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Judge Thomas L. ROBERTS [scrapbook] was born 1 on 24 Mar 1816 in Wales, United Kingdom. He died 2 on 1 Aug 1892 in Kansas, United States. He was buried 3 in Osawatomie, Miami, Kansas, United States. Thomas married 4 Clarinda FARR on 11 Dec 1838 in Kirtland, Geauga, Ohio, United States.
Thomas resided 5 in 1850 in Chester, Dodge, Wisconsin, United States. He resided 6 in 1860 in Ossawattomie, Lykins, Kansas Territory, United States. He resided 7 in 1870 in Osawatomie, Miami, Kansas, United States. He resided 8 in 1880 in Stanton, Miami, Kansas, United States.
Taken from William G. Cutler's "History of the State of Kansas" printed in, 1883: "Judge Thomas Roberts, farmer, Section 4, Township 18, Range 22, P.O. Osawatomie, is one of the few remaining pioneers of Lykins County (now Miami) of 1855. He was born in Wales, March 23, 1816. Emigrated to the United States in 1835, and made his home in New York at first, subsequently moved to Ohio and from there to Wisconsin Territory (then a wilderness) in 1841. In July, 1855, he came to Kansas and made a claim on Section 8, Township 18, Range 22, now Osawatomie. He was a pronounced Free-state man and participated in the turbulent times of 1855, '56 and '57. At one time his house was raided by a party of Pro-slavery men while he was on his sick bed. They took him out telling him they had come to kill him. He disdained to make any plea for his life, but simply remarked, "Well kill me then." For some reason they decided that they had made a mistake, concluding he was not a regular Yankee, left him in peace. In 1859 he was elected Probate Judge of Lykins County (Miami) in the first territorial election and served two years. He was elected to the State Senate in 1861, to fill a vacancy, and served as a member of the Court of Impeachment of State officers, in 1862. In 1864 he was elected Clerk of the Discrict Court and served two years. In 1866 he was elected County Attorney, and served one term. During the late war he held a Captain's commission in the Fifth Kansas Militia. His son Thomas, was a member of the Tenth Kansas Volunteers and served three years. Judge Roberts was married in Kirtland, Ohio, December 10, 1838, to Miss Clarinda, daughter of Abel Farr. Mrs. Roberts was born in Elyria City, Lorain Co., Ohio and was the first white child born in that county. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts had six children, five of whom are living-Sarah A., wife of C. M. Stevens, of Montgomery County, Kas.; Thomas F., married and living in Stanton Township, Miami County; Abelliza, wife of William West, of Montgomery County, Kas.; Flora, wife of James Mullens, of Osage Township, Miami County; Belle, wife of Robert Mullens, of Stanton, Kas. Judge Roberts has 480 acres of land in Miami County and settled in his present home in 1857."
Taken from "Kansas Biographical Dictionary, 1879":
THOMAS ROBERTS was born in North Wales, March 23, 1816, butwas reared in Liverpool, England. His father was a farmer and his parents were in moderate circumstances. Left without resources, save his energy, judgment and fact, he has risen to positions of honor and respectability. At the age of eighteen, as an adventurer, he emigrated from England and settled in America,taking up his abode in New York City. At the expiration of nearly two years here moved to Geauga county, Ohio, and began operations as a tailor, in which he continued about five years. In the fall of 1841 he removed to Burlington,Racine count, Wisconsin, where he lived four years as a farmer. In 1845 he again changed his residence and located in Dodge county, and for ten years pursued the life of a farmer in that locality. In 1855 he removed to Kansas, settled near Osawatomie, took a claim, opened a farm,and in 1857 pre-empted the land. On this spot he has since resided to the present time, and has one of the most fertile and best appointed farms in Miami county. In 1859 he was elected the first probate judge of Miami county, under the state organization, entering upon the duties of his office in April, 1861,on the admission of the State into the Union. This office he held until 1863. In 1862 he was elected a state senator from Miami county, and served during his term. He was elected clerk of the district court in 1864. Having been admitted to the bar in 1861, and practiced his profession, he was elected county attorney in 1866. He continued in the practice of law until 1877, when he retired from the profession. For the last eight or nine years he has been interested in a saw and grist mill near Osawatomie, and has from his first settlement in Kansas, conducted extensive farming operations.
For a number of years he has been connected with the Masonic order, and is a Master Mason. He is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, and was for two terms Master of Mound Valley Grange No. 185. He was also for several years an active member of the Union League. His religious training was under the auspices of the Episcopal church, but at the age of twenty he changed his views, and was for ten years a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. On account of his anti-slavery views he quit that denomination, and became a member of the Wesleyan Methodist organization, in which connection he remained as long as there was an organized church in Miami county. Always an anti-slavery man, he was a pioneer in the Liberty party, afterward a Free Soiler, and subsequently a Republican, but has for six years been identified with the Reform movement.
He was married in Kirtland, Ohio, in December, 1838, to Miss Clarinda Farr, a native of Ohio and the first white child born in Elyria, Lorain county; a lady well educated and accomplished. They have had ten children, six of whom survive. These six are all married and in prosperous Circumstances. His only son, Thomas F. Roberts, is a leading farmer in Miami county; served gallantly in the 10th Kansas Volunteers for three years, entering the army at the age of nineteen, and after participating in the battles of Prairie Grove, Cane Hill and other engagments, was honorably discharged. His five daughters are married to worthy citizens—four reside in Miami county and one lives in the State of Oregon.
Judge Roberts was among the most useful, active free state men in the early Kansas struggle. Was a member of Captain W. W. Updegraff’s company and marched to the defense of Lawrence, but was recalled on account of the Pottawatomie massacre. He was personally and intimately acquainted with Captain John Brown, of Harper's Ferry fame. At the time of the burning of Osawatomie he resided two miles west of the village, and on the advance of the border ruffians his house was the first ransacked and robbed. He himself was surrounded by twenty of the enemy and captured; his life was threatened, but by shrewd management he escaped. Three times afterward the ruffians returned with the determination to take his life, his wife and children escaping to the forest for safety. He was among the first to secure the bodies of John Brown's son, Frederick, and young Garrison, and give the remains decent interment. Before, during, and after the war he was among the most energetic in putting down "jay-hawking," which was but another name for stealing. Few men did more to establish freedom in Kansas than he. Near Osawatornie, happily spending the evening of his days in comfort and satisfaction, under the institutions he contributed so much to establish, he still resides.
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