Roberts, Hawkins, Washington

and

Stewart, Kennedy, Hartfield

For ease click HERE for Roberts connection (on this page)

or HERE for Stewart connection (on this page)

Updated on October 20, 2009 (additons and new living relative on the Roberts family)

It's with great sadness that we report that Lena Roberts, born in 1916 passed away March, 2009. She was 93 years old, and will be remembered with love.

These families were traced (a work still in progress) for a friend of mine, whose deceased parents were Timothy and Thelma (Stewart) Roberts. One of the key factors in finding these families was my friend's first name Selena. She told me her name was composed of two names (honouring those women). One was Sena, which as you will see goes back to abt 1834, and probably further as I continue my research. The other name was Lena, which is also an old family name. Both names come from the Washington side of her father's family.

Timothy's line includes Roberts, Hawkins and Washington. Thelma's line includes Stewarts, Kennedy and Hartfield. As this research continues we might find more families to include and will update this page as it does so.

As you read you will see a city, county, and abbreviated state. I do not put the word county preceding the state unless I don't have a city to cite. And, Jackson, MS is in Hinds county.

Also, the charts referenced on the CHART section of this website will show the exact location where all the children were born. And if I have a month with the date of birth it is cited, otherwise the date of birth is an ‘about' date based on census data. Selena, I hope you go to the Charts section because there are about 5 or 6 charts I've done for you.

And before anyone takes offense at the term Mulatto, I highly suggest you read about who Mulatto's were. Most uneducated readers will recall that it was once a derogatory term denoting a multiracial person (black and white). However, my friend whom I created this particular family tree for, said that her great (great) grandmother was "Blackfoot Indian" and her great (great) grandfather was Scottish. That also explains the Stewart and Roberts surnames. If you take time to read about the Melungeons in the Articles section you will understand even more about terms such as Melongeon and Mulatto.

My friend Selena is a beautiful looking black woman, but it is immediately obvious that she is of a mixed race from somewhere in her heritage. Because I love what I do, because I respect my friends, because I respect people, and because I think we can all stand to learn more about this great country and the amazing people who began it, I continue my research. Recently, I found a great web site that we can all afford to spend time with. Please visist "Searching for Saponitown", especially "Enigmatic Blackfoot Identifications East of the Mississippi and the Piedmont Siouan of Virginia and North Carolina" both by Linda Carter. I love it when someone's passion for the truth is done so beautifully and compassionately.

The Roberts Family (abt 1835 to present)

Thomas Roberts, a mulatto (the term used on the census forms), was born in 1835 in Tennessee, which is where his parents were also born. Thomas was a farmer all his life. Thomas also served in the Civil War:

Civil War Service Records
Name: Thomas Roberts
Company: K
Unit: 51 U. S. Colored Infantry
Rank - Induction: Private
Rank - Discharge: Private
Allegiance: Union

There is a wedding record showing that Thomas had married an Angeline (no last name) by the Freedman's Bureau on 29 Dec 1864, Hinds Co, MS. I don't know what happened to her but he was shown as with Laura Hawkins, also a mulatto, by the 1870 census. However, census records show they were married 1875, in Mississippi. Laura and her parents were born in Louisiana. Laura's mother, Mary Ann Hawkins, was born in 1805 and by 1880 was widowed and living with Thomas and Laura in Beat 4, Sharkey County, MS (but on the 1880 census shows she was from VA).

In 1870 Thomas and Laura and his two children Robert and Sylvia were living in Rolling Fork, Issaquena County, MS. By 12 Jun 1880 the family was living in Beat 4, Sharkey County, MS. By the way, according to the 1900 and 1910 census forms for Laura each one shows she only had 3 children, which means that only Angellina, Mary Ann, and Corina were her children. The older children were by a previous wife of Thomas'.

Their children were all born in MS:

Robert Roberts Nov 1858 (Timothy's father who married Sena Washington)
Unk - 1860
Unk - 1862
Unk - 1864
Sylvia Roberts - 1866
Unk - 1868
Unk - 1870
Angellina Roberts - 1875
Mary Ann Roberts - 1876
Corina Roberts - 1879

I cannot find a census for Thomas from 1900 on, but on Laura's 1900 census she shows married, and on her 1910 census she shows widowed. In 1910 Laura was 60 and still farming and her daughter Mary Ann was 33 and still living with her. Mary Ann was an a clerk for an insurance company in Beat 4, Sharkey Co, MS.

Thomas and his first wife's son, Robert Roberts, first married Rosa (no last name yet) in 1880 in MS. She was born Apr 1863 in MS, which is where here parents were born also. I have nothing more on her family yet. Robert and Rosa had 12 children and by 1900 only 11 were living. He, like his father Thomas was a farmer all his life. Rosa died between 1901 and 1902/3 at which time Robert married Sena Washington.

