Robberts Family Journal: Letters of Wayne T Wilson

Robberts Family Journal

Letters of Wayne T Wilson

Sherry Hurst Stoffers has assisted me in identifying Wayne T Wilson. He was born on the 23rd of May 1840 in Indiana, the son of William Wilson and Mary F Burrows and grandson of Louisa J Robberts and Thomas Burrows.

Wayne T Wilson Attorney at Law Reno, Nevada

March 21, 1924

Judge JC Robberts
District Judge
Enid, Oklahoma

My dear Sir and Cousin:

I received your much appreciated letter of December 17th last, and I was much interested in the information contained in it, but it only whetted my appetite for more.

I have no desire to gain any advantage from a line of antecedents. My Father and Mother were as you say satisfied to rest upon the statement that they were self-made, however, there must have been in them a dormant sentiment that developed in me a strong desire for things historical. I have had a part in writing of the histories of both the States of Nebraska and Nevada. . .

You say that your Father’s Mother was a Coppage. My records shows that your Father’s Mother was Polly Martin, and your Father’s Father was Cornelius Robberts. If I am correct then perhaps your maternal Grandmother was a Coppage and her Mother a Lee.

The Historical Society of Virginia has a very exhaustive record of the Lee family and if we could straighten out our record back to a member of the Lee family we could get all details there and get our family record a place in the archives of that society.

You are the only person, so far as I know, who can give me or get for me this information. I think it worth while. How much more inspiring to a boy would be the great Constitutional debate in Virginia in 1788 if he could connect himself up to Richard Henry Lee.

I am also interested in knowing where our ancestors came from and when. I am informed that they all came from either Virginia or North Carolina to Indiana but I have no idea from what places in those States or the period of their leaving those States or the date of their arrival in Indiana.

I have six brothers and one Sister. My Sister, Mrs. Maude McGoffin, resides at Vale, So. Dakota, and my Mother, who will be 84 years old in May lives with her. My youngest brother Arthur lives at the same place. They are all very well fixed financially.

My Father died Jan 8, 1904 and is buried at Chadron, Nebraska, where we lived for many years. I have two brothers Melville and Clifford, at Alliance, Nebr. associated together in the furniture business. Melville had four sons in the World War and all returned safely. My brother Claude is in the railroad service at Belin, New Mexido. The two others, John and Edward, are in the lumber business at Seattle, Wash.

I was attracted to Nevada by the Goldfield excitement and remained here. The law business is somewhat spotted, depending largely upon the success or failure of mining activity, but on the whole I have succeeded well. . .

I married Mary E Mace of St Louis Mo. She is the daughter of an Army Engineer. There family are also originally from Virginia. Our only son, Emerson, is 16 years old. He will graduate from High School this Spring and will enter the State University here next Fall. He has at present intention of taking a Law course at Stanford after finishing the University.

I do not want to tire you with family history by giving you too large a dose at one time but as I am in correspondence with practically all my relations I can add much that may be of interest at another time.

I have not yet received the copy of family record which you promised to send me. I am anxious to procure it. With very kindest personal regards to you and all your family I beg to remain,

Very sincerely yours,
Wayne T Wilson

Wayne T Wilson Attorney at Law Reno, Nevada

November 22, 1924

Mrs G A Nelson
Waurika, Oklahoma

Dear Mrs Nelson

Your letter of Oct 31, was a great shock to me. I had not heard of your father’s death. My last letter from him was dated March 31, 1924. In that letter he told me that he was enclosing a “Family Tree” but I never received it. I will certainly appreciate your sending it to me and I promise to co-operate with you to the fullest extent in completing such a genealogy of the Robberts family.

I have had some correspondence with the War Department and was informed that no person by the name of Robberts enlisted or served in the War of 1812, but many persons by the name of Jesse Roberts did serve in that War. I have gone through the “Genealogy of the Colonial Families” and can find no family by the name of Robberts but many by the name of Roberts. I have gone through the genealogy of the Lee Family of Virginia and cannot find the name of Roberts or Robberts. However, I am not discouraged. . .

I am not working on the genealogy of the Wilson, Burrows and Robberts Families in the hope that I may complete one or the other. I have read several histories of the Lee Family but so far with out finding any connection.

I believe that I can solve the puzzle in the Robberts Family with the aid of yourself and the old records which I shall be delighted to receive, from your.

Expressing to you my sympathy in the loss of your Father and trusting that I may again hear from you very soon, I beg to remain,

Very cordially yours,
Wayne T Wilson

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Citation: Garrett, Pamela Hutchison 2005 Looking Back: Family Stories and Genealogy http://pamgarrett.com/ [date accessed].