Roberts Roots & Branches

A through Z.  I hope that you have been able to learn about the research I have done.  I wanted to share some things that were not necessarily "research" or "family history", but were how or where I get my information.  These are the things that have made this journey so much fun and inspiring.  I hope that you have enjoyed reading these posts. It has been fun and I have been able to explore and share my creative side. I do wish there were more "R's" in the alphabet! Enjoy your day! P.S.  If your visiting please, Please, PLEASE leave a comment!  Remember the post entitled "Your Cheers"?

This blog is NOT to entertain you!!!! It is to inspire/inform/guilt/shame/irritate/antagonize/ and teach you! Together we can share/search/exchange/ collaborate/ and learn! Learn who your ancestors were. Learn where you came from by learning where they came from. Learn who you are by learning who they were. Learn how you fit in this world by learning how they fit in. Learn what you can become by learning what they did. Learn where & why they lived the way they did and it will teach you where & why you live the way you do. Participate. Take action. Do. It's not all done, there is plenty to do!

(note:  this article appeared in October 1977 written by Denice Wheeler--see source below.  John Richard Roberts worked at Cumberland located just outside of Kemmerer and Diamondville, Wyoming.) picture from here Cumberland, Wyoming. The medical profession as practiced in isolated mining camps during the late 1800's has little parallel to codes and ethics imposed on modern doctors.  In fact, this coal-mining town in southwestern Wyoming would not have had any medical services if a medical degree had been required.  F.L. McCarty was appointed camp foreman in 1900 shortly after prospectors had found coal in the area, and the Union Pacific Railroad had indicated an interest in buying all that could be mined. Mine Doctor To Mr. McCarty fell many duties, among which was acting as mine doctor.  The mine commissary became the doctor's quarters and hospital.  In the midst of the roughest kind of frontier life, lacking adequate tools and training, Mr. McCarty treated all ailmen

To link or not to link?  That is the question! When I was transcribing these census records below, I wondered if I should link the census records to the originals at FamilySearch.org or Ancestry.com. It would be great to do that, however, I cannot control the sites and eventually I believe that the links may be broken.  So, rather than to link, I have added enough source information that you will be able to go and search for the original.  In addition, if the name was misspelled, I have added that misspelling to aid in the search. Updates: The following are the updates to the various blogs: Jane Roberts (15) & Andrew Hamilton 1900, 1910, and 1930 census records here Isaac Roberts(10) & Janet Howie family census records here  Mary Elizabeth Roberts & Henry Walters family census records here Sarah Roberts & Joseph Jones family census records here Hugh Thomas Roberts & Esther family census records here Hugh & Margaret Roberts family timeline h

picture from here The above picture of zoo animals look so cute, however, the "zoo" I wish to expound on is not cute little animals!  It is an "animal" of sorts:  It is my loft.  --my genealogy stuff!  It includes my office/desk/copy machine/tables/credenza. My desktop/laptop/IPad/scanner/printer.  I have pictures/papers/documents/sources/correspondence. I have to do's: urgent to-do/soon to-do/someday to-do/to-do lists/to-do items/and what to-do with? I have books/files/magazines/notes/handouts/syllabus. I have CD’s/flash drives/even floppies. I have program software/clip-art/database collections. I have newspapers/copies of newspapers/newspaper clippings. I have journals/keepsakes/binders. I am so blessed to have a "genealogy space" in my house where no one touches or moves anything; however, I have exploited the blessing and have let it get blown out of control!  (Don't call Hoarders, or I'll be in the back of that dumpster

....mean ALOT to me!  It keeps me going.  I understand that not everyone has the opportunity, means, time, or experience to research as much as I am able to at this point in my life.  So, YOUR cheers, emails, letters, phone calls, comments on blog posts and financial donations are so appreciated.  Sometimes this work gets lonely, but YOUR reaching out to me has helped and it is so endearing. Thank YOU to everyone who supports me!  I love you! from here

