Biographical Sketch of James W. Roberts - Andrew County, Missouri >From "History of Missouri, Andrew & DeKalb County" Published 1888 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mo/mofiles.htm ************************************************ Transcribed by: Penny Harrell (Incog3678@aol.com) ********************************************************************** James W. Roberts, a well-to-do farmer of Lincoln Township, was born in Saline County, MO., on May 22, 1827. His parents were Arnett and Ann (Thompson) Roberts, both natives of Virginia, and each in early life removed with their parents to Kentucky, where they were married in 1825. After their marriage they came to Saline County, MO., where the father engaged in school teaching one year, when he removed to Clay County, where he remained occupied in agricultural pursuits, until 1842. He then came to Andrew County, and continued to till the soil, and took a mail contract between Hamburg and Penwick's Store, for which his son, James, did the riding four years. Our subject having gone to Nebraska in 1854, the parents removed there in 1857, and the father died in 1862. The mother is still living in Nebraska, eighty-one years of age. James received a fair education, and grew to manhood on his father's farm. He began business life farming and trading in live stock. He was among the first settlers of Nebraska, and built in Richardson County the first cabin that was erected in the State. He was one of the party that laid off the town of Salem. In 1867 he returned to Andrew County, where he has since resided. He purchased his present farm in 1866, and settled on it the next year. He owns 104 acres of land upon which is a neat home. On February 25, 1849, he wedded Miss Sarah Walker, daughter of Joseph Walker, the first settler of Andrew County. They have had ten children, six sons and four daughters...of whom one son and one daughter are dead. Mr. Roberts is a Democrat in politics. His wife is a member of the Christian Church.