HUSBAND: Elias Roberts
b. ca 1793 NC [1850], ca 1792 [1860], ca 1789 [Negro Reg.]
m.
d. ca 1866, Orange Co., IN
bur.

Father: Ishmael Roberts
Mother: Sylvia Roberts
Other Wives: None

WIFE: Nancy Archer
b. ca 1800 NC [1850], ca 1797 [1860], ca 1799 [Negro Reg.]
d. 1876, Orange Co., IN
bur.

Father: Thomas Archer (Archie)
Mother:
Other Husbands: None

CHILDREN:

1. Mary "Polly" Roberts

b. 2 Apr 1817, Chatham Co., NC
m. Mathew Thomas (1808-1870), 10 Dec 1834, Orange Co., IN
d. 30 June 1867, Orange Co., IN
Children:
(1) Joseph Thomas (1835-1860)
(2) Mary A. Thomas (1839-?)
(3) Sarah D. Thomas (1841-1860?)
(4) Jeremiah Thomas (1844-?)
(5) William Thomas (1847-1928)
(6) John H. Thomas (1849-1870?)
(7) Adaline K. Thomas (1851-1905)
(8) George Etta Thomas (1852-?)
(9) Samuel A. Thomas (1853-1856)
(10) Frances L. Thomas (1857-1858)
(11) Malinda A. Thomas (1860-?)

2. Candiss Roberts

b. ca 1819, Chatham Co., NC
m. Jordon Thomas on 11 Jan 1838 in Orange Co., IN
d. 1896?
Children:
(1) Samira Thomas, m. Littleton Hammond
(2) Nancy Thomas b. 1840
(3) Mary Ellen Thomas b. 1844
(4) Benjamin F. Thomas b. 1842
(5) Elias W. Thomas b. 1844
(6) William A. Thomas b. 1847
(7) Helen M. Thomas b. 1849
(8) Sarah E. Thomas b. 1851
(9) Jordon T. Thomas b. 1853

3. Nancy Roberts

b. NC
m.
d.

4. Lucinda Roberts

b. ca 1825, Orange Co., IN
m. Amos Baxter on 26 Sep 1850, Orange Co., IN
d.

5. Zachariah Roberts

b. 8 Mar 1835, Orange Co., IN
m. Catherine Southers on 10 Jul 1855, Martin Co., IN
d. 11 Jun 1905, Rockville, Parke Co., IN
bur. Old Rockville Cemetery, Rockville, IN
Children:
(1) Sarah Hester Roberts, m. Henry Marsh
(2) Angeline (Anna) D. Roberts
(3) Nancy Elma Roberts
(4) Morris W. Roberts
(5) Martha Jane Roberts
(6) George W. Roberts
(7) William Elias Roberts
(8) Retta F. Roberts
(9) Maggie H. Roberts

6. John Roberts

b. ca 1837, Orange Co., IN
m.
d.

7. Angeline Roberts

b. ca 1837, Orange Co., IN
m.
d.

8. Elizabeth "Eliza Jane" Roberts

b. ca 1847, Orange Co., IN
m.
d.

NOTES:

1. Paul Heinegg, Free African Americans of North Carolina and Virginia (Baltimore, MD: Clearfield Co., 1994), p. 514: Elias was mentioned in his father's will of 1826, and in the 1829 estate papers in Chatham County, NC.

2. Census Information

• 1810 U.S. Census, Northampton Co., NC, p. 743
  ROBERTS, Elias (all other free persons) 15 in household, has 2 looms