(note:  English teachers don't panic; xtra is spelled wrong and xtra great is not proper! I know, but it was the only X word I could think of!)   from h ere Family history research is a long, time consuming hobby. The disappointments are many, and there are many times when you spend hours upon hours and find absolutely nothing. There are times when records are not available, you don’t have enough information or the name is so common that it is difficult to trace. So, I have listed some GREAT things that can happen while researching and some XTRA GREAT things that can happen! Enjoy! Great is when you find a document;           Xtra is when you notice another relative’s document is next! Great is when you remember to backup and save your files;            Xtra is when your computer automatically saves your changes. Great is having an ancestor with an unusual name                     Xtra is when they have an unusual given AND surname! Great is the technology to search da

picture from here Way back in the early days of my research I sent a letter to the Wyoming Archives with a list of several Roberts family members whose death certificates I wanted.  I enclosed a check and my contact information. About a week later, I received a call from a very sweet and kind woman at the Wyoming Archives.  I worried there was a problem as this was my first request for certificates. However, she explained there was no problem she just though it might be easier for her to read through all of the Roberts Wyoming death certificates from Uinta and Sweetwater County she had, so I could decide which ones I wanted.  She read through the list, I mailed her another check, and that is the story of how I received so many Roberts death certificates!

Many years ago my dad and his wife, Joe, and myself ventured down to Henderson, Nevada to interview and speak with William Henry Meacham, son of Letitia Roberts(35).  In fact I met Billy and his son, E., at his mother's funeral.  Each year in February for the past 9 years I have gone down to Las Vegs with my girlfriends.  While there I have stopped by to visit with "Wild" Bill Meacham.  He was always such a fun and lively character.  He had stories, photographs, quotes and lots of Roberts family information.  His home was your home.  He always wanted you to feel comfortable and at ease.  I miss visiting with Billy, and I miss his wife Ella Mae.  As Billy would always say, "...his claim to fame." For me Billy's claim to fame was our visits in Vegas!  Rest in peace, I miss you.

unknown date.  picture from here Trying to learn how the county court records office and county clerks office worked, I went to the local county office in Evanston, Uinta County, Wyoming.  I thought I would try and orientate myself with how the records were kept before I trudged off to Sweetwater and Lincoln Counties. I first started with the Declarations of Intent.  I had never seen one and wanted to see what information was contained on these documents.  Imagine my surprise as I looked up the surname Roberts and found Isaac's Declaration of Indent!  I was shocked.  But, in hindsight I realized that of course documents may be in Uinta County, because the family did settle and work in Almy after leaving Pennsylvania and before moving to Rock Springs!

from here When I first began family history work back in the ninety's, I had to look up the census records on films.   First you would figure out the “soundex” code ( Soundex is a phonetic algorithm for indexing names by sound) .   Next you would have to go to an index film, using the Soundex code.   Once you searched through the index and you found the person you would have then find the film that your person was recorded on.     There were times, especially when researching many family members from the same area it was just as easy to look through the whole census film page by page.   Which I have done for Rock Springs and Kemmerer, Wyoming. Even though search engines frustrate me, I love technology and how it has advanced family history work AND how it saves me time! P.S.  The Soundex code for Roberts is:  R163!

Rock Springs Historical Museum, Rock Springs, Wyoming My research trips to Sweetwater County begin in the county seat of Green River. The first stop is the usually to the County Clerk’s Office and the court house depending upon what I am researching. Second stop, is the Sweetwater County Historical Museum , to see what is new and to browse their new books, and lastly I visit the Riverview Cemetery to pay respects and search for relatives.  (See photo below) Welcome sign in Rock Springs, Wyoming The trip then takes me to Rock Springs, about twenty minutes away. While in Rock Springs, I usually go to the City Cemetery , Mt. View Cemetery, the Rock Springs Historical Museum , and Western Wyoming Community College to search microfilms of the old Rock Springs Rocket. Lastly, I will drive around the town and community, wondering if my relatives walked down this street, stopped at this business or saw this view.  If I have extra time, I LOVE to go to the old antique stores in the the

Rock Springs Train Depot, cira 1998 The Isaac Roberts family left green, lush, humid England and immigrated to the United States.  Traveling from England to Rock Springs, the Isaac Roberts (10) family arrived at the train depot after dark in September 1906.  The following morning when Isaac’s wife, Janet Howie (16), woke up and looked out the window and saw the gray-brown and brown-gray of “Rock Springs” she exclaimed, “My God Ike, where have you brought me to?” Janet Howie lived in Rock Springs from September 1906 until her death in 1944, she never had the opportunity to travel back to England. 

