Amelia “Millie” Weaver Roberts

Amelia (Millie) Weaver [1835-1921]was the wife of Presley Roberts [1817-1893], a stonemason. Presley had been freed by the will of his owner, Margaret Humphrey. Amelia Weaver was also born a slave, and was still in bondage when she met Presley Roberts. After Emancipation, they were married, and lived in Snickersville, now known as Bluemont, in Loudoun County.

From family stories, Denise Oliver-Velez, the great granddaughter of Millie Weaver, learned that Millie had been a midwife, and was well known in the community for healthy deliveries and healthy mothers. Denise’s aunt told her that Millie “boiled everything”—sheets, towels, and birthing instruments. Apparently she well understood the concept of sterilization at a time when many doctors never even washed their hands before touching a patient. Also, according to Denise, Millie’s clients were both black and white.

The Family of Presley and Amelia Roberts

Presley and Millie Roberts had five sons and three daughters, Henry, Joseph, John, James, Dennis, Martha, and Hannah. Here the family is pictured some time after the death of Presley. The Roberts family owned land in Bluemont, and although some of the land was lost through “chicanery having to do with the deed,” a portion of that land remained in the family. Denise Oliver-Velez inherited several acres of that land, and still owns it today.