After the marriage of Terril Roberts and Martha Ann Ragsdale in March 1859, they moved to Blanco County Texas and lived near his brother Alexander Roberts.
Blanco County Texas
Blanco Co Texas Tax Records
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1861…Terril Roberts…200 acres of the M. R. Gohen land grant (Abstract No. 168) on
Cypress Creek valued at $200…l negro valued at $12O0---4 horses valued at $180.
Total property value was $1580. Paid poll tax of 50¢.
1862…Terril Roberts…No land. 29 horses valued at $725, 100 cattle valued at $600.
Total property value was $1325. Paid poll tax of $1.00.
1863…Terril Roberts…Total property value was $1730. Paid poll tax of $1.00 |
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There are no further records of Terril Roberts on the tax rolls of Blanco County. Very probably in about 1864 he returned to Red River County. He is not listed on the census of 1860 for Red River County. Nor does he appear on the militia rolls of Red River County as do his brothers. There was no census taken of Blanco County in 1860.
Terril was living in Red River County in May 1870 when his daughter Maria Vivian Roberts was born. However he does not appear on the 1870 census of Red River County. According to an account written by his daughter Maria, he was living in Hopkins County Texas in 1871.
Recollections of Maria Vivian Roberts
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Then another time we were moving to Hopkins County when I was a year old. We stalled in a creek and Ace and Pa took the horses and mules to get out on level ground. Got lost and wandered all night. Came an awful rain. She and I were in wagon in middle of creek. Rained all night, and she dropped her satchel out of wagon with $500 in it. Was afraid to get out and get it. All we had in world besides the teams. Was scared the creek would get up but just at day break she heard Pa sneeze and called him. Got the satchel. It had lodged. A heck of a life. |
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In 1875 Terril Roberts was again living in Red River County when his daughter Ann Evelina was born. In 1876 he moved his family to what is now Mills County Texas, Brown County then.
Brown/Mills County Texas
Recollections of Maria Vivian Roberts
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We came here to then Brown County in 1876. Came down the mountain on the Priddy Road. Where Goldthwaite is was just one little log cabin, and it was here after Goldthwaite was a town. We got here in July, camped on South Brown a mile west of Goldthwaite. Uncle Houst Roberts was living there and Uncle Tip was farther down on South Creek where Joe Davis now lives. We stayed there till September. My Uncle Houston Roberts was living down here on South Brown Creek 3 miles west of Goldthwaite. Another uncle (Tipton) on two miles on South Brown on place now owned by Joe Davis. But we stayed a month with Uncle Houston.
Then moved up on Colorado River 40 miles, 5 miles below mouth of Indian Creek, bought a place from one of Cousins. Bought two places joining. Lived in a tent till the people got out of house. It had one old log cabin on it, one door, no windows, but a plank floor and fireplace. It had a loft in it, but Ma would not let us up there, no ladder. I always wanted to see what was up there but never did. Our furniture consisted of stove, 2 bedsteads, 4 chairs, a cupboard on wall, a dining table, a big box with lid that Uncle Plummer Ragsdale made for Ma when she married and a cowhide covered trunk, lots of bedding. She had white linen table clothes and I never saw an oil cloth until Iwas nearly grown. Had to haul water, we were 1/2 mile from river (Colorado), the old house leaked. When I was 12 (1882) he bought her a sewing machine, R Wheeler and Wilson. The sewing ran crossways from machines now. Hauled water in a barrel on a sled, but we had plenty to eat and wear, were happy, went to Church, visited, but no schools. |
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Brown Co Texas Deed Bk Jan. 6, 1879
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R. F. Tankersley to Terril Roberts…Survey #253.
80 acres on Colorado River…$350.
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Brown Co Texas Deed Bk Jan. 2, 1880
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B. F. Hardin and wife to Terril Roberts…80 acres of land…$150.
