Dates

• Existence: 1886 - 1980

Biography

George McKenzie Roberts (1886-1980) was an American businessman and genealogist.

George McKenzie Roberts was born on December 28, 1886, in Vergennes, Vermont; his parents were George Simon Roberts and Florence Louise McKenzie. He was educated formally only up to the eighth or ninth grade, then began working for General Electric in 1901 at the age of 15. The family lived in Glenville, Schenectady, New York, from at least 1900 to 1905. On October 20, 1909, he married Anne Edith Campbell in New Haven (or Addison), Vermont. The couple had no children and are believed to have later divorced. In June 1917, George registered for the draft in Schenectady, New York.

From 1919 until 1953, he worked for the International General Electric Company, Inc., in New York City as Credit Manager, Assistant Treasurer, and Treasurer. He also worked as treasurer and one of the directors of Electrical Export Corporation, and was chief of the Foreign Trade Branch of the U.S. Office of Price Stabilization in Washington, D.C., from 1951 until his retirement in 1953. In 1942, he registered for the draft to serve in World War II. In 1943, on November 22, George married Grace Agnes Rhodes Perkins (or Ruth G. Rhodes) in Reno, Nevada; this marriage also seems to have ended in divorce, with no children. In 1947, Roberts emigrated to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with his wife. During the course of his career, he had also served as a director of the New York Board of Trade, as well as of other business clubs and associations, from 1920 to 1950.

After retirement, Roberts took up genealogical research, publishing two serial-running genealogies in the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record: "The Druse Genealogy," from 1938 to 1939, and "The Denslow Family in America," from 1946 to 1950 and again from 1957 to 1959. His research resulted in a number of vital, cemetery, land and tax, and probate records, census enumerations, and Revolutionary soldiers' records related to the town of Enfield, New Hampshire; these also appeared in the N.Y.G. & B. Record, in 1957. He also published an article, "On the Marring of Research Sources," in The American Genealogist in October 1955, and his Ancestor Table was featured in that same issue.

George was elected a Fellow of The American Society of Genealogists in 1950. He also belonged to many historical associations, including the New England Historic Genealogical Society; the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society; Sons of the American Revolution (for which he served as Treasurer General and Genealogist General); the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New York; the New York State Historical Association; the Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut Historical societies; Descendants of the Illegitimate Sons and Daughters of the Kings of Britain; and the Denslow Family Association. Roberts died on April 7, 1980, in San Francisco, California, at the age of 93.

Citation:

Conneticut State Library Archives (https://cslarchives.ctstatelibrary.org/repositories/2/resources/282), accessed April 19, 2023 (George McKenzie Roberts, born December 28, 1886, Vergennes, Vermont; parents George Simon Roberts, Florence Louise McKenzie; educated formally only to eighth or ninth grade; began working for General Electric in 1901; October 20, 1909, married Anne Edith Campbell in New Haven, Vermont; no children, believed to have divorced; 1919-1953, worked for International General Electric Company, Inc., New York City: Credit Manager, Assistant Treasurer, Treasurer; treasurer and a director of Electrical Export Corporation; chief of Foreign Trade Branch of U.S. Office of Price Stabilization, Washington, D.C., 1951-1953 (retirement); November 22, 1943, married Grace Agnes (Rhodes) Perkins in Reno, Nevada; marriage ended in divorce, no children; director of New York Board of Trade, other business clubs and associations, 1920-1950; after retirement, published serial-running genealogies in New York Genealogical and Biographical Record: "The Druse Genealogy," 1938-1939, and "The Denslow Family in America," 1946-1950 and 1957-1959; research produced many vital, cemetery, land and tax, and probate records, census enumerations, and Revolutionary soldiers' records related to Enfield, New Hampshire: published in N.Y.G. & B. Record, 1957; published article, "On the Marring of Research Sources," in The American Genealogist, October 1955; Ancestor Table featured in same issue; elected Fellow of The American Society of Genealogists, 1950; belonged many historical associations: New England Historic Genealogical Society; New York Genealogical and Biographical Society; Sons of the American Revolution (Treasurer General and Genealogist General); Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New York; New York State Historical Association; Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut Historical societies; Descendants of the Illegitimate Sons and Daughters of the Kings of Britain; Denslow Family Association; died April 7, 1980, in San Francisco, California)

FamilySearch, accessed April 20, 2023 (second wife listed as Ruth G. Rhodes; emigrated to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1947, listed as married; lived in Glenville, New York at least 5 years: census data 1900, 1905; June 1917, registered for draft in Schenectady, New York (World War I, June 1917; World War II, 1942)

Montgomery, Hampden Co., Massachusetts families from the early times to about 1900, 1997:t.p. (George McKenzie Roberts)

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