picture from here Here are my research questions: 1. Who was Maggie on the immigration record of Hugh (1) & Margaret (2)? 2. Who was Hugh’s mother? 3. Who was Hugh’s father? 4. Where is Samuel Caulton’s (5) family in Derbyshire? 5. What is Hannah P. (357) Samuel’s first wife’s maiden name? 6. Which Welsh parish was Margaret’s family in? 7. Which Welsh parish was Hugh’s family in? 8. Why did Isaac (10) Roberts return to County Durham? 9. Where is the emigration record of Isaac’s (10) return to England? 10. Where is Hugh (1) buried in Pennsylvania? 11. What is Hugh’s (1) correct death date? 12. Where are the missing descendants of Joseph Jones (19) & Sarah Roberts (11)? 13. Who did Magie E. Jones(240), daughter of Joseph Jones & Sarah Roberts marry? 14. What happened to the children of Robert Roberts:  Margaret Roberts (460), daughter  and son Hugh (463)? 15. What happened to LD. Smith (37), first husband of Letitia Roberts (35)? 16. Where exactly, was Jo

Marlene Pean lived in Central Point, Oregon, and was a neighbor of June and Clifford Phillips. (Clifford Phillips was the son of Clifford Phillips and Jennie Roberts, who is the daughter of John Richard Roberts and Selina Parker). Marlene was sorting through the family items and found a Roberts Roots & Branches newsletter. Being a genealogist herself, Marlene emailed and asked if I was interested in copies of the Phillips family pictures. Of course I was. Everyday Marlene would scan and email me a handful of pictures along with the family stories and information that June and Clifford had related to her. Marlene also included some handwritten letters and documents. Shortly after Marlene contacted me, we had decided to move.  I was packing and house hunting and not doing much genealogy, but I was so glad to have the information and pictures she was sending me. Marlene had finished emailing me the photographs just before we moved.  Four months later my husband died. For six ye

Several times while researching or watching other’s research, I see things that are soooooooooo close they must be related; or this must be what I am looking for; or this must be the family/person/son/daughter that I am looking for. Not so fast. Obliviously is not necessarily fact. Things might “LOOK” like they fit the puzzle, but “obliviously” doesn’t prove anything! For example: 1881 England Census name                         relation                          age        occupation Hugh Roberts           head married                  49         coal miner  Margaret Roberts     wife married                  43                               Letitia Redfern         mother in law (widow)     78          annuitant  (only partial census record) Some of the Ancestry.com trees have listed Margaret’s maiden name a s Redfern , OBVIOUSLY , that would be her maiden name since Letitia Redfern is listed as Hugh’s mother in law. Wrong. This is what I mean about obviously . Prove

Roberts Roots & Branches Newsletter Statistics: Started in October 2000 to current Published Quarterly in the months of:  January, April, July, October. There are currently 43 newsletters mailed out quarterly Article submissions are welcomed, accepted, and appreciated. Financing of newsletter.  There is no membership dues or subscription rates.  Newsletter is free.  Donations are accepted and appreciated. There are currently 11 separate blogs on the Roberts family that began in March 2009 Goals of the Roberts Newsletter:   *Share & exchange information about the Roberts family *Keep in touch with the Roberts family members *Locate and find all living descendants of Hugh & Margaret Roberts *Inspire & motivate others to become involved in the Roberts family research *Share knowledge, resources, and information about how to do genealogy

I have learned more about mines, miners and mining than I have ever wanted to know. I have learned about the specific mining jobs : barn boss, dock boss, fire boss, timberman, digger, and faceman. I have learned about the types of coal : bituminous coal, A, B, & C; Sub bituminous coal, A, B, & C; anthracite and lignite coal I have learned parts of the mine including the: tipple, face, working face, portal, pit, cross-cut, barn and entry. I have learned that mines contain  fans, pumps, electricity, gas, and lots of water. I have learned about mine gasses: black damp, white damp, and after damp. I have learned about the mining community : company housing, company stores, company script, unions, and community organizations. For a glossary of terms click here.   For helpful mining links click here .

picture from here "Those whom we love and lose are no longer where they were before. They are now wherever we are." -- St. John Chrysostom

Here are some of the keepsakes I have from the Roberts family: Isaac Roberts(10) & Janet Howie(16) family bible Isaac Roberts (10) mustache mug purchased in England before their immigration in 1906. top view of mustache mug coal mining saw of Janet Howie's brother;  his initials are carved into the saw. What keepsakes do you have?   Have you taken pictures of these keepsakes, just in case there is an unfortunate accident?   Do you have documentation for the keepsakes?  If not, have you created documentation for the keepsakes? Does your family know what do to with the keepsakes when you pass on?

