Essex County NJ Archives Biographies.....Christopher ROBERTS, 1827 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/nj/njfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 10, 2008, 3:28 am

Author: Mary Depue Ogden, Editor  (1917)

ROBERTS, Christopher.
Manufacturer, Man of Fine Qualities.

  The life and career of Christopher Roberts, late a distinguished citizen of
Newark, New Jersey, were but another proof of the close kinship in blood and
spirit, thought and manner, existing between the two great members of the
Anglo-Saxon race, the American and English peoples. For Mr. Roberts was not a
native of New Jersey, nor indeed of the United States, his parentage being
English, and his birth occurring in the city of Manchester, England, yet his
assimilation into the social fabric of his adopted State—New Jersey—was so
complete that he became entirely identified with its life and traditions,
feeling full sympathy for its ideals and sharing in its characteristic
achievements with its native sons.

  Born January 5, 1827, at Manchester, England, Christopher Roberts passed his
youth and early manhood in his native land. His education was received at his
father's home in Manchester, where he enjoyed the advantages of private tutors
and proved himself an apt and ready scholar. He also attended for a time a
private school at the town of Chorley, a small place in the immediate vicinity
of Manchester. After completing his studies, he turned his attention to business
activities, and as a preliminary learned all the details in connection with the
manufacture of rubber, and became associated with his cousins, the Hopes, of
Manchester, who were engaged in that city in the rubber industry on a large
scale. Mr. Roberts continued this association until the year 1849, at which time
he was twenty-two years of age. For some time past his attention had been drawn
to the great opportunities which awaited men of enterprise and intelligence in
the great western Republic across the sea, and he determined to try his fortune
there. Accordingly, in the above mentioned year, he came to America in charge of
a cargo of machinery to be used by the Hopes in their manufacturing business
which they had established at Providence, Rhode Island, where they erected a
large factory for the manufacture of rubber thread, such as is used in the
production of elastic cloth, etc. Mr. Roberts became a party to this enterprise,
and once more found himself in association with his cousins, this time, however,
in the New World. Eventually, however, he withdrew, and went to Middletown,
Connecticut, where he engaged in the rubber making business on his own account,
his specialties being stationer's rubber and druggist's supplies. He did not
remain a great while in Middletown, however, but from there came to Newark, New
Jersey, where he permanently settled, and built up a very large industrial
business, manufacturing principally stationer's rubber, and continued there
until his death on the 20th day of September, 1903. He built a large factory in
the New Jersey city which was, however, no more than sufficient to house his
rapidly developing operations. He continued actively employed in this line until
his death, the concern being known in later years as the C. Roberts Rubber Company.

  Mr. Roberts did not, however, confine his interests entirely to his industrial
activities, but was associated with other important concerns in Newark,
especially the Essex County National Bank of that city, of which he was a
director. While most keenly interested in political issues and a staunch
supporter of the principles and policies of the Republican party, he confined
his activities in this direction to the exercise of the franchise and to such
personal influence as he could exert in his capacity as private citizen. He was
politically unambitious, avoiding rather than seeking office and indeed
consistently refused to consider emerging from private life. Mr. Roberts was
naturally of a retiring disposition, and found his chief pleasure by his own
fireside. One of his strongest tastes was that for books, and he was a great and
wide reader. He was an Episcopalian in his religious belief, and a prominent
member of the Trinity Episcopal Parish in Newark, of which he was a vestryman
for a number of years. Another of his activities was that in connection with
charitable movements and enterprises. He was a great lover of dumb animals, and
for a time was president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
of Newark. He did not spend a great deal of his time in social activities, as he
found his chief pleasure and recreation in his own household. His clubs were the
Essex Club of Newark, and the Essex County Country Club. He was also a member of
the Washington Association of New Jersey.

  In the spring of 1851 Mr. Roberts was united in marriage with Mary Campbell,
in the City of New York, on her arrival from England, where she was born in
1825. They were the parents of three children as follows; Frederick Duncan, born
at Middletown, Connecticut; Edward Redfern, born at Newark, New Jersey; and
Emily Elizabeth, born at Newark, New Jersey, married George S. Coxe, and to this
union there were born two children: George R. and Campbell R.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

MEMORIAL CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW JERSEY

UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF MARY DEPUE OGDEN

VOLUME III
MEMORIAL HISTORY COMPANY NEWARK,  NEW JERSEY
1917


This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/njfiles/

File size: 5.8 Kb

This file is located at:
http://files.usgwarchives.net/nj/essex/bios/roberts-c.txt