Wesley Roberts

HAMILTON, JOHNSTON, LYTLE, ROBERTS, SLINKER, TRUMBAR

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 10/13/2005 at 20:51:13

Wesley Roberts, who was a well known farmer of Madison county, passed away at his home in St. Charles on the 16th of March, 1910. He was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, on the 6th of February, 1842, a son of J. D. and Elizabeth (Hamilton) Roberts, who spent their entire lives at Scenery Hill, that county. The father was a farmer by occupation and both he and his wife were Lutherans in religious faith. They were the parents of seven children, of whom one brother and two sisters are deceased and three sisters are living.

Wesley Roberts was reared in the Keystone state and when a young man was called upon to decide whether or not he would go to the defense of the Union at the risk of his life, and, like so many others, put the need of his country above all else and became a Union soldier. He enlisted on the 12th of August, 1862, when he lacked six months of being twenty years old, and was enrolled as a member of Company B, Twenty-second Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry. He served for almost three years, holding the rank of a noncommissioned officer, and was discharged on the 1st of May, 1865. He returned home and in March of the following year made his way westward, settling in Madison county. Iowa, where he continued to reside until called by death. He first located north of Winterset and for a year lived with a sister but at the end of that time purchased one hundred and twenty acres on Clanton Creek in South township and for twenty-six years resided there. By that time he had accumulated more than a competence and, desiring to put aside the greater part of his care and responsibility, he purchased forty acres of land just south of St. Charles and took up his abode upon that property. In 1906 he became a resident of St. Charles, buying and improving the home where his widow still resides.

On the l8th of February, 1869, Mr. Roberts was married in this county to Miss Mary Madaline Johnston, a daughter of the late Jehu M. Johnston, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, as follows: Walter M., whose birth occurred on the 15th of January, 1870, died on the 20th of February, 1873. Cora D., born on the 17th of November, 1873, gave her hand in marriage to E. L. Slinker, of Ohio township, this county, who is now a salesman for Dr. Koch, and they reside at Payette, Idaho. They have three living children, Cora Blanche, Paul W. and Eunice Myrtle, and have lost three. Carrie Myrtle, born on the 23d of July, 1875, is the wife of F. F. Lytle, a farmer and mechanic of Truro, and they have three children living, Jennie Fae, Lyie Raymond and Wendell Roberts, while Forrest, their first born, died when four years of age. Lucy Elizabeth, whose birth occurred on the 15th of January, 1879, died September 6, 1891. Nettie died on the 3d of September, 1881, when but a day old. Clyde and Harry, twins, were born October 8, 1884, and Clyde passed away on the 23d of August, 1885. Harry, who operates the home farm near St. Charles, married Miss Blanche Trumbar, a daughter of E. J. Trumbar, of Hanley, this county, and they have a son, Clyde, who is one year old.

Mr. Roberts was a democrat where national issues were definitely involved but otherwise was independent in the exercise of his franchise. For six terms he served as assessor of South township and was strictly impartial in discharging his duties, thus gaining the approval of his constituents. He was a member of the. Masonic order and of the Grand Army of the Republic, and his wife and daughters belong both to the Eastern Star and to the Woman's Relief Corps. He was an earnest worker in behalf of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a member, as are also his widow and family. Early in life he determined to build his career upon the tried principles of industry and integrity, and that course of action continued in led to the attainment of material prosperity and the high regard of his fellow citizens.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915,” by Herman Mueller.