MR. EVAN R. ROBERTS. BANGOR, LACROSSE COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
EVAN R. ROBERTS, a dealer in grain, lumbar, building material, machinery real estate and livestock and also proprietor of a grain elevator, Bangor, is one of the pioneers of La Crosse county.He was born in North Wales, May 19th 1834, the son of Evan Roberts, deceased, a native of the same country. The father brought his family to the United States in 1851, settling near Portage, Columbia county, Wisconsin, after which, in 1852, he came to Bostwick valley, this county, in what is now Barry township, eight miles east of La Crosse. It was then wild and inhabited mostly by Indians and wild animals.
Evan R., our subject, went to La Crosse in 1856, and was engaged in freighting until 1858, when he returned and rented the homestead two years, after which he bought a farm in Bostwick valley and remained there twelve years. He then came to Bangor, and the second year here he bought the Bangor flouring mill, which he operated three or four years, and during this time he established a lumbar yard and built elevators.
He began dealing in stock about ten years ago, and now does a large business. He had held the office of Constable, Justice of the Peace, was Chairman of the Board many years, also Chairman of the County Board one year, has been a member of the School Board for the past fifteen years, and is now serving his sixth year as director of the board, of which he was also treasurer several years.
Mr. Roberts was married, May 9th, 1858, to Mary Pierce, daughter of Richard Pierce, deceased. They had three children : Mary, Jane and Frank. The mother died October 9th, 1869, after which, February 23rd, 1871, the father married Jane Morris, and they had two children; Hugh E. and Luther J. Mrs. Roberts died January 23rd, 1886, and he was again married, in April, 1890, to Mrs. Maggie E. Jones. She had one son by her first marriage, Vaughan E.