Background
Roberts was born on 25 October 1847, in Botetourt Springs, Virginia.
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William Roberts
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He studied at Roanoke College and Richmond College (now the University of Richmond), then went on to the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Chicago.
Career
He served under General Robert East. Lee with the Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War. Roberts became a missionary supported by the American Baptist Missionary Union, working among the Kachin people around Bhamo and Myitkyina from 1879 until 1913. On his arrival in Burma, Roberts obtained grudging permission from the Burmese king, Thibaw Minister, to build a school and educate the Kachins.
Roberts bought a buffalo skin, cut it into thin strips and used it to measure out the mission compound.
Roberts was followed by the Swedish-American missionary Ola Hanson, who arrived in 1890 and did much work in compiling a grammar and dictionary for their Jinghpaw language, and in translating hymns and the Bible into Jingpaw. In 1892 George J. Geis arrived, establishing a mission at Myitkyina, to the North of Bhamo.
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Born
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Died
December 24, 1919 (aged 72)