My Genealogy Hound

James Addison Roberts, farmer and broom maker, was born in Union Township in 1855, the son of John Roberts, whose history is mentioned in the sketch of J. E. Roberts. Our subject, the fourth child, left home when of age, and February 24, 1876, married Anna, the eldest daughter of William and Mary (Cowgill) Turner. She was born in England in August, 1854, and came with her parents to Canton at the aged of three years. Their children are Arthur Addison, aged ten, and Maud Musa, aged five. In 1881 he bought Locust Shade, a farm of 102 acres, where he has since resided. He began the manufacture of brooms in the winter of 1886-87 in connection with his farming. He has made about ninety dozen up to the present, and has on hand at the present time ninety dozen brooms. He is a Democrat and first voted for Tilden. He is a granger, and he and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, having joined thirteen years ago. He was ordained as a deacon in 1886. Since 1883 he has been school trustee, and is a promising young citizen. Benjamin W. Roberts was born in Harrison County, Ky., in 1830, the son of Benjamin, Sr., a Virginian, and Sarah (Henry) Roberts, a Kentuckian. The father went to Kentucky at an early day, and in 1833 came to this State. He settled in Marion County, where his wife died in 1834, a devoted member of the Methodist Church. After several years of carpentering, and living with his sister, he died in Canton at the age of sixty-five. He was both a Whig and a Democrat. Our subject, the youngest of six children, was but three years old when they came to this State, and after the mother’s death, when the family broke up, he went to live with his sister, Mrs. A. Smith. Eight years later she died, and he then went to live with another sister, Mrs. Price. With her he received an education, and worked on the farm until he accumulated enough to buy a land warrant from a Mr. Sears. That purchase was his present land. During this time he married Jane E., a daughter of Rev. John Shanks. Their children are Sarah E. (the wife of J. P. Bowles), J. J., E. J. (the wife of J. Bruner), W. H., Minnie S. and Benjamin A. Our subject’s estate consists of 260 acres of well-improved land. Politically he is a Democrat, and he and his wife and four children are members of the Christian Church.