ANDREW ROBERTS

 

 

     Andrew Roberts, b ca 1798, d August 1844 in Brazoria County, The Republic of Texas - was a son of William Roberts, b 1776 in South Carolina, d 1833 in the State of Coahuila which later was Brazoria County, Texas, and his wife, Margaret (called "Peggy" - maiden name unknown) Roberts, b ca 1780 - date of death unknown, who came with Stephen F. Austin's first colony called "the old 300" by 1825.

In 1831, along with Captains John Henry Brown, John Austin, and William J. Russell, Andrew participated in putting an end to the despicable acts of Colonel John David Bradburn, who heaped indignities upon the Texas colonists, contrary to the Mexican Constitution of 1824. Later, when Santa Anna invaded Texas, Andrew Roberts joined General Sam Houston's army, serving as a Scout. He was a farmer and a stock- man, who made his in Fort Bend and Brazoria Counties from about 1826 until his death in 1844.

     On the first Census of Austin’s Colony, Andrew, was listed with his first wife, Sally, four daughters and one son. It appears that Sally, a daughter, and the son died, for by 1829, Andrew was married second to Cynthia Hodge, b April 1813 in Christian County, Kentucky, dafter 1900 at Stranger in Falls County, Texas.

     Cynthia's family was, also, among the original 300 in Austin's Colony, registering in July 1825. Her father was Archibald Hodge, b 1790 in Georgia, dafter 1855 in Fort Bend County, Texas, who married June 27, 1812 in Christian County, Kentucky to Charlotte Reeves, b ca 1795 in South Carolina, d in Fort Bend County, Texas. On December 23, 1812, Archibald was in the rolls of Captain Benjamin H. Reeves' Company, Sixth Regiment, Kentucky Militia, in the War of 1812.

     Cynthia's grandparents, Alexander Hodge, b 1760 in Pennsylvania, d August 17, 1836 in Fort Bend County, The Republic of Texas, and his wife, Ruth (Hodge) Hodge, b 1769 in South Carolina, d 1831 in Texas, State of Coahuila, Mexico and both buried in Hodge's Bend Cemetery in Fort Bend County, Texas. Alexander and Ruth had married in 1788 before moving to Georgia where their eleven children (seven sons and four daughters) were born. By 1810, the family was in Christian County, Kentucky. Shortly thereafter, several members of the family emigrated to Arkansas, Indian Territory, thence to Texas with Stephen F. Austin's first 300 colonists. In 1829, Alexander was serving as a Commissioner in the Victoria Precinct of what became Brazoria County.

     The story of Cynthia (Hodge) Roberts' part in the Run-Away Scrape is legendary. When Santa Anna's army crossed the Colorado River, she and all the other women and children took flight for safety.

     When Andrew Roberts died in August 1844 at his plantation in Brazoria County, Cynthia was named Administrator of the estate, which included the one- half league on the plantation homestead, one-half league in Gonzales County, 800 head of cattle, 70 hogs, two oxen, horses, and a mule, and tools, and a number of slaves. He named eight surviving children in his Will- three daughters by his first wife, and four sons and a daughter by Cynthia:

     Mary Roberts, b ca 1818 - married Abner Harris.

     Margaret Roberts, b ca 1820 - married January 23, 1839 to Abner H. Hodge.

     Martha Roberts, b ca 1825 - married John Pevehouse and moved to Navarro County, Texas prior to 1850.

     John Roberts, b 1832, d 1851 at Stranger, Falls County, Texas, with an estate of a mare and a colt, valued at $105.00.

     Sarah C. Roberts, b 1834, dafter 1880 - married first in Milam County, Texas to John Jones, M.D., b 1825 in North Carolina; and married second October 21, 1872 in Falls County to Quinton H. Vann, who bought the Erskine gin and moved it across Big Creek to his farm.

     Archibald Roberts, b 1835 - died before 1850.

     Joel W. Roberts, b May 2, 1837 in Brazoria County, The Republic of Texas, d January 23,1920 in Quanah, Hardeman County, Texas and buried in Stranger Cemetery.

     Abner Roberts, b 1840 in Brazoria County, Texas, d 1864 in Virginia while in the Confederate States Army in company with his step-father, James P. Moffett, who also died there. Both were buried on a Virginia hillside.

     Cynthia disposed of her husband's estate, and married second in 1849 to James P. Moffett, b 1814 in Maryland, d 1864 in Virginia during the Civil War.

     Before 1850, the Moffetts, some Hodge relatives, Abraham Pevehouse, and Granville Rose, had all moved to Blue Ridge in Limestone County, Texas - which later became Stranger, Falls County, Texas.

 

 

 

Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical Commission, page 390 column 2 and page 391 column 1 and 2.  Member of Falls County Historical Commission.