ROBERTS, EDMUND
, was born in 1785, in Farmington, New Hampshire. His ancestors were Welsh, and emigrated to New England before the Revolution. They were members of the society of Friends. Forbidden by their principles to take up arms, they, nevertheless, assisted in that struggle as far as they consistently could, by carrying supplies to the army. The subject of this sketch left New Hampshire when a young man, on horseback, for western Pennsylvania. In 1808 an Indian treaty opened the country between the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers, and as far west as Fort Clark now Peoria, Illinois. Mr. Roberts was one of the first eastern men who settled in that country. Steamboats not being used on the western waters then, he made the voyage down the Ohio river in a flatboat, and in 1810 engaged in merchandizing at St. Genieveve, Missouri, as a member of the firm of Keil, Bisch & Roberts. He afterwards removed to Kaskaskia, Ill., where he associated with himself in business, Thomas Mather and James L. Lamb. Mr. Roberts made his trips east on horseback, crossing the Ohio river at Shawneetown, Ill., often sleeping on the ground, with a saddle for a pillow. He was always liable to attacks from Indians and once lost his horse by them, compeling him to walk and carry his saddle until he could buy another. He was married, in 1819, at Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, to Susan Lamb, a native of Chester county, in the same State. She was a sister to his partner, James L. Lamb. See his name. After prosecuting business for many years at Kaskaskia and Chester, he removed to Springfield, in the same State, in 1832. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts had eight children, three only of whom survive--GEORGE L., born March 16, 1821, in Kaskaskia, Ill., was married in Lebanon, Ill., to Virginia E. Horner, a native of the latter place. They had two children in Lebanon, EDMUND and VIRGINIA, and reside in Old Mission, Grand Traverse county, Michigan.
JAMES H., born Dec. 12, 1825, in Kaskaskia, Ill., was married Sept. 16, 1863, to Harriet E. Smith, who was born Dec. 6, 1840. Mrs. Harriet E. Roberts died Feb. 28, 1866, leaving two children, LUCRETIA B., born Sept. 6, 1864, and JAMES H., Jun., who died in infancy. James H. Roberts was married Nov. 9, 1870, to Mrs. Susan M. Slater, whose maiden name was Lamb. They have one child, MARY T. J. H. Roberts and family reside in Chicago, Ill. He is engaged in business at 86 Washington street--Sept., 1876.
MARY R., born July 13, 1829, in Kaskaskia, Ill., was married Nov. 11, 1857, to Benjamin M. Thomas, who was born Aug. 10, 1810, in Philadelphia, Penn. They had three children: SUSAN R., born Oct. 25, 1858, in Springfield, Ill.; MARY P., born April 7, 1860, in Chicago, Ill., died July 26, 1863; MORRIS ST. P., born Feb. 27, 1862, in Chicago. Mr. Thomas died Oct. 31, 1864, in Vincennes, Ind. His widow and children reside in Chicago, Illinois.
Mr. Roberts was a citizen of Illinois when it contained less than twelve thousand inhabitants. In 1829 he was appointed one of the commissioners on the part of the State of Illinois to determine the route for a canal to connect the Illinois river with Lake Michigan, and lay out town sites; Chicago and Ottawa were two of these towns. Seven years later--1836--ground was broken, and the work of constructing the canal commenced. Mr. Roberts was a firm friend of education, having himself been a teacher in his younger days. He was, in the early history of McKendree college, at Lebanon, Ill., a member of its board of trustees. His two sons were educated there. In 1846 he visited the Eastern States in the interests of this institution, and was successful in supplying it with funds and teachers. From that to the present time, McKendree college has continued to prosper. In consequence of failing health, he retired from active business about 1836, and passed many of his winters in the south, but continued to make Springfield his home.
Mrs. Susan Roberts died Aug. 4, 1844. She had long been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, loved and revered by all who knew her. In his funeral address on the occasion of her death, Rev. Dr. Akers, describing her influence, said: "She moved among her sisters like the moon among the stars." Her husband never recovered from the shock occasioned by her death, and he died March 28, 1847, both in Springfield, and the remains of both are buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery.