John Roberts' father's name was George, not John

    JOHN ROBERTS' FATHER'S NAME WAS GEORGE, NOT JOHN

Although the father of my 4^th great grandfather John Roberts (born about 1771 in Baltimore, Maryland; married to Elizabeth Broom, daughter of Jacob Broom) is listed in various online family trees as John Roberts Sr., I discovered his father's name instead to be George Roberts.  

I found a John Roberts mentioned in a will for a George Roberts.  This will[1], dated 10 Sept 1797 and probated 25 Oct 1797, left all of his property to his eight children:  John, James, William, George Jr., Thomas, Mary Ann, Sally, and Elizabeth.  Since each of the children was named as an inheritor in the will, each one would then be required to sign his or her name each time a piece of property was sold.  This proved to be very important in proving that this was my John Roberts.

We knew that several of the Roberts siblings married into the Broom family.  John Roberts married Elizabeth Broom, James Roberts married Sally or Sarah Broom, Eliza Roberts married Jacob Pierce Broom, and Thomas Roberts married Lavina or Lavinia Broom.

George Robert's death is mentioned in the Baltimore Federal Gazette:  "Roberts, George, an old inhab. of Balto., died yesterday in his 51st year.[2]  From this we gain his birth year of 1747.

His will:  In the name of God Amen I George Roberts Senior of the City of Baltimore in the State of Maryland being weak in body but of sound and disposing mind and memory considering the certainly of death and the uncertainty of life and being desirous of settling my worldly affairs do therefore make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is to my first and principally I commit my soul into the hands of Almighty God and my body to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors herein after named and after my debts and funeral expenses are paid and fully discharged.  I devise and bequeath as follows Item I give devise and bequeath unto my eight children to wit John Roberts James Roberts William Roberts George Roberts Jun Thomas Roberts Mary Ann Roberts Sally Roberts and Elizabeth Roberts all my property real personal (   ) in the state of Maryland or elsewhere howsoever to be equally divided between them share and share alike I say to them their heirs (   ) and it is my last desire that my two sons above named John Roberts and James Roberts and my beloved wife Mary Roberts be (  ) hereby appointed jointly executors of my this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made rectifying and confirming this and none other to be my last will and testament in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this tenth day of September anno domini one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven.  George Roberts

Witnesses: Saml Moule, T Johnson, Peter Cussert

Proved:  Baltimore county, 25 day of October 1797, by Samuel Moule and Thomas Johnson[3]

After the death of his father, John was appointed guardian to his siblings Thomas, Mary, Sally, and Elizabeth on 16 June 1798.[4]  He became guardian to William 29 Aug 1798.[5] 

The court ordered George Roberts' executors to sell at public sale the ship Carrollton (15 Nov 1797)[6] and some land property (8 May 1799)[7] for the payment of George's debts and to return the sales to the court.  So far, I have not been able to find out any information concerning this ship.  It is possible it was a merchant ship and that George was a merchant.  Son John is listed as "Merchant of Baltimore" in deeds in 1802[8] and 1809[9], and it would make sense for him to follow in his father's footsteps.

His widowed mother Mary, his brother James and his wife Sarah, brother Thomas and his wife Lavina, and sister Eliza had all moved to Frederick County, Virginia, and his sister Mary Ann and her husband Robert C Lee were living in Jefferson County, Virginia by 1812, according to a land deed.[10]  For $100 they sold John some land that their father George had left them in Baltimore; deed dated 1 Dec 1812.[11] Each of them signed the deed, as required.

The names of George, his wife Mary, five of his eight children and their spouses' names (except for John's) are named in a land deed from Jacob P Broom and his wife to John Roberts in 1814.[12]  

In 1816 William Roberts of Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia, son of George Roberts, deceased, sold to John Roberts of Baltimore, interest he acquired by his late sister Sally Roberts dying intestate.  This land was on Liberty and Baltimore Streets and he sold it for $5.[13]

John Robert's wife was Elizabeth Broom.  We know this even though I have not been able to discover their marriage record.  We know that Elizabeth Broom's father was Jacob Broom, one of the delegates representing Delaware at the Constitutional Convention.  Jacob Broom's signature is found on the Constitution of the United States.  Jacob Broom's will[14], dated 22 April 1810, mentions his deceased daughter Elizabeth and her children John and Rachel Roberts.   Rachel Pierce Broom, the widow of Jacob Broom, also mentioned these same grandchildren, John and Rachel Roberts, in her will[15] dated 26 May 1823.  She also mentions several of her children as well as some Lyon grandchildren.

