The death of Mr. Benjamin Roberts of Dandridge and his burial at Balches cemetery, Wednesday last, marked the passing away of one of East Tennessee's most historical and interesting characters.

The funeral sermon by the Rev. Mr. Lyle on that occasion was an eloquent and impressive one. Mr. Roberts was 84 years old and a descendant of one of the first settlers of this section of the state.

He was widely known and his final summons recalling many interesting incidents in our general history worthy of special notice. For twenty five years he followed the life of a merchant and in his day made vast sums of money, although thought by some to be close in business matters yet on proper occasions his liberality was famous. He bought thousands of dollars worth of goods of the old Cowan and Dickenson wholesale house, the first one established in Knoxville. His estate he left to be wound up by his son-in-law, W. D. Brown, of this county, father of Esq. Geo. Brown.

Prior to the war all country merchants had their earnings saved up in gold and silver coin. During the war the loyal people of Jefferson found it conserved to health best to flee to Kentucky. Mr. Roberts was intensely loyal and he furnished over 100 Unionists sums of $10 to $13 to enable them to get out of the country and danger. He himself decided to remain at home and face the music and attend to his business.

His father was a Methodist preacher and as above stated was one of the first settlers in East Tennessee and took a prominent part in early history making. He was a government agent in removing the Cherokee Indians to the reservation on the Hiawassee River. He was killed by a bolt of lightning sixty years ago while riding neat the upper line of this county.

Source: The Knoxville Daily Journal, Sunday, February 5, 1893

Transcribed by Robert McGinnis