North bank or Colorado about 15 1/2 miles north and 810 west from the mouth of Pecan Bayou. Survey No. 252 by virtue of land scrip No. 8/435 issued to R. F. Tankesly…conveyed by G. Tanksley on June 12, 1858 beginning at a point on the bank of river south 15 1/2? west 2260 from the south corner of survey No. 191 a stake from which an elm bears south 220 east 422 another 10 inches in diameter bears north 28? west 4 thence up the river with its meanders north 47? west 84 35/100 a stake on the bank of the same from which a live oak 8 inches in diameter bears south 540 east 8…an elm 6 inches in diameter bears north 40 west 9 thence north 414…a stone mound from which a post oak 6 inches in diameter bears north 64? west 8 another 5 inches in diameter bears south 570 west 142 thence east 672…a stone mound from which an elm 8 inches in diameter bears south 25? west 21…another 12 inches in diameter bears north 80? west 17 thence south 927 to the place of beginning. |
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Brown Co Texas Deed Bk L, p 591-592 Nov. 12, 1883
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T. Roberts and Martha A. Roberts to I. M. Eggers…$800…80 acres on north bank of Co1orado River 15 1/2 miles north 81? west from the mouth of Pecan Bayou and known, as Survey No. 252 by virtue of said scrip No. 8/435 issued to R. F. Tankersley. |
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According to the last deed, Terril Roberts sold his land on the Colorado River in 1883. This agrees with the record of Maria Vivian Roberts.
Recollections of Maria Vivian Roberts
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We lived there (Colorado River) til 83…moved down to Ridge near Bayou. Then the Senta Fe Railway had got where Goldthwaite is now in 84, and we moved to Goldthwaite, and Pa bought a lot of land. We were here till I married in 90. |
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Houston Roberts lived in the area near Ridge also.
Terril Roberts had an accident as a child causing him to have a crippled right arm. At age10 he was playing in a gin with some other children. In an attempt to slide down a rope, his hands slipped, and he fell breaking his arm. The arm was set perfectly straight, and as a result of this method of setting, his arm was useless. Later he had the arm broken again so that he had more use of it. However he was never able to use the arm again very much.
Terril, like his brothers Houston and Tipton, was a cattleman. He also was a trader, buying and selling horses and cattle. In Blanco County in 1862 he owned 29 head of horses and 100 head of cattle. The year before in 1861 he had owned but 4 horses. During the 1880's the cattle feuds and wars were taking place all over the central Texas area. The following is Maria Vivian Roberts’ own account of her father's involvement in these matters.
Recollections of Maria Vivian Roberts
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Pa bought a stock of cattle from my uncle, 250 head, and we had a lot of our own. Borrowed money, bought more cows (carried the money in his saddle pockets), had his herd up to 750. Sold out and was going to move to Young County, hired him 2 hands, moved down on Rocky Creek, camped in an old house, went to gathering his cattle. Water played out. We moved down on Bee Gun, and he got 300 head of cattle together. Bedded them down one night at mouth of Buffalo Creek, and Bud Ratliff, Charlie Welch, and John Lovelady went and shot down 11 head. Said they went (to) kill them all but run out of ammunition. Well he went back up there next morning. There they lay dead. We were camped so he got John James, my cousin, to come move us to the Hollis place at Ridge. My grandmother lived there. These fellows told it that they killed the cows and were going to kill him. Well things went from bad to worse so we moved to Goldthwaite, and I started to school. I had gone only 3 months before that. I think now that Pa was afraid he would be killed.
Man were killed all over Brown, San Saba, McCollough and Mills for stealing. You know it was really bad. When they would take your milk cows and calves out of the lot at night, and the thieves, some of them, were our nearest neighbors too. The Jernigans for instance. One Luther Roddy was shot and killed at Milburn. His brother Aron Jernigan drove off a lot of our neighbors cows, and Pa just happened to find them where they had sold them at Trickum in Coleman. They sent him to Pen for 20 years. Of course, Pa was main witness and I guess they got it in for him, but he fought the thieves from then on. |
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One story handed down in the family of Maria Vivian Roberts Stark is that one night a drunk came and demanded of Maria where her father was. She told him that she did not know, and he lay down on the porch and went to sleep. While he was sleeping, Maria slipped his pearl handled revolver from under his head where he had placed it before falling asleep.
Recollections of Maria Vivian Roberts
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Finally it got so bad Uncle Hous was killed. Then it seemed like Pa lost nearly all his mind. He had no confidence in people. Lost all his religion but you know the Bible says nothing below or above can snatch us out of God's hands. I think he will be saved. Bud Ratliff came to Hollis one day, told Hollis that they were going to kill Pa. I stood and listened to it all. |
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Mariah Swann had two sons by her first husband, Thomas N. James and Isaac M. James. "Ike" James moved to Mills County and was living there by 1880. He had 3 children:John Henry James referred to in the above account, Thomas Swann James, and Ellen James who married William Andrew Hollis, also referred to in the above account.
