Biographical Sketch of M. Roberts, Jefferson County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

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M. Roberts, foreman of the locomotive and machinery department of the
Iron Mountain Railroad shops, De Soto, is a native of Philadelphia, 
Penn., and was born September 8, 1852.  He is the third in the family
of eight children, seven of whom are living, born to Elwood W. and
Elizabeth (Davis) Roberts, natives of Philadelphia and of German 
descent.  The former, a farmer by occupation, was born in 1827, and
has always lived in his native State, and the latter was born in 1828.
M. Roberts was educated in the public schools of his native city, and
served an apprenticeship of four years as a machinist, in the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad shops, in West Philadelphia.  He then became fireman of 
a locomotive engine on the Pennsylvania Railroad, running from Phila-
delphia to Harrisburg and Philadelphia to Jersey City, for eleven
months, and the following twenty-two months acted as engineer on the
same road.  In July, 1876, he went to St. Louis, and resumed his trade
in the Iron Mountain Railroad shops, in South St. Louis, where he re-
mained until February, 1877, when he went to the Black Hills on a 
prospecting tour, and at that place erected the first sawmill.  In
September of the same year he returned to St. Louis, and for two years
was engaged as fireman on the Iron Mountain Railroad.  In September, 
1879, he was promoted to engineer, holding that position until Septem-
ber, 1886, when in the absence of the regular traveling engineer, Mr.
Mercer, our subject was promoted to that position.  Mr. Mercer return-
ing in June, in July Mr. Roberts was appointed foreman of the shops at
De Soto, which position he still holds, to the universal satisfaction
of his employers.  July 27, 1887, he was sent to Rome, N. Y., as in-
spector of the twenty locomotives being built there for the Gould rail-
road system.  December 29, 1881, Mr. Roberts married Miss Cora L.,
daughter of Daniel and Kate Taylor, and a native of Pierce County, Wis.
Mr. Roberts is a Republican in politics, a member of the Masonic order,
the A. O. U. W., and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.  Mrs. Roberts
is a member of the Catholic Church.

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