Joseph Riley Roberts 1836-1894

ROBERTS, CRAIG, EGGLESTON, BATES, LAWRENCE, DOWNING

Posted By: Dorothy Gosse (email)
Date: 3/23/2011 at 22:27:14

In this city Sunday evening,
February 4th, 1894, Joseph
Riley Roberts. The deceased was
born in Ripley county, Indiana on
February 7th, 1836. He was of
Scotch-Welch parentage, although
both of his parents were natives of
this county. He was one of four
children, but one of them living, J. B.
Roberts, engaged in the lumber
business at Fairbank. He was married
in 1856 to Girzelle D. Craig, daughter
of Judge Craig. Her grandfather was
one of the first territorial judges of
Indiana, being appointed by William H.
Harrison. She was also first cousin and
schoolmate of Dr. Edward Eggleston, the
novelist. She belonged to a southern
family which linked its fortunes with the
cause that lost, and shortly before the
war the provisions of a will gave her the
possession of 18 slaves, whom however,
they never saw, the emancipation
proclamation nullifying the stipulations
of the will. Mr. Roberts came to Iowa 40
years ago. He was a pioneer, and broke
many an acre of her virgin soil. He had
been engaged, during his life time, in a
diversity of business and at one time had
accumulated considerable, but adversity
came and in 1876 he was bankrupt. Four
children live to mourn his loss, they being
Mrs. Belle Bates of Mitchell, South Dakota;
Ida A. Lawrence of Hazleton, Iowa and Mrs.
W. B. Downing and George B. Roberts of
Oelwein. He had been ailing for some time
but was not thought to be seriously ill until
he took to his bed, from which time he
gradually failed. A post mortem examination
was held and the decision reached was that
the cause of death was atrophy of the liver,
with complete occlusion of the bile ducts,
complicated by gastritis. The funeral services
were held at the Presbyterian church Tuesday
afternoon, being conducted by Rev. Noel and
the remains were interred in the Oelwein
cemetery.

Oelwein Register - 8 Feb 1894
Note: burial Oakdale Cemetery