Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 682
DAVID ROBERTS

One of the younger generation of farmers of St. John township, Harrison county, Iowa, is the gentleman whose name forms the caption of this article. He is considered one among the most thorough and up-to-date agriculturists of his section, and the success which is his is well deserved. He has worked hard, having started low on the ladder of success, and as he is still a young man and is bringing the best of his brain and brawn to his undertaking, he bids fair to accomplish still greater things in the years which are to come.

David ROBERTS was born on August 3, 1874, in Hazeldell township, Pottawattamie county, this state, a son of David, who also was a son of David, the latter having been an immigrant to this country from Wales. He came to America when young and was one of the earliest settlers of Hazeldell township, Pottawattamie county. He secured a tract of wild land and gave the best of his energies toward converting it into a proper home in which to rear his family. Many were the hardships endured by the pioneer of those early days, and the first David ROBERTS spent the remainder of his life on the farm to which he had given the best of his strength. His son David grew to manhood on the old homestead, attending such schools as the county at that time afforded and later farming on the homestead. He married Sarah WILDING, by whom he had two children, the immediate subject of this sketch, and a sister, Josephine, who is now the wife of Joseph CURRY, of Pottawattamie county. His children were still quite small at the time of his death, in 1880, and in due time his widow was united in marriage with Frank Goodwin, and at present they reside in Missouri Valley. To this latter union were born five children: Wren, a farmer living southeast of Logan, this state; Nettie (Mrs. Jones) living in Missouri Valley; Preston, a farmer in Harrison county, where Elmer also is engaged in agricultural work, and Lulu, wife of Arther Weed, living northeast of Woodbine.

David ROBERTS, the third, attended the common schools of his home district when a boy, acquiring such education as facilities at that time afforded, and was early trained by his stepfather in the secrets of successful husbandry. He started out in life for himself at the age of twenty-one, but had previously (when he was seventeen) purchased a farm of seventy-four acres in Pottawattamie county. In 1899 he chose for his bride Meda Richardson, of Pottawattamie county, who has borne him three children: Vera Aleta, Durward Benjamin and Howard Chester.

Mr. and Mrs. ROBERTS remained on the farm in Pottawattamie county until 1912, when he purchased another adjoining farm of one hundred acres where he now lives in St. Johns township, Harrison county, known as the Friend farm. This is a fine tract of land, and since securing possession of it, Mr. ROBERTS has made many improvements and has brought it to an excellent state of cultivation. He carries on general farming along the lines laid down by modern science, and in addition gives considerable attention to live stock. He has produced some good horses and makes something of a specialty of his Jersey Red Duroc hogs. He also has a good strain of cattle.

Though an ardent Republican, Mr. ROBERTS does not take more than the average interest in political affairs. He is a regular attendant at the services of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is one of those stalwart citizens whose influence counts only for good in the community. He is always ready to take an active part in anything which makes for the betterment of community life, whether along moral, social, educational or material lines and his sincere interest in the welfare of those about him has won for him the warm regard of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

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