1 Feb 1962) — m. Susie Odessa Davis

Asa Lavell (10 Mar 1891-14 Jun 1912)

Ernest Earl (2 Jul 1894/1895-27 Oct 1958) — m. Cora Miles in 191x

Golden J. (Jun 1899-190x)

Ammon (18xx-18xx)

The only evidence for son Ammon, who must have died young, is the undated marker in the Henry Roberts Cemetery.

Samuel died in 1909, presumably in Oklahoma. In 1910, Sarah, widowed, was head of household for six of her children and one of her late daughter Minnie’s in Stuart, Hughes County, Oklahoma. She died in Stuart in 1923. She’s buried in Pryor Cemetery, Ashland, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, the same place as her younger sister Talitha. At least two of her children, Theodore and Ernest, joined the family move to Kings County, California.

Mary Melina Roberts (1855-1909)

Mary has her own entry in the family tree.

Talitha Caroline Roberts (1858-1909)

Talitha married William Riley Dority (12 Jan 1855-18 Sep 1918) from Georgia in 1878. (The 1860 census for Richwood Township in Lawrence County listed the Dority family as “Dougherty”.) Their children:

Nathan Elkanah (29 Oct 1878-23 Aug 1883)

Julia Elva Cordelia (18 Nov 1880-2 Dec 1956) — m. Charles Childess Johnson on 3 Apr 1898

Susan Arribelle “Susie” (10 Feb 1882-30 Mar 1930) — m. David Walter Hutchens on 16 Dec 1900

William Walter (9 Mar 1884-28 Nov 1961) — m. Ordra Okalona Bottoms on 9 Jan 1905

Ora Agnes (5 Oct 1887-19 Jul 1983) — m. Andrew Jackson Scribner on 1 Mar 1903

Rhoda Mae (1 May 1890-29 May 1987) — m. Arthur Paul Scarbrough on 12 Apr 1908

Oscar (26 Dec 1894-12 Apr 1988) — m. Hazel Martha Bane on 16 Nov 1921

Florence D. “Florie” (27 Jan 1897-16 Jul 1985) — m. William Otto Bishop; m. George Allan Nichols

They remained in Arkansas until probably after the turn of the century, and then joined Talitha’s sister Sarah in the move to Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, a county created in 1907 on land taken from the Choctaw Nation. Talitha died in 1909, and is buried in Pryor Cemetery in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma.

William moved to California, where he died in 1918. Several of their children also moved to California, settling in Kings County and Fresno County.

Neomi Isabelle Roberts (1860-1932)

Neomi’s name is often rendered Naomi. She married Charles Wesley Bell (4 Aug 1852-16 Oct 1892) from Kentucky, younger brother of her stepmother Alpha, in 1879. They had six children:

Martha Rebecca (10 May 1879-23 Jun 1952) — m. George Edward Phillips on 5 Dec 1897; m. Alfred McGahey Biggers on 6 Jan 1919

Emma Isophine (10 Jan 1883-31 May 1949) — m. Henry Newton Owens on 17 Jan 1904

Margaret Molena (2 Jun 1885-11 Nov 1961) — m. Arthur Wallace Estes on 15 Dec 1907

Ida Nissa (20 Sep 1887-15 Nov 1973) — m. Earl Lamar Cannon on 26 Jan 1908

William Henry (1889-14 Dec 1890)

Rose Elender (19 Nov 1891-3 Oct 1966) — m. Arla Webster Murry on 22 Mar 1914

Charles died in 1892. The newer stone in the Henry Roberts Cemetery mentioned above indicates that Charles is buried there, along with son William Henry Bell.

Neomi in 1930 was living with daughter Ida and family in Oklahoma. She died in 1932, and is buried in Pryor Cemetery, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. Her three eldest daughters are buried in California, and the two younger in Oklahoma.

Jacob Sherman Roberts (1865-1891)

I don’t know what family events caused Jacob to be born in Iowa, or whether he married or had children before his death in 1891. He’s buried in the Henry Roberts Cemetery.

Martha Melissa Roberts (1868-1964)

Martha married Robert Monroe Biggers (16 Apr 1859-30 Nov 1941) from Tennessee on 22 Jan 1885 in Ash Flat. They had nine children:

William Elbert (2 Jan 1886-1 Sep 1958) — m. S. Babette ???

Ethel Maude (27 Aug 1888-26 Jun 1981) — m. Arthur Stanley Peterson

Arthur Sherman (1 Feb 1892-28 Jul 1935) — m. Ola Pryor on 12 Jun 1915

Shelby Otis (24 Nov 1893-26 Jun 1981) — m. Mamie B. Holder on 21 Feb 1921

Frank Merriwell (19 Jan 1897-2 May 1982) — m. Rose Belle Kindelberger on 29 Sep 1921

Josephine J. “Josie” (4 Aug 1899-28 Sep 1985) — m. James Everette Watkins in 192x

Robert Max (7 Aug 1902-12 Oct 1993) — m. Cornelia Mortensen on 15 Oct 1929

Henry Oscar (9 Apr 1905-23 Jul 1981) — m. Eldora Goodwin on 11 Jun 1926

Homer Harold (28 Jan 1908-29 Sep 1996) — m. Myrtle G. Goodwin

In 1900, Martha and Robert were living in Hardy Township. Around 1904, like Martha’s older sisters Sarah Ann and Talitha, they moved to Oklahoma. They remained there until at least 1910. They appear to have lived in Cabaniss, a small town an hour’s drive east of Oklahoma City, near Talitha and her family.

