Wiley Thomas Roberts was born on August 29, 1870 at Roberts Station, Jones County, Georgia. Tom, as he was called, was the oldest child of William Luke Roberts and Sarah Sallie Godard. Tom's mother, Sarah died as a young mother at the age of 21. Tom was 2 years old, his younger brother, Nicholas was 1 year old, and his baby sister, Sallie was only 2 weeks old. It is not documented as such, but the probability of Sarah dying from complications of childbirth is great.
Sarah’s death proved to be too much for Tom's father, Bill Luke, and it was decided that the 3 young children would be raised by the Grandparents, Green and Mary Summers Roberts, also of Jones County. At some point when the boys were older, they went back to live with their father, but Sallie remained with her grandparents.
When Tom was a boy of 7, he attended school and learned to read and write. When he was 22, he married Isabelle Hasseltine Neal (1876-1945) on Dec 22, 1892. They owned their farm home located in the Finneys District of Jones County, GA. Children were Pearl Florene, Arthur Napoleon, Sallie Belle Virginia, Annie Winifred, William Howard, and Hasseltine.
Tom’s beloved wife, Belle, died on October 3, 1945 after 53 years of marriage. Tom was distraught for some time later and could not overcome his grief and loneliness. Unfortunately, he became a danger to himself and he was admitted to the Georgia Lunatic Asylum in Milledgeville, GA.
Depression and mental health were widely misunderstood in the 1940’s. The majority of society believed that mentally ill people were dangerous and unpredictable. Patients were institutionalized and were subjected to techniques such as labotomies, insulin-induced comas, malarial infections, and early electro-shock therapy. Patients were chained and had rope restraints to hold them.
Wiley Thomas Roberts died on December 23, 1946 at the age of 76, in the Georgia Lunatic Asylum in Milledgeville, GA. Tom is buried alongside Belle in Macon Memorial Park, Macon, GA.
I think he may have died of a broken heart.
By Carla Roberts Pryor,
great granddaughter of Wiley Thomas Roberts
8-7-2017
Sarah’s death proved to be too much for Tom's father, Bill Luke, and it was decided that the 3 young children would be raised by the Grandparents, Green and Mary Summers Roberts, also of Jones County. At some point when the boys were older, they went back to live with their father, but Sallie remained with her grandparents.
When Tom was a boy of 7, he attended school and learned to read and write. When he was 22, he married Isabelle Hasseltine Neal (1876-1945) on Dec 22, 1892. They owned their farm home located in the Finneys District of Jones County, GA. Children were Pearl Florene, Arthur Napoleon, Sallie Belle Virginia, Annie Winifred, William Howard, and Hasseltine.
Tom’s beloved wife, Belle, died on October 3, 1945 after 53 years of marriage. Tom was distraught for some time later and could not overcome his grief and loneliness. Unfortunately, he became a danger to himself and he was admitted to the Georgia Lunatic Asylum in Milledgeville, GA.
Depression and mental health were widely misunderstood in the 1940’s. The majority of society believed that mentally ill people were dangerous and unpredictable. Patients were institutionalized and were subjected to techniques such as labotomies, insulin-induced comas, malarial infections, and early electro-shock therapy. Patients were chained and had rope restraints to hold them.
Wiley Thomas Roberts died on December 23, 1946 at the age of 76, in the Georgia Lunatic Asylum in Milledgeville, GA. Tom is buried alongside Belle in Macon Memorial Park, Macon, GA.
I think he may have died of a broken heart.
By Carla Roberts Pryor,
great granddaughter of Wiley Thomas Roberts
8-7-2017
Wiley Thomas Roberts was born on August 29, 1870 at Roberts Station, Jones County, Georgia. Tom, as he was called, was the oldest child of William Luke Roberts and Sarah Sallie Godard. Tom's mother, Sarah died as a young mother at the age of 21. Tom was 2 years old, his younger brother, Nicholas was 1 year old, and his baby sister, Sallie was only 2 weeks old. It is not documented as such, but the probability of Sarah dying from complications of childbirth is great.
Sarah’s death proved to be too much for Tom's father, Bill Luke, and it was decided that the 3 young children would be raised by the Grandparents, Green and Mary Summers Roberts, also of Jones County. At some point when the boys were older, they went back to live with their father, but Sallie remained with her grandparents.
When Tom was a boy of 7, he attended school and learned to read and write. When he was 22, he married Isabelle Hasseltine Neal (1876-1945) on Dec 22, 1892. They owned their farm home located in the Finneys District of Jones County, GA. Children were Pearl Florene, Arthur Napoleon, Sallie Belle Virginia, Annie Winifred, William Howard, and Hasseltine.
Tom’s beloved wife, Belle, died on October 3, 1945 after 53 years of marriage. Tom was distraught for some time later and could not overcome his grief and loneliness. Unfortunately, he became a danger to himself and he was admitted to the Georgia Lunatic Asylum in Milledgeville, GA.
Depression and mental health were widely misunderstood in the 1940’s. The majority of society believed that mentally ill people were dangerous and unpredictable. Patients were institutionalized and were subjected to techniques such as labotomies, insulin-induced comas, malarial infections, and early electro-shock therapy. Patients were chained and had rope restraints to hold them.
Wiley Thomas Roberts died on December 23, 1946 at the age of 76, in the Georgia Lunatic Asylum in Milledgeville, GA. Tom is buried alongside Belle in Macon Memorial Park, Macon, GA.
I think he may have died of a broken heart.
By Carla Roberts Pryor,
great granddaughter of Wiley Thomas Roberts
8-7-2017
Sarah’s death proved to be too much for Tom's father, Bill Luke, and it was decided that the 3 young children would be raised by the Grandparents, Green and Mary Summers Roberts, also of Jones County. At some point when the boys were older, they went back to live with their father, but Sallie remained with her grandparents.
When Tom was a boy of 7, he attended school and learned to read and write. When he was 22, he married Isabelle Hasseltine Neal (1876-1945) on Dec 22, 1892. They owned their farm home located in the Finneys District of Jones County, GA. Children were Pearl Florene, Arthur Napoleon, Sallie Belle Virginia, Annie Winifred, William Howard, and Hasseltine.
Tom’s beloved wife, Belle, died on October 3, 1945 after 53 years of marriage. Tom was distraught for some time later and could not overcome his grief and loneliness. Unfortunately, he became a danger to himself and he was admitted to the Georgia Lunatic Asylum in Milledgeville, GA.
Depression and mental health were widely misunderstood in the 1940’s. The majority of society believed that mentally ill people were dangerous and unpredictable. Patients were institutionalized and were subjected to techniques such as labotomies, insulin-induced comas, malarial infections, and early electro-shock therapy. Patients were chained and had rope restraints to hold them.
Wiley Thomas Roberts died on December 23, 1946 at the age of 76, in the Georgia Lunatic Asylum in Milledgeville, GA. Tom is buried alongside Belle in Macon Memorial Park, Macon, GA.
I think he may have died of a broken heart.
By Carla Roberts Pryor,
great granddaughter of Wiley Thomas Roberts
8-7-2017
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