J. C. Roberts

        J. C. Roberts, farmer, is a native of Tennessee, born June 1, 1835. He is the youngest of five children born to the union of Thomas and Sarah J. (Kennedy) Roberts, both natives of North Carolina. The father was born in North Carolina in 1801, came to Tennessee in 1832 and settled on Buffalo River. He removed to Hamilton County in 1838, and was a very successful farmer. He died about 1879. The mother was born about 1795. She was an active and devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years. She died in 1863. Our subject received his education in the common schools of Hamilton County. He wedded Miss Arabella Pickett, June 24, 1855, daughter of Mrs. Margaret Pickett. One child was the result of this union, who died in infancy. Mrs. Roberts died in 1857, and for his second wife Mr. Roberts took Miss Nancy Adaline Moreland in October, 1858. She is a daughter of Pleasant and Margaret Moreland. Mrs. Roberts was born in May, 1836, and this last union resulted in the birth of eleven children: Malinda (deceased), Thomas (deceased), John W., James M., Mattie, Cynthia, Sallie, Bell, Mary, Willie and Lulla. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts and the eldest five children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics Mr. Roberts is a Democrat. He has followed farming all his life, excepting time spent in the late war. He enlisted in September, 1862, in Lookout battery, which operated principally in Mississippi. He was in the fights at Jackson (Miss.), Resaca and Atlanta, and was mustered out of service after the fight at Atlanta. He served the people of his district as justice of the peace for four years, and was a member of the county court, giving universal satisfaction. He takes quite an interest in education, and his children have had good educational advantages. Starting in life with very little, he now has property valued at $35,000. His grandfather, Roberts, came from Ireland to America about the time of the Revolutionary war, and settled shortly after in North Carolina.
Goodspeed's "History of East Tennessee" 1887