On October 17, 1836, the land office in Quincy received payment in the name of James E. Roberts for a 40 acre parcel located in a direct line with properties purchased by James' father and brother in what would eventually be named Fountain Green Township.  On October 18, 1836, payment also in the name of James E. Roberts was made for 40 acres in what would eventually be named Hancock Township.  When the patents were issued in 1840, the numbers were consecutive.  View the location of the Fountain Green Township purchase.  View the location of the Hancock Township purchase.

We've not located another James E. Roberts in Hancock County prior to 1840, although that certainly doesn't rule out the possibility.  But since the certificates were sequential, it seems too great of a coincidence for there to have been two men by the same name who made consecutive purchases.

In addition to later census records which consistently indicated James resided in Fountain Green Township (so named in 1850), a biography of James and Sally's third son, Addison, stated that the family's home place was located east of the village of Fountain Green.  Those of James' children born in Illinois were likely born on that farm.

Sarah Morgan Cox, was born December 22, 1807, the daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Cox. Elizabeth's maiden name is found as Metcalf and Midcap.

The place of Sally's birth is in question.

- A biography of John M. J. Cox, Sally's brother, stated that Benjamin Cox moved to Breckinridge County, Kentucky, in 1806 and married there in February of 1807.  Sally arrived in December. (Portrait and Biographical Record of Hancock, McDonough and Henderson Counties, Illinois, 1894)

- A biography (published in 1885) of Bainbridge Roberts, Sally's son, stated she was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., but in later census years he reported Kentucky.

- On the other hand, Sally's brother, Ralph, was the second born Cox child.  He reported in censuses from 1850 through 1880 that he was born in Pennsylvania.

From census records, Sally's sons reported her birthplace as follows:
 

	1880	1900	1910
Bainbridge	PA	KY	KY
Addison	KY	KY	KY
Peyton	PA	PA
Elmore	KY	KY	unk

Two separate sources also indicate different dates for James' and Sally's marriage: August 30, 1830, and October 30, 1830.  Sally died June 24, 1846, probably in or near Fountain Green Township, and was buried at the Roberts Family Cemetery in Fountain Green Township.  Tombstone

The children of James Esmon Roberts and Sarah M. Cox were:

i.	Elbridge Redmond Roberts, born about September 26, 1831 (birth date calculated from tombstone inscription) in Kentucky; died April 18, 1855; burial in the Roberts Family Cemetery. Tombstone
ii.	Bainbridge Haws Roberts, born January 2, 1833, Breckinridge County, Kentucky.  He died in 1919, interment at Friendship Cemetery, McDonough County, Illinois.
iii.	Addison Blades Roberts, born January 29, 1835, in Kentucky.  He died July 19, 1911, interment at Glade City Cemetery, Blandinsville, McDonough County.
iv.	Adeline Enfield Roberts, born January 7, 1837, Kentucky, died February 27, 1864, burial at Friendship Cemetery.
v.	Peyton Yelverton Roberts, born January 21, 1839.  He died January 12, 1908, in Monmouth, Warren County, Illinois.  Burial at Monmouth.
vi.	Chauncey Livingston Roberts, born April 15, 1841.  When he was recruited into the Union Army, Chauncey reported his residence as Tennessee, McDonough County, Illinois.  He served in Company F, 64th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, also known as Yates' Sharpshooters.  He died January 29, 1863, and was buried the same day at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.
vii.	Elmore Augustus Roberts, born August 3, 1843; served in the 64th Regiment, Illinois Infantry (Yates' Sharpshooters).  He died June 11, 1911, probably in Crawford County, Oklahoma.

