Roberts’ Court Cases

There were a number of Court of Common Pleas and Orphans’ Court cases involving the Roberts family from the 1820s to the 1840s. The cases do not cover all the creditors; there are many who did not take part in the court cases (for example, see the list of Joseph Roberts’ creditors from 1847). They can be classified under the following headings:

Debts of William Roberts, senior

1. Benajmin Funk, executor of the estate of Elijah Funk vs Joseph and John Roberts, executors of the estate of William Roberts

November Term 1842, case 71, $600; debt of 4/1/1813 together with Joseph Roberts.

2. Robert Jones, guardian of Susan Rossiter vs Joseph and John Roberts, executors of the will of William Roberts.

February Term 1843, case 70, $2250 debt

3. Joseph Roberts, for the use of William Roberts, Lewis W. Roberts, and John Williams, assignees of Joseph Roberts vs Joseph and John Roberts, executors of the will of William Roberts.

May Term 1843, case 101, no details, presumably resolved before court date of first Monday in May.

4. Dr. James Pennypacker, executor of the estate of Nathan Pennypacker vs John Roberts, executor of the estate of William Roberts

November Term 1843, case 92, agreed amount $377 50c.

5. John Wells and John Young, administrators of the estate of Peter Young, for the use of John Wells vs John Roberts, executor of the estate of William Roberts, and William Roberts, Lewis Roberts, and John Williams, assignees of Joseph Roberts

November Term 1843, case 86, summons debt $1150.

[Total debts: $4377 50c; proceeds of land sales $13,500]

Debts of Joseph Roberts

1. Jacob Hawk vs Joseph Roberts and Christian Kibler.

November Term 1841, case 21, $120 debt, arbitrators William Williamson, John G. Wersler, and Robert Irwin. Agreed amount $65 66c? not clear what happened to Kibler.

2. John Aker, assignee of Jonathan Jones, who was the assignee of Samuel C. Lapp, intermarried with Ann S. Jacobs vs Joseph Roberts.

May Term 1842, case 189. 5/1/1837 judgement of $2280 plus damages to Ann. S. Jacobs which was not paid. Revised amount $1503 25c.

3. Susan Rossiter vs John Williams, William and Lewis Roberts, assignees of Joseph Roberts.

January 1847, case 43. debt $2300 (originally debt of William Roberts, see above)

Debts of John Roberts

1. Joseph Roberts, for the use of William Roberts, Lewis W. Roberts, and John Williams, assignees of Joseph Roberts vs John Roberts.

February Term 1843, case 28, debt, arbitrators Nimrod Strickland, Walter Hibbard, and Samson Babb. Agreed amount $121 13c.

Debts of Stephen Roberts [paid by Joseph Roberts? Claimed to be more than $4500]

1. Bank of Chester County vs Joseph Roberts (debt of Stephen Roberts)

November Term 1842, case 8, $1843 84c debt.

2. John Webster vs Stephen Roberts

November Term 1842, case 47. The claims of 27 other creditors wrapped up in this action. Claims totalled $3029 3c (including Bank of Chester County), assets $55 91c.

Debts of Lewis W. Roberts

1. John Beaver vs Lewis W. Roberts

May Term 1841, case 80, $300; judgement docket K page 723, 5/5/1836 [when Lewis was 23 years old]; Agreed continuation, amount $300 and interest for 5 years.

2. Bank of Chester County vs Lewis W. Roberts

August Term 1843, case 95, $1,700; judgement docket M page 674, 4/36/1842; arbitrators Walter Hibbard, William Baker and James Davis; Agreed amount $869 66c (principal and interest) stayed until 1st April 1844.

Reference

1. Court records held by Chester County Archives