Margaret Ann Emerson

MARGARET ANN EMERSON ROBERSON

This is a reproduction of a badly damaged tintype photograph of Margaret Ann Emerson, who married Thomas Walker Roberson, Sr. in or near Franklin County, Tennessee. We think that Margaret Ann, whose nickname was "Peggy," was born around 1807. She died on March 20, 1893, and is buried in the old Duffau Cemetery near Dublin, Texas (near Stephenville). Her father's name was James Emerson (Emmerson), possibly born in Virginia, and her mother was Mary (possibly Mary Elizabeth) Emerson, born c. 1783, in Ireland or South Carolina. Thomas and Peggy Roberson's first child, Mathew Newton (named after Thomas's father) was born on November 20, 1827, so the couple most likely married at least a year or two before that date.

This picture of Margaret Ann "Peggy" Emerson Roberson was taken much later.
It is a portion of a tintype of her with her husband Thomas Walker Roberson.
They lived in Texas at this time.

This picture was made from a tintype of Thomas Walker Roberson Sr.
and Margaret Ann Emerson Roberson, probably in the 1880s.

This is a picture of Margaret Ann in later years.

We have the following information on the family of Margaret Ann Emerson and husband Thomas Walker Roberson
(also see Family Chart):
Husband: Thomas Walker "Tom" Roberson Sr.
Birth Date: 7 Nov 1804
Birth Place: South Carolina
Death Date: Jan 1889
Burial Date: Jan 1889
Burial Place: Duffau, Texas Cemetery, Erath County, Texas
Father: Mathew Newton Roberson (date of birth unknown - died before 4 Apr 1832)
Mother: Anne Roberson (dates unknown)
Mathew Newton Roberson's father's name was David Roberson, who came from the Abbeville district of South Carolina.

Wife: Margaret Ann "Peggy" Emerson
Birth Date: Nov 1807/1810
Birth Place: South Carolina/Tennessee
Death Date: 20 Mar 1893
Burial Place: Duffau, Texas Cemetery, Erath County, Texas
Father: James Emerson (Emmerson)
Mother: Mary (Elizabeth?) (1785- )

Marriage Date: Circa 1825/1826
Children: Matthew Newton "Newt"
Margaret Mary Ann
Jerusia Adaline "Addie"
James E. "Jim"
Sarah
Elmina Francis
William Reed "Buck"
Martha Elizabeth
Lucinda Malinda C.
Thomas Walker "Tom"

Thomas and Margaret Ann Roberson's tombstone is located at the
Duffau, Texas Cemetery, Erath County, Texas (south of Stephenville).

In the 1830s the two sons of Mathew Newton Roberson, Thomas Walker and William Magee, and their families moved to Tippah County, Mississippi, near what is now Ripley. The families are listed in the Census records of Tippah County with the spelling "Robinson." Thomas's and Margaret Ann's first five children were born in Tennessee, and the last five in Mississippi. The occupation of the two brothers, as far as we know, was farming. Thomas's property was listed in the 1850 Tippah County Census as worth $1200, which would have been a respectable size farm in those days.
The 1850 Census of Tippah Co. Mississippi lists the following:
Thomas Robinson, 45, M, Farmer, b. SC
Mary Ann, 40, F, b. TN
Jas., 15, M, b. TN
Sarah, 13, F, b. TN
Francis, 11, F, b. TN
Wm., 10, M, b. MS
Martha, 6, F, b. MS
Malinda, 2, F, b. MS

Wm. Robinson, 28, M, Farmer, b. TN
Pruly (Prudy), 28, F, b. TN
Jas. M.N., 9, M, b. MS
Nancy, 7, F, b. MS
William, 3, M, b. MS
Thos. H., 1, M, b. MS

In the late 1850s, the families who were in Mississippi moved to Erath County, Texas. The journey was no doubt long and tiring, traveling many miles in oxen-drawn wagons. They were part of a large group of settlers who followed the road west to Texas as the word of available land reached them. Information from the descendants of the William Magee Roberson family indicate that the two families arrived in early 1859 and settled at the head of Little Duffau Creek near the small community of Duffau. William's family settled four miles west of Duffau and Thomas's family settled four miles east of Duffau. Each family built log cabins for their families.
The 1860 Census of Erath County, Texas, Beat Two, lists the following:
Thomas Roberson, 56, b. SC
Peggy A., 53, b. SC
James E., 23, b. TN
Elmina Francis, 19, student, b. TN
William R., 17, b. MS
Martha E., 16, b. MS
Malinda C., 12, b. MS
Thomas W., 7, b. MS

The same 1860 Federal Census of Erath Co., Texas (Squaw Creek), lists:
William M. Roberson, 40, b. TN
Prudence W., 38, b. TN
Mathew, 18, b. MS
Nancy G., 16, student, b. MS
William L., 14, b. MS
Thomas H., 12, b. MS
Matilda L., 10, b. MS
Samuel M., 8, b. MS
Sarah A., 5, b. MS
John W., 2, b. MS

This same family is listed in the 1870 Census, Erath County, Texas, with Mathew and William not listed. (We may assume that they were married or not living at home.) Additions to the family were George, 9, b. MS, and Burelson, 5, b. MS.

Family Chart of Margaret Ann Emerson and Thomas Walker Roberson (Sr.)

For comments or questions, please email: WEBMASTER

February 2002

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