James married Nancy J. Shipley on January 21, 1847.  She was the daughter of Tidence Shipley and Hannah Perkins.  Marriage License  (94k)

Their children were:

i.	Jesse E. Roberts, born and died before 1901.  We have found but two references to this son: his name is on the list of burials at the Roberts Family Cemetery and he was named in his mother's obituary.
ii.	John T. Roberts, born about 1848, died after September 1901.
iii.	Nancy Isabell (Isabella, Belle) Roberts.  Family records indicate a birth date of May 19, 1850.  She died in 1936 and was buried at the Marlow Cemetery.  Her tombstone was inscribed with a birth year of 1849.
iv.	Rebecca Ellen Roberts, born about 1851, died after September 1901.
v.	James Montgomery Roberts, born in 1854, died 1923; burial at Majorville Cemetery in Hancock Township.
vi.	Theodore Lafayette Roberts, born in 1856, died May 5, 1918, Carthage Township, Hancock County.  Burial location undetermined.
vii.	Louisa L. Roberts, also known as Eliza, born about 1858, died after January 1, 1920.

James farmed in Fountain Green Township for over 40 years.  He was one of the witnesses at the murder trial of Rebecca Brown Dye.

"Ishmael", author of the Fountain Green local news column published in The Republican on February 5, 1890, reported: "There is considerable sickness in this vicinity.  The doctors are busy day and night.  Uncle Jimmy Roberts, an old settler in this neighborhood, and who has been very feeble for a number of years past, is quite low at present."  James died February 18, 1890, and was buried at the Roberts Family Cemetery.

Nancy Shipley was born January 8, 1827, in Tennessee, died in late September of 1901.  Her funeral was held on September 24th.  As recounted in the Majorville Souvenir Booklet, it was the first funeral held in the second Majorville Church structure, which had been dedicated a little over a month previously.  The booklet refers to Nancy as the mother of the late G. M. Roberts; we believe it should have read J. M., for James Montgomery Roberts, coincidentally the only one of Nancy's children known to be buried at Majorville Cemetery.

Nancy's obituary indicates she was buried at the Roberts Family Cemetery.  There is no marker for her grave.  Obituary

Household of Jas E. Roberts
Males 0 thru 4 - 1    [Peyton]
Males 5 thru 9 - 3    [Elbridge, Bainbridge, Addison]
Males 30 thru 39 - 1    [James]
Females 0 thru 4 - 1    [Adeline]
Females 30 thru 39 - 1 [Sally]
Total - 7
Persons employed in agriculture - 1

James E Roberts, 42, male, farmer, value of real estate 600, born TN
Nancy, 23, female, born TN
Elbridge, 19, male, laborer, born KY, attended school within the year
Bainbridge, 17, male, laborer, born KY, attended school within the year
Addison, 15, male, laborer, born KY, attended school within the year
Adeline, 13, female, born KY, attended school within the year
Paton, 11, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Chauncey, 9, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Elmore, 7, male, born IL, attended school within the year
John, 2, male born IL
Nancy, 1, female, born IL

James E Roberts, 55, male, farmer, value of real estate 3000, value of personal estate 1000,
born TN
Nancy, 49, female, born TN
_ancey L, 19, male, farmer, born IL
Elenore [Elmore], 17, male, farmer, born IL, attended school within the year
John, 12, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Isabell, 10, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Ellen, 9, female, born IL, attended school within the year
James M, 7, male, born IL
Theodore L, 5, male, born IL
Eliza, 2, female, born IL

Roberts, James, 61, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 4000, value of personal estate 300, born TN, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Nancy, 42, female, white, keeping house, born TN, could not write
John, 22, male, white, farm laborer, born IL
Ellen, 18, female, white, born IL
Montgomery, 16, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Lafayette, 14, male, white, born IL
Louisa, 12, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year

Roberts, James E, white, male, 73, married, farmer, born TN, father born VA, mother
born TN
Nancy J, white, female, 53, wife, married, keeping house, born TN, father born VA, mother
born TN
J M, white, male, 26, son, married, farmer, born IL, both parents born TN
C, white, female, 18 [might be 17 or 19], daughter, married, keeping house, born IA, father born VA, mother born OH
Lafayette, white, male, 24, son, single, at home, born IL, both parents born TN
John R, white, male, 26, nephew, single, at home, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL

There should be a listing for the widowed Nancy J. Roberts in 1900.  Her obituary seems to indicate that she was still in her own home at the time of her death.  Perhaps the listing is in one of the illegible areas on the pages for Fountain Green Township.