Robert David
Roberts
Robert David
Roberts was born Sept 21, 1837, at Park (an old Roman
Castle) in Llanfrothan, Meirionethshire,
North Wales, the son of
David Roberts and Catherine uch Richard Ap Thomas called Catherine Thomas or Catherine Richard. David R. Roberts, his father, was a slate
quarryman by trade and worked in the quarries of Festiniog
nearby. Robert was also trained as a
slate quarryman. He attended school as a
small boy rather irregularly (for about half a year in all) at Nanmor, Llanfrothan, 2 ½ miles
distant from Park. Robert was very
desirous of an education but had no opportunity except for the training he
obtained through self-effort. He
acquired the ability to read and write in English and Welsh and was able to
keep his own records and accounts in his business.
David, his
father, received the Gospel (Mormonism) through Elder Robert Evans, who
baptized him in the River Pandy near Gelli Cornwydydd, Llanfrothen, Meirionthshire, North Wales, May 24, 1846. He was the first one of his father’s family
to receive the Gospel. He was confirmed
a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Elder Abel Evans
and was soon afterward ordained an Elder and began active Church work. Much bitter persecution was directed at the
family because of “Mormonism.”
On April 9, 1856, the family
consisting of David, his wife Catherine and six children: Robert David, Thomas D., Daniel, Ann,
Elizabeth and Jane left Festiniog for America. They went directly to Liverpool and on April 20th
went aboard the sailing ship “Samuel Curling” and set sail that day. After a very tempestuous voyage, they landed
in Boston May 24, 1856. From here they took the train to Iowa City, Iowa, which was then
the extreme Western Railroad terminal and the outfitting place for the journey
over the great plains. They remained there about three weeks, making
preparations for the West. They then set
out with handcarts for the trip in Captain Edward Bunker’s Company. After a very trying journey of suffering from
fatigue, heat, cold and almost starvation, they arrived in Salt Lake City Oct 2, 1856. They were nearer dead than alive when they
arrived and were very much discouraged and disheartened with life, because of
the terrible sufferings they had undergone, but nevertheless thankful for
delivery over the plains.
Robert was
assigned to help John his Uncle (the brother of David), who was nearly blind on
his journey across the plains. He and
John pulled a handcart for which service John paid Robert’s fare from Wales to Salt Lake City. A few days after their arrival at their
destination, his Uncle John died, being unable to recover from the hardships of
that journey. Several of their company
unable to bear the hardships died on the plains and were buried in unmarked
graves.
They arrived in Salt Lake City at a time when
food was very scarce, as the drought and crickets of 1855 had taken much of the
crops and the country had not yet recovered.
Shortly after their arrival they moved to Farmington and settled in a
rented log cabin. Robert went to Ogden and spent the
winter of 1856-57 working for Erastus Bingham Jr.,
returning in the spring to Farmington. Then he went to Brigham City about April 1857
and worked for Captain David Evans on his farm and received two steers and board
for his summer’s work. News came of the
movement of Johnston’s army to
destroy the people and David was called out, going with the first company to
prepare for their coming and to watch their movements. He spent the winter of 1857-58 in Echo Canyon and suffered
terribly from the lack of proper clothing to protect his body. His feet were badly frozen, but were saved.
In the spring the
family moved south, going as far as Clover Creek, near Nephi, in Juab County, where they
remained about two months. They then
returned after which David and his son Robert went up Farmington Canyon and made
shingles by hand. The shingles were made
from select logs, sawed into blocks of the required length, then split to the
proper thickness, then shaved from about midway to one end with a drawing
knife. On Apr 4, 1858, Robert was
baptized by David, his father in Farmington Creek and was confirmed a member of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the water’s edge on the same
day by his father.
In the autumn of
1858 David was stricken with Mountain Fever and Black Canker and on Nov 8, 1858, he gave up the
fight, passing into the spirit world, true and faithful to the last. He was buried in the Farmington Cemetery. Robert was also attacked by the same dread disease
and was in bed for three months. Five
weeks of this time he was unconscious.
He recovered in the spring of 1859 and now the responsibilities of the
family fell upon him. Before his illness
and in the fall of 1858, Robert went to Camp Floyd to seek
employment but was unsuccessful and returned home.
