James Roberts - John Roberts of Northampton (1778 tax record) > Is he James Roberts' father?

The John Plumley I just mentioned may be John Plumlee, Jr.

If so, this is the grandfather of Charlotte Roberts

The proximity of these families is suggestive of a possibility that the Roberts and Plumly families lived close together for several generations.

In this graphic we see the pedigree of the Roberts and Plumley families. I restricted it to my own direct ancestors:
https://www.geni.com/photo/view?album_type=project&photo_id=600...

In re-reading my notes of early 2017:

It is now looking even more certain that John Roberts of Northampton is James Roberts' father.

And I add this list of people who served from Northampton just prior to the Revolution. It contains some familiar names:

Northampton Company, August 19, 1775

Captain, Henry Lott, aged 68; first lieutenant, Gerardus Wyncoop; second
lieutenant, John Kroesen; ensign, John Thompson.
Privates Ð John Addis, Jr., Enoch Addis, Arthur Bennet, John Bennet,
Isaac Bennet (swamp), John Bennet, Jr., John Bennet (Arthur's son),
William Bennet, Isaac Bennet, Jacob Bennet, Matthew Bennet, Adrian Bennet,
Isaac Bennet (George's son), Clement Richardson, Jeremiah Richardson,
Jonathan Shaw, Arthur Leffertse, Leffert Leffertse, Abram Leffertse,
Richard Leedom, William Mannington, Timothy MaGinnes, Jacob Myers, Daniel
McDaniels, George Parson, Robert Parsons, William Parsons, Samuel
Richardson, Guliam Cornel, Rem Cornel, John Cornel, Jacob Cornel, Amos
Suber, John Hayes, Robert McMaster, Hule Tomb, John Thompson, William
Randler, John Randle, JOHN ROBERTS, John Rankin, John Torbert, John
Porter, Stafford Graham, Robert Johnson, Robert McGrandy, Joseph Parker,
Benjamin Vanhorn, Isaac Vanhorn, Jr., Robert Vanhorn, James Vanhorn, Henry
Stoneman, Steven Howell, Benjamin Carrol, Christian Corsen, Cornelius
Corsen, Daniel Corsen, Cornelius Corsen, Jr., Henry Corsen, Hugh Cummins,
James Cox, William Carter (cooper), John Carter, Abraham DuBois, Jacob
Duffield, Henry Dyer, Charles Dyer, Elias Dungan, Gerret Vanartsdalen,
Gerret Dungan, THOMAS DUNGAN {James Roberts' landlord}, Joseph Dungan, Jesse Dungan, Jeremiah Dungan
(Jeremiah's son), Thomas Dungan (Jeremiah's son), Jonathan Willard, George
Willard, William Wiggins, Reyneir Bennett, Ferrington Vandeventer, Henry
Wynkoop, Isaac Wynkoop, Thomas Searle, Mathias Wesmer, George Meysner,
Francis Taggart, Paul Judges, Philip Dracord, John Fisher, Joseph
Tomlinson, Levi Choepin, James Brown, Gerret Kroesen (weaver), Hugh Evans,
Gawn Edams, Joseph Fenton, Jr., John Fenton, Cornelius Fenton, Henry
Feaster, David Feaster, Nathaniel Featherby, Nathan Gilbert, James Gregg,
Christian Hagerman, John Hagerman, Jr., Adrian Hagerman, Thomas Hellings,
William Harvey, John Kroesen, Jacob Kroesen, Gerret Kroesen, Gerret
Kroesen (John's son), Joseph Knowls, Christian Keyser.

setting the stage, so to speak:

The Great Awakening had a major actor who spearheaded the Presbyterian cause in this part of Bucks County: This was WIlliam Tennent (and his progeny) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tennent

That the Tennant "Log College" and Roberts were associated even has a reminder today see: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Log+College+Middle+School,+North+No...
This shows, at least in place names... the proximity of the Roberts and the Tennent school.

I also keep in mind that Quakers left their faith for the Presbyterian "Great Awakening" . Some of those in tow, at least nominally were William Plumy and Jane Yardley who married in the local Presbyterian church in 1762. This couple = the in-laws of James Roberts.

Jane (MNU), widow Yardley
William Plumley of Northampton

I've located the area including where the old "Log College" once was and, perhaps, where the Roberts farm was.... that is if the name Roberts Road has anything to do with this.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Log+College+Middle+School,+North+No...

I put a locator on Roberts Road for ease of recreating this search:

1068-996 Roberts Rd
Warminster, PA 18974
40.215481, -75.092205

remember too that John Roberts (?James' dad?) once owned c. 186 acres in Northampton in 1786
(see John's profile: John Robearts of Northampton )

This goes a little far afield but I'll add it anyway:

Rev. Thomas Dungan (progenitor of a Dungan who rented to James Roberts c. 1790

I already knew about the Plumleys. I found that at Spruance Library.We may have discussed this before but who have you ruled out as James' father? I was considering Joseph Roberts and Jane McHenry. I haven't look at this in a while and do not recall why I am reluctant to rule them out.

Nancy Graybeal , so good to hear from you.
Thanks for writing. I will look into Joseph Roberts and Jane McHenry.

John Robearts of Northampton
is my heavy favorite for the father... I say this because of all the ties James had in Northampton. He rented from a Dungan there.

Another key clue is this:The 1790 census of Bucks County....
Just yesterday I determined that a James Roberts and a Margaret Roberts were living next to each other. Everything points to the likelihood that Margaret is James' widowed mother.

I determined just yesterday that John Robearts of Northampton died in 1789.

So far everything fits together hand-in-glove... I am hopeful.

I am writing up a document about this with the supporting evidence and will soon post it on GENi.

So, you see this is very much a work in progress...

Looking at all Roberts men in Northampton township for the "Pennsylvania, Tax and Exoneration" that can be accessed on ancestry:
There are only two given names: John and Joseph. Joseph is a single man in both the 1779 and 1782 listings... So Joseph is not a candidate to be James' father because we can tell from late census data that James was born between 1765 and 1773.

Conclusion: If James' father was a Northampton township resident, then his given name is John.

BIG CHANGE IN FOCUS:
See: https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000091168094833&

Analysis now suggests that I've been way off base in many of my suppositions.

I should also look into: William Roberts who had a daughter ( Hannah Griffith Barton ) who married using one Joseph Dungan as surety.