Cumberland County, Maine - Charles Winslow Roberts
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Biography
Charles Winslow Roberts
Biographical Review
Cumberland County, Maine
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1896
Page 403-404


Charles Winslow Roberts, acting Deputy Collector and clerk of the custom-house
at Portland, Me., born in this city on February 21, 1843, is the son of Thomas
A. and Mary A. (Frates) Roberts, the former of whom was born in Bath, although
his parents were only residing there temporarily at the time, Portland being
their home.

Nathaniel Roberts, father of Thomas A., was born at or near Portland, and spent
the greater part of his life in this city, successfully engaged in the trade of
a carpenter, being one of the earliest_ builders here. During the War of 1812 he
served in defense of the city as a member of the Portland Light Infantry. He
lived to an advanced age.

Thomas A. Roberts was born July 7, 1817, and grew to manhood in Portland, where
he learned the trade of a painter, which business he pursued throughout a long
and successful life. He was for many years connected with the old State militia
as a member of the Portland Mechanic Blues, being Orderly Sergeant of that
company as far back as 1843 and its Captain from 1852 to 1861. In 1862, at the
organization of the Seventeenth Maine Volunteer Infantry, he received a
commission as Colonel; and he served with his regiment as such in the Army of
the Potomac until the summer of 1863, when he was forced to resign on account of
ill-health. He had command, however, during the battle of Fredericksburg and a
portion of the time at Chancellorsville.

A Republican in politics, Colonel Roberts served as a member of the Common
Council both before and after the war, representing Wards 5 and. 6. He was a
charter member of Bosworth Post, No. 2, Grand Army of the Republic, of Portland,
and continued his membership during his life. In religious belief he was a
Unitarian, and prominently connected with the Park Street Church during the life
of that religious body, He died February 9, 1888. His wife, born January 2,
1817, whose maiden name was Mary A. Frates, was a daughter of Antonio Frates, a
Portuguese by birth and a native of Fayal Island, who came to Portland when a
young man and here spent the remaining years of an active and useful life.
Colonel and Mrs. Thomas A. Roberts became the parents of seven children, the
three youngest sons and a daughter dying in infancy. The others were: Charles
Winslow Roberts; Thomas F. Roberts, residing in Portland; and George H. Roberts
(who died January 10, 1885). During the Rebellion the father and his three sons
were all in the service, two in the army and two in the navy. The mother died
November 17, 1878.

Charles Winslow Roberts received his education in the public schools of
Portland, and for a short time after leaving school he was engaged as a clerk in
a mercantile house in the city. Two years prior to the war, at the age of
sixteen, he joined the State militia as a member of the Portland Mechanic Blues,
and at the breaking out of the war was, on April 28, 1861, appointed Orderly
Sergeant of that Company (13) in the First Regiment of Maine militia. The First
Regiment was mustered into the United States service for three months on May 3,
1861, under the first call of the President upon the State for troops, and
during that time was stationed in the defenses of Washington. Upon the
expiration of its term of service the regiment returned to Maine.

In September, 1861, his company, which retained its organization, was assigned
to the Tenth Maine Regiment for two years' service. On September 24 he was
elected Second Lieutenant, and on September 28 First Lieutenant, and received a
commission under the latter rank and date as First Lieutenant of Company B in
the Tenth Maine Volunteer Infantry, being mustered into service as such on
October 4, 1861. He served with that regiment during the following winter in and
near Baltimore, Md., and in Virginia until the spring of 1862, when his regiment
was ordered to the army operating in the Shenandoah Valley under the command of
General Banks, and was assigned to the brigade commanded by General S. W.
Crawford in Williams's Division. He was with his regiment during General Banks's
retreat from Winchester to Williamsport, Md., on May 25, the company making the
unprecedented record of a march of fifty-seven miles in twenty-four hours, and
was also with his regiment during the advance of General Banks's army down the
Shenandoah Valley in the months of June and July.

On July 30, 1862, he was commissioned Adjutant of the Seventeenth Maine
Volunteer Infantry, a new regiment in process of organization in Maine,
commanded by his father, Colonel Thomas A. Roberts, was mustered out of the
Tenth Regiment near Culpeper Court-house, Va., August 6, 1862, and immediately
proceeding to Maine reported for duty at Portland, August 11, 1862, and was
mustered into service in the Seventeenth Regiment on August 18, 1862. He was one
of the youngest commissioned officers in Maine. After serving a short time in
the fortifications at Washington, the regiment was transferred to the Army of
the Potomac, and on October 8 joined the brigade commanded by General Hiram G.
Berry, of Maine. This brigade formed a part of the famous fighting division
formerly known as Kearney Division and later as Birney's Division of the Third
Army Corps, taking part in the battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 14, and
15, 1862; Chancellorsville, May 2, 3, and 4, 1863; and Gettysburg on July 2 and
3, 1863. In the last-named battle (July 2) Mr. Roberts received a severe gunshot
wound, which rendered the amputation of his right leg at the upper third
necessary on the following day. He remained at Gettysburg in a private house
until August 6, when he was conveyed to his home in Portland, where he remained
on leave of absence, as the nature of the wound precluded further field service;
and he was discharged for disability by order of the War Department on December
23, 1863, having rendered valiant service to his country as long as physically
able to do so.

In the spring of 1864, having regained his health in a measure, he was offered a
clerkship in the Portland custom-house, which he accepted, and in 1867 was
appointed superintendent of warehouses, holding that position until the office
was abolished in January, 1895 ; but he is still in the custom service, in the
capacity of acting Deputy Collector and clerk, and, in point of continuous
service, is now the oldest custom-house officer at Portland, it being over
thirty years since he first entered the custom-house as an employee.

On October 4, 1864, be was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth W. Clark, a
daughter of Freeman S. Clark, who was for many years actively engaged in
business in Portland. They are the parents of two children, namely: Eleanor C.,
born June 29, 1865, now the wife of Howard N. Leighton, of Portland; and Herbert
Augustus Roberts, born July 26, 1869, now a clerk in the Portland Savings Bank,
who married the daughter of Major William H. Green, the present Commander of the
Department of Maine, Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Roberts has one grandchild,
Clarence Adams, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard N. Leighton, born March 1, 1888.

Mr. Roberts was for many years a Director of the Mercantile Library Association,
and its President in 1878 and 1879. He is a charter member of Bosworth Post, No.
2, Grand Army of the Republic; is a member of Unity Lodge, of the Order of Odd
Fellows, and Chancellor of the Maine Commandery of the Military Order of the
Loyal Legion. He attended the Park Street Unitarian Church until it was
discontinued, since which time he has attended the Congress Square Universalist
Church in Portland.