BUILT AT 211 TURNER STREET SHORTLY BEFORE THIS 1888 MAP OF BEAUFORT HARBOR

Roberson-Pool House circa 1883

Roberson-Pool House
before restoration
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Roberson-Pool House
after restoration
     The house at 211 Turner Street was built between 1880 and 1885. 

     Since the western side of the 200 block belonged to the Roberson family, except for the Jacob Gibble House on lot 103 (217 Turner Street), and only one deed of sale has been found (for the southern portion of lot 93), it stands to reason that Joseph Pigott Roberson, the carpenter, built the house, the lot perhaps willed to Joseph and his sister Cinderella Pigott Roberson Pool. Nephew Russell Manson was head of household in 1930. Therefore, the home was owned by descendants of the Roberson family for at least fifty years, the lot for perhaps 80 years. 

ROBERSON FAMILY
     Malachi Bell Roberson, son of Joseph Roberson and Sarah Bell, was born January 1, 1802 in North Carolina, and died February 14, 1855. On January 20, 1827 Malachi married Sarah Ann Pigott (c.18001878), daughter of Jechonias Pigott (17741856) and Cinderella Chadwick (17821818). This was Sarah Ann Pigott’s second marriage; her first was to Elijah Bell in 1818. (Malachi Roberson’s headstone in the Old Burying Ground is inscribed Malachi Robinson.)  

Malachi Roberson 1802-1855 
Old Burying Ground
     Malachi and Sarah Roberson had seven known daughters and one known son:
1.    Eliza Roberson was born about 1828.
2.    Joseph Pigott Roberson, born in 1829, married Mary Ann Walker in 1854.
3.    Sarah A. Roberson (1832
1885) married William Charles King.
4.    Henrietta Roberson was born in 1835.
5.    Mary Roberson was born in 1836.

6.    Minerva Roberson was born about 1838; she married William Vernon Geffroy – their son Malachi
Old Burying Ground
Roberson Geffroy married Mary Ann Davis (Nannie Pasteur Davis; she changed her name after her mother's death), mistress of St. Paul's School.
 7.    Susan Pigott Roberson (18421916) married Levi Clark Howland.   
8.    Cinderella Pigott Roberson (18441888) married James Harrell Pool in 1866; both were buried in the Old Burying Ground.
     On November 21, 1842, there was an act to incorporate Beaufort Male and Female Academy in Beaufort. Asa Canaday, Malachi B. Roberson, John F. Jones, Marcus C. Thomas, Benjamin L. Perry, Isaac Ramsey, Benjamin Leecraft, William J. Potter, Thomas Duncan, James Ward and James Manney were the trustees.
     April 21, 1853 Deed, AA-138: M.B. Roberson, Benjamin Leecraft and Benjamin L. Perry to D.H.L. Bell; Thomas Duncan, M.B. Roberson and Benjamin Leecraft, surviving partners of lumber dealers William C. Bell & Co., upon death of Benjamin Leecraft, one of the firm, the firm sold to Benjamin Leecraft Jr. who conveyed ¾ ownership to the other three.
     The 1850 Beaufort Census recorded Malachi B. Roberson 47 as a ship builder; value of home $2600. In his home at that time were: wife Sarah 49, Eliza 22, Joseph 20 (merchant), William 24 (merchant), Henrietta 16, Mary 14, Manerva 12, Susan 9, Cinderella 6, and Sarah A. 18 with husband William King. Their home was near Benjamin Leecraft and William C. Bell.
     In 1930s, Cecil Longest wrote - Malachi Roberson had a combination home and school built in the second block of Turner Street. He hired Stephen Decatur Poole to teach. The school grew into the Beaufort Female Seminary for the instruction of young ladies. He was approached about teaching young men, and thus opened a night school. By 1858, Mr. and Mrs. S.D. Pool were principals of Beaufort Female Seminary. The building in which the Robersons lived, and the children attended school, is presently the Masonic Lodge.
    JOSEPH PIGOTT ROBERSON
    Born about1830 and died after 1900
    • Joseph Pigott Roberson married Mary Ann Walker on November 17, 1854. 
    • 1860 census: Malachi’s son “mechanic” (carpenter) Joseph 30, wife Mary 21 and 2-year-old son Claudius were on Front Street near G.W. Taylor’s “Ocean House” hotel. 
    • 1880 census: Joseph was living near the corner of Turner Street and Ann with wife Mary A. and children, Claudius V. 22, Robert R. 19, Margaret E. 13 and Mary 5. 
    • 1900 census: (200 block of Turner) widower Joseph 70, with daughters Mamie 25 and Maggie 30 with husband Richard Felton and their four children.
    CINDERELLA PIGOTT ROBERSON POOL
    Born in 1844 and died December 11, 1888
    • Cinderella married Lieutenant James Harrell Pool (18431879) on April 4, 1866; they had been friends since childhood, when James' parents, Stephen Decatur Pool and Caroline Lockwood came to Beaufort to teach at Roberson's home/school.
    • Cinderella and James Pool had three daughters and four sons: Sallie C. 1867, Jane 1871, Stephen D. 1873, Susan H. 1875, James M. 1878, and twins David S. and William V. born 1880.
    • Cinderella and Lieut. James H. Pool were buried in Old Burying Ground.
    • 1880 Federal Mortality Schedule recorded Nov 1879 as death date for J.H. Pool.
    • J.H. Pool has a CSA marker in the Old Burying Ground which is now partially submerged, reported to show 1877 as year of death. 
    POOL FAMILY
         Stephen Decatur Pool was born 23 March 1819 in Pasquotank County to Joshua A. Pool and Ann (Nancy) Lowry and died December 21, 1901, buried Osyka, Pike County, Mississippi. He married Caroline Sydney Lockwood in 1842. 