"Whoever survives a test, whatever it may be, must tell the story. That is his duty.” –Elie Wiesel

From the Immigration Record of the Roberts Family, WHO is Maggie?  I have often wondered if this "Maggie" was the daughter of Letitia(9) Roberts & Joseph Jones(19), however, the 1900 US census reports their daughter Maggie(24) was born in Pennsylvania, January 1886, so her age would not be 2 years. So WHO is this immigration Maggie? It is NOT the daughter of Hugh(1) & Margaret(2).  Their daughter, Margaret(13),  died at the age of 7 in 1877 in Hanley, England So WHO is this immigration Maggie? If this was Margaret's(2) daughter she would have had this child at the age of 49 years old.  Possible, but not probable!  In addition, there is no other record of Hugh & Margaret having a child, Maggie once they were in the United States! So WHO is this immigration Maggie? The Spain Arrival Date: 28 June 1886 line #102...Hugh Roberts(1)...48 years old.......male...laborer...steerage...1 bag line #103...Margaret(2)..........46 years old...female...wife...

picture from here “The door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives,”  Source: To the Rescue, Thomas S. Monson, page 161.

              Several years ago while searching the Rock Springs City Cemetery, my husband Joe and I were on a mission to locate a few elusive graves and photograph the headstones.   When we first arrived, I noticed a couple of men working on a headstone in a section of the cemetery where some of our family members were buried.   As we walked the cemetery, we edged closer to where the men were working.   Curiously, I told Joe I thought they were working on a family headstone, so we walked toward the site.   As we approached I realized it was a Roberts family headstone; it was the marker for Leitita Roberts (35) and Reuben Meacham (36).             As we approached the workers I found it difficult to determine if they were adding a death date to the marker and I was puzzled because I had not heard that Rueben had died.   Upon questioning, the workers explained; that Reuben had not died, but that the wrong birth year had been engraved on the marker!             Joe urged me to photo

Fact: After being widowed for about seven years, Margaret(2) married Samuel Caulton(5) on 31 May 1893 in Rock Springs, Sweetwater, Wyoming. Fiction: The story goes that Margaret & Hugh's son, Isaac(10) did not accept second marriages, so when his mother married, Samuel Caulton, Isaac refused to go and see his mother even though they lived just a few houses away.  Isaac threatened that he would leave and never come back.  And so he did. . . Fact: Isaac's citizenship papers were dated 30 September 1893, four months after his mother's second marriage.  And, Isaac probably left shortly thereafter. Fate: Just nine months after Margaret married Samuel, and four months after Isaac's citizenship papers, Samuel was killed in a coal mine accident. Fiction:   At this time, there are no emigration records to show exactly when Isaac left the United States to return to England.  Fact: Isaac eventually returned back to Rock Springs, in 1906 with a wife and seven c

When researching it is always fun to find out more than just dry facts about a person.  Some of the wonderful places to find information include local newspapers, various employment records, and of course WWI draft registration cards.  Here is a sampling of the fun information I have found: Hugh Roberts, son of Isaac Roberts color of eyes: lt (light) brown color of hair: Dark Brown bald:  No his signature: James H. Roberts, son of Isaac Roberts color of eyes:  Grey color of hair:  brown his signature: John Richard Roberts (8), employment records: Mine Name                     date of accident time off                compensated No. 1 Roberts, John Sr. 11-27-20             1 mo 15 day        $133.33 + 69.00* *loss of 1st joint of 1st finger amount to 2/3 of the loss of the finger remarks: Frontier Saw Mill. 2nd finger of right hand cut off. Was amputated below 2nd joint. Caught his right hand in the saw while sawing cap pieces.