My Genealogy Hound

JOHN T. ROBERSON. A plain statement of the facts embraced in the life of Mr. Roberson, who is Postmaster of Yale, is all that we profess to be able to give in this volume. His career has been found to be that of one whose entire course in life has been marked by great honesty and fidelity of purpose. He has met with substantial results in the different enterprises in which he has been engaged, and is well known to the people of Seneca County.

Mr. Roberson was born in Candice, Livingston County, N. Y., January 10, 1844. His parents were Samuel O. and Mahala (Trimmer) Roberson, both of whom were born in Hunterdon County, N. J. Prior to their marriage they came to Livingston County, this state, where the father, who was a millwright, worked at his trade. He later became the owner of a valuable piece of land, and during the latter years of his life gave his attention to its cultivation.

The subject of this sketch grew to manhood on his father’s farm, and, when eighteen years of age, became a student in the Mt. Morris High School. During the progress of the late war he became a Union soldier, and was mustered in as a member of Company B, One Hundred and Thirtieth New York Volunteers. For one year he was stationed with his regiment in Suffolk, Va., and participated in many engagements and skirmishes, among which were the battles of the Deserted House and Black Water, also the siege of Suffolk. Later he was transferred to the First New York Dragoons, which had been supplied with the very choicest of arms by the Government. He saw service at Centerville, Md., near where occurred the battle of the Rapidan, and was afterward present at the battle of Winchester, when Sheridan made his famous ride, and heard that noted general give his orders. He participated in twenty-eight engagements in all, and at the battle of the Rapidan the index finger of his right hand was shot through by a Union soldier whose carbine was discharged accidentally. Mr. Roberson was mustered out of service at the close of the war, July 19, 1865.

On his return home from the field of battle Mr. Roberson began working out on farms by the month, this becoming necessary on account of the death of his father, who departed this life while he was in the army. In October, 1868, he went to Blue Island, a suburb of Chicago, where he attended school the following winter, and then began work on the street cars as conductor. He held this position just one month, when he resigned and became switchman for the Lake Shore Road, remaining with that corporation until 1869. During the greater part of that time he had charge of a train at the Union Stock Yards, acting in the capacity of trainmaster. For the following twenty-one years he was yardmaster for the Southwestern System of the Pennsylvania Central, commonly known as the Panhandle Route. The last year he was night superintendent of the yards.

While in the World’s Fair City Mr. Roberson was married to Miss Lydia A. Van Sickle, a native of the town of Varick, Seneca County, but who at that time was living in Chicago. Mr. Roberson continued to make his home in that city until 1891, being at that time yardmaster of the Pennsylvania Central. About that time he was given a leave of absence of nine months, and came on a visit to this county. While here he purchased a tract of one hundred acres of land, and succeeded in getting a post office established at Yale. Concluding to make his permanent home here, he resigned his position, and was made Postmaster.

He is the present incumbent, and is also proprietor of a general store at Yale. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and cast his first Presidential vote for Grant in 1868. In local affairs, however, he is independent. He is an adherent of the Presbyterian faith, and while in Chicago was connected with the First Presbyterian Church of Englewood, of which his wife was also a member. Socially he is a Grand Army man, and a member of George H. Thomas Post No. 5, of Chicago.

To Mr. and Mrs. Roberson there have been granted two children, Cora and Charles Ernest, both of whom were born in Chicago. The daughter is a graduate of the Metropolitan Business College of Chicago, and is a stenographer of considerable note. Both of the children at the present time are living at home with their parents.