Chester R Roberts (1876 - 1907)

Born 24 Feb 1876 in Victory, Vernon, Wisconsin, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Ellen Minerva (Owen) Roberts — married 19 May 1895 in Wheatland, Vernon County, Wisconsin

Descendants

Died 19 Oct 1907 at age 31 in Crystal Springs Township, Kidder, Dakota Territory, United States

Biography

Chester Roberts was born February 24, 1876^[1] in Victory, Wisconsin.^[2] Chester was always known as Dick. ^{[3] [4]}

In the 1880 census, his family is living in Wheatland, Vernon County, Wisconsin. But there is a strange reference. Chester would have been 4 years old. The 4 year old listed is named Rueben J. Robberts. His father is listed as B.F. Robberts, presumably Benjamin Franklin. His older brother, Walter is listed as well as his mother, Lovina. They have one unrelated person living with them, a MH Backer, a young woman of 21 years of age born in Wisconsin.^[5]

Dick married Nellie Owen in 1895^[6][2]in Vernon County, Wisconsin. Together they had four children, Lotus, Orrin, Glen, and Morrie.

Sometime after they were married in 1895, a census was taken and Chester R was living in Wheatland, Vernon County, Wisconsin with one white female, supposedly his wife, Nellie.^[7]

In 1900, Dick was living in Wheatland township, Desoto Village, in Vernon County, Wisconsin. He was married to Nellie and had Orrin and Lotus living at home. His occupation was day laborer. He could read and write as well as speak English. He rented their home.^[2]

According to the 1895 Wisconsin State Census Index, Chester R. was 29 years old and living with one woman. Lotus, Orrin, Glen were born by this time but are not listed in the household. However, his father, Benjamin is listed immediately above with 3 males and 2 females which would mean the grandchildren could have been living with Benjamin and Lovina. ^[8]

In the January 30, 1907 edition of the Vernon County Censor:

"Mrs Ben Roberts spent a few days visiting her son Chester and family at Ferryville..."^[9]

In 1907, the Memoirs of Vernon County was published. In the biography of his father, Benjamin Roberts, Chester R. was said to be employed by the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy RR, Victory 1907^[10]

His father's obituary of 1920 says that Chester passed away on October 19, 1908.^[11]

A notice in the October 30, 1907 edition Vernon County Censor explains:

"Mr. and Mrs. B.F. Roberts of Victory, learn of the death of their son Richard at Crystal Springs, North Dakota, from small pox (sic)."^[12] On 24 October, 1907, the Jamestown Weekly Alert published this in reference to Chester's death:

"There was a death due to small pox Saturday, at Crystal Springs, a member of the section crew at that place succumbing to disease."^[13]

Jackie believed he had died while working for the Great Western Railroad in South Dakota. He was the first white man buried in the local cemetery.^[3]

Buried at the Indian Cemetery, Crystal Springs, North Dakota.

Sources

1. ↑ Declaration for Original Invalid Pension; filed by Benjamin Franklin Roberts; Vernon County, Wisconsin February 1, 1898
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM2V-B48 : accessed 17 December 2015), Dick Roberts, Wheatland township Desoto village, Vernon, Wisconsin, United States; citing sheet 5A, family 165, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,241,820.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Jackie Roberts, February 4, 1996, Interview with Angela Drake
4. ↑ Interview with Jim Roberts, conducted by Angela Drake, July 28, 1997
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNH2-K4Q : accessed 17 December 2015), B F Robberts, Wheatland, Vernon, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district 20, sheet 432B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1449; FHL microfilm 1,255,449.
6. ↑ Marriage Record, Vernon County, Wisconsin, 19 May 1895; accessed November 6, 2016,
7. ↑ "Wisconsin, State Census, 1895," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM9L-4HG : accessed 17 December 2015), Chester R Roberts, Wheatland Town, Vernon, Wisconsin; citing reference 21, State Historical Society, Madison; FHL microfilm 1,032,714.
8. ↑ "Wisconsin, State Census, 1895," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM9L-4HG : accessed 23 February 2020), Chester R Roberts, Wheatland Town, Vernon, Wisconsin; citing reference 21, State Historical Society, Madison; FHL microfilm 1,032,714.
9. ↑ Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.), 30 Jan. 1907. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85040451/1907-01-30/ed-1/seq-5/>
10. ↑ Memoirs of Vernon County, page 468-9, pages available online at https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5jvqgt1yyQpU2M4TFRVV1F4UlE/view
11. ↑ Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.), 28 July 1920. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.<https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85040451/1920-07-28/ed-1/seq-1/>
12. ↑ Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.), 30 Oct. 1907. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85040451/1907-10-30/ed-1/seq-1/>
13. ↑ Jamestown Alert, Jamestown, North Dakota, 24 Oct 1907, page 5 (https://www.newspapers.com/image/466345103/); accessed July 3, 2020

• From Genealogy notes of Angela Drake

Research

In 1910, a Nellie was in South Dakota[10]. I believed that she had gone to South Dakota because her husband may have died there. But when I looked closer at my interview notes with Jackie Roberts, I believe he confused South Dakota with North Dakota. I have found the city where Nellie's husband Chester is supposed to have died and it lies along the line of the original Great Northern Railway in North Dakota. This Nellie was living as a servant in the home of Charles and Josephine Hilt. Yet this Nellie was born in the right year, in the right state, is widowed, and her parents were born in Vermont (father) and Wisconsin (mother). It is almost too coincidental to not be her. I have yet to find record of our Nellie in Wisconsin in 1910.

Check out records of the INVENTORY OF THE CHICAGO, BURLINGTON & QUINCY RAILROAD COMPANY RECORDS, 1820-1999 https://mms.newberry.org/xml/xml_files/CBQ_Main.xml (accessed Oct 5, 2017)

The 1890 Census for Wisconsin was destroyed in a 1921 warehouse fire.

No official death record in North Dakota.

Could have also worked on the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway Line, specifically the Pacific Extension built between 1906-1909. "A survey in 1901 estimated costs to build to the Pacific Northwest as $45 million (equal to $1.3 billion today). In 1905 the board approved the Pacific Extension, now estimated at $60 million, equal to $1.6 billion today. The contract for the western part of the route was awarded to Horace Chapin Henry of Seattle. Construction began in 1906 and was completed in 1909. The route chosen was 18 miles (29 km) shorter than the shortest competitor's, as well as better grades than some, but it was an expensive route, since the Milwaukee received few land grants and had to buy most of the land or acquire smaller railroads." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago,_Milwaukee,_St._Paul_and_Pacific_Railroad

Looked for his name in the Milwaukee Road Archives on Oct 5, 1917 but not found. Records are still being added the digital archive so keep checking - http://content.mpl.org/cdm/search/collection/MilwRoad

Information about Crystal Springs, North Dakota, includes mention of the Northern Pacific Railroad: https://www.legendsofamerica.com/crystal-city-north-dakota/

Potential research of the Northern Pacific Railway Company Records. Held at the University of Montana, Missoula, Montana http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv68060