THE ROBERSON FAMILY

EARLY HISTORY

South Carolina to Tennessee

The earliest records we have of the Roberson family are of David Roberson and his family in Abbeville, South Carolina. Early in the 1800s, around 1809 or 1810, the family moved from South Carolina to Franklin County, Tennessee. There we find the family of David Roberson and his wife, whose name we do not know, with the following sons (as listed in his will): James Walker, Mathew Newton, Samuel, and David Jr.. There were daughters as well, not listed in the will. Isabella Roberson married Rev. Stephen Wilburn Donathan. Four other daughters are known to have married James Donathan, John Bingham, William Logan, and a Mr. Harrison. There is record of a probated will under the date of June 1, 1821 for David Roberson, which names the four sons. We have also found records in Franklin County of James Walker Roberson (David's son), date of birth ca. 1785, and his wife named Susan Farris.

Mathew Newton Roberson's (David's son's) date of birth is not known, but we know his death date to be before April 4, 1832. His will is recorded as dated November 12, 1821, and probated April 4, 1832. His wife is listed as Ann, with the names of the following children: David Walker (1804-1885), Sally, Malinda (Linda) C. "Luma" (1809-1882), Mathew Newton, James, Polly, Elizabeth (1820-), Nancy, Rhoda, and William Magee "Billy" (1819-1910).

We know that Mathew Newton Roberson was the father of Thomas Walker Roberson as well, but do not know why Thomas Walker Roberson is not listed in the will. Records show David Walker Roberson's date of birth to be 7 November, 1804. Thomas Walker Roberson was born in the same month. This leads us to believe that David and Thomas were twins.

Elizabeth Roberson (sometimes written as Robinson) married Joseph C. Cook on 10 January 1845. From Census records, we find the following children of Elizabeth and Joseph Cook: James H., Lucinda, Isaac, Blanche, Matthew, B. D. W. (son), Andrew J., and Ruth.

Thomas Walker Roberson was born in November 1804, in South Carolina and is buried in the Duffau, Texas Cemetery, Erath County, Texas. Thomas married Margaret Ann Emerson, who was born November 1807, in South Carolina or Tennessee. The couple married in Tennessee, in or around the Franklin County area. Margaret Ann died March 20, 1893 and is also buried in the Duffau, Texas Cemetery, in Erath County, Texas. We do not know her father's name, but her mother's name was Mary (Elizabeth?) Emerson, born 1785, possibly in Ireland. Mary Emerson may have been born in South Carolina or Tennessee. There is a James Emmerson who may be Margaret Ann's father.

The children of Thomas Walker Roberson and Margaret Ann Emerson include: Mathew Newton (Newt), Margaret (Mary Ann), Jerusia Adaline, James E. (Jim), Sarah, Elmina Francis, William Reed (Buck), Martha E. (possibly Elizabeth), Lucinda Malinda C., and Thomas Walker Jr. (Tom).

William Magee Roberson (youngest son of Mathew Newton Roberson, and brother of Thomas) was born October 14, 1819 in Tennessee, and married Prudence W. (Prudy) Rainwater Collie, (some think she was a full-blooded Cherokee, others disagree), on June 25, 1840. She was his first wife. The children of William Magee Roberson and Prudence Rainwater Collie include: James Mathew Newton, Nancy Jane Elizabeth, William Lewis Walker, Thomas Henry Buford, Matilda Lennie Katherine, Samuel Montgomery, Sarah Ann Frances, John Goins Washington, Joseph George Leander, and Walter Milton Burleson. William's second wife was named Elizabeth Raney (b. ca. 1825), whom he married on 6 Oct 1875.

Mississippi

In the 1830s, two of the sons, Thomas Walker and William Magee, moved to Tippah County, Mississippi, near what is now Ripley. The family is listed in the Census records of Tippah County with the spelling "Robinson." Thomas Walker was responsible for the upbringing of his younger brother from William's early teens. Thomas's and Margaret Ann's first five children were born in Tennessee, and the last five in Mississippi. Thomas Roberson's occupation, as far as we know, was farming. His 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

Westward to Texas

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 History Charts of the Roberson Family

Early Photos of the Roberson Families

Duffau Cemetery and Roberson Reunion 1997

Robinson Mystery Stone in Franklin County, TN

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Descendant of Elmina Francis Roberson.

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