Roberts, Hugh

Roberts, Hugh

Master builder Hugh Roberts--occasionally "Jr." to avoid confusion with the Hugh Roberts, 1703-1786, who owned the large house built at Point no Point in 1767 and belonged to the American Philosophical Society -- became a member of the Friendship Carpenters' Company in 1769 and signed the Articles of The Carpenters' Company at the union in 1786.


Biography from Philadelphia Architects and Builders, a project of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. Written by Roger W. Moss.

125*

Roberts

Hugh

1/1/1790

approx. 12/1/1773

Hannah West Moore

1/16/1786

4 S. 5th st. (1791) (Prime)

Tatman & Moss Bio Dictionary Phila. Architects page 666. Master builder Hugh Roberts -- occasionally "Jr." to avoid confusion with Hugh Roberts, 1703-1786 -- became a member of the Friendship Carpenters' Company in 1769 and signed the articles of The Carpenters' Company when the two united in 1786. See Selected Bibliography in Tatman & Moss Bio Dictionary Phila. Architects. See "Growing With America, The Fox Family of Philadelphia,"by Joseph M. Fox, published 2006. Copy in Fox file. page 77 - George Roberts, son of Hugh, married Thomazine Fox in 1772; also more on Roberts' relationship to Joseph Fox. ------------------------- e-mail from descendan says family came from county Cork, Ireland. ------------------------- INHP Library - Hugh Roberts paid 106 lbs. for flags and superintendering the building (Congress Hall). Also - quotation from a diary: " In the afternoon went to the Bettering House, east wing; there took part in a dinner with a large number of gentlemen given by George Gray, Hugh Roberts and Peter Brown, county commissioners, which was for the raising of the Court House at the corner of 6th & Chestnut Sts." ------------------------- A "signer" of paper currency issued by Pennsylvania May 1, 1760. ------------------------ PA Gazette 2/26/1751 - #132 "Watchmen. Any suitable persons inclined to serve as Nightly Watch, for the city of Philadelphia, may be informed of terms by applying to wardens." Roberts was one of six wardens. PA Gazette 3/24/1752 - #1599 Hugh Roberts and five other wardens advertise for watchmen to take care of "the public lamps." PA Gazette 4/12/1753 - #2909 Elected a director of the Contributionship insurance, together with Hugh Roberts. PA Gazette 4/11/1754 - #4222 Samuel Powell, Hugh Roberts, Joseph Fox and Isaac Jones elected directors of the Contributionship insurance. PA Gazette 5/16/1754 - #4389 Joseph Fox, Samuel Rhoads and Hugh Roberts chosen managers of Pennsylvania Hospital. PA Gazette 4/15/1756 - #6870 At meeting of Philadelphia Contributionship, elected Directors: Hugh Roberts, Joseph Fox, Samuel Rhoads, and Jacob Lewis. PA Gazette 6/10/1756 - #7089 Advertises for return of a Dutch servant woman, 22 years old, who ran away. Reward 20 shillings. PA Gazette 5/8/1760 - #12168 Chosen managers of Pennsylvania Hospital: Jacob Lewis, Samuel Rhoads. Treasurer: Hugh Roberts. PA Gazette 3/31/1763 - #17998 Committee including Jacob Lewis and Hugh Roberts are signing orders to regulate construction and placement of "privies and vaults" within built-up areas of the city. PA Gazette 6/2/1763 - #18389 Mayor Hugh Roberts, Commissioners Samuel Rhoads and Jacob Lewis among group requiring paving of sidewalks and how water is to be controlled from house gutters and wooden overhangs of houses. PA Gazette 5/8/1766 - #641 Listed as treasurer of Pennsylvania Hospital. PA Gazette 2/25/1768 - #4767 "To be let, a plantation at Richmond, commonly called Point No Point, enquire of Hugh Roberts." This and other listings seem to indicate he was involved with real estate dealings. PA Gazette 7/6/1769 - #7713 As executor of will of William Coleman, "several young Negro children are to be bound to ages of 20 and 24." PA Gazette 101/19/1769 - #8349 "Two straw horses came to plantation of Hugh Roberts in Lower Merion, Philadelphia county." Resident listed as William Young. PA Gazette 5/9/1771 - #11538 Elected a manager of Pennsylvania Hospital. PA Gazette 7/18/1771 - #11971 Hugh Roberts appears to have bought, but not occupied, plantation at Point No Point. PA Gazette 12/1/1773 - #17235 Hugh Roberts married to Miss Hannah West Moore, both of Philadelphia. PA Gazette 4/10/1782 - #29965 Hugh Roberts, Samuel Rhoads and others appointed to an act of the Assembly compelling owners of land at Schuylkill Point to "keep the banks, dams, sluices and flood gates in repair." -------------------

a

Only a sampling below; in Grantor are sequences of 8, 9 and 16, respectively.