My Genealogy Hound

LEWIS ROBERTS, an energetic and enterprising general agriculturist and successful stock-raiser of Weesaw Township, Berrien County, Mich., has been a constant resident of his highly productive farm for the past quarter of a century. Ohio is the native State of our subject, who was born in Huron County October 13, 1841. The Robertses are an old, well-known family in the East, and Grandfather Roberts was one of the patriotic citizens who fought with courage in the War of the Revolution. The father and mother, Jonathan M. and Eliza (Horton) Roberts, were long-time residents of the Empire State, but with their family later made their home in Ohio, where the parents passed their last years, and at a good old age died. Their home was blessed by the birth of seven manly sons, of whom our subject was the sixth in order of birth. Lewis Roberts spent the days of youth in his birthplace, and there grew up to manhood. He enjoyed the advantage of instruction in the schools of the home district and assisted his brothers in the daily round of farming duties. Our subject was not twenty years old, when, promptly answering the Government’s appeal for troops, he bravely enlisted, September 17, 1861, in the three years’ service.

Mr. Roberts entered Company C, Fifty-fifth Ohio Infantry, as a private, and, immediately forwarded to the front, participated in the battles of Cross Keys, Bull Run, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, Pa. He also took an active part in the fights of Mission Ridge and Resaca, Ga., and in the latter engagement was wounded by a gunshot through the right hip. Removed to the field hospital, our subject was soon transported to Chattanooga, from there was sent one night to Nashville, and was afterward forwarded to Louisville, and from there to Jeffersonville, Ind., where he remained until September, at which time he reported at Chattanooga and assisted in driving four thousand cattle to Atlanta. His next engagement was at Savannah, Ga. In 1865, at Fayetteville, N. C., where he was serving on detailed duty, grinding corn at a mill with a comrade, he was attacked by seven rebels and, again wounded by a gunshot striking his right eye, was left for dead upon the field. The attack occurred upon the 9th of March, but our subject was not picked up until the 13th, when he was carried to the house of a neighboring family, and from there was removed to Fayetteville, N. C., and later sent to Wilmington, N. C., and finally taken to Willet’s Point Hospital, in New York, five miles up East River. For his services he now draws $30 per month pension from the Government.

In this latter place Mr. Roberts remained until May, 1865, when he was discharged from the service and returned to Ohio. Soon after reaching his mother’s he was violently attacked with typhoid fever and was ill for some time. In 1866 our subject made Berrien County his permanent home, and in 1867 purchased the farm he now owns, and which contains fifty-five acres of excellent land. The homestead, when bought by Mr. Roberts, was heavily timbered land, but now, cleared and improved, is one of the most attractive pieces of farming property in this part of Weesaw Township. It was February 8, 1866, that Mr. Roberts first entered the bonds of matrimony, wedding Miss Mary Stoll, a native of Sandusky, Ohio. This estimable lady, who passed away November 5, 1875, lived to become the mother of three children, of whom but one now survives, a daughter, Mary R., wife of George Sullivan. Our subject contracted a second marriage May 15, 1877, with Miss Jane Allen, who died May 7, 1887, leaving two children, Charles and Ola. Upon November 5, 1889, Mr. Roberts was united in marriage with Mrs. Addie (Foster) Stimpson, a lady of worth and intelligence, who has been blessed by the birth of two children, Flossie and Maxie. Fraternally, Mr. Roberts is a valued member of George Custer Post No. 208, G. A. R., and much enjoys the re-unions of the order. Among the reminiscences of the privations courageously endured while in the army, our subject relates that when in Virginia he was eighteen days without taking off his accoutrements. Mr. Roberts is a member of the Farmers’ Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and takes an active part in all matters of public welfare. Politically, he is a Republican, true and steadfast, and cast his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. Highly esteemed by the community with whose interests he has so long been identified, he is numbered among the substantial citizens of Berrien County, and has a host of friends.