USA > Iowa > Howard County > Lime Springs > History of the Welsh in Minnesota, Foreston and Lime Springs, Ia. gathered by the old settlers > Part 27
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fight the hard battle of pioneer life. During the war both of his boys, Thomas and William, enlisted and died in their country's service. His five daughters grew to womanhood, and all but one are now living. Their names are: Rachel, wife of Rev. John W. Roberts, of Judson; Ann, wife of Wat- kin Jones, of Windom; Jane, wife of John J. Lloyd, of Butