John Roberts. Origin: Old Inhabitant

A John Roberts and wife Ruth had a daughter born in 1735 on Harbour Island, Eleuthera. The Woodes Rogers Census of 1731 lists the surname Roberts on both New Providence and on Eleuthera, and there are numerous listings of the surname Roberts in early records of the Bahamas. However, in Homeward Bound, Riley explains that the Rumer memorial on Harbour Island was put up in celebration of the Bahamians from Harbour Island who joined Deveaux’s men in the “overthrow” of Spanish Nassau. These men were called “Loyalists,’ and later granted land in accordance with that status. John Roberts was one of these Bahamians. Roberts was granted 80 acres in the Miley area of Long Island on 12 August 1789.

References: DM, DR, JR (including Woodes Rogers Census), HB