The James Allen Roberts Family

James Allen Roberts was born July 30, 1844, in Biglick Township, Hancock Co. On Sept. 27, 1868, he married Mahulda Swihart, (Dec. 21, 1846), in Biglick Township. They moved to Henry County as pioneers in Aug., 1870.

Mahulda's sister, Lydia Gibson and family, moved to Henry County at the same time and they homesteaded adjoining farms in Marion Township. They not only had to clear the land of the forest, but the land had to be drained. Their first dwelling was a small log cabin. They endured much, but bravely struggled to build a secure future for the eight children born to them. In 1897, a frame house was built and still stands on what is known as the Bill Bishop farm.

The Roberts were members of the Dunker or Church of the Brethren at Gallup. The children attended the Hashbarger School. They lived on this farm until James died on March 3, 1928, and Mahulda on March 14, 1930. Both are buried in the Sugar Ridge Cemetery, Leipsic.

Their children are:

Aba Safrona, born Aug. 2, 1869, and died Oct. 5, 1890. She married William Dibble who died Sept. 4, 1889.

Alma Dorothy, born Nov. 13, 1870, and died May 15, 1960. She married John Hall Patterson on March 6, 1892. They spent their entire life on a farm in Allen Township, Hancock County. Alma and John had three children: Clifford Othel (Feb. 16, 1893-Dec. 15, 1947), Nellie Marie (Sept. 16, 1894-Nov. 22, 1974), and Violet Mae (Aug. 8, 1896). Clifford married Grace Williams on April 23, 1916, and they were the parents of Gwendolyn Ruth (March 6, 1917), Don Charles (Sept. 24, 1918), Charlotte Mae (Dec. 22, 1920), and Margie Jean (July 29, 1924). Gwendolyn married Marvin Humphrey, Aug. 30, 1939, and have a daughter Pamela Kay, born June 11, 1950. Don Charles married Louise Ann Fischer on June 5, 1943, and have five children: Marcia Louise, (April 11, 1944), Grace Elizabeth (May 19, 1947), Jackson Edward (Sept. 12, 1950), Thomas Lee (Feb. 8, 1954), and Ann (June 22, 1955, died same day.) Charlotte did not marry. Margie Jean married Paul Richard Thomas, Aug. 7, 1048, and they haveno children. Nellie Marie married Earl Malhon Steen on March 20, 1928, and they have a son John William, born Aug. 1, 1931. He married Ruth Ann George on June 4, 1950, and they are the parents of Sandra K. (Nov. 23, 1951), Janice L. (Nov. 2, 1952), and James D. (Jan. 17, 1955). Violet Mae married Wilbur Wilmont Wagoner Aug. 23, 1920, and they had a son, Robert Hall, born Feb. 24, 1924. He married Leora Schmucker Oct. 25, 1947, and they are the parents of Robert Hall II (Jan. 8, 1952) and Connie Lee, (May 1, 1954).

Mahulda and James Roberts' third child was Aaron Calvin, born Dec. 6, 1872, died Dec. 26, 1937. He married Ida Myrtle Butler on June 4, 1895. When first married, Aaron ran a drey from the depot in Hamler and delivered merchandise to the stores. Later on, they settled on a farm in Cass Twp., Hancock County, where they stayed until Aaron's death. Their children were: Otho Emerson (Oct. 6, 1896-March 1, 1904) was drown in the Turkey Foot Creek, Hamler), an infant son, (Oct. 21-Nov. 1, 1899); Clarence Howard (Feb. 23, 1902); Ola Kathryn (Sept. 27, 1908); Donald Allen (Oct. 7, 1911); Helen Marie (Dec. 29, 1914); and Hulda Elanor (Dec. 6, 1917-March 7, 1920). Clarence Howard married Zella Louisa Payne on May 5, 1923, and they had two daughters, Patsy Jean (May 2, 1930) and Jill Ann (Dec. 22, 1944). Patsy Jean married Edward Earl Parkins on Feb. 6, 1948. They had a son, Roberts Edward, born Nov. 21, 1948, died Feb. 10, 1949. They were divorced Nov. 17, 1949, and Patsy married Howard Isaac Curth. They were the parents of Howard Patrick (Dec. 13, 1953), Lucinda Jean (July 4, 1955) and Michael Edward (Oct. 13, 1959). Ola Kathryn married Glen Allen Dunn Aug. 27, 1935, and they had two daughters, Karen Kay (Jan. 7, 1942) and Judith Ann (Oct. 20, 1944). Karen married Rev. Heth Howard Corl Sept. 18, 1957, and their children are Deborah Dannette (May 11, 1958) and Kathi Kai (Sept. 24, 1964). Judith Ann married Ronald Dale Fruth, April 5, 1964. Helen Marie Roberts married Earl Vernon Glasbrenner Dec. 23, 1935. They have a daughter Joyce Ilene, born Oct. 24, 1937. Joyce married Charles Fredrick Wiegand Dec. 16, 1955. Their children are: Charles Vernon (Feb. 12, 1957), Donald Allen (Jan. 2, 1960), Daniel Eugene (April 21, 1961), Peggy Sue (June 1, 1962), and Rebecca Lynne (March 22, 1964).

