By David Heighway, Hamilton County Historian Emeritus
Stephen “Steve” Roberts was born in Roberts Settlement to Stephen and Mary Roberts. His grandfather Willis had been one of the first emigrants to the Settlement in the 1830s. Sources differ on the younger Stephen’s birthdate, but the 1900 census says that he was born in March of 1848. He was one of several children. His older brother Junius served in the Civil War in the 28th USCT, and I’ve covered his experiences here.
Stephen started out in life as a farmer like his father, but soon after the Civil War, he began working with white businessmen like Samuel Craig, Marion Aldred, and others as a livestock buyer and shipper. Samuel Craig was a farmer and stock dealer while Marion Aldred eventually became a banker. Neither man seemed to have a problem working with an African American business partner, possibly because Craig was a member of an abolitionist family and Aldred had been a soldier in the Union army.
Some of Stephen’s business records would eventually be donated to the Library of Congress, and the collection gives an idea of how his business was conducted. Among the materials are receipts for the “new” Exchange Stockyards and Manufacturing Company built in 1875 on south Kentucky Avenue in Indianapolis. This company eventually became the Union Stockyards and was one of the key businesses on the Belt Railroad that went around the city. (Today the site is part of the Lilly campus.)
Stephen Roberts business records – Roberts Settlement Collection, Library of Congress
The animals would be purchased from Hamilton County farmers, put on the Indianapolis, Peru, and Chicago Railroad, (which was the only railroad in Hamilton County in the 1870s), sent to Indianapolis, and then to points east. Stephen’s job gave him the opportunity to travel. Among the items in the collection is a drover’s pass to accompany a shipment of livestock on the railroad to Pittsburgh.
Stephen had moved to Noblesville by 1880 and married Nancy Eliot that year. She was born sometime around 1852 and had been the first African American child born in Noblesville. They had two children – James, who died young, and Leroy or Roy. Stephen was described in one newspaper article as a big man with a powerful physique, and while he had a fine friendly disposition, he was also “a man among men”. This is illustrated by a newspaper story from 1882 which said that after a drunk had insulted Nancy, Stephen gave him what the paper called a “sound trouncing”.
His wife continued to work outside the home after the marriage and did what we would now refer to as catering. She organized and cooked food for the finest weddings in the area in the 1880s and 1890s, put on by the community’s wealthiest citizens. She eventually became known as “Aunt Nan” and was as well respected by the people of Noblesville as her husband was respected by the farmers in the county.
Their son Leroy, nicknamed “Frosty” by his friends, held a variety of jobs and played on the town baseball team in 1890s. He was married in 1897 and had one daughter. In 1902, he lost part of his foot when he slipped while he was trying to board a train. Later, he contracted some sort of throat trouble which led to his death in 1924.
1890s baseball team and LeRoy Roberts – Hamilton County Historical Society
The family was an important part of the Hamilton County Black community. Evidence for this is in a photograph of the 1908 Roberts-Winburn family reunion. Stephen and Nancy are seated prominently in the center of a large group of people.
1908 Roberts Winburn reunion – Roberts Settlement Collection
Stephen died in 1915 and was buried at Crownland Cemetery. His son was buried in the same plot. However, Nancy lived on for many years with the town putting on celebrations for her 90th and 99th birthdays. She died two weeks after her 100th birthday in 1952 and was laid to rest beside her husband and son.
Stephen Roberts’ life was somewhat different than the experiences that many African American people had in this time period. His story helps to give a fuller picture of the history of Hamilton County.