On the 14-16 Jul 1900 census it showed that Robert owned his own farm in Leamed Town, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS.

Robert and Rosa's children were all born in Leamed Town, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS:

Eva Roberts - Dec 1882
Jimmie Roberts - Aug 1886
Dillie Roberts - Aug 1887
Willie Roberts - Nov 1888
Della Roberts - Oct 1890
Caroline Roberts - Mar 1892
Albert Roberts - Nov 1893
Rosa Roberts - May 1895
Angelina Roberts - Apr 1897
Mary M Roberts - Jan 1898
Clora Roberts - Feb 1900

In the 29 Apr 1910 census it shows that Robert was now married to Sena Washington (born in 1884 and died Feb or Mar 1977 in Detroit, Michigan) and they and their new family were still living on his farm in Leamed Town, Beat 4, Hinds, MS. Robert Roberts and Sena Washington were married in 1903 and their children were all born in Leamed Town, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS.

Their children were:

Alice Roberts - 1904
Robert Roberts Jr. - 1906
John Roberts - 1908 aka Jehu Cleston Roberts. This is the new bloodline we were just contacted about.
Dugat Roberts - 1909
I believe that at least one child is unaccounted for between 1909 and 1912
Ethel Roberts - 2 Sep 1913
Timothy J - 2 Sep 1913
Lena 1916 (Passed away March 2009)

Please note that I have death records on Ethel and Timothy and they were twins. The records are:

Social Security Death Index
Name: Ethel Roberts
Last Residence: Sardis, Panola, Mississippi
Born: 2 Sep 1913
Died: Feb 1983
State (Year) SSN issued: Mississippi (1966)

Social Security Death Index
Name: Timothy J. Roberts
Last Residence: New Haven, Macomb, Michigan
Born: 2 Sep 1913
Died: 15 Dec 1989
State (Year) SSN issued: Michigan (Before 1951)

And now for the big turn of events. According to my friend Selena, the Roberts moved to Michigan to get work. I can't find census data on that yet, other than Rosa (abt 1895) and brother John (aka Jehu Cleston Roberts abt 1906/8) show up on census records in Detroit. Rosa was a waitress in a restaurant, and John was an electrician for an auto factory. This definitely supports Selena's story. This also explains why Robert and Sena's youngest three kids (Ethel, Timothy, and Lena) ended up with Sena's parents and family, George and Alice Washington, who were in Mississippi. Eventually most all the Roberts ended up in the Detroit, MI area.

My friend Selena, who I did this family tree for, just informed me (23 Dec 08) that her Grandmother Sena Roberts was alive and well up to 1977 and she died in Detroit, MI. However, a new contact, and cousin of Selena's just emailed us as of Oct 20th, 2009 and says that Sena was in Chicago during the 1910-1920 census when we couldn't find her. Sena passed away in Highland Park, Detroit, Wayne Co, MI in 1973. We also discovered that Robert L Roberts Jr is still alive as well, and he's 109 years old. He is the son of Robert and Sena (Washington) Roberts and older brother to Lena Roberts who recently passed away.

That's it for the Roberts side of the family so far, but I will keep working at it. As of Oct 20, 2009, I was just contacted by a lady who is a cousin to Selena. She might have much more to add to this tree and visa versa. She is of the bloodline of John or Jehu Cleston Roberts, son of Robert and Sena (Washington) Roberts.

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The Washington Family

George Washington was born in 1830 in Virginia. He married Sena (last name unknown so far) around 1847 and by 11 Aug 1870 they were living and farming in Dry Grove, Township 4, Hinds, Mississippi. They were both mulattos. Sena was born in 1834 in Virginia. By 1880 George had died and left Sena widowed. Around that time she had moved to Beat 3, Warren County, MS, just to the west side of Jackson, MS and had her four youngest children with her (Lucy, F, J, James). I assume that her older children had married and moved out, and perhaps stayed in Jackson, Hinds County, MS. Also, sometimes census records only use initials or shortened names (like Jas for James, or Geo for George). Unfortunately they did it on the 1880 census for Sena and family which is why I only have initials at this time.

George and Sena's children were all born in Dry Grove, Hinds County, MS:

Erastus Washington - May 1850 (I have more on him and his family below)
George Washington, Jr - Dec 1851 (I have more on him and his family below)
Rasberry Washington - 1857 male
Sam Washington - Aug 1859 (I have more on him and his family below)
Lucy Ann Washington - 1859
F. Washington - 1867 female
J. Washington - 1875 female
James Garrett Washington - 1877

I don't know if that is James Garrett Washington, or simply James Garrett. I will attempt to clarify this soon.

