Notes for Elias Roberts

Notes for Elias Roberts

!Name may have been Zaccheus ROBERTS

!"A Brashear(s) Family History, Vol 3" by Charles Brashears: The first documentation for Elias is in Deed Book B, p.153, Anderson Co, SC. An indenture made the 28th day of Dec, 1787 for 200 acres situated on the south side of Saluda River (near RSB). He and Rebecca probably married in late 1786, took a lease on the above plantation and bought it on Dec 28, 1787. Elias is listed in the 1790 census for Pendleton Co, SC. They disposed of the plantation in SC in January 1794, and Elias is a witness for RSB in Dec 1794 in Knox (now Roane) Co, TN.

Elias died in September 1806, cause unknown. He was probably buried in the Roberts family cemetery some 75 yards from the bank of Poplar Creek opposite the bluff later named "Granny Roberts' Bluff." His widow, Rebecca, outlived him by more than 50 years. The Elias Roberts 500?acre farm is a term found throughout the records for 50 years until the farm was finally sold through the courts in 1856.

After Elias's death, his widow, Rebecca (Brashears) Roberts, was appointed Executress of the estate. Rebecca proved herself to be made of stern stuff, because she assumed the head of the household and general manager for the Roberts family with assists from time to time by her various children. Eventually, her son John C. Roberts acquired the interest of 5 of his brothers and sisters in the homeplace.
Rebecca was laid to rest beside Elias and was later joined by the remains of 6 or 8 members of the Roberts family. As the Roberts died, moved, and scattered to all parts of the country, the graveyard fell into a bad state of upkeep. Unfortunately, the graveyard disappeared rather mysteriously in the early 1940's, and even the tombstones have not been found. Although the tombstones were moved, the bodies were not disinterred, therefore the remains of Elias and Rebecca now lie with a 300?ft elevated water tank as a marker at their heads, and a large industrial plant stands as a monument of a sort on their old home and farm site. (Oak Ridge, TN)