Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Roberts, Samuel (1800-1885)
ROBERTS, SAMUEL (1800–1885), social and political reformer, better known by his initials ‘S. R.,’ was the eldest son of John Roberts (1767–1834) [q. v.], and was born on 6 March 1800 at the (independent) chapel-house, Llanbrynmair, Montgomeryshire. He was taught until he was ten by his father, and subsequently at a school at Shrewsbury, after which he worked on his father's farm, and acquired a knowledge of shorthand. After preaching in connection with his father's church about 1819, he went to the independent academy kept by George Lewis (1763–1822), first at Llanfyllin, and later at Newtown, where he remained for six years. In April 1826 he was invited to become assistant pastor to his father, and was ordained 15 Aug. 1827. He succeeded in 1834 to the sole charge of the mother church, together with eight branch chapels of ease, all of which, with the assistance of his brother John (1804–1884) [q. v.], he served until his departure for Tennessee in May 1857.
During this period Roberts attained wide popularity as a writer and a leader of public opinion among the nonconformists of Wales. He had cultivated literary tastes from his boyhood. Between 1824 and 1832 he won many important prizes at eisteddfodau for Welsh essays, but in 1832 he failed to win the prize for an essay on ‘Agriculture.’ He advocated free-trade, and published his efforts as ‘Traethawd ar Amaethyddiaeth’ (Llanfair Caereinion, 1832, 12mo). The gist of his arguments was issued some years after by the committee of the anti-cornlaw league.
He was also the pioneer in Wales of disestablishment, which he advocated in an able Welsh essay on the ‘Injustice and Evil Tendency of State Religious Establishments’ (1834). In 1834–5 he was the organiser of a great effort made by the Welsh independent churches to pay their chapel debts, and in 1840–1 he was engaged in a controversy with Dr. Lewis Edwards [q. v.] on presbyterianism and independency (Rees, Nonconformity in Wales, p. 433); he explained his views in ‘Annibyniaeth a Henaduriaeth’ (Dolgelly, 1840, 12mo). The degree of M.A. was conferred upon him by the Lane theological seminary of Cincinnati in 1841. While at college, and during the first few years of his ministry, he wrote many songs and ballads, two of which—namely, ‘Mae Nhad wrth y Llyw’ and a translation of Byron's ‘Destruction of Sennacherib’—rank among the best Welsh lyrics of the century. These, together with songs denouncing slavery and a translation of the ‘Sorrows of Yamba,’ he published as ‘Caniadau Byrion’ (Aberystwyth, 1830, 8vo; 8th edit. 1865).
From 1827 he memorialised the post office for a system of inland penny postage, together with a proportionate reduction (to 3d. per ounce) for ocean postage, a subject on which he corresponded with Elihu Burritt and other American philanthropists. In 1851 he advocated a reduction in the postage of printed matter, and his persistent efforts at postal reform were recognised in 1883, when a testimonial of 400l., towards which the government contributed 50l., was presented to him.
For over twenty years (1821–43) he was a constant contributor to ‘Y Dysgedydd,’ the ‘Evangelical’ and other magazines, but in May 1843 he started, as a private organ of his own, one of the earliest cheap monthlies, known as ‘Y Cronicl’ (published at Dolgelly, at three halfpence), the editorship of which he handed over to his brother, ‘J. R.,’ in 1857. No magazine has contributed more to the political education of the Welsh people. Among other reforms that he supported were the extension of the franchise, catholic emancipation, the abolition of religious tests and of church rates, the temperance movement, scientific agriculture, sanitary improvements, and the construction of railways through Mid-Wales along the routes which were ultimately adopted, though others were long favoured by engineers and railway promoters. Roberts was also the first Welsh writer to draw attention to the unsatisfactory relation between landlord and tenant in Wales by means of the typical story of ‘Farmer Careful of Cilhaul Uchaf’ (issued in Welsh and English in 1850; 2nd edition, Conway, 1881, 8vo), after which he published the facts as to his father's tenancy in ‘Diosg Farm, a Sketch of its History’ (Newtown, 1854, 12mo).
