I do not have many facts. The first I knew of a family for Millard was the photo of wife Polly and his daughter that I recieved from my aunt.


I have not located them on the 1900 census. I am not sure where they were living or with whom.

Millard spent the last 30 years of his life around the Harpster, Idaho area prospecting and playing the fiddle.

He was 1954 Grand champion in the National Oldtime Fiddlers Association contest at Wieser, Idaho.


Millard was a brother to my great grandmother America Roberts. Their parents died about 1886. They never saw one another after that time although they corresponded.

I wish I had more information on Millard's earlier life. He was a fascinating individual.

He worked on a cattle ranch near Mitchel, Or according to a brief biography that appeared in an Idaho newspaper about 1950. Strangely enough it does not mention a wife or offspring. It leaves the impression that he had no family.

The only concrete information that I have is that he homesteaded in south east Wheeler county and that the patent was granted in 1902.

Also he is listed as widowed and head of house in the 1910 census in Clackamus? county, Or. In 1920 he was in a logging camp living as a border in Polk county, Or.

His obituary states he had a great grandaughter age 7 in 1953. Given the information in his obit and the fact he was widowed in 1910 he had to be married before 1900 more. Probably before 1895.

This is Millard's Obit that appeared in the local paper.
------------------------------------------------
Spring of 1954
Famed Fiddler "Dad" Roberts Dies In River
Southfork Accident Takes Life of Beloved Bewiskered
Central Idaho Figure
Millard Fillmore (Dad) Roberts, beloved central Idaho
fiddler, drowned in the Southfork of the Clearwater
River Monday or Tuesday when he evidently slipped or
fell from a boat he was using to cross the stream. The
body of the twinklingeyed bewiskered 85 year old
citizen was found by searchers Wednesday afternoon.
Dad Roberts lived alone in a tiny cabin on the west
bank of the stream 1 1/2 miles above the Harpster junction.
When he did not appear Tuesday an alarm was sounded.
Sheriff's forces found his body downstream about 125
yards from his crossing place.
"Dad's" cat on the bank of the river, directly opposite
to where the body was found lodged in some rocks and log,
was helpful in making the find the officers reported.
The boat, often used by the pioneer musician, was shy
one oar and the chain was dragging. It had been beached
on the bank, Sheriff Bud Taylor said. Roberts' mail was
in the boat. He had been seen in Grangeville Monday.
The sheriff, with Deputy Everett Zumwalt, Corner Pritchard
Crowell and State Traffic Officer Carl Biggs investigated
the accident.
Neighbors who watched over "Dad" Roberts missed him
Tuesday and one went
across the river to feed his livestock and pets. It
was his custom to travel up and down the river, visiting
friend and neighbors, so many were checked before the
search was intensified.
News of the little man's death spread sadness along the
Clearwater River and on Camas Prairie, where he had been
a familiar figure for years. He visited Grangeville
regularly and won hosts of friends.
His customary birthday party was given each August 25 at
his cabin home and each year he had received a cake from
neighbors. His fiddling playing achievements won him honors,
among them the Northwest Championship at Weiser in
April 1953 at 84 yrs of age. His flowing beard and sparkling
eyes made him one of the most photogenic subjects in the
entire area and his picture appeared in many magazines and
newspapers.
He told how he had learned to play a fiddle on a gourd
instrument as a child in Clay County, Kentucky scene of his
birth. He left Kentucky, for Wyoming, as a youth and once
recalled how he sold his first fiddle to go to Oregon for
work on a cattle ranch. Here, he immediately bought another
fiddle. He came to the Clearwater area about 25 years ago
to prospect for gold.
"Dad" told the Free Press how much he enjoyed his first
plane ride last September upon returning from a two week
visit with his daughter, Mrs. Howard Kent, and family at
Burbank, Calif. The little man went by bus to Boise then
boarded a United Airlines mainliner for California. He
returned by plane to Boise, but not until he had given
fiddling instructions to a great granddaughter, Susanna
Hamner 7, daughter of his granddaughter Mrs. Genelle
Hanmer also of Burbank. He divided his visiting time
between the Hamner and Kent families while in California.
A return visit by bus was made about six weeks ago and
"Dad" faithfully reported his trip to the newspaper.
Relatives in the Lewiston area include distant cousins,
among them Mrs. Vada McCarthy, Mrs. C. J. Breier, Jr. and
George Roberts, all of Lewistion and MRs. Orlena Turner of
Nezperce.
Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the
Robertson Funeral Parlors, with the Rev. A. J. Stott,
pastor of the Nazarene Church officiating. Hymns were
sung by Mrs. Glen Wasem, accompanied by Organist Hazel
Yates. Pallbearers were Claude Northway, Lloyd Rupe,
Ludwig Konrad, Chester Bretthane, Bud Taylor and
Gus Lewis. Burial was at Prairie View Cemetary.
Note: This obituary was published in the Grangeville,
Idaho newspaper at the time of Millard (Dad) Roberts
death in the spring of 1954. Since that time research in
Clay County, Kentucky shows that Millard's father and
mother were Felix and Tennessee Roberts of Arkansas.
His parents moved from Kentucky to Arkansas. Millard
came to Oregon about 1884 settling in the John Day River
area eight miles East of Mitchill. He later lived in
North Central Oregon in the Wamic area where he worked
on a ranch. He moved to the Harpster, Idaho area in 1931
where he worked as a lumberjack and gold prospector. He
resided there until his death in the Spring of 1954.
Mr. Roberts had four brothers, Mark of Kentucky, Willis
of Oregon who died in 1945, William of Kentucky, John who
died in Kentucky 1879 at age 2 months and Thomas. Millard
also had two sisters, America Rose Lewis (Roberts) of
Arkansas who died in 1952 and Martha.