Legend, passed from generation to generation, tells the account of the founder of the Roberts family who was born in Africa and came to this country from England as an indentured servant of Lord Roberts, a plantation owned in North Carolina. He acted as overseer to Lord Roberts and several slaves.

Upon the death of Lord Roberts in England, his African overseer became heir to the estate and assumed the name of Roberts. The early members of the Roberts family were free people of color from at least 1734 as evidenced by documents. The Roberts enjoyed full citizenship in North Carolina as voters, land owners, and participants in the Revolutionary War. Because of racial tensions and acts passed by the North Carolina Legislature from 1795 to 1835, some Roberts decided to move west.

In 1825, Elijah Roberts and his family started the difficult journey over rough frontier trails to Indiana, settling first in Rush County, Indiana and later moving on to Hamilton County, Indiana.

After clearing the land and building cabins, the families joined their husbands. In time, many other families followed and this community came known as Roberts Settlement, due to the predominance of that name.