LEWIS HUMPHREY ("LEWELLYN") ROBERTS, a machinist (operator of machines), was probably born 26 February 1830 or 1831. Birth records have not been found to provide proof if he was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Welsh immigrant parents, or if he was born in (Dolgellau?) Wales and emigrated with his parents and siblings from North Wales on the Welsh barque Hindoo, which left Caernarvon on 8 April 1846 and arrived in Boston 15 May 1846. The passenger list of that voyage clearly shows the family aboard, but it may not have been the first time the parents or the family made the voyage across the sea.

Lewis first married Margaret Davies, a Welsh-born girl age 21 (Lewis was 20) on 9 December 1851 in Boston, Massachusetts. She divorced him after 18 years of marriage on 7 October 1870 in Milwaukee (Milwaukee Co.), Wisconsin on grounds of willful desertion. (Did they have one child born and died before 1870?). He married his second wife, Ellen A. ROBERTS (no prior relation) on 10 August 1868 in the parsonage of the Arsenal Street Methodist Episcopal Church (also sometimes known as First Methodist Episcopal Church), of Watertown (Jefferson Co.), New York. They went to live on Big Galloo Island in Lake Ontario and had five children together there, and then two more born in Watertown, New York.

Lewis Roberts died 24 December 1915 in Watertown, New York and was buried 26 December 1915 in North Watertown Cemetery.

He was a Civil War veteran in the Union Army: enlisted for three years 11/14 November 1861 at Racine, Wisconsin, as a Private in 7th Battery, Wisconsin Volunteers, Light Artillery ("Badger State Flying Artillery"); served under General Rosecrans, served at the Battle of Island No. 10 and near Jackson and Corinth, Mississippi and Humboldt, Tennessee. He was discharged near the latter place for disability 18/20 November 1862 and, as far as can be determined, never went back to his first wife in Wisconsin, but returned to his family in Boston, living with his older brother, Dr. David Roberts, who attempted to effect a recovery of his health.

After his brother David died suddenly, Lewis re-enlisted as a Private in the Invalid Corps. (aka the Veteran Reserve Corps.) 18 September 1863 in Boston, Massachusetts; transferred from an unassigned detachment of recruits stationed at Depot Camp, Wenham, Massachusetts to Co. C, 13th Regiment I.C., stationed at Camp Sumner, Wenham, Massachusetts and later moved to Galloups Island (Headquarters Draft Rendezvous), Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Transferred to the 6th Independent Co. V.R.C. 23 December 1865 where he was orderly for Major F.N. Clark, Provost Marshall of the 5th U.S. Artillery. On 1 August 1866 he was appointed Sergeant and 31 August 1866 was discharged/mustered out at David's Island, New York Harbor.

Lewis enlisted again in the V.R.C. 6 May 1867 at Boston, Massachusetts, and was assigned to Co. K, 42nd Regiment U.S. Infantry, Madison Barracks, Sackets Harbor, New York, where he was clerk at regimental headquarters (supposedly connected with the adjutant's office, reputedly as regimental bookkeeper). He was appointed sergeant major and transferred to non-commissioned staff 1 January 1869. He was finally discharged for disability 13 April 1869 at Sackets Harbor, New York.

During his military service he was court-martialed at least twice for being AWOL. At various times as he grew old, he stayed at both the Soldiers and Sailors Home at Bath (Steuben Co.), New York, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (Southern Branch), aka "National Soldiers Home," near Hampton (Elizabeth City County), Virginia. He suffered from partial paralysis of the right side, arm, hand, and leg, blindness in his right eye, and severe deafness in his right ear, with illness affecting sight in his left eye—from the age of 32 until his death in his mid-80's. After leaving the service he was a member of the Joe Spratt Post of the Watertown, New York G.A.R., and later transferred to the Joseph K. Barnes Post of Sackets Harbor, New York (c.1901-1911?) when he lived there.

"The Old Soldier" (as he called himself) was a bigamist for nearly two years (a jailable offense) until his unsuspecting first wife in Milwaukee divorced him in absentia (while he was living with his new second wife and baby on Big Galloup Island in Lake Ontario--hiding out?). Despite his flaws and disabilities, he was evidently a humorous, literate, and likeable character regarded with great fondness by his second wife, children, and grandchildren.