John J. Roberts

CAPTAIN JOHN J. ROBERTS.

Captain John J. Roberts, who is one of the honored veterans of the Civil war, is also numbered among the most successful business men of Waupun, where he is engaged in the general banking business as president of the State Bank of Waupun. He was born February 5, 1842, and is a son of Owen R. and Jane (Cadwalder) Roberts, both of whom were natives of Wales. The father with his wife and family emigrated to the United States in 1847, making his first location in Columbia county, Wisconsin, where he purchased land and later engaged in the cultivation of a rented farm. He subsequently removed to Cambria, Wisconsin, where he continued to live to the time of his death. He was a stanch republican, and he and his wife were loyal members of the Protestant church. To Mr. and Mrs. Owen R. Roberts seven children were born: Robert D., a retired farmer living in Aberdeen, South Dakota; C. A., of Chicago, who was in the employ of Marshall Field & Company for forty years; John J., of this review; Jane, who is deceased; Eleanor, a resident of Aberdeen, South Dakota; Margaret, who married J. Pace, of Minnesota; and Catherine, who passed away in infancy.

John J. Roberts was a native of Wales and with his parents emigrated to America in 1847. He was reared at home and received his early education in the public schools of Wisconsin. He remained under the parental roof un til 1860, at which time he started in life for himself and took up work as clerk in the general merchandising store of William E. Smith at Fox Lake, Wisconsin. In 1862 he enlisted in Company E, Twenty-ninth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and continued to follow his command until he received an honorable discharge, at which time he was mustered out of service in April, 1863. He returned immediately thereafter to his home in Wisconsin and in company with J. B. Vosburg organized the Forty-eighth Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, in which J. B. Vosburg served as a commissioned captain and John J. Roberts of this review as first lieutenant. Mr. Roberts was commissioned captain at the close of the war but did not serve in that rank during the Civil conflict. After peace was declared he continued in the army service for one year, during which time his command was in the western part of Kansas, where they were engaged in the suppression of the Indian uprising which at that time was disturbing the frontier pioneers in that portion of our country. He later served as quartermaster at Fort Dodge for some time and in 1866 he returned to Fox Lake, Wisconsin, where he was in the dry-goods business for three years. In the fall of 1870 he removed to Waupun and in company with L. Smith engaged in the general retail and wholesale mercantile business in that city. His partnership with Mr. Smith closed at the time of the latter’s death which occurred in 1871, after which time Mr. Roberts as sole owner successfully conducted the business in his own name until 1895. He then sold the stock of merchandise, retaining, however, the real estate and buildings used in connection with the conduct of that business. In 1895 he received the appointment as warden of the Wisconsin State Penitentiary from Governor Upham and continued in that office until the expiration of Governor Upham’s term, after which he was reappointed to the same office by ex-Governor Scofield and continued. in the service of the state as warden of the penitentiary until 1899. In addition to his city real-estate holdings he is also the owner of a very large farm in North Dakota. In 1906 he purchased stock in the State Bank of Waupun and was later, in 1907, elected to the responsible office of president of that well known banking institution, since which time he has devoted himself to a large extent to the interests of the banking business.

The Sate Bank of Waupun was organized in 1903 with an authorized paidup capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars, the original incorporators be ing E. M. Beach, J. C. Sherman, Oscar Hanisch, J. S. Morris and H. J. Hartgerink. At the time of the organization of the bank the corporation purchased a suitable building in which to conduct its business and in 1911 the building was remodeled and newly equipped for the greater convenience of its officers and patrons, and it is now one of the best and most up-to-date bank buildings in this portion of the state, being a fine two-story structure with suitable offices on the second floor. In 1906 the bank was reorganized and at that time the following officers and directors were elected: J. J. Roberts, president; H. J. Hartgerink, vice-president; Fred W. Luck, cashier; Oscar Hanisch, assistant cashier; and Oscar Hanisch, W. E. Rank, J. J. Roberts, Fred W. Luck, H. J. Hartgerink, J. S. Morris and A. Lemoness, directors. The State Bank of Waupun is one of the well known and among the most successful institutions of its kind in central eastern Wisconsin and does a large and increasing business in both Dodge and Fond du Lac counties.

Captain Roberts was united in marriage in 1868 to Miss Jennie Smith, a daughter of Alexander and Sarah (Grant) Smith, natives of Inverness, Scotland. They came to America about 1830 and settled in Commerce, Michigan where they remained until their death. An uncle of Mrs. Roberts was William E. Smith who was governor of Wisconsin for two terms and very prominent in public life. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts are the parents of three children: Jessie, who married Dr. T. M. Welsch, who is a practicing dentist of Waupun; Myra, at home; and Ira Smith, who is a traveling salesman. Captain Roberts is one of the loyal adherents of the republican party and a man high in the councils of that political organization. In Masonry he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite. He was for some time master of the blue lodge of Waupun. He is also one of the influential and popular members of the Grand Army of the Republic and is a member of the Loyal Legion of Milwaukee. Captain Roberts is one of the well known and useful citizens of the state of Wisconsin. His record as a soldier and a business man reflects great credit upon the integrity of his character and his well known business ability. As warden of the penitentiary at Waupun he enjoyed the distinction of be ing one of the most efficient and popular officers who have ever served in that office and on his retirement from that service he carried with him the respect of the citizens of Wisconsin for the efficient manner in which he had carefully protected the interests of the people, at the same time exercising a merciful, considerate and helpful control over the unfortunate inmates of that penal institution, and his name now as then is a synonym for all that is straight in business, upright in character and useful as a loyal, patriotic citizen of his state and nation.

As printed in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, past and present (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.