James Roberts
BIRTH 1802
Kentucky, USA
DEATH 1855 (aged 52–53)
Kansas, USA
Not much is known about this James Roberts. The birth and death years are approximate. His parents at this time are also unknown.
On June 6, 1848 James Roberts married Elender "Ellen" Gragg Cowan in Howard County Missouri. Ellen had been married before to George Cowan, so her name on the marriage record to James Roberts was Ellen Cowan. James and Ellen are listed in the 1850 Census living in Howard County, Missouri. Her three Cowan children are also listed living with the family. There is also a younger James Roberts listed age 5 and a Susan A Roberts age 17. Although just speculation at this point, it is possible these two Roberts children were the elder James Roberts' by a previous marriage. I believe I have identified the younger James Roberts but I have yet to identify the Susan Roberts.
In the 1855 Kansas Territory voting census there is a James Roberts, a spouse and six children listed, three males and three females. This James Roberts' family had come from Missouri to Kansas. They were counted in District 5 of Kansas Territory which is now the area of Linn County. Based on other records I believe this was James Roberts and his family.
James Roberts and Ellen had two children, Sarah Jane Roberts born in 1850 (my GG Grandmother) and George Henry Roberts born in 1854. Both of these children are listed as being born in Missouri. Ellen was listed in the 1857 Kansas Territory Census as the "Head of Household" and a non voter because she was a woman. But her name on this record was Ellen Crabtree. So apparently James Roberts had died by 1857 and Ellen had remarried to an unknown Crabtree. Their son Robert M. Crabtree was born in October of 1857 so Ellen had married the unknown Crabtree sometime in 1856 or early 1857. James Roberts was deceased by this time.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/243004276/james_roberts
