John Oliver Roberts : Short Biography

Things I Remember About My Father and Mother

By Charlotte L. Roberts

Father (John Oliver Roberts)

We were always at church every Sunday. My father was treasurer of the Sunday School. Also teacher of a men’s class. He knew the Bible well. I found books that had been given to him as awards for his Bible study. I believe Father was also on the Official Board. He always liked to have his family look nice and he himself, was very meticulous about his appearance.

He was a wonderful gardener – no weeds in his garden. He raised all kinds of vegetables so we had good food summer and winter. Apple trees in the back garden furnished fruit and jelly.

He was fond of games. On afternoons when he could get away from the store he would go with Bert Livermore to the Trout Ponds to play croquet. They each had their own special mallet and ball. At home he liked to play checkers and crokinole. As children we had Parcheesi, Dominos, Authors, Devil Among the Tailors, Jack Straws, and croquet. He enjoyed company and we had cousins from Jersey who used to visit us in the summer. One year 15 cousins had their pictures taken at our home, tho all were not visiting us (Jackie has that picture).

Father was born in Middleton, Ireland. Roberts is a Welsh name but I know nothing about his family, his ancestors. There was an Uncle Ben who lived in London. Father’s brother James lived in this country and all his later years were spent in Smithboro. There were two sisters who visited in New York but there is no further information about them. My father came to this country when he was 18 years of age in 1865.

See Charlotte Knaggs Roberts' Chronicle here