In the month of
April 1859 Robert started to Pike’s Peak, Colorado, to work in the
mines to earn money to pay the family debts.
Upon reaching Fort Bridger, he was informed
by several who were turning that there was no work at Pike’s Peak, so he secured a
job at Bridger in tending the farm for the soldiers and making adobes. He remained there that summer and earned
nearly enough to pay off the family debts and then returned home.
After his return
to Farmington in the fall of
1859 he took a pack of bedding and started out on foot to find a new home for
the family, finally landing in Logan, Cache Valley, early in Oct
1859. One day in the early spring of
1859 when he was nearly recovered from the severe illness of the previous
winter though quite weak in body, he ascended the hill just north of the his
home and there in vision his life was opened up to him. He was ambitious to go ahead in every good
thing, to prosper, to lead and to be at the top. He could see the things he desired. They seemed easily within his grasp, coming
his way or in his path, but before he could reach them they were taken away
from—they vanished. He knew its
meaning. It was impressed upon him and
he was sorely disappointed and wept bitterly.
His life has been full of trial, sacrifice and disappointment, so far as
worldly ambitions and successes are concerned, but a wonderful success in
spiritual development. His hope was in
God and glorious future.
This was the
first year of the settlement of Logan. The first settlers camped there in May
1859. During the fall and winter of
1859-60 in company with his brother, Thomas, who had followed him, they secured
a piece of ground the built a three room log cabin. They returned to Farmington in the spring of
1860 and moved the family to Logan.
He never held a
civic office of any kind. He was a
carpenter and cabinet maker by trade and a farmer and stock raiser by
occupation. He had an old fashioned
shingle mill and made shingles for many of the early homes in Logan. In later years he built a new house of adobe,
which when built was considered quite a fine home. He did considerable work in the canyons. He assisted in building the Logan Temple and the
Tabernacle and participated in all of the early activities and needs of the
community.
He married Hannah
Roberts June 6, 1870 at the Endowment House. President Joseph F. Smith performed the
ceremony. Two boys were born of this
union, David Robert and Hugh, named for their grandfathers. Hannah died of a complication of ailments at Logan on April 10, 1878, leaving her
little boys to be cared for by grandmother Catherine Roberts, Robert’s
mother. Finally on Oct 16, 1892, Catherine died
and left Robert and his sons to do the best they could. On Feb 6, 1895, he married
Eliza Neagle in the Logan Temple. She was the daughter of John and Agnes Alister Neagle and to them were born four children: Agnes Alister, John
Neagle (who died in infancy), Thomas and Jane.
He spent his
entire life not as a leader nor in leading positions in the church but as one
of those steady, dependable, plodding, every-day workers. He was ordained a Teacher at Logan Jan 1860 by
Elder White of Brigham City; an Elder at Salt Lake City Jan 13, 1865 by Dr. Sprague;
a Seventy at Logan Jan 6, 1864 by Sylvester
Lowe; a High Priest at Logan Dec 28, 1904 by Edward
Smith. He was a Ward teacher in Logan 3rd
Ward almost continuously from the time he was ordained a Teacher.
In 1862 he was
called and went as a missionary across the plains with ox teams in company with
about 60 wagons to help bring the immigrant poor who were coming from foreign
lands to the Valleys. He was in Captain
Henry Miller’s Company of that year. He
was a member of the Militia (Infantry) from 1857 until the Governor of the
Territory forbid a
continuance of the organization and it was disbanded. He stood guard whenever called, which was
often, to protect the people, their stock and other interests, from the
Indians. He honored every call made of
him by those in authority to build roads, bridges, canals, schools and
churches, and there was a considerable work to do when the country was
young. He performed every duty required
of him as far as it was in his power to do so.
He began his
labors for the redemption of the dead in the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, in 1865 and
continued that work at intervals spending most of his time during his last few
years in the Logan and Salt Lake Temples. He called all the Roberts families together
in Salt Lake City on April 8, 1918 and the Roberts
Surname Association was then organized, it being the 104th
anniversary of his father’s birth. He
was up to the time of his death vigorous and strong in body with quite an
active mentality, and firm in the faith he had suffered so much for. He made his home in Logan until 1922, when
he moved to Ogden to live with his
son David until July 1925. Then he
returned for a visit to his old home in Logan. On the evening of Aug 9, 1925, he was
returning from sacrament meeting at the 3rd Ward Meeting House, and
while crossing the street a block north of his home, he was run into about 9 p.m. by an automobile driven by George
Anderson of Logan. He was so badly injured that he died about 3
a.m. August 10th or about 6 hours after the injury. His funeral was held in the 3rd
Ward Meeting House on Thursday, Aug 13, 1925 at 2 p.m. and the remains buried by the side of
his two wives, who had preceded him.
