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Author: WellsVolunteer
Surnames: ROBERTS, REDDING, BROWN, SPARKS, MOSSBURG, WARE, SCOTTEN, NAU, WILEY, JOHNSON
Classification: biography
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Message Board Post:
Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, 1903. pp. 373-375.
NATHAN ROBERTS.
Kentucky, which in its early history was known as "The Dark and Bloody Ground,"
furnished Indiana with some of its pioneer settlers in the early days, but very few of
them found their way as far north as Wells county. A few families, however, have been
traced to that locality, among them the Roberts family, to which Nathan Roberts, the
subject of this sketch, belongs. He was born in Rock Creek township, Wells county, October
17, 1851, but his father was a Kentuckian, having been born in that commonwealth February
23, 1811. Robert and Abigail (Redding) Roberts were the parents of the subject hereof.
In his native state of Kentucky Robert Roberts grew to manhood and on January 28, 1836, he
married Miss Mary Brown. Two children were born to this union, but both are now dead. In
1837 he moved to Wells county, Indiana, where he entered one hundred and twenty acres of
government land, in section 32, Rock Creek township, and upon this he built a home,
cleared and improved the land and later added eighty acres, making him the owner of two
hundred acres. August 10, 1840, he met his first great bereavement in the death of his
faithful wife. He was again united in marriage, his second wife being a widow, Mrs.
Abigail Sparks, whose maiden name was Redding, the date of her birth being December 17,
1815. To this union five children were born, three of whom are still living, viz: John, a
resident of Rock Creek township; Nathan, of this sketch, and R. D., of Rock Creek
township. Again the death angel visited the Roberts home and on April 8, 1862, Mrs.
Abigail Roberts departed this lif!
e. Her loss was deeply felt and widely mourned. She was a kind, generous woman, of most
amiable disposition, whose sole object in life was to do good. For a third time Robert
Roberts entered the bonds of matrimony, his third wife being Mahala Redding, who is still
living on the old homestead. Her former husband died February 5, 1880. He was a man who
took an active part in all of the affairs of life, in politics was a Democrat and served a
number of terms as township trustee, besides occupying other local offices. He was a
member of the New Light church.
Up to the time he was twenty years old Nathan Roberts attended the public schools of Rock
Creek township, when they were in session, generally about three months in the year. In
this way he secured a good common school education, to which he has added much since by
extensive reading. Until he was twenty-one years of age, when not in school, he worked for
his father on the farm. The five years next succeeding his majority were employed upon the
same farm, cultivating it upon the shares, his part being one-fourth of all that was
raised. On March 9, 1876, he was united in marriage to Miss Harriet Mossburg, who was born
February 22, 1853. She was a daughter of Henry and Mary (Ware) Mossburg, natives of Henry
county, Indiana whose ancestors were natives of Maryland and Virginia and members of the
Christian church. Henry Mossburg, grandfather of Mrs. Roberts, came to Wells county,
Indiana, in 1837, was the third settler in Liberty township and was the first white man
buried in the!
township. He was a soldier of the war of 1812 and died November 2, 1838. Henry
Mossburg, the father of Mrs. Roberts, was twice married. First, August 2, 1845, to Rebecca
Scotten. To this union five children were born, of whom only one child, Isaac, is living.
His second wife, to whom he was married May 8, 1852, was Mrs. Mary E. (Nau) Wiley. Ten
children were born to this union, viz: Harriett A., LaFayette, Ella May, William, Jane,
Aramantha, Eddie, Lizzie, Walter and Milton the latter dying when only four years old.
When Nathan Roberts was twenty-three years of age his father gave him forty acres of land
in Rock Creek township. This he held for about two years when he sold it. The proceeds he
used as a part payment on one hundred and sixty acres in Liberty township which he
purchased, going in debt for the balance, one thousand six hundred dollars. This land is
located in section 3, was a wild and trackless forest at that time, but is now the well
improved, productive farm upon which the Roberts family resides. Immediately after this
marriage Mr. and Mrs. Roberts took up their residence on this place and it has been their
home ever since. Their first home was a little frame house built of green cottonwood
lumber, whose tendency to warp was so marked as to remind one of the "crooked
house" of Mother Goose fame. In 1886 he built a barn thirty-six by sixty feet, that
is one of the most commodious and substantial structures of the kind in the township. In
1890 he erected a handsome ten-room!
house, which is beautifully finished and has since been elegantly furnished, making a
most enviable home. When he paid off the original indebtedness, he purchased another tract
of forty acres adjoining his place on the east. This gives him two hundred acres, in one
body, all choice farming land, well drained and under cultivation. By hard work, economy
and thrift, Nathan Roberts and his faithful wife have accomplished this, besides putting
together personal property of a value not less than two thousand dollars. The farm is well
stocked with horses, cattle and hogs. From a very small and insignificant beginning they
have evolved all this and have done it within a period of twenty-five years.
To Mr. and Mrs. Roberts two children have been born, viz: Rosa M. is the wife of William
Johnson and they have one child, Harold N. X.; they reside on the Roberts farm; Nettie B.
is well educated and accomplished in music, residing with her parents. Mrs. Roberts is a
Quaker, her church being in Liberty Center, but both her daughters are members of the
Baptist church. Mr. Roberts is a member of Lodge No. 747, I. O. O. F., of Liberty Center,
and of Atoka Tribe No. 226, I. O. R. M., at Rockford, Indiana. Whatever zeal he may lack
in religion, he makes up in activity in lodge work. In politics he is a Democrat, but
never held or desired to hold office, though a number of times he has represented his
township in various conventions. Most flattering success has never banished the native
modesty of Mr. Roberts. He is ever the same kind, genial and sympathetic man, one who
loves his friends and treats his enemies with contempt. Mr. Roberts possesses an old
parchment deed, signed by !
President Martin Van Buren.
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