Robert D. Roberts Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1252-1253 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	ROBERT D. ROBERTS, a native of Wales, was born on April 24, 1840, 
but when a child of about six or seven years of age was brought to the 
United States and grew to maturity in Columbia county, Wisconsin. He 
attended the public schools at intervals during his minority, was reared 
on a farm and early profited by the wholesome discipline and rugged 
usages of outdoor labor, such a mode of living being conducive to strong 
physical growth, and the symmetrical development of mental and moral 
attributes. Inheriting a natural liking for agriculture, he decided to 
devote his life to the tilling of the soil, accordingly he began the 
same on starting out to make his own way, and followed it in Wisconsin 
until the year 1879. Disposing of his interests in the above state at 
that time, Mr. Roberts changed his abode to Castleton, North Dakota, but 
after spending the ensuing three years there, came to Brown county, 
South Dakota, and in 1882 took up a pre-emption claim of three hundred 
and twenty acres, near the site of Plana, which he still owns. Three 
years later he moved to his present home, four miles north of the town, 
where he owns a fine tract of eight hundred acres, the greater part 
under a high state of cultivation, and on which are to be seen some of 
the best improvements in the county. As a farmer Mr. Roberts is easily 
the peer of any of his fellow citizens thus engaged, being practical in 
his work and management, progressive in the matter of cultivation and 
making a close and careful study of agricultural science. His specialty 
is grain, in the raising of which he has achieved an enviable 
reputation. He devotes from seven hundred to eight hundred acres of his 
land to wheat alone, and harvests as high as nine thousand five hundred 
bushels per year, besides raising large quantities of oats, corn and 
vegetables, for all of which he receives good prices. He is also largely 
interested in live stock, which industry he prosecutes with encouraging 
financial results. devoting especial attention to fine graded cattle, in 
addition to which he breeds and raises a large number of horses and 
hogs, realizing from his animals a handsome and steadily increasing 
income. Mr. Roberts possesses sound judgment and fine business ability 
and understands how to take advantage of circumstances and to mold 
conditions to suit his purposes. Energetic and far-seeing, he does 
things on a large scale and is not satisfied with any but the best 
results. His labors have been wisely directed, his affairs economically 
administered, and the success with which his efforts have been crowned 
bear evidence to his resourcefulness and masterly management, and show 
him to be a man of much more than ordinary acumen and forethought. A 
staunch, uncompromising Republican and an influential party worker, Mr. 
Roberts has never entered the domain of politics as an aspirant for 
office, having no time to spare from his business affairs to seek public 
honors at the hands of his fellow citizens. He has been a delegate to a 
number of conventions, however, and labors earnestly for the success of 
his party's candidates, but is by no means narrow in his views, being 
liberal in discussing the issues of the day, although firm and 
unyielding in the support of what he considers right and for the best 
interests of the people. As a citizen he is broad-minded and 
intelligent, and with commendable public spirit, encourages all 
enterprises for the advancement of his adopted state, discharging his 
every duty in an unselfish and praiseworthy manner, and making his life 
conform as nearly as possible to the progressive, American spirit of the 
times. Mr. Roberts married, in Wisconsin, Miss Catherine Rowlands, whose 
family, like his own, came from Wales, and settled in Columbia county, 
that state, a number of years ago. After a happy wedded experience of 
eight years' duration, Mrs. Roberts departed this life in 1889, leaving 
two sons, John and Rees, both at home. The former, after completing the 
public-school course, was graduated in 1903 from the Archibald Business 
College, and at this time assists his father in the latter's business 
affairs, being a young man of intelligence, an accomplished accountant 
and well calculated to manage the important interests confided to him. 
The younger son is also well educated and, possessing native ability of 
a high order and an aptitude for business, will no doubt develop into a 
useful man and a praiseworthy citizen, an honor to his family and a 
credit to the community in which he was born and reared.