Mahulda and James Roberts' fourth child was David Colman born April 11, 1874, and died Feb. 1, 1961. David was a farmer and carpenter. For many years, an agent for the Henry Co. Mutual Insurance Co. He married Arpha Methan, April 26, 1895, and they had one son, Charles Arthur, born Jan. 16, 1906. He married Esther Lavina Grose in 1926. Their daughter, Carole Lee (Jan. 22, 1933) married Jack Thomas Corn in 1950. Carole and Jack have two children: Diana (July 16, 1954) and Jack Thomas Jr. (Sept. 14, 1956).

The fifth child born to Mahulda and James Roberts was James Elhanan, born March 2, 1877, and died May 15, 1967. He married Flora Agatha Shively, Aug. 14, 1889. Elhanan was a farmer and lived in Henry County all his life. Their children were: James Aaron (May 17, 1900-1971), Hilda Myrtle (Nov. 8, 1906-Oct. 2, 1973), Paul Edward (Nov. 22, 1909), and Zuma Odessa (May 15, 1911). James Aaron married Kathryn Sterling on Feb. 2, 1919, and their daughters are Ethel Azalia (May 2, 1920) and Betty Joann (Dec. 29, 1934). Ethel Azalia married Lewis Wilber on Jan. 25, 1942, and their child is Jaqueline Ann born Oct. 13, 1949. Betty Joann married Robert Rogers on Aug. 21, 1954. They had two children, Cheryl Lynn (Aug. 12, 1955) and Jeffery Scott (Oct. 17, 1956). Robert was killed in an auto accident on April 18, 1959, and Betty married Carl Haynes on March 11, 1960. Hilda Myrtle married Ebenezer H. John on March 14, 1941, and they raised the children of Paul and Eveline Roberts. Paul Edward married Eveline McDonald on Dec. 12, 1932, and they had three children: Phyllis Ann (Jan. 5, 1933), Janet Rose (May 27, 1934), and Paul James (Nov. 19, 1940). Eveline died Aug. 3, 1942, and Paul married Virgie Koch on June 18, 1944. Zuma Odessa married Ebenezer H. John on May 24, 1975.

The sixth child was William Franklin born March 25, 1880, and died July 17, 1966. He was a farmer all his life, most of which was spent near Swanton in Fulton Co. He married Maggie Mae Shively on Aug. 17, 1902, and they had five children: Audrey Beatrice (July 29, 1903), Eunice Ann (June 22, 1905-Oct. 22, 1905), Florence Margurite (March 30, 1907), William Kermit (June 9, 1910) and John Wilbur (Oct. 27, 1919). Audrey Beatrice married Fred Stutz-man on Nov. 30, 1922, and they had three children: Gerald Robert (April 14, 1925), Evelyn Irene (March 12, 1927), and Maynard Wilson (June 8, 1929). Gerald Robert married Ann Elizabeth Porter on Sept. 21, 1948, and their children are: Michael Robert (June 14, 1950), Rebecca Ann (July 20, 1957) and Nancy Lee (Nov. 6, 1959). Evelyn Irene married Richard Sickles on Sept. 11, 1948, and their children are: David Richard (Oct. 27, 1949), infant son born and died on April 28, 1952, and Barbara Jean (June 14, 1954). Maynard Wilson married Barbara Jean Borch on Dec. 20, 1953, and their children are Susan Joy (Dec. 5, 1954), Gregory Fred (March 8, 1959) and Denise Jean (Feb. 28, 1961). Florence Margurite married George Raker on May 5, 1926, and their children are Virginia Fern (Jan. 23, 1929), William Jay (Feb. 28, 1931), and Lloyd Calvin (Jan. 29, 1935). Virginia is unmarried and employed as a registered nurse in Hawaii. William J. married Yolanda Rulli on Feb. 4, 1956, and their children are Michele (June 6, 1956), Debra Sue (March 26, 1958), and Ilene Virginia (April 16, 1959). Lloyd Calvin married Barbara Jean Brown on July 9, 1955, and their children are: Janette Jean (Jan. 27, 1956), Linda Ray (Aug. 15, 1957) and Christina Lynn (Jan. 25, 1959). William Kermit Roberts married Louise Scherf on Dec. 16, 1930, and they had four children: Zerma Mae (Oct. 9, 1931), William Fredrick (Aug. 25, 1933), Pauline Louise (Oct. 27, 1941), and Karen Hope (June 1, 1944). Zuma Mae married James Henry Torbett on Nov. 26, 1955, and their children are: Christine Dawn (Sept. 29, 1956), Jeffery Edward (Aug. 11, 1958), Roberta Lynne (Dec. 27, 1959), and John Chapman (Dec. 26, 1962). William Fredrick married Kathy Jo Collins on Aug. 27, 1955, and their children are Rochele B. (June 2, 1956), William Paul (Nov. 15, 1958), Danny Thomas (Dec. 1, 1961), and Douglas (May 5, 1963). Pauline Louise married Carl William Long on April 15, 1961. Their children are: Cynthia Jean (Aug. 1, 1958), Beverly Gayle (April 7, 1962), and Melodie Renee (Oct. 22, 1966). John Wilbur Roberts married Vivian Jeanne Greisinger on May 16, 1941, and they have three children: John Larry (April 16, 1942), Judith Frances (Jan. 28, 1944), and Beverly Lou (Jan. 20, 1951). John Larry married Penny Contat and they have two sons, Kevin Clark (Feb. 18, 1965) and Edward Patrick (April 8, 1966). Judith Frances married Jack Burton and they have one son, Donald Eric (Oct. 21, 1963). Karen Hope married Benjamin Franklin Gamel on Feb. 29, 1964, and they have a daughter, Deborah Paige, born July 27, 1966.