Despairing of seeing his reforms adopted, and forming an exaggerated notion of the civic liberty of the United States, he resolved to establish a small Welsh settlement in East Tennessee, where he purchased a large tract of land (much of it never came to his possession, as the vendor had no title to it). On 3 June 1856 his brother Richard and a small party sailed thither from Liverpool, followed by Roberts on 6 May 1857. The enterprise turned out disastrously owing to the great civil war. Roberts's aversion to all wars caused him to condemn the militant action of the northern states, but he nevertheless urged the right of the coloured race to an equality of citizenship. These views he expounded in volumes of sermons and addresses, entitled ‘Pregethau, Darlithiau a Chaniadau’ (Utica, N.Y., 1862, 8vo; reprinted, Dolgelly, 1865), and ‘Pregethau a Darlithiau’ (Utica, 1865, 8vo), but the latter was condemned and its sale prohibited. His views exposed him to much misrepresentation and unpopularity. After ten years of hardship and danger he returned to this country, arriving in Liverpool on 30 Aug. 1867; in March following a national testimonial of 1,245l. was presented to him. He revisited America in 1870 for the purpose of disposing of his property, and, after his return with his brother Richard, the three brothers resided together at Brynmair, Conway.
During his later years much of his energy was spent in denominational quarrels, in which he supported the congregational principle of self-government against attempts to organise the Welsh independent churches on presbyterian lines. In 1868 he started a weekly paper called ‘Y Dydd’ (published at Dolgelly), which was afterwards amalgamated with ‘Y Tyst.’ In 1878 he started another paper called ‘Y Celt,’ which is still in existence.
He died unmarried on 24 Sept. 1885, and was buried in Conway cemetery in the same grave as his two brothers, Richard and John, who had predeceased him. A monument, provided by public subscription, was placed over the grave, and a memorial tablet is in Llanbrynmair chapel.
Roberts wrote (chiefly in Welsh) with terseness, clearness, and force. In addition to the works mentioned, as well as numerous pamphlets, he published: 1. ‘Cofiant y Parch. John Roberts’ (a biography of his father), Llanelly, 1837, 8vo. 2. ‘Casgliad o dros Ddwy Fil o Hymnau’ (a collection of over two thousand hymns for the use of congregational churches), Llanelly, 1841; 7th edition, 1866. 3. ‘Letters on Improvements, addressed to Landlords and Road Commissioners, with a Petition to Parliament for a Cheap Ocean Postage; a Memorial to the Prime Minister for Franchise Reform,’ Newtown, 1852, 12mo. 4. ‘Gweithiau Samuel Roberts,’ being a selection of Roberts's articles in Welsh and English on politics (804 pages), Dolgelly, 1856, 8vo. 5. ‘Helyntion Bywyd S. R.’ (an autobiography), Bala, 1875, 8vo. 6. ‘Pleadings for Reform,’ being reprints of some of his English essays, with additional notes and reminiscences, Conway, 1879, 8vo.
Richard Roberts (1810–1883), also known as Gruffydd Rhisiart, or ‘G. R.,’ youngest brother of Samuel Roberts, was born at Diosg, near Llanbrynmair, on 3 Nov. 1810. He was brought up as a farmer, and had few educational advantages, but, like his brothers, had a strong literary taste. He wrote a good deal both of prose and verse for ‘Y Cronicl’ and other magazines, and was the author of a Welsh novel, entitled ‘Jeffrey Jarman, y Meddwyn Diwygiedig’ (‘The Reformed Drunkard’), Machynlleth, 1855, 8vo. Of his poetry, ‘Can y Glep’ (‘The Gossip’) (which appeared in ‘Y Cronicl’ for November 1855) is a good specimen of Welsh satire. He married, 3 Feb. 1853, Anne Jones, of Castell Bach Rhayader, Radnorshire, who emigrated with him in 1856 to Tennessee, where he settled as a farmer. Returning to this country in September 1870, he retired to Brynmair, and frequently preached among the congregationalists. He died on 25 July 1883; his wife died on 5 May 1886; their only child, Margaret, married Mr. John Williams of Conway. A volume of sermons and dialogues by himself and ‘J. R.’ was published posthumously under the title, ‘Pwlpud Conwy’ (Bala, 1888, 8vo).
[Cofiant y Tri Brawd (memoirs of the three brothers, with portraits and numerous illustrations, by the Rev. E. Pan Jones), Bala, 1893, 8vo, 2nd edition, 1894; Williams's Montgomeryshire Worthies, pp. 288–91; Y Cronicl for November 1885; Y Geninen for April 1891, July and October 1892, and March 1893; Hanes Eglwysi Annibynol Cymru (History of Welsh Congregational Churches), v. 57–61; Charles Ashton's Hanes Llenyddiaeth Gymreig, pp. 623–626.]