I am descended from Rachel Broom Roberts.  This 3^rd great grandmother, who was born 23 Aug 1807 in Baltimore, Maryland, married Ellis Mendenhall Sanders on 8 Nov 1830 in Chester County, Pennsylvania.[16]  She bore eight children and died in St. George, Washington, Utah on 16 May 1892.[17]

---

[1] Baltimore Country Maryland Will Book 6, Family History Library microfilm #13,592

[2] Baltimore Federal Gazette, issued 11 Sept 1797 (Family Tree Maker CD521 Maryland Settlers and Soldiers, 1700s-1800s, Marriages and Deaths from Baltimore Newspapers, p. 274 Surnames Q-R, The Learning Company, Inc.)

[3] Baltimore county, Maryland Will Book no. 6, 1797-1802, FHL microfilm 13,592

[4] Baltimore Maryland Proceedings Bk 4, p 21, film 13685

[5] Baltimore Maryland Proceedings Bk 4, p 29, film 13685

[6] Baltimore Maryland Proceedings, Book 3, page 236, Family History Library microfilm #13685

[7] Baltimore Maryland Proceedings, Book 4, page 53, Family History Library microfilm #13685

[8] Deed in 1802 where John is referred to as "Merchant of Baltimore"

[9] Ditto in 1809

[10] Sale of Land:  Mary Roberts, widow of George Roberts, James and wife Sarah Roberts, Thomas and wife Lavina Roberts, and Eliza Roberts all of Frederick County, Virginia, and Robert C Lee and wife Mary Ann of Jefferson county, Virginia, sold to John Roberts of city of Baltimore in Baltimore county, Maryland, for $100. lot on S. side of Baltimore St. (Baltimore Maryland Land Records, W.G. book #123, 1813, pp 445-448, FHL film 13404 in Salt Lake City, UT)

[11] Ibid.

[12] dated 24 Jan 1814, Baltimore Co., MD, (Liber W. G. 129, p. 13-15, film 13408, Fam. Hist. Lib in SLC, UT) from Jacob P Broom and wife to John Roberts.  24 Jan 1814 Jacob P Broom and his wife Eliza Roberts sell to John Roberts for $1 land conveyed to him  by deed 21 Dec 1812 by Mary Roberts widow of George Roberts dec'd, James Roberts and his wife Sarah, Thomas Roberts and wife Lavinia, Robert C Lee and his wife Mary Ann, and Eliza Roberts before she married Jacob P Broom.

[13] (9 Jan 1816) Sale of Land:  William Roberts of Winchester, Frederick, Virginia, son of George Roberts, dec'd, sold to John Roberts of Baltimore, interest he acquired by his late sister Sally Roberts dying intestate, land on Liberty and Baltimore St. for $5. (Baltimore Maryland Land Record book #134, p. 481-483, FHL film #13412)

[14] New Castle Delaware Wills, Book Q, pages 398-399, Family History Library microfilm #06542.

[15] New Castle Delaware Wills, Book R, pages 507-509, Family History Library microfilm #06542.

[16] Chester county Pennsylvania, Justice of Peace marriages 1822-1866, FHL film 20993 item 11.

"November () 1830 Ellis M Sanders and Rachal Roberts Sanders all of New Castle County were legally joined in marriage."

[17] "Sanders, Rachel B. Roberts, b. 23 Aug 1807, Baltimore, Maryland, d. of John Roberts and Elizabeth Broom, d. 16 May 1892.  Wife of Ellis Mendenhall Sanders." Mrs. Mary M. W. Leany, compiler.  St. George, Washington County Utah Cemetery Records 1861-1936.  St. George, Utah, p. 105.  book in FHL in Salt Lake City, Utah, 979.248/S1 V3L.