My Genealogy Hound

William T. Roberts, a well-to-do farmer of Prairie Township, Sebastian Co., Ark., was born in Monroe County, Miss., in 1838, and is a son of Eli and Permelia (Walpool) Roberts. The father was born in Alabama, on the 13th of December, 1808, and when a young man went to Monroe County, Miss., where he married and passed the remainder of his days, dying in 1872. His wife was born in the “Old North State,” June 9, 1814, and died October 4, 1878. Five of their eight children are living: Harriet C. (widow of Thomas J. Savage), Annie C. (wife of Andrew Hawkins), William T., John C. and Jasper, all of whom are living in Monroe County, Miss., except William T. After residing with his parents until he was twenty-three years of age, he was married (in 1861) to Miss Martha Jane Gilmore, a daughter of Simeon and Lettie (Reece) Gilmore, who were born and died in Monroe County, Miss., both dying when Mrs. Roberts was quite small. She was born in Yalobusha County, Miss., in 1846, and became the mother of one child, Fannie Ella, born August 5, 1865, married, July 2, 1789, to Dr. W. L. Gillespie, and bore one child, William J., born April 27, 1880. Dr. Gillespie was born in Tennessee July 24, 1848, and died near Fort Smith, Ark., March 3, 1882. His widow was subsequently married November 20, 1884, to W. B. Milam, who was born February 20, 1861, in this county. They have one child, Claudie Leander, born September 15, 1885. Mr. Roberts resided in Monroe County, Miss., until 1882, when he immigrated to Sebastian County, Ark., and purchased ninety-three acres of land, 120 acres of which are under cultivation. Mr. Roberts is one of the worthy citizens of the county, and in his political views is a Democrat, casting his first presidential vote for Breckinridge in 1860.