The J. T. Roberts Family—A Group Photo ca. 1936

This is one of my favorite photographs of the Roberts clan, my maternal grandmother’s (Leona Roberts Redles) family. It’s one of many that I scanned this past March when I was visiting my family in Valdosta, Georgia. This was taken at the J. T. (John Taylor) Roberts house on Wells Street. We called it the Big House. This was taken on the side porch on the south elevation. I’m guessing it was taken around 1936 or so. My Aunt Catherine (Redles) looks to be about four or five years old and my mom looks about ten or so. Click on the photo to enlarge it. I resorted to numbering everyone since the folks on the steps aren’t sitting in straight rows.

Most of the folks in the photograph are descendants of John Taylor (J. T.) and Catherine (Young) Roberts, my great grandparents. Some are spouses of the descendants. I’ve included the nicknames that my mom wrote on the back, but I’ve added their “real” names. One of my dad’s friends once said that if you want to talk about someone in this family but don’t want anyone to know to whom you are referring, just use their real names, because no one (outside of the family) knew what their real names were! I had to look up some of them myself when I was labeling the photo! Get ready. It’s a long caption. (Nicknames and maiden names are in parentheses.)



Left to Right—Front Row: 1-John Roberts (John Bobs) Covington, 2-John Winn 3-Minnie Roberts, 4-Anita (Doodle) Roberts, 5-Edwina (Bootsie) Roberts, 6-Edith Roberts, 7-Redden (Bo) Parramore, Jr., 8-Mary Remer Parramore, 9-Lilla Kate Parramore. Second Row: 10-John T. (Johnnie) Roberts, 11-Kathleen (Sister) (Auntie) (Roberts) Winn, 12-Abial Winn, 13-John Young Roberts (by banister), 14-Catherine Young (Snookie) Graham, 15-Margaret (Roberts) Graham, 16-Warren (Brother) Graham, 17-Catherine Redles (my mom’s sister, nearly hidden holding the doll), 18-Kathleen (Koota) (Winn) Knight, 19-baby Jimmy Knight, 20-James (Jimmy) Knight. Third row: 21-Mary (Converse) Roberts (wearing glasses), 22-Leona (Roberts) Redles (my grandmother), 23-Gertrude (Jones) Roberts, 24-Leona (Lonie) Redles (my mom, holding doll). Fourth Row: 25-Stella (Roberts) Pendleton, 26-William Leland (Big Bubba) Roberts, 27-Mary Remer (Dinah) (Roberts) Parramore, 28-Redden Parramore, Sr. Top Row: 29-Edmund Pendleton, 30-Maie Dell (Roberts) Covington, 31-Edwina (Midge) Roberts, 32-Henry Covington. The handsome young men standing on the right side of the photo are (back to front) 33-Henry Covington, 34-Roberts (Hunkie) Pendleton, and 35-Edmund Pendleton (Yes, a Roberts married a Pendleton. I have double cousins. And this isn’t the only instance of someone in my mom’s family marrying someone in my dad’s!)

What a handsome family! A lot of them are very familiar to me as I knew them when I was a kid growing up in the 50s and 60s. Some of the youngsters in this photo now have grandchildren and great grandchildren. I wonder what a Roberts family photo would look like now!

Catherine

Nearly Wordless Wednesday—Leland Roberts *Update

This is my maternal Great Uncle Leland Roberts (1884-1964) in his garden on a bright, sunny, south Georgia day.  He was my grandmother Leona’s oldest brother. We called him Uncle Big Bubba and he lived in the Big House!  Actually, he lived next door at his sister Kathleen Roberts Winn’s house but ate his meals at the Big House (the J. T. Roberts house).  I remember him sitting by himself at the table by the window in the dining room while his sisters Margaret Roberts Graham and Dinah (Mary Remer) Roberts Parramore, niece Mary Remer Parramore, his brother-in-law Redden Parramore, and whoever else came to dinner (like my parents) sat at the dining table (us kids sat at the kids table).  He used to come out and swing in the porch swing with us kids after Sunday dinner.  I loved to visit with Uncle Big Bubba!

*My Aunt Catherine told me today the origin of my uncle’s nickname “Big Bubba.”  He was called that because he was the older brother, and Uncle John Young (Roberts) was called “Little Bubba” because he was the younger brother.  I had no idea!  Now I know!

Catherine