• Index to 1820 Census NC contains no "Elias Roberts"
• 1830 U.S. Census, Orange Co., IN, p. 45
  ROBARDS, Elias males under 10 1, 36-55 1; females under 10 3, 10-24 1, 24-36 1; total in household, 8.
• 1840 U.S. Census, Orange Co., IN, p. 20
  ROBBERTS, Elias males under 10 1, 10-24 2, 36-55 1; females under 10 1, 10-24 2, 36-55 1; total in household, 8.
• Also 1840 U.S. Census, Vigo Co., IN, Harrison Twp., p. 735
  [free colored persons] ROBERTS, Elias males 24-36 1, females under 10 1, 24-36 1; total in household, 3.
• 1850 U.S. Census, Orange Co., IN, Paoli Twp. D579-F580
  ROBERTS, Elias 57yrs M Bl Farmer RE: $1000 NC
  ", Nancy 50yrs F Mu NC
  ", Lucinda 25yrs F Mu IN
  ", Zachariah 17yrs M Mu IN
  ", John 13yrs M Mu IN
  ", Angeline 13yrs F Mu IN
  ", Eliza 3yrs F Mu IN
• 1860 U.S. Census, Orange Co., IN, Paoli Twp. D811-F811
  ROBERTS, Elias 68y M White Farmer RE: $1600 NC
  ", Nancy 63y F Wh NC
  CHAMBERS, Nancy 15y F Mu IN
  ROBERTS, Elisa J. 14y F Mu IN
  CHAMBERS, Henry M. Mu Farmer IN
• 1870 U.S. Census, Orange Co., IN, Paoli Twp. D238-F239
  ROBERTS, Nancy 70y F Bl RE: $1000, PE: $300 NC
  ", Eliza J. 22y F Mu IN
  ", Frances 8y F Mu IN
  ", Charles 6 M Mu IN

3. "Certificate of Freedom" for Elias Roberts issued at Chatham County, NC on 10 Feb 1823 and recorded in Orange Co., IN on 23 Feb 1833. Identifies Elias' father as Ishmael Roberts, soldier in the Revolutionary War; same for Nancy's father, Thomas Archie. Persons of color with three daughters named: Mary, Candice and Nancy Roberts. Deed Book D, 432-433.

4. Elias Roberts and family members in Orange County, IN "Negro Register," and registered on 27 Aug 1853:

• ROBERTS, Elias 64yrs Mulatto, 5 ft 9 in high, gray hair, heavy-set, weight 185 or 190 lbs born in NC
• ROBERTS, Nancy 54yrs Light mulatto, gray hair, heavy-set weight 165 lbs height 5 ft 4 in born in NC
• ROBERTS, Zachariah 19yrs Mulatto 5 ft 11 in, curly hair, well built born in Orange Co. IN
• ROBERTS, John 14 yrs Mulatto 5 ft high, curly hair, large scar left arm above wrist, born in Orange Co., IN
• ROBERTS, Eliza J. 7yrs Mulatto 3 ft 8 in fair, born in Orange Co., IN

See Coy D. Robbins, Forgotten Hoosiers, p. 45.

5. Land Records, Orange Co., IN reveal 16 transactions by Elias Roberts between 1832-1869. See details in Robbins, Forgotten Hoosiers, pp. 192-3.

6. Elias Roberts died in 1866 while holding title to 304 acres of land in Orange Co. On July 31, 1866, Harrison Bobbitt took out letters of administration for the Estate of Elias Roberts. Notice filed on 29 Oct 1866 (Probate File R). Most of estate was settled by heirs on 10 Sep 1867 and 1 Feb 1868: Eli Roberts, Eliza Jane Roberts, Thomas and Sarah (wife) Thompson, Mathew Thomas, Nancy Roberts, Zachariah and Catherine (wife) Roberts residents of Howard Co., IN, Candis Thomas resident of Parke Co., IN, and John Roberts resident of Marion Co. IN. Estate of Elias Roberts disposed of land holdings in following deed records: 38 acres to Mathew Thomas Feb 1868 (Deed Book 25-114); 70 acres to David Lindley Feb 1868 (Deed Book 25-118); 82 acres to Nancy Roberts Apr 1868 (Deed Book 25-159); 35 acres to Eliza Jane Roberts Apr 1868 (Deed Book 25-161); 39 acres to Eli Roberts Dec 1868 (Deed Book 25-392).

Final report made in May 1869 (Probate Order Book 6-441) with distributions to Nancy Roberts, widow; to Sallie Thomas, Zachariah Roberts, Elizabeth Roberts, Eli Roberts, Candis Thomas, John Roberts; to William Thomas, Joice Thomas, Jerry Thomas, Mary Bond, Adaline Thomas, and John Thomas assumed to be suriving children of Mathew Tomas and Mary Roberts Thomas, the deceased daughter of Elias and Nancy Roberts. See details in Coy D. Robbins, Forgotten Hoosiers, pp. 192-194.