Family: Benjamin Thomas Roberts / Anna Wigglesworth Cartwright (F3486)

• Father | Male Benjamin Thomas Roberts

  
  

  Born	2 Apr 1837	Texas
  Died	6 Nov 1887	San Augustine County, Texas
  Buried		Oakland Memorial Park Cemetery, Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas
  Married	10 Jan 1869  [1]	San Augustine County, Texas  [1]
  Father
  Mother

  
  

  Mother | Female Anna Wigglesworth Cartwright

  
  

  Born	6 Apr 1844	San Augustine County, Texas
  Died	27 May 1903	Kaufman County, Texas
  Buried		Oakland Memorial Park Cemetery, Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas
  Father	Matthew Cartwright | F3418 Group Sheet
  Mother	Amanda "Mandy" Holman | F3418 Group Sheet

  
  

  Child 1 | Male Matthew Cartwright Roberts

  
  

  Born	18 Jan 1870	San Augustine County, Texas
  Died	7 Apr 1931	Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas
  Buried		Oakland Memorial Park Cemetery, Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas
  Spouse	Emily Griffith | F9071
  Married	Abt 1890	Texas

  
  

  Child 2 | Female Amanda "Manda" Holman Roberts

  
  

  Born	17 Jan 1871	San Augustine County, Texas
  Died	2 Dec 1949	Houston, Harris County, Texas
  Buried		Forest Park (Forest Park Lawndale) Cemetery, Houston, Harris County, Texas
  Spouse	Eli William Gaffney | F12586
  Married	7 Jan 1891	Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas

  
  

  Child 3 | Female Annie W. Roberts

  
  

  Born	8 Nov 1872	San Augustine County, Texas
  Died	26 Nov 1963	El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
  Buried		Concordia Cemetery, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas

  
  

  Child 4 | Male Benjamin Shadrach Roberts

  
  

  Born	2 May 1874	San Augustine County, Texas
  Died	12 May 1966	Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas
  Buried		Oakland Memorial Park Cemetery, Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas

  
  

  Child 5 | Male Felix M. Roberts

  
  

  Born	Abt 1876	San Augustine County, Texas
  Died	Abt 1900
  Buried

  
  

  Child 6 | Male Claude C. Roberts

  
  

  Born	4 Jul 1877	San Augustine County, Texas
  Died	1 Feb 1924	Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas
  Buried

  
  

  Child 7 | Female Mary C. Roberts

  
  

  Born	19 Aug 1878	San Augustine County, Texas
  Died	21 Dec 1936	Terrell, Kaufman County, Texas
  Buried
  Spouse	Thomas Corley | F12587
  Married	Abt 1903

  
  

• Notes

  Married: Anna and her sister Mary had commenced writing letters to "care-worn soldiers" other than their brothers. One of these soldiers was Benjamin T. Roberts, seven years older than Anna and a neighbor since childhood, whom had asked her to begin a "friendly correspondence." Although she "never corresponded with young gentelmen before the war...(and) said I never would, She decided it was a 'duty imcumbent of the fair sex' to contribute to the soldier's happiness." (Henson and Cartwright, p. 227) in October 1868, Anna finally gave in to Ben Roberts's ardent courtship and set the wedding for January 1869. Using money from her father's wedding gift, Anna bought the 1830 Ezekiel Cullen house in December 1869, registering the transaction in her own name, an unusual practice for married women at that time. (ibid, p. 267). As a young girl, Anna had displayed more independence of mind than many of her friends, even her mother deplored her occasional "contrariness." After her husband died in 1887, Anna applied to the court and was immediately appointed administrator. Although there was not a prenuptial agreement on file, Anna had kept her property seperate from Ben's. (ibid, p. 299). Her youngest brother, Matthew, offered to build a house for Anna on Griffith Avenue in Terrell, and she agreed to make a fresh start in an area that offered business opportunities for her sons. Within eighteen months of the move, she and her eldest son Matthew had opened a real estate and loan office with the aid of her brother Matthew, and they soon opened an insurance agency to augment their income. (ibid, pp. 300-301). Anna later also had her husband's body reinterred in Terrell, Texas.

  
  

• Sources

  [S1426] Henson, Margaret Swett and Parmelee, Deolece "The Cartwrights of San Augustine" (Texas State Historical Association, Austin, 1993), p. 267 (Reliability: 3).