The ELIAS & ZACCHEUS Roberts Families
The first traceable records of our specific Roberts family are in South Carolina. It is probable that the family had come to South Carolina in the 1780's from Virginia, or possibly from Pennsylvania. The name is probably of Welch origin and if from Virginia, may have been in America since the 1600's. If from Pennsylvania, the family is still likely of Welch origin, but may have come in the early to mid-1700's.
Our specific Roberts family cannot be positively traced earlier than the 1780's in South Carolina. The 1790 census of Pendleton District, SC lists nine Roberts families, including James, John, William, Amos, Isaac, Zachariah, John, Zephaniah, and Elias.
Curiously, Zaccheus Roberts, probable brother of Elias, was not listed in the 1790 enumeration, though their father-in-law, Robert Samuel Brashear and his son Phillip Brashear were listed near Elias. Zaccheus and his new wife may have been living with relatives, but Robert Samuel Brashear had no extra male over 16 in his home and the only Roberts who had more than one male over 16 in his household was James Roberts. Though some researchers have speculated that Zaccheus and Zachariah were one in the same, the children indicated for Zachariah in the 1800 census proves they are not the same person. In the 1800 census records that Zephaniah, Zachariah and John Roberts were born before 1755 and were still living in the same general area in Pendleton County, SC. Elias and Zaccheus, by that time, had moved to an area of Knox County, TN which became Roane County, TN in 1801.
The marriage of Zaccheus Roberts and Nancy Brashear took place near the mouth of George's Creek on the Saluda River near Greenville, SC in 1788. Nancy's sister, Rebecca (Brashear) Roberts, testified 60 years later that she was present at that wedding and it is presumed Rebecca's husband, Elias Roberts, was a brother to Zaccheus. A 150 acre tract of land on George's Creek and the Saluda River had been surveyed for Zephaniah Roberts, mentioned above, in 1784. Considering was neighboring property to Elias Roberts and the strong use of biblical names, it seems likely Zephaniah was another brother of Elias and Zaccheus Roberts.
A death date for a Mary Roberts on June 8, 1826 is listed in the Zaccheus Roberts bible. She cannot be identified and could be the mother of Elias and Zaccheus. It is even possible that these men were brothers of Wright, John and William Roberts who settled in Roane County, TN and were probably sons of a Revolutionary Soldier who had served in the Virginia line named Hezekiah Roberts. Hezekiah's name appeared with Wright Roberts on a petition to form Roane County from Knox in 1801. No further record is found of Hezekiah Roberts in Roane County and he may have died soon after. Hezekiah may have been an older brother, or possibly even the father, of Elias, Zaccheus and Zephaniah Roberts.