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George and Sena's first child was Erastus and he married Judia (Julia) in 1875 in Dry Grove, Hinds, MS. Judia was born Jun 1850, in MS. In 1900 they lived in Dry Grove, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS. By 1900 she showed she had 9 children with 8 living. I will get more on this family soon. Erastus was a farmer also. And the reason I don't know the two oldest children is because of the missing 1890 census. It could be assumed that by 1900 they have already married and moved out.

Their children were all born in Dry Grove, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS:

Unk Washington - abt 1876
Unk Washington - abt 1878
Charlie Washington - Feb 1880
James Washington - Nov 1881
Erastus Washington Jr - Apr 1883
Sena Washington - Feb 1885
Bettie Washington - Aug 1887
Emma Washington - Apr 1889
and there could be more

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George and Sena's second child was George Washington, Jr. born Dec 1851 in MS. He married Alice (no last name yet) who was born May 1865 in MS. They married in 1872 and by 14 Jul 1900 they were living in Leamed Town, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS. George was also a farmer.

By 21 Apr 1910 they were still living in Leamed Town, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS . By 26 Jan 1920, they were still living in Leamed town, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS and had added their 16th child and now had the 3 youngest Roberts kids, Ethel, Timothy and Lena. By the looks of things George and Alice had also lost 5 children (died of unknown causes). It was a hard life back then.

Sadly, around 1923 or 1924 Alice had died and George immediately remarried to Annie B (no last name yet). Annie was born in MS in 1885. By 28 Apr 1930, George and Annie were living in Jackson, Hinds County, MS. He was 72 years old and Annie was 40 and they had a 4 year old daughter Ruth who was born in Feb 1926. At 72, George was still working as a laborer doing odd jobs and Annie was doing laundry for others from her home.

George and Sena's and Annie's children were all born in Beat 4, Hinds County, MS:

Lucy Washington - 1874
Erasmus Washington - 1876
Martha E. Washington - 1878
Unk Washington - 1880
Fred Washington - Jul 1881
Sena Washington - Sep 1882 (She married Robert Roberts, the parents of Timothy)
Leona Washington - Jan 1885
Atilina Washington - May 1888
Aline Washington - Feb 1890
Emmet Washington - May 1894
George Washington - Mar 1895
Golena Washington - Feb 1896
Annie Washington - Feb 1898
Phosie Washington - Nov 1899 male
Pleasant Washington - 1901
Genera Washington - 1905
Ruth Washington - 1907
Ethel Roberts - 1912 - grand daughter
Timothy Roberts - 1913 - grand son
Lena Roberts - 1916 - grand daughter

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The 4th child of George and Sena Washington was Sam who was born in Aug 1859. I found him and his new family in 1880 living in Dry Grove, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS. It seems no one strayed far from home, and Sam, like his father and grandfather was also a farmer.

Sam Washington married Delia (or Deliah) (no last name yet) in 1878. Deliah was born in Mar 1862 in MS, and her parents were both from Virginia. By 8 Jun 1900 they were still in Dry Grove, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS. I will get more on them soon.

Their children were all born in Dry Grove, Beat 4, Hinds County, MS:

Rhoda Washington - Oct 1880 School teacher
Julia Washington - Feb 1885
Tilly Washington - Jun 1887
Norris Washington - Aug 1891 Could be Morris
Willie Washington - Oct 1893
Loler Washington - Feb 1896 female

The Stewart, Kennedy, and Hartfield Bloodline:

This is a rough sketch of the Stewart, Kennedy and Hartfield bloodline so far. I have been compiling data and haven't had time to put it to readable form. It will be presented much better later.

The Stewart line begins with Tom Stewart, born about 1852 in Virginia. Tom's wife was Mary (last name unknown so far), born abt 1854 in MS, and the census shows her parents were from Virginia. In 18&19 Jun 1880 Tom and Mary were living in Augusta, Perry, MS and had the following children (that I can account for so far):

William Stewart - 1873
Eran Stewart - 1876
Robecca Stewart - Apr 1879

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Now we jump to Tom and Mary's son, William born in 1873:

William married Nancy Hartfield (Heartfield) about 1891 in Beat 1, Perry, MS. Nancy was born May 1875 in MS. As of 20 Jun 1900 they lived in Beat 1, Perry, MS where their first three children were born. By 25 Apr 1910 they lived at Beat 4, Forrest, MS, and William owned his own farm and was where his remaining children were born. Also during this time Nancy's mother Mary (Mollie) was living with him as she had been widowed. By 19 Jan 1920 they were still at their farm in Beat 4, Forrest, MS.

As an aside, the oldest boys farmed with their father on his farm for quite a few years.