His funeral
services were conducted by Bishop William Evans in the 3rd Ward
Meeting House Thurs, August 13, 1925. The meeting house was filled with his old
friends and neighbors, and there was a large turn out of his father’s family
and the family of his wife, Hannah. Old
friends spoke of his long useful life, his honor, honesty and integrity and of
his trials in life. The 3rd
Ward Choir rendered appropriate and beautiful music. After the services a large cortege of
automobiles followed the remains to the Logan Cemetery. His grave was covered with wreaths of
beautiful flowers and many flowers were sent to the homes of those who had
brought them in tokens of remembrances, others were sent to the City Hospital to cheer the
sick and afflicted. The day was
beautiful, the air was pleasant and a hallowed peace pervaded the
occasion. The exercises throughout the
day seemed to bespeak the rest, peace and joy in store for him which he had so
well and faithfully earned.
HANNAH ROBERTS ROBERTS
Hannah was born March 27, 1847, at Eglwysbach. The date
and place of her baptism and confirmation are not definitely known except that
she was baptized in the year 1855 near her home in Wales, because the
records have been destroyed. She had no opportunity
to attend school because she was denied entrance at school on account of the
religious affiliations of her family. In
1864 she passed through the vicissitudes of the journey over the sea and
through the war torn North,
then across the great plains where she was obliged to walk a part of the
way. Being the youngest daughter of the
family, she spent most of her time at home with her parents. She went however to help other families at
times while the family lived at Smithfield. She was dutiful and obedient to parents and
there was a strong mutual love between them.
She received her endowments at the Endowment House, Salt Lake City, May 24, 1869, in company with
her sister Catherine and husband.
On June 6, 1870, she arrived in
company with Robert D. Roberts of Logan, Utah, at Salt Lake where they were
sealed together for time and eternity by Apostle Joseph F. Smith. Two sons were born to them, David Robert
Roberts, March 30, 1871, and Hugh
Roberts, May 22, 1876.
Immediately
following the birth of Hugh, Hannah contracted a cold through some teeth she
had had extracted, and she never recovered from the effects, being in a
weakened condition. She grew slowly
worse, and on April 10, 1878, her noble
spirit passed from her weakened body into the great world of spirits. She was mourned by all because she was loved
by all who knew her. She had won the
hearts of all with whom she came in contact.
On July 31, 1877, she received a
Patriarchal Blessing under the hands of Patriarch C. W. Hyde, as follows:
“Hannah, beloved
sister, I place my hands on your head to seal upon you a patriarchal blessing
for there was joy in heaven when you received this Gospel. The angel of peace shall go with thee. Thou shalt have
visions and dreams to comfort thee while you live. Thou shalt order
they house in righteousness. Peace shall
dwell in they habitation. Holy prophets
shall dine at they table. Thou shalt teach and instruct queens which shall come to Zion, and no good
thing shall be held from thee. Thou art
a daughter of Ephraim and hast a right to the fullness of the Priesthood and
with a companion and a kingdom upon the earth forever and ever, and I say unto
thee, thou shalt accomplish every desire of the heart
in righteousness for your last days shall be your best, for thou shall have
eternal life with all they kindred ties which I seal upon thee with crowns of
glory with all they Father’s household.
Amen.”
Some of those
wonderful promises have been fulfilled.
Others, of course, remain yet to be fulfilled for the promises continue
and reach throughout eternity. As some
have been fulfilled, so will all be realized for she was worthy and true to the
end. That blessing should be a source of hope and
a comfort to all of the family because it extends to her ‘kindred ties’—all her
‘Father’s household.’ For with them she
was to have eternal lives, with crowns of glory with a Kingdom upon the earth
forever, which may God grant. (Written by her son David).
