Dear Maureen, Barbara, and All, Got something for you on John ROBERTS! I found this at: http://www.ukans.edu/carrie/kancoll/andreas_ne/seward/seward-p5.html frome "Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska: Seward County," produced by Jeanne Walsh. Hope it is of interest! Regards, Alice >Barb: Saw your message. Where did your John Roberts come from prior to IL? >There are a bunch of us researching the Roberts family from VA to WV ca 1800, >some went on to IA, etc. Lots of Johns of course. >Maureen "JOHN ROBERTS, farmer, Section 17, G Precinct, was born in Henry County, Ky., on the 29th of November, 1813, being the son of John and Catherine Roberts, who were formerly from South Carolina. Owing to their pecuniary circumstances, his parents were unable to give him but a very limited education, and when he reached manhood he commenced farming, which pursuit he followed in his native State until 1835, when he removed with his parents to Illinois, locating in Fulton County, and was among the early settlers of that county. He commenced farming and May 15, 1836, was married to Miss Susan Hall, who was born in Franklin County, Ill., April 30, 1818, and is a daughter of John and Prudence Hall, who were among the very early settlers of that county, being originally from Georgia. The subject of this sketch made his home in Illinois, until the spring of 1866, when he came West to Nebraska and took up a homestead on Section 20, Town 11, Range 3 east, G Precinct, which now forms what is known as the Roberts & Harris Addition to the city of Seward, they being proprietors of the same. Mr. R voted at the first election in the county, which was held in the fall of 1866, at the town of Seward, and consisted of fourteen votes. In 1868, during the month of June, he erected the first building in the town of Seward, which was a store, and occupied by Beatty & Davis. He acted as Assessor in 1867, being appointed by the Commissioners, his territory consisting of half the county. In those early times he had to go to Nebraska City for all family supplies, and paid $80 per 1,000 for flooring to put in his building, which he hauled by ox team from Nebraska City, taking a week to make the trip."