The seventh child born to Mahulda and James Roberts was Jesse Floyd born April 12, 1882, and died Feb. 16, 1939. Jesse married Lulu Maude White on Aug. 30, 1906, and they lived on a dairy farm and had a milk route in McComb for many years. They had two children, Kenneth Wilbur (Oct. 17, 1907) and Mabel Leona (Dec. 27, 1909). Kenneth Wilbur married Zola Roxine Stough on Nov. 28, 1929, and their children are Stanley Wayne (April 11, 1931) and Janet Ann (Dec. 31, 1936). Stanley Wayne married Medeba Ann Thorp on May 12, 1957, and their children are: Matthew Allen (April 12, 1958), Elizabeth Jeanne (May 7, 1960), and Cynthia Louise (June 14, 1963). Janet Ann married Raymond Warren Loew on April 30, 1960, and their children are Dianne Allison (Aug. 25, 1961) and Dana (April 12, 1963). Mabel Leona Roberts married Forest Mertz on Aug. 3, 1940. Their children are Janice Elaine (Dec. 9, 1942) and Marcia Lynn (Jan. 27, 1948).

The eighth child born to Mahulda and James Roberts was Rua Odessa (Dessie) born April 12, 1887. She married Edward Albert Pfister on Oct. 3, 1908. They lived on a farm in Michigan then moved back to the home farm in later years. Dessie now lives in Leipsic. They had five children: Lavaughn Olive (Jan. 13, 1910-Oct. 20, 1971), Donald Leo (Oct. 7, 1911-May 3, 1912), Clare Russell (Jan. 21, 1914-Oct. 10, 1964), Evelyn Marie (Jan. 5, 1917), and Frances Arlene (Sept. 4, 1926). Lavaughn Olive married Don Casteel on June 20, 1935, and they had two children: Mary Louise (July 10, 1936) and John Edward (Feb. 6, 1941). Mary Louise married John Kagey on Nov. 21, 1963, and their daughters are: Elizabeth Mae (Sept. 10, 1964), Michelle Fae (Sept. 30, 1967). John Edward married Nancy Ann Bell on May 27, 1967, and their children are Michael John (Oct.29, 1968), Richard John (April 10, 1971) and twins Andrew John and Ann Louise (Dec. 1, 1974). Clare Russell married Pauline Ziesloft on Dec. 15, 1941, and their children are Donald Burl (April 28, 1942) and Linda Arlene (July 11, 1947). Donald Burl married Donna Kay Rose on Feb. 12, 1966, and their children are Todd Clare (May 15, 1968) and Scott Jack (Aug. 28, 1970). Linda Arlene married Joe Keilholtz on July 20, 1968. Evelyn Marie married Garold Hook on Feb. 10, 1940, and they had one child, Janeen Kay born Sept. 17, 1943. Janeen married Robert Hall on Sept. 14, 1963, and their children are Cheryl Marie (May 11, 1969) and Brian Robert (Sept. 18, 1973). Frances Arlene married Homer Dangler on June 9, 1949, and their children are Dianna Rae (May 8, 1951), Tim Leon (Nov. 22, 1952) and Peggy Arlene (Feb. 10, 1957). Dianna Rae married George Edward Borel on June 26, 1970, and their children are Tracy Lynn (Jan. 21, 1971) and George Jr., (Sept. 26, 1972).

Submitted by Mrs. Garold Hook