Roberts Family Cemetery

Nestled in a grove of mature oak and pecan trees, this serene rural cemetery is home to generations of descendants of Emanuel (Manuel) (1861-1941) and Hannah (Williams) Roberts (b. 1861). Emanuel was an early African American landowner in the area, having previously resided in the Kendleton community of Fort Bend County in the late 1800s, and amassing 207 acres of land from 1893 to 1925 in Wharton County primarily used for farming. In 1925, his six sons, Willie (1881-1968), Maner (1887-1950), Weldon (1889-1969), George (1893-1973), Tommy (1895-1950) and Charlie (1897-1980), were deeded parcels of the estate. The land upon which the cemetery is located was deeded to Tommy Roberts. When Tommy died in December 1950 after falling from a pecan tree on his property, he was buried here and the land was officially established as the Roberts Family Cemetery. There are many unmarked graves in the cemetery, some of which have been identified since the cemetery was designated.

The burial ground is typical of a rural family cemetery from this time, and is the final resting place for several who died at an early age. Burials include veterans of several of America’s major conflicts: Sgt. Aaron Dan Amie (1932-2012) US Army, Korea; Pfc Willie Lee Fisher Jr (1950-1993) US Army, Vietnam; Cpl. Claudie Lowery (1931-1971) US Marines, Korea; Pvt. George Roberts (1893-1973) US Army, World War I; Tommy Roberts (1895-1950) World War I.

The cemetery continues to be active as more generations of the Roberts family are laid to rest with their ancestors. Research also continues into the names and identities of the persons buried within. The Roberts family maintains care of the cemetery. (Historic Texas Cemetery 2021)