Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/129

 ROBERTS

ROBERTtS

in 1685, shortly after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes; also a descendant of Thomas Smith, (born at Exeter, England, 1648 ; died 1694), who removed to South Carolina, 1671, and was made landgrave and governor of South Carolina in 1693. Joseph T. Robert entered Columbian col- lege, Washington, D.C., in 1835 ; was graduated from Brown university, A. B., 1828, A.M., 1831; attended Yale Medical school, 1829-30, and was graduated from the South Carolina Medical col- lege in 1831. He was married, Sept. 8, 1830, to Adeline, daughter of Col. Alexander James and Martha (Mosse) Lawton of Robertville, S.C. He practised medicine in Robertville, 1831-32 ; fitted for the Baptist ministry at Furman Tlieological seminary, Greenville, S.C, 1832-34, and was ordained in 1834. He was pastor of the church at Robertville, 1834-39 ; at Covington, Ky., 1839- 42 ; at Lebanon, Ohio, 1842-40 ; at Savannah, Ga., 1847-50, and at Portsmouth and Zanesville, Ohio, 1851-58. He was professor of mathematics and natural science in Burlington university, Iowa, 1858-63 ; professor of languages in Iowa State university, 1863-67, and president of Burlington university, 1869-70. He was principal of the Augusta Institute for the Training of Colored Ministers, at Augusta, Ga., 1871-79, and from 1879 to 1884 was president of the Atlanta Baptist seminary, with which the Augusta Institute was incoi-porated in 1879. He received the degree of LL.D. from Denison university in 1869. He died in Atlanta, Ga., March 5, 1884.

ROBERTS, Benjamin Stone, soldier, was born in Manchester, Vt., Nov. 18, 1810, son of Gen. Martin and Betsey (Stone) Roberts ; grandson of General Christopher and Mary (Purdy) Roberts and of Luther and Oladine Stone, and a de- scendant of Petei' and Sarah (Baker) Roberts. Peter Roberts probably came from Wales in 1670, and lived in Providence, R.I. He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy and brevetted 2d lieutenant in the 1st dragoons, July 1, 1835. He was married Sept. 18, 1835, to Eliza- beth, daughter of Anson and Laura (Pierpont) Sperry of Plattsburgh, N.Y.; served on frontier duty in Iowa and Kansas, 1835-38 ; was com- missioned 2d lieutenant, 1st dragoons. May 31, 1836, 1st lieutenant, 1st dragoons, July 31, 1837, and served on recruiting duty, 1888-39. He re- signed from the U.S. army, Jan. 28, 1839 ; was chief engineer of the construction of the Champlain and Odgensburg railroad, 1839-40 ; assistant geologist of the state of New York in

1841, and aided Lieut. George W. Whistler in constructing the Russian system of railways in

1842. He returned to the United States and having fitted himself for law, was admitted to the bar and settled in practice in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1843. He was lieutenant-colonel of the

Iowa militia, 1844-46 ; was re-appointed to the U.S. army as 1st lieutenant. Mounted Rifles, May 27, 1846, and participated in all tlie prin- cipal engagements of the Mexican war, culminat- ing in the capture of the city of Mexico. He was selected by General Quitman to raise the first American flag over the "Halls of the Montezu- mas," because of conspicuous gallantry displayed by him in the storming of Chapultepec, before tlie capture of the city by the U.S. troops. He was promoted captain, Mounted Rifles, Feb. 16, 1847 ; brevetted major, Sept. 13, 1847, for Cha- pultepec, and lieutenant-colonel, Nov. 24, 1847, for gallantry in the action at Matamoras and at the pass at Galaxara, Nov. 23-24, 1847, and re- ceived a sword of honor from the legislature of Iowa for his Mexican war service, Jan. 15, 1849. He served on frontier duty in Kansas and Dakota Territory, 1848-49, was on leave of absence, 1850- 52 ; and was employed in examining land titles in the topographical bureau at Washington, D.C. 1852-53. He was on leave of absence and on frontier duty in Texas and New Mexico, 1853-61, was promoted major, May 13, 1861 ; transferred to the 3d cavalry, Aug. 3, 1861 ; served in New Mexico under General Canby, 1861-62, being en- gaged at Fort Craig, Valverde, Albuquerque and Peralta ; and was brevetted colonel, Feb. 21, 1862, for Valverde. He was promoted brigadier-gen- eral of volunteers July 16, 1862 ; and served as inspector-general on General Pope's staff at Cedar Mountain, Rappaliannock Station, Sulphur Springs and Second Bull Run. After the defeat of Pope's army at Second Bull Run General Stone preferred charges against Gen. Fitz John Porter (q.v.) for disobedience of orders and acts of mis- behavior in the presence of the enemy. He com- manded an expedition against the Chippewa Indians in the Mille-Lacs country in November, 1862 ; commanded successively the upper defenses of Washington, D.C, an independent brigade in Western Virginia and district of Iowa in 1863 ; and served in Texas and Louisiana, 1864. He was chief of cavalr}-, department of the Gulf from October, 1864, to January, 1865 ; commanded the district of West Tennessee and the cavalry divi- sion of the district of Tennessee in 1865, and was brevetted brigadier-general U.S.A. and major- general of volunteers, March 13, 1865, for Cedar Mountain and Second Bull Run. He was mus- tered out of the volunteer service, Jan. 15, 1866 ; was promoted lieutenant-colonel, 3d cavalry, July 28, 1866 ; served on frontier duty in New Mexico, 1867-68, was instructor in militarj' science at Yale, 1868-70, and was retired from active service on his own application, Dec. 15, 1870. He invented the Roberts breech-loading rifle, and in 1870 organized a stock company to manufacture the rifle, which was not financially