Left to right: Elizabeth (Aunt Liz Jones), William J. (Grandpa,
Rebecca, Ellen (Aunt Nell), Reese and Robert.
Robert P. and Rebecca Roberts came to America in 1873 or 4 with two children, Robert (2) and Ellen (Nell). I recall Aunt Nell telling Dad that she was a ‘babe in arms’ when they came. I don’t remember hearing many stories about the family while it was in Iowa. The prominent event was the early death of their father Robert P. at age 49. According to Aunt Liz he was seeding oats by hand when it began to rain. He had left his coat at the end of the field and was chilled by the time he got back to it. He caught pneumonia and died. This is consistent with the date of death listed as April 29, 1889. I have a picture of his grave taken in the early 1950’s.
I recall virtually nothing being told about the personality of either Robert P. or Rebecca (Owen) Roberts other than they came from Wales, he died of pneumonia in Iowa and Rebecca died while living with Edwin and Liz Jones in Minnesota.
Grandpa told me that he and Liz were given the job of herding cattle. One time Liz had been out late the night before and was having trouble staying awake, so she asked Will to tend the herding while she took an afternoon nap. He agreed but as soon as she was sound asleep he woke her up claiming that she had taken a long nap. Liz then claimed to feel so much rested - much to Will’s amusement for having fooled her.
Another time, Grandpa told of working on a threshing rig. As I remember it he was running the separator. The story was about how wet the fields were and how many teams of horses it took to pull the engine off the field. His brother Rees had a threshing rig in Minnesota. I wonder if he had one in Iowa or maybe was running one for someone else.
Dad told a story about Aunt Nell. Aunt Nell went to Minnesota to take a job doing housework for a farm family near Judson. The first morning after arriving she slept later than usual. As she awoke she overheard the comment “I don't think this one will work out either.” After that she made a point of being the first up. Before long her employer was pleading for her to “Marry My John.” She did - Uncle John C. Roberts.
It was Uncle John C. who took Dad under his wing so to speak when Mother, Dad and Linda moved from Laporte to Aunt Mary’s farm near Judson. It was Uncle John C. who took Dad to Cukoski and Jones in Mankato to buy his first tractor. A Case CC like John C.’s.
I remember Aunt Nell (and Blanche) as living in an apartment in Mankato. Aunt Nell gave us the first Christmas tree lights we had. We were visiting her sometime before Christmas and she learned from Linda or me that we didn’t have any lights on our tree. For whatever reason she was not decorating a tree anymore so gave us the lights she had.
My personal recollection of Uncle Rob is of an old, white haired man we visited in a nursing home in Bemidji in about 1950. His children (Dad’s Cousins) were: Elmer who had a military career and lived in California. I recall his visiting us in Lake Crystal a couple times.
Alvin (and Gertrude): They farmed just east of the Home Place.
Edwin (Ed) who farmed, operated the Imperial Gas Station by Minneopa, and later built his own gas station east of Mankato on Hwy 22.
Eunice. (Have no recollection of her)
Blodwyn (no recollection)
John: I remember John from when I was working with Grandpa in 1956. John was driving a truck on a regional route but I don’t remember for what company. A few years later they visited us in Lake Crystal. His daughter Judy attended the U. of M. when I did.
Robert. Lived in Rochester and often attended family celebrations in Lake Crystal.
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