| Page content last modified: | March 21, 2007, amended the spelling of Mary Ann Saylor's maiden name and probable parents; added 1840 Saylor's census transcription; added Stephen's middle name and date by which he died; date by which William died; corrected the page number of the 1870 census transcription.
January 30, 2004, added marriage license of John M. Roberts and Mary Williams. |
| FOUNTAIN GREEN, ILLINOIS FAMILIES NEWS MEMORABILIA |
| JOHN McKELVEY ROBERTS 1811-1887 | ||
| MARY STEVENS WILLIAMS 1821-184_ |
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MARY ANN SAYLORS ca. 1826 - |
John McKelvey Roberts was born January 1, 1811, in Tennessee (birth date calculated from tombstone inscription). He came with his parents,  John Roberts and Naomi Lay, to Hancock County, Illinois, in 1835.
John was first married to Mary Stevens Williams on January 31, 1836, in Hancock County, Illinois. Charles C. Hungate, J. P., performed the marriage.
Mary Williams was born September 14, 1821, in Kentucky, probably in Trigg County. She was the daughter of Recorded at the Quincy land office on November 3, 1840, was a cash purchase of 40 acres in Section 35 of Township 6N, 5W (later named Fountain Green Township), made by John M. Roberts of Hancock County. This quarter section was adjacent to land purchased by his father. The known children of John McKelvey Roberts and Mary Stevens Williams were probably born in the area later named Fountain Green Township:
According to the journal of Goldie Beatrice Read Williams, Mary Stevens Williams "married a Roberts, had 2 daughters". In the 1850 Illinois Census (see below), in addition to "Naome" and Fransina, there was also Bethina, 7, born in Illinois. In the same census in the home of Jesse Gibson Roberts, John's brother, there was Bethany, 6, born in Illinois. By the time of the 1860 census, John and family had left Illinois and was living in Grand River Township, Cass County, Missouri. Not counted among the children was a daughter who might have been Bethina, about 17 years old, although there are certainly reasons why she might have been absent. Jesse had remained in Illinois and counted in his household in 1860 was Bethena, 16, born in Illinois. Our current unsubstantiated theory is that the 1850 listings for Bethina and Bethany were enumerations of the same child. See
John's second wife was Mary Ann Saylors, whom he married on December 3, 1846. Although the marriage license bore the spelling "Sailors", Mary Ann's maiden name was probably Saylors. Residing in the area of Fountain Green in both 1840 and 1850 was the family of William Saylors, who reported himself to be a native of Tennessee. Mary Ann was born in Tennessee about 1826. The known children of John McKelvey Roberts and Mary Ann Saylors were probably all born in the area later named Fountain Green Township:
John McKelvey Roberts died August 8, 1887, probably in or near Miami County, Kansas. He was buried in Miami County. We do not know when or where Mary Ann died. |
[in proximity to Mary Williams Roberts' father and two brothers, Lemuel and Patrick]
1840 Illinois Census
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Household of Wm Saylors
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enumerated September 19, 1850, dwelling #416 [immediately following the household of Major John Williams] John M Roberts, 39, male, farmer, value of real estate 600, born TN
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enumerated August 30, 1860, dwelling #1196 Jno Mc Roberts, 50, male, farmer, value of real estate 2000, value of personal estate 700, |
enumerated July 21, 1870, dwelling #112 Roberts, John M, 59, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 4750, value of personal estate 1000, born TN, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
enumerated June 1, 1880, dwelling #6 [immediately preceding the household of Stephen D. Roberts] Roberts, John M, white, male, 69, married, farmer, born TN, father born NC, mother born VA
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