By 1861, the American Civil War had started; unfortunately for the Roberts, Tennessee was on the North/ South divide and the state itself was split. East Tennessee remained loyal to the North and the Union whilst the rest of the state was Confederate. Diary extracts show that stores at Brynyfynnon were plundered, and meals and board had to be offered to soldiers; sometimes payment, at best desultory, would be made for these but not always.

At first it was mainly providing food and shelter but as the war progressed the Union troops took more of their provisions and supplies. Sometimes the troops left insufficient hay for the Roberts' animals to feed on which subsequently died. Troops also took away their fowling guns, rifles, pistols, powder, stirrups, in fact anything that could be of use. At times their lives were threatened and several of their friends were killed.

The Civil War restricted movement although Samuel managed two tours in the North. However he was coming under increasing criticism from the North; some found it hard to equate his residency in Tennessee against his anti-slavery stance, particularly whilst their friends and family were fighting in the Civil War. Whilst in the South the Roberts were suspected of being Fifth Columnists working for the North.

The end of the Civil War did not improve their lot; they still were beset with financial problems and legal wrangling over land. There was still much opposition and misunderstanding from the Welsh speaking communities over their position in the War. Samuel's dream of Welsh Utopia was broken and he decided to return home to Wales. Even so, this return home was conceived as something of an experiment by Samuel; he would return to Wales whilst Richard and his family remained in Tennessee.

Despite his long absence Samuel was still a celebrity to some of the Welsh Independents and Liberal Radicals; there was a welcome home meeting in March 1868 at Hope Hall, Liverpool and a testimonial of £1245 was collected for him.

Samuel returned to the States in April 1870 to arrange the sale of the land in Tennessee and to bring his brother Richard and his wife Anne and daughter Margaret home to live with their other brother John who now a Minister in Conwy, residing at Bryn Mair on Conwy Morfa. Samuel arrived back at Brynyfynnon on 19 May 1870 and the Roberts family set out for New York on 10th August and sailed from there on 27 August to Liverpool.

By now Margaret was a young lady of sixteen years, having lived much of her life in Tennessee including the turbulent years of the American Civil War.

Whilst his brothers had been away in the States, John had become a minister first in London and by 1860 became the minister at the Capel-y-Dysleb in Conwy. Since his return from the States Samuel had been staying with his brother John in Conwy and was to remain there for rest of his life, devoting his energies to life of the denomination, to theological colleges and to political journalism.

Samuel worked hard for agrarian reform, and in support of civil and religious rights, not just in Wales but also amongst other European minorities and was a determined opponent of slavery.

Richard's daughter, Margaret, by now in her early twenties, helped manage the household and often stayed behind to look after Samuel whilst her parents or John were away.

Margaret bought a pair of houses, Brig-y-Don and Min-y-Don on Ty Mawr Road, Deganwy, in 1882. Judging from the information available Margaret probably didn't live in either of the houses but bought them as rather as an investment.

One of the issues that concerned Samuel and Richard was the question of a government refund for losses sustained during the Civil War. In April 1881, their claim for $1315 was eventually dismissed on the grounds that the Roberts were British subjects and therefore should make representation first to the British Government.

Richard died first in 1883, followed by John in 1884, Samuel in 1885 and Richard's wife Anne in 1886; a collection was made to erect a memorial on their grave to the 'Tri Brawd o Llanbrynmair' which is in St. Agnes's Cemetery Conwy.

Margaret married John Williams of Conwy and their daughter Anne Grace was born in 1887. A second daughter, Catherine Elenor (Kate) was born later in 1897. John Williams was educated at the Conway National School and later was apprenticed to the drapery trade with Alderman Edward Jones in Conwy. Later John Williams had a grocery shop on Bangor Road, Conwy. He was heavily involved in Chapel life, both at the Zion Congregational Chapel and after marriage at the Capel-y-Dysteb as well.

John Williams was also involved in local affairs as a councillor, being first elected in 1891 and went on to serve on various improvement committees and was appointed to the Board of Guardians in 1907.

In November 1909 John was elected as mayor of Conwy with Margaret serving as Mayoress. Today his official photograph hangs in Conwy Guildhall. The North Wales Weekly News of Friday 19 November 1909 gives a good description of Mayor's day. On the afternoon of 19 November with the flag flying on the Mayor's tower of Conwy Castle and Conwy Borough Band playing, John Williams wearing his robes and chain of office headed the procession to the Zion Congregational Chapel from the Guildhall. Large crowds came to watch the procession of dignitaries.

At Zion Chapel, the Rev. John Luther Thomas (John William's son-in-law) conducted the service. After the final hymn had been sung, the procession formed again and wended its way to the Town Hall where at the invitation of the Mayor and Mayoress close upon 500 sat down to a sumptuous tea.

Here Dr. Arthur- Pritchard proposed a toast to the Mayor and his wife and said of Margaret Williams, 'With reference to the Mayoress, it would quite enough for he to say that if she attended to her duty as Mayoress as did as a wife and mother, he was sure Conwy would be proud of her. She was a lady who had endeared herself to all.'

Margaret and John Williams lived for most of their married life at Bodhyfryd, a large detached house on the Llanwrst Road in Gyffin. In 1921, Margaret sold both her Deganwy houses, Brig-y-Don and Min-y-Don, to their respective tenants.

Margaret died on December 31 1929 and John died the following year on 23 December. They are both buried in Henryd cemetery near Gyffin together with their eldest daughter Ann who had married the Rev. John Luther Thomas. Ann and her husband appear to have no children and Margaret's second daughter, Kate, appeared not to have married, although, very little mention of her can be found.

The Rev. Luther Thomas deposited many of the Roberts' family papers with the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.

What happened to Brynyfynnon, their Welsh settlement? In 1934, a Horace Fayette Cooper, a local businessman from nearby Oneida, purchased the land around the former Brynfynnon, by then known as the Pistol Lane area. Cooper developed the land into farmland and constructed several lakes. It was reported to be one of the most progressive farm and resort lands in Scott County.

Article written by Fiona Richards