    James Harrell Pool 1843-1879
         Children of Stephen and Caroline Pool: James Harrell (18431880) married Cinderella Pigott Roberson on April 4,1866, John Lockwood (b1843), Henry Clay (b1845), Stephen Decatur Jr. (18471892), Dora (b1849), Henry Clay (b1849), Mary Birdsall (18511930), Caroline S. (b1854), William S. (18551879), Carlton F. (18571932), Charles E. (b1859) and Henrietta  Pool (18611931).
    • 1850: S.D. Pool was a teacher in Pasquotank County, with wife Caroline and five children. 
    • 1860 Beaufort Census: S.D. Pool 41, a teacher at a female seminary. 
    • 1870: S.D. Pool was editor of newspaper in New Bern with wife Caroline and seven children.1872 principal of Male and Female Academy in Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County. 
    • Son James Harrell Pool and Cinderella P. Roberson Pool’s daughter Jane Pigott Pool (1872-1951) married James Pool Clawson (19001980), son of Charles Alfred Clawson Jr.
      ___________________________ 
    Lots, Maps & Sally Roberson's Will

    1816 Jonathan Price Map
         In March 1817, lot 93 Old Town was deeded by
    Carteret County Commissioners to Joseph Borden (1769-1825), son of Quaker William Borden (William Borden House at 305 Front Street).

         Joseph Borden was husband of Esther Wallace Easton, widow of Capt. John Easton. 

         In 1823, Borden willed the lot to his daughter Mary Borden. At some point, Malachi Bell Roberson purchased this and other properties in this block.

         In her 1878 Will, Sarah Ann "Sally" Roberson, widow of Malachi Roberson, left three of four lots on the west side of this block to her children; lot 93 Old Town was left to son Joseph Pigott Roberson and daughter Cinderella Pigott Roberson Pool. 

         I, Sally Roberson, of Beaufort, in Carteret County…To my daughters, Eliza Jane, Henrietta and Mary the following property...Lot 73 in Beaufort, Old Town where I reside, all household and kitchen furniture, and personal Property...Lot 82 in Old Town, with the Seminary building, and a pass-way be left from Turner Street to the Cemetery, for the use of my family and relations other lands at North River and Shackelford Banks. To daughters Minerva and Susan lot 83 in Old Town. To son Joseph and daughter Cinderella lot 93 in Old Town.
         My son Joseph and son-in-law William V. Geffroy executors
         Witnessed: Belcher Fuller, Lewis Forlaw

         Sally Roberson (seal)
    Gray's 1880 Map of Beaufort
         July 30, 1869, proven Dec Court 1878 
    • Lot 73: northwest corner of Ann and Turner 
    • Lot 82: Seminary building on east side of Turner.
    • Lot 83: behind lot 73, between lot 73 and 93 on Turner.
    • Thus…Sally Pigott Roberson owned all of the west side of 200 block except lot 103 (Gibble-Delamar House). 
    • “Roberson” began to be referred to as “Robinson.” I.E., Gray’s 1880 Map noting “Miss Robinson” (Sally Roberson deceased, so someone may have given Chase (drafted map) that ID because she had owned it for so long.
         In 1888, Joseph and Cinderella sold the southern portion of lot 93 to James S. Caffrey.
     

