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Show NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form Continuation sheet______________________Item number 8____________Page 2____ Back in Provo Roberts became involved in farming, freighting, trading, and making stoneware. In 1857 he was called to participate in the Echo Canyon Campaign against the United States Army that was marching to Utah to put down a rumored rebellion. Later in the year Roberts and Daniel Jones went to the Sweet Water area to trade with emigrants. In the process, both of them were captured by Crow Indians but were rescued the next morning by a group of people on their way to California. The next year Roberts went to southern California and brought back a band of wild horses and several hundred head of sheep. Roberts was called again to fight Indians in what is known as the Echo Canyon campaign. At about this time his mother and brothers returned to Missouri, but William chose to stay in Provo. He then (1858) became involved in freighting and carrying passengers between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, California. In April of the next year Roberts returned to Missouri to visit his parents. He stayed for a year and bought a herd of cattle which he drove across the plains to Utah. The following winter he brought eighteen colonies of bees from California to Utah. With subsequent trips he increased this number to 600. Roberts freighted goods to Austin, Nevada. On one of his trips he captured John Webb, who, along with another man, Ransom G. Young, had killed three traveling companions with a hatchet. Intending to take the man to officials in Austin, Roberts was overtaken at a place called Shell Creek by a posse of over fifty men who had captured the murderer's partner. The posse decided to carry out their own justice, and in less than an hour the two men had been lynched. During the Civil War Roberts decided to visit his parents in Missouri. He made the trip by overland stage and train. Both Union and Confederate lines were crossed before he reached Lancaster, Missouri. During this trip he met Maria Julia Lusk and married her on February 6, 1862. Not telling his wife he was a Mormon, he brought her, his mother and brothers, with two of their wives, back to Utah. Roberts then became involved in building up the Provo area. He was a member of the Provo City council for three years (1878-1881) and was an alderman for two years (1884-1885). He then became Provo 1 s first postmaster after Utah received statehood. One historian notes that Roberts: . . . planted orchards and vineyards and conducted his farm along the most progressive lines, importing blooded horses, cattle, pigs, and chickens. He was also connected with a company that imported the first steam power threshing machine and the first steam power brick machine into Utah . . .. Roberts discovered and developed mines in the Tintic district and spent much money in connection with the timber and lumber business. Whatever he undertook he carried forward to successful completion.' Roberts also belonged to Provo's first dramatic association and was a member of the first brass band organized in Utah County. |
