Rankin Roberts

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Jessamine County Kentucky

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History Of Kentucky, Vol. 4, Year of 1922

Contributed by Brenda Weisner

Rankin Roberts

Rankin Roberts, Sr., was born near Brannon Station in Jessamine County, on the 26th of June, 1799, a date that indicates conclusively that he was a member of one of the early pioneer families of this locality. He was a son of Thomas and Sarah Roberts, the former of whom was born in Virginia, in 1755, and the latter of whom was born in North Carolina. The death of Thomas Roberts occurred March 26, 183o, and that of his wife on the 29th of November, 1834. Thomas Roberts reclaimed and developed one of the best of the pioneer farms in this section of the state and did well his part in the furtherance of the social and material progress and prosperity of the community. His name merits high place on the roll of the honored pioneers of Central Kentucky. Of his children the eldest was Joseph, who was born March 4, 1776, and the second son was Rankin, Sr., who, on the 17th of October, 1828, married Miss Nancy Jones. Within a short time thereafter Rankin Roberts and his wife established their residence on the old homestead now owned by the subject of this sketch, and here they occupied the present house from the time of its erection until their deaths, Mr. Roberts having passed away July 24, 1877, and his widow having survived until April, 1885. Their daughter Susan became the wife of Peter Foree, of Henry County, and was forty-five years of age at the time of her death, Mary, Emma, Belle and Florida all died in young womanhood, victims of consumption, and none of them had married. James A., who was born October 8, 1841, died on the sixty-fifth anniversary of his birth. John, another brother, was familiarly known as Jack Roberts, and was a buoyant and genial personality, a man of sporting proclivities, and he died in 1848, in his sixty- third year. Rankin died at the age of seventy years, he having owned a part of the ancestral landed estate. His son Handley is engaged in the wholesale hardware business in the City of Chicago.

James A. Roberts was united in marriage, in November, 1875, to Miss Rosa B. Oldham, daughter of Hiram D. Oldham, of Madison County, and she passed to eternal rest on the I2th of January, 1919. James A. Roberts became the owner of a valuable farm comprising about 35o acres, and has gained marked success as a vigorous exponent of agricultural and livestock enterprise, with special attention given to the raising of cattle and swine and the breeding of fine Kentucky trotting horses. He has raised such standard bred horses for fully twenty years, and has sold the major number of the horses when they were colts. He is a member of the Providence Christian Church, as was also his wife. His father, Rankin Roberts, Sr., was well advanced in years when he likewise became a member of this church, and that he did not readily lose some of the proclivities of his more un- regenerate days is indicated by the following amusing incident. On one occasion the clergyman and a number of the church brethren called at the Roberts home to pass an hour or two. When the clergyman finally suggested a brief session of prayer Mr. Roberts replied: "I think that would be a d d good idea."

James A. and Rosa B. Roberts became the parents

of three children who attained to years of maturity, William Rankin, of this review, being the eldest of the number and the only son. The two daughters, Nancy Belle and Florida Mason, have been twice married but have no children, and they now reside with their brother on the old home farm. William R. Roberts has been twice married. His second wife was Margaret Duncan. Their one son, James Oldham, aged nine years (192o), and the three children of Handley Roberts, of Chicago, are thus the only children representing the Roberts family in that generation. Handley Roberts' children are two sons and one daughter.

William R. Roberts and his two sisters are associated in the ownership of the old homestead, and he has specialized in the raising of standard bred horses, which he has sold as colts. He is a republican in politics, as is also his cousin Handley, of Chicago, but his father and grandfather both gave allegiance to the democratic party.