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 ILLIAM D. ROBERTS, a prosperous and prominent farmer located in the northeastern part of the county, has been a resident of Morgan Township for over thirty years, the greater part of this time being spent on the body of land which constitutes his present homestead. His first purchase consisted of forty acres of timber, to which he has added by degrees, until he is now the possessor of 243 acres, the greater part under a high state of cultivation. His farm buildings are convenient and substantial, and bear comparison with those of his neighbors. The soil is fertile, and that which needed draining has been underlaid with about 300 rods of tile. He has a good assortment of live stock, and has devoted his land mostly to the raising of grain. He came to Central Illinois when the country was practically unsettled, and while watching with interest the development and progress of the Prairie State, has contributed his full share toward bringing it to its present proud position among the commonwealths of the West. The earliest years of our subject were spent in Hendricks County, Ind., where his birth took place April 4, 1829. He is the son of Isaac and Nancy Roberts, who were natives of Scott County, Ky. His paternal grandparents, Azariah and Lucy (Smith) Roberts, it is supposed were of Southern birth. This branch of the family originated from one of the three brothers who came to America from Wales at an early day; one located in the South, one went North, and the whereabouts of the other was lost track of. One was employed as a blacksmith and another as a ship carpenter, the one locating in the North having no particular trade. Azariah, the grandfather of our subject, was a minister. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Roberts were natives of the Old Dominion, and had a family of nine children, of whom but two are now living. One sister is in California; she married Jacob Boots, who was a farmer by occupation and is now deceased. She became the mother of six children. Azariah Roberts was one of a large family, and was married in Kentucky, where he engaged in farming, and also officiated as a Baptist preacher. He and his estimable wife reared a fine family of sons and daughters, and finally removed to Jennings County, Ind., where his death took place in 1857. The grandmother did not long survive her husband. Their children had all married and left home before they removed from Kentucky, some of them having gone to Indiana, where they were joined by their parents, who lived among them the balance of their lives. Rev. Roberts was a man of much force of character, and a faithful servant in his religious calling. Isaac Roberts emigrated to Indiana in 1828, where he followed his trade of a blacksmith in Hendricks County. He had received but a limited education, but had been trained to habits of industry and economy, and always succeeded in providing comfortably for his family, which included six sons and three daughters, of whom the record is as follows: William D., of our sketch, is the eldest; John Louis was married in this county when twenty-one years old, and died soon afterward; his widow is still living and a resident of Moultrie County; Aratus, a resident of Morgan Township, where he is carrying on farming, owns a good property and is the father of five children; Anna Elizabeth died in this county in 1853; Margaret Jane died in childhood; Martha Susan died in infancy, and Thomas after he had become a young man; Isaac Milton, a resident of Charleston, where he is following blacksmithing, is married and has a family of four children; Alpheus, the father of three children, is living on a farm in Morgan Township. William D. Roberts spent his early life in his native county engaged in blacksmithing and farming until 1852, when he came to this county, and made his first purchase of land in Morgan Township. He has been prominent in local affairs since coming here, was Road Commissioner nine years, School Director the same length of time, and Township Collector one year. He united with the Salem Baptist Church many years ago, and has been one of its most liberal contributors. The name of this church was taken from the Scriptures. He has officiated as Deacon for a period of twenty-one years, and been Clerk and Trustee. His wife and four of his children belong to the same, and the church building which he once owned is located on his land. The marriage of William D. Roberts and Miss Ann Douglass, of Hendricks County, Ind., took place at the home of the bride, March 14, 1852. Mrs. R. is the daughter of Isaac and Margaret (Reed) Douglass, whose family included eleven children, the greater part of whom are still living. They emigrated from Ohio to Indiana in about 1827, making the journey overland in a two-horse wagon. The. children of Mr. and Mrs. Roberts were Josephine, now the wife of Joseph Shafer, of Morgan Township; Ada Margaret Jane, born Sept. 1, 1859, died Nov. 26, 1863; Mary E. is the wife of William Shafer, a prosperous farmer of Ashmore Township; Isaac Thomas, born Feb. 13, 1866, remains at home on the farm. The wife and mother departed this life Feb. 25, 1866. Mr. Roberts was married the second time, June 13, 1866, to Miss Cynthia Lanman, and the children of this marriage were Spurgeon, born April 18, 1867; Oscar, born March 26, 1869, died in infancy; William A., born April 15, 1870; Rosanna, Oct. 3, 1872; Nancy L., Sept. 25, 1875. These four are at home, and Omega, who was born Dec. 20, 1878, died in infancy. Mrs. Cynthia Roberts departed this life Dec. 27, 1878. Mr. Roberts uniformly votes the Democratic ticket, and has been largely interested in the many enterprises set on foot for the building up of his community. He has filled his niche in life worthily, and ranks among the representative men of his township. |
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