University of Virginia Library

ROBERT F. WYATT

Robert F. Wyatt, who recently purchased the
Berry store property, the "Cave Spring" and other
properties at Cave Spring in Roanoke County, and
who is now engaged in
mercantile pursuits, was
born near Martinsville,
Henry County, Virginia,
on June 16th, 1861,
being a son of John
Walter and Malinda H.
(Scott) Wyatt. His
paternal grandfather,
Posey Wyatt,
lived at Leatherwood,
and his maternal grandfather,
Samuel Scott,
was a native of Bedford
County.

Robert F. Wyatt
attended the "old
field" schools of Henry
County in his boyhood.
While he was an infant
his father joined the Confederate Army, being a
member of Company "A" 24th Virginia Regiment.
He was captured and died in Elmira prison in 1864.
At the age of twenty, Mr. Wyatt located in Roanoke
and was engaged in construction work on the Shenandoah
Valley Railroad. He later assisted in building
several branches of the Norfolk & Western, and was
similarly engaged in work on the Atlantic & Danville
and the Georgia, Carolina & Northern Railroads.
In 1892 he returned to Roanoke and engaged in the
construction of the city sewage system. The following
January, he located in Washington, D. C., and
was engaged in the construction of a railroad which
failed, ruining him financially.

In 1894 he went to Jamaica and assisted in building
a railroad from Port Antonio to Kingston, afterwards
spending two years in the West Indies and South
America.

After much travel he returned to Washington,
D. C., in 1896, and engaged in installing the underground
current for the Washington Street Railway
System, and superintended the construction of the
experiment and model tank of the Washington Navy
Yard.

On December 25th, 1898, he married Agnes E.
Sandsbury, daughter of John T. and Sarah E. (Brown)
Sandsbury of Prince George County, Maryland. From
this union three children resulted: Violet R., born
April 25th, 1900; Gracie H., born March 20th, 1901;
Robert C., born April 8th, 1906.

On September 30th, 1911, Mr Wyatt with his
interesting family moved to Cave Spring where he is
now engaged in mercantile pursuits. He has just
completed a handsome residence. He will also improve
the "Cave Spring," the water of which possesses
fine medicinal qualities.