3/31/08

Robertstown - wouldn’t you know, named after a guy named Roberts
No entries for a month —then two in 24 hours. Easter Sunday I was in Robertstown checking on a few things and taking some photos when I bumped into a few locals who told me you could see Robertstown from a grave yard across the river (Chatahoochie). So I decided to check it out and drove across the bridge and up a road on the opposite side, up a hill and found the entrance to a graveyard that I had not noticed before. Sure enough when you walked to the edge of the yard you could see down to Robertstown and the square. I looked around a bit and came upon a grave that looked to be the oldest in the yard. It was very unique in that it had a carved tent like top of fine marble and on the sides was inscribed : To Charles Roberts Born Weedon Beck Northhamptonshire England, Died at Atlanta (22 May 1907) aged 44 years.
When I got home I did a search and found a historical society in Weedon Beck and emailed the photo above to them. Next day came the response:
Dear Ed Many thanks for the photographs and details. I have found Charles on the 1871 census age 8, living with his parents in Weedon. His father is a builder. He was not found in the 1881 census but in 1891, he is recorded at his parents home (now at Gayton, about 8 miles from Weedon) as ‘son, visitor’ and his occupation is given as asst engineer, DPW India (DPW seems to be Department of Public Works). Also with him was another engineer, born in India who was presumably visiting home with him. I cannot find out anything about him in Robertstown, other than it was named after a Charles Roberts who apparently owned the land on which it was built. The Ellis Island website has him arriving in New York on Feb 18 1895 on The Servia. again, he is recorded as an engineer. Hopefully, someone else may be able to add to these details and if so, I will let you know. Once again, many thanks for passing on this information. With kind regards Angela Northants FHS

So this is the guy who Robertstown is named after. Interesting in that he was only in America twelve years before he died at a very young 44. He must have been fairly wealthy and if his grave is any indication some one well respected. I have searched for more information on the web without luck — I’ll see if the locals can fill me in.