Thomas Stewart - Jan 1891
Abe Stewart - Apr 1896
Alex Stewart - Feb 1898
Joseph Stewart - 1901
Charles Stewart - 1905
Rebecca Stewart - 1907
William J Stewart - 1909
Booker T Stewart - 1912
Annie Stewart - 1913
Louis Stewart - 1914
Mary Stewart - Jul 1919
Edna Stewart - 1900 who was an adopted dau (I have no further info)

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William and Nancy's first son Thomas married Kate (no last name) abt 1910 in Beat 4, Forrest, MS. Kate was born abt 1890 in MS. So far I can find six children but I believe there were more. (more research to go). In 19 Jan 1920 they were living in Beat 4, Forrest, MS with Tom's parents and were farming.

Walter Stewart - 1911
Caesoy Stewart - 1913 (twin of Nancy)
Nancy Stewart - 1913 (twin of Caesoy)
Joseph Stewart - 1915
Edwin Stewart - 1917
J C Stewart - Jun 1919

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William and Nancy's second son was Abraham. He married Janey (no last name) abt 1916. Janey was born abt 1902, in MS. In 19 Jan 1920 they were living with his parents in Beat 4, Forrest, MS and were farming. At that time they had two children:

Timothy Stewart - 1917
Paul Stewart - May 1919

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William and Nancy's third child was Alex (my friend's grandfather). Alex married Emma Kennedy abt 1914 in Hattiesburg, Beat 4, Forrest, MS. Emma was born in Beat 1, Perry, MS in Sep 1887. (Her parents were Albert and Clara Kennedy, both from MS. They had 10 children that I can account for so far.) By 19 Jan 1920 Alex and Emma were living with his parents and farming in Beat 4, Forrest, MS. Then by 16 Apr 1930 they had moved in with Emma's mother Clara as Albert had died. Alex also stopped farming was became a carpenter with Pine Products. They were at Beat 3, Forrest, MS. Alex was 16 when he married and Emma was 15, but that isn't the youngest couple I've found so far. Their children were all born in Hattiesbury, Forrest, MS

Clara Rae Stewart - 1918
William A Stewart - Sep 1919
R C Stewart - 1922 (don't know if this is Rudolph or Ralph)
Thelma Stewart - 6 Dec 1923 - 30 Oct 2008 (my friends mother who married Timothy J Roberts)
Clarence Stewart - 1928
There are more children but I have to find them another way.

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Here's what little I have found on the Kennedy's so far.

Albert was born Jun 1863 in MS. He married Clara (no last name) abt 1884 in MS. She was born Jan 1867, in MS. Albert was a farmer and on 26 Jun 1900 he and Clara were living in Beat 1, Perry, MS. At that time they had 5 children. By 25 Apr 1910 they moved to Beat 3, Forrest, MS (the Hattiesburg area) and had two more children. Then by 17-19 Jan 1920 they were still in Beat 3, Forrest, MS and their daughter Nancy was still living with them. On a census it showed that she had 13 children, and that the entire family were mulatto. Albert also worked at a sawmill.

Their children are:

Azalins Kennedy - Mar 1885
Curtis M Kennedy - Feb 1890
Lukie H Kennedy - Jul 1892 (Luke)
Mattie L Kennedy - Jul 1895
Emma D Kennedy - Sep 1887 (Emma married Alex Stewart)
Nancy Kennedy - 1904
Carrie Kennedy - 1908

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Here's what I have on the Hartfield family. It was Nancy Hartfield who married William Stewart.

Alex Hartfield was born abt 1825 in MS and married Mary (Molly) (no last name) abt 1852 in MS. Mary was born abt 1835 in MS. I first find them 25 Jul 1870 and living at Enon, On Leaf River, Perry, MS. At that time they had 4 children and living next to who I think is Alex's father Edinburgh who was born in 1810. I have to find earlier census to prove this.

Tom Hartfield 14 Dec 1856
Charity Hartfield 12 1858
Martha Hartfield 7 1863
Nellie Hartfield 4 1866

I don't think the census data has been transcribed for On Leaf River yet as I cannot find a thing on it. So the next census I found was 30 years later on 20 Jun 1900 where the are living at Beat 1, Perry, MS. By then Alex is about 67 and Mary is about 60. They have with them two grandchildren who I don't know who they belong to yet.

Grandchildren:

Jim Santee - 1891
Lorena Santee - 1888

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Alex and Mary's son Tom (born in 1856) married Ida (no last name) about 1878 at On Leaf River, Perry, MS. Ida was born Sep 1858 in MS. On 20 Jun 1900 I found them still at Beat 1, Perry, MS with 8 of their children. More research needed.

Their children are:

Ronald Heartfield - May 1880
Alex Heartfield - Mar 1882
Malinda Heartfield - Dec 1885
Tom Heartfield- Jul 1889
Murdock Heartfield - Dec 1890
Johnie Heartfield - Sep 1893
Molly Heartfield- Dec 1896
Nancy Heartfield- Jul 1897

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