John Roberts

John Roberts c. 2005, by Steve Petteway, Supreme Court Historical Society

Birth Name: John Glover Roberts, Jr.

Place of Birth: Buffalo, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: January 27, 1955

Ethnicity:
*father – English, Irish, German
*mother – Slovak

John Roberts has served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, since September 29, 2005. He was previously Associate Counsel to the President, from November 28, 1982 to April 11, 1986, and Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, from June 2, 2003 to September 29, 2005.

Chief Justice Roberts is the son of Rosemary (Podrasky) and John Glover Roberts, an electrical engineer and later manager of a steel plant. His father was of English, Irish, and German descent. His mother’s family was from Slovakia. Chief Justice Roberts was raised partly in Hamburg, New York, and Long Beach, Indiana. He is married to attorney Jane Sullivan, with whom he has two children.

Chief Justice Roberts is a Roman Catholic.

Chief Justice Roberts’ paternal grandfather was George Bernard Roberts (the son of George E. Roberts and Mary Ann Glover). Chief Justice Roberts’ grandfather George was born in Pennsylvania. Chief Justice Roberts’ great-grandfather George was born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, the son of John Roberts and Anna Curry Roberts Hodges, who was born in England. Mary Ann was English, the daughter of Richard Cunliffe Glover, from Atherton, Lancashire, England, and of Mary Linskey, who was born in Galway, Ireland.

Chief Justice Roberts’ paternal grandmother was Rebecca Bowser (the daughter of Robert H. Bowser and Melissa Kerr). Rebecca was born in Pennsylvania. Robert was the son of Mathias Bowser and Rebecca Swigart.

Chief Justice Roberts’ maternal grandfather was Albert Francis/L. Podrasky (the son of Jakub/Jacob A./L. Podracky/Podrasky and Helen Kesslack/Kessler). Albert was born in Pennsylvania. Jakub was born in Kluknava, Slovakia, the son of Alojz Podracky and Ivana Puhalová. Helen was also born in Slovakia.

Chief Justice Roberts’ maternal grandmother was Josephine Dorothy Gmuca (the daughter of Martin J. Gmuca and Mária/Mary Anna Tokárova). Josephine was born in Pennsylvania. Martin was born in Kluknava, the son of Ján Gmuca and Judita Kollárová. Mária/Mary Anna was born in Kanaš, Slovakia, the daughter of Ján Tokár and Mária Sabolová.

Sources: Genealogies of Chief Justice Roberts – http://www.wargs.com
http://www.geni.com

Chief Justice Roberts’ maternal grandfather, Albert Francis/L. Podrasky, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Chief Justice Roberts’ maternal grandmother, Josephine Dorothy Gmuca, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Josephine Dorothy Gmuca on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org