The birth year on Charlie's headstone should be 1877 not 1878, this was confirmed by his son, the WW1 draft registration, WW II Registration Card and the 1900 census gives his birth as Sep. 1877.

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 about Charlie Bethel Roberts
Name: Charlie Bethel Roberts
County: Jefferson Davis
State: Mississippi
Birth Date: 16 Sep 1877
Race: White
FHL Roll Number: 1682929

U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 (Dated Nov. 7, 1941)
Name:
Charlie Bethel Roberts
Birth Date:
16 Sep 1877
Birth Place:
Meridian, Mississippi
Residence:
Venango, Pennsylvania
Age:
64

Charlie Bethel Roberts was the son of John Bethel Roberts and Emma Whitfield Knight, he attended public schools in Lauderdale and Kemper County, Ms., school enumeration records have been located for the years 1885, 1890 & 1896.

Charlie Bethel Roberts and Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Burkhalter were married in 1900. The Kemper county court house burnt, a marriage record for Charlie and Lizzie has not been located.

Mary Elizabeth Burkhalter was born 8 Jul 1885 in Kemper County, Ms., she died the 22 Dec. 1943 in Oil City, Venango Co., Pa. She was the daughter of William Frank "Billy" Burkhalter and Margaret "Maggie" Smith.

On the 3rd of May 1910 Kemper County Mississippi census this family is listed as Charley B. Roberts head age 32, Mary E. wife age 27, Stennis D. son age 8, Luna M. Daughter age 6, Inez daughter age 5, Leroy son age 3, Calloway son age 2 and Emma daughter age 11 months.

Charlie's occupation was road construction and truck farmer.

Places of Residence: (Followed the railroad and Highway construction.)
1900 Kemper Co. Ms., 1901 Lauderdale Co., Ms., 1903 Lumberton, Lamar Co. Ms., 1906-1911 Neshoba & Kemper Co. Ms., 1914-1916 Carrier, Pearl River Co. Ms., June 1918 Arm, Lawerence Co. Ms., Sep. 1918 Jefferson Davis Co., 1920 Lumberton, Lamar Co., Ms., 1930 Old Philidelphia and Meridian Road, Philidelphia, Neshoba Co. Ms., May 1939 Perkinston, Stone Co., Ms. and after 1940 he lived in Venango Co. Pa.

A family story about Charlie Bethel Roberts working on the Highway or railroad foundation is that the family would travel along the route, sometimes living in tents. Charlie and his sons would haul dirt in a wagon pulled by mules to form the road foundation.

Another story about Charlie Bethel Roberts is that in 1926 his oldest daughter, Luna May Roberts, married Leland Clair Black from Pennsylvania. After they were married, Leland, aka "Lee" and his wife May went to Pennsylvania, then about 1940 Charlie, his wife Mary Elizabeth aka "Lizzie", and most of their children followed Lee and May to Pennsylvania. Charlie and Lizzie lived in or around Oil City, Pa. the rest of their lives. During the 1940's all of their children left Pa. except of course May who had married Lee Black and one other son, Charles aka Bill, remained in Pa.

Charlie was diagnosed with cancer, after he became very ill he went to Heidleburg Mississippi so that his daughters Inez and Ruby could care for him during his illness. After Charlie passed, his sons Marvin & Walter took their father's body back to Pa. on the train. Charlie was buried beside his wife at the Bredinsburg Cemetery in Franklin, Venango County, Arrangements by Osenider Funeral Home, Oil City, Pennsylvania.