         1997 Ruth Little Survey description of house at 211 Turner Street: Gothic Revival house with three projecting gabled wall dormers, 2 interior brick chimneys and 6/6 sash. The porch projects around the central dormer and has chamfered posts and traditional railing. Not on Gray's 1880 map but appears on 1885 Sanborn map.

    1885 Sanborn Map
    1893 Sanborn

    1898 Sanborn
    1904 Sanborn
    1913 Sanborn
    1913 Close-up
    Censuses:
         Until 193040, it is difficult to tell exactly who lived where; census takers did not designate house numbers and may have also zig-zagged from east to west sides.

    1870: Roberson family was in the general area of 200 block of Turner
    • Widow Sally Roberson 70 (Malachi died 1855), with Elvira, Henrietta and Mary - possibly on northwest corner of Ann and Turner streets.
    • Nearby William Geffroy, wife Minerva (Roberson), Malachi and Willie.
    • Also nearby Jacob Gibble family and Dr. Benjamin Davis family.
    1880: Roberson family was in the general area of 200 block of Turner
    • Widow Cinderella Roberson Pool, 36, on Ann (perhaps home of her mother Sally on corner of Ann/Turner) with seven small children (husband Lt. James H. Pool died 187779).
    • Joseph Roberson near corner of Turner and Ann with wife Mary A. and children: Claudius V. 22, Robert R. 19, Margaret E. 13 and Mary 5.
    1900: Joseph Roberson in 200 Block of Turner
    Residents in order taken by census taker (if actually side by side), Joseph's son Claudius Roberson would be in 211 Turner Street, next to Jacob Gibble: 
    • James S. Caffrey
    • Widower Joseph Roberson carpenter 70, born Nov 1829, with daughters Mamie 25, and Maggie 30, with husband Richard Felton and their four children: Susie born Oct. 1884, Maggie born Dec. 1893, Claudius born Aug. 1898 and Mary born Nov. 1899. 
    • Claudius Roberson born April 1858, dry goods merchant 42, with wife Sarah and nephew Russell Manson born Aug 1887.
    • Jacob Gibble born May 1835, with wife Julia, daughter Helen and two servants.
    1930: 211 owned by Russell Manson - home value 2500
    Russell Manson
    43 dry goods merchant, evidently inherited the house or became the male head of household. In the household: Aunt Sarah Roberson 65 (Sarah Ireland, daughter of David Ireland and Mary Frances Davis, 18641936), Aunt Carrie R. Ireland 61 and Mamie Roberson 55 (Russell Manson, born 1886, was the son of Edward Manson and Mary J. Ireland.)

    1940: 211 Turner was rented by Martin L. Willis and family - book keeper for sales and service automobile company
     

    Of Note:

         In 1888, James Caffrey purchased the southern part of Old Town Lot 93 from Joseph Pigott Roberson and his sister Cinderella Pigott Roberson Pool for $125. First noted on the 1900 Beaufort Census as a sea captain, James Caffrey became owner of a fish factory or "fertilizer mill," as noted on his death certificate; he was in business with Winfield Scott Chadwick – "Chadwick & Caffrey." This was home to the Caffrey family for over forty years.

         When "Sally" Roberson died in 1878, she was living at the NW corner of Ann and Turner Streets. Part of her Will referred to "the Seminary building" across Turner Street. In 1908, the Roberson home burned and took the life of Henrietta Roberson (see NOTE below). After the fire, Winfield Scott Chadwick purchased the property and built a Queen Anne-Colonial Revival house about 1910 (now 315 Ann). 

         NOTE: On April 10, 1908, a few days before the Robert E. Lee Fire Company was 11 months old, the call of “Fire!” at three o’clock in the morning brought the company to what the old “Lookout” described as “the most horrible fire in Beaufort’s history—the Roberson house on the northwest corner of Ann and Turner street in which 72-year-old Miss Henrietta Roberson was burned to death. Quoting further from the old Lookout, “The Robert E. Lee Fire Company and the Colored Fire Department arrived on the scene in short order. The new fire engine was connected to the fire plug on the corner, but as the water did not come promptly, the engine was taken to the waterfront at the end of Turner Street, and the hose thrown overboard.”
    Ruins of Roberson home.