By 1920, they had moved to Armona in Kings County, California, in the Central Valley south of Fresno. By 1930, they were in Calabasas, Los Angeles County, west of L.A. proper, with only eldest son William still with them. By 1940 they were back in Armona, where they remained. Robert died in 1941. Martha died in 1964. She’s buried with Robert in Grangeville Cemetery, Armona, California.

Children of Henry and Alpha

John Wesley Roberts (1871-1934)

John, Henry’s and Alpha’s eldest, married Cora Lee Fisher (29 Dec 1880-27 May 1961) from Kansas on 7 Mar 1900 in Ash Flat. In the 1900 census, he and his new bride were living in the family place in Richwoods Township. They were sharing it with John’s younger brothers Henry Jr. and James, his sister Margaret Gibson, and Margaret’s son Ransom. Another Roberts family, headed by John’s uncle Jacob Roberts, was in the area.

John and Cora were still living in Richwoods in 1930. I can’t find any record of children. John died in 1934 and is buried in the Ash Flat Cemetery. Cora died in 1961 and is buried in the same cemetery.

Rebecca Roberts (1872-1889)

Rebecca died in 1889, age 16, and is buried in the Henry Roberts Cemetery.

Margaret Elvira “May” Roberts (1874-1960)

Margaret married James F. Gibson (1877-????) on 24 Nov 1895 in Fulton County. They had two children:

Ransom Newton (17 Nov 1897-19 Jun 1967)

Mollie (2 Mar 1904-14 Nov 1982) — m. Ray G. Waite in 192x

In the 1900 census, Margaret and Ransom were living with her older brother John Wesley Roberts at the family home in Richwoods Township, and James Gibson was nowhere in sight. They moved to Oklahoma in the 1900s. Margaret must have re-united with her husband there at some point (note Mollie born 1904), but they subsequently divorced. In 1910, Margaret was living with younger brother Henry in Stuart, Hughes County, Oklahoma, along with Ransom and Mollie, and James Gibson was still back in Richwoods Township.

The 1920 and 1930 censuses showed Margaret and Ransom living in Armona, Kings County, California, the area where her half-sister Martha lived. Mollie was with them in 1920. In 1940, Margaret was still in Kings County, alone, and Ransom was in prison in Stockton. By 1950, Ransom was out, working at a cannery and back to living with Margaret, who was listed as a widow. Margaret died in Kings County on 12 Oct 1960. Burial location is unknown.

Dora A. Roberts (1876-1877)

Dora died in infancy, and is buried in the Henry Roberts Cemetery.

Ocena A. Roberts (1878-1879)

Ocena died in infancy, and is buried in the Henry Roberts Cemetery.

Louvina Florence “Lou” Roberts (1880-1957)

Lou married William Harvey Estes (1 Mar 1878-17 Apr 1959) on 9 Sep 1898. They remained in Ash Flat. Their children:

Victor Garland (24 Jul 1900-25 Feb 1975) — m. Electra Amos in 1921

Flossie Agnes (18 Dec 1902-2 Apr 2000) — m. Dewey Milton Bates; m. Boss Reeves

James Everett “Jim” (28 Jan 1905-27 Apr 1995) — m. Mary Magdaline Amos

Andy Spencer (6 Oct 1907-1 Nov 1994) — m. Odessa Paden in 1936

Nevada Pauline “Vada” (31 Jan 1910-26 Jan 1995) — m. Orrel Simpson Jackson; m. Sidney W. Kidd

Ota Lee (18 Oct 1912-6 Nov 2009) — m. Walker W. Warren

Hayden Orvis (26 Jul 1915-19 Nov 2005) — m. Rexine Haskins about 1939

Imogene Gentry (5 Feb 1918-24 Feb 2005) — m. Kenneth W. Fowler

Claud Kirtley (4 Aug 1921-6 May 2006) — m. Willene Amos

Lou died in 1957, and is buried in Wiles Cemetery, Ash Flat.

Henry Louis Roberts, Jr. (1882-1959)

In 1910, Henry was living with his sister Margaret and her two children in Stuart, Hughes County, Oklahoma. On 31 Jul 1918 in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, he married Cecile Lewallen (26 Jun 1890-2 Jul 1990) from Arkansas. By 1920, they were renting a place in Fort Sumner, De Baca County, New Mexico. They had one child I know of, born in New Mexico:

Henry L. III (~1925-????)

In the 1920s, they followed Margaret and Martha and moved to Kings County, California, where the 1930 and 1940 censuses found them with son Henry III. Henry III became an accountant, and in 1950 was on his own and working for a soda water company. Henry II died in 1959 and is buried in Grangeville Cemetery, Armona, Kings County, the same place as his half-sister Martha. Cecile died in 1990 at the age of 100 and is buried with him.

James Luther Roberts (1885-1974)

In 1900, James was living in the family home in Richwoods Township with his brothers John Wesley and Henry and sister Margaret. In 1911, he married Donie Demarius Rowe (9 May 1890-4 Sep 1987) in Oklahoma. Their two children were born there:

Luvena Mae (26 Aug 1912-16 Oct 1987) — m. Wendell Grant Van Vleck

Milton J. (1915-????)

Like other members of James’s family, they moved to Kings County, California, where the 1920 through 1950 censuses found them. Son Milton was still at home in 1940, but disappeared thereafter. The 1950 census listed James as a cannery worker, like his nephew Ransom Gibson. James died in Kings County, California in 1974. Burial location is unknown.

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