Maria Vivian Roberts related other stories regarding life when she was a young girl.
Recollections of Maria Vivian Roberts
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When I was about 11 we went to see one of mother's brothers and to see our Grandpa Ragsdale. He lived with the brother in Nechesville in Anderson County. Well he got a man and his wife to stay at home so we started out with Grannie again and one of Pa's uncles Mack Swann and daughter Lizzy. John James, a cousin of mine, took us to Lampasas. We got on train went to Palestine in Anderson County. Grannie left us at Milam Junction in Milam County. When we got to Palestine it was Emancipation day with the negroes. We stayed nearly all day. They were marching all over town. Several bands. I had never seen one before. Oh, how they were dressed, fine carriages and buggies, bee gum hats and frock coats, silk dresses. Well we went on to Nechesville. Uncle Tom Ragsdale had a big Manufacturing Shop. He invented the Eureka cotton gin and also had a big general store. Had 2 partners. It was Simpson, Ragsdale. He was what we called rich then. Well we stayed 2 weeks. Lots of fruit. All got sick but we got back to Lampasas and hired a man to bring us to Uncle Tips over here on Browns Creek finally got home. Mary was a baby and the biggest piece or machinery she had ever seen was a thresher so when she saw the train she said Pa, here comes the threshers.
Another time when Mother lost the money there was coming up did come an awful rain and hail. Pa had been to Brownwood bought several hundred pounds or flour and he had sold $1500 worth or yearlings. Gave Ma the money put it in her pocket and she missed it while it was raining. Well she could not find it but finally found it in among the sacks of flour. |
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Death of Terril Roberts
In the early 1900's Terril Roberts bought some land about six miles south or Goldthwaite not far off of the old Lometa Road. He lived on this land until his death in 1922. During the days of WorldWar I it was his custom, quite often, to walk the six miles into town to get the daily copy of the paper. He followed the news of the war with great interest. Even though he had a horse and buggy available, he was often happier to walk. His wife Martha died in 1919. He made a trip in August of 1922 te visit his daughter Ann Northington who lived in Fort Worth. He was returning home by train from Fort Worth when he became tired of riding and decided to get off the train and walk. Over the objections of the conductor he left the train. He was found beside the road where he had collapsed from the August heat. He was taken to his daughter Maria’s home where he died the next day. Terril and Martha Ann Roberts are buried in the Rock Springs Cemetery, about 4 1/2 miles west of Goldthwaite. The cemetery is located about a mile and a half from the farm of John Charles and Maria Stark. Terril Roberts died 3 1/2 months after his brother Woodfin. He was the last of the children of Daniel Roberts.
Census Records
1880 Census Brown Co Texas ED 26, p 6, L 7, Pct 4
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Name
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Age
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Sex
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Birthplace
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Relation
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| Terrell Roberts |
40 |
M |
MS |
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| Martha A. Roberts |
37 |
F |
TN |
Wife |
| Mariah V. Roberts |
10 |
F |
TX |
Daughter |
| Ann E. Roberts |
4 |
F |
TX |
Daughter |
| Mary Roberts |
3/12 |
F |
TX |
Daughter |
1900 Census Mills County Texas
ED 111, p 20, L 19, No 331-336, Pct 1
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Name
|
Date of Birth
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Age
|
Sex
|
Birthplace
|
Relation
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| Terril Roberts |
Oct. 1839 |
60 |
M |
MS |
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| Martha A. Roberts |
Oct. 1842 |
57 |
F |
TN |
Wife |
| Mattie T. Roberts |
Sept.1886 |
13 |
F |
TX |
Daughter |
1910 Census Mills County Texas ED 204, pg. 128
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Name
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Age
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Sex
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Birthplace
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Relation
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| Terrell Roberts |
70 |
M |
MS |
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| Mattie A. Roberts |
67 |
F |
TN |
Wife |
1920 Census Mills County Texas ED 165, pg. 7, L 16
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Name
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Age
|
Sex
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Birthplace
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Relation
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| Terrell Roberts |
80 |
M |
MS |
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| Till Warburton |
36 |
M |
TX |
Son-in-law |
| Terril Warburton |
33 |
F |
TX |
Daughter |
| Juanita Warburton |
6 |
F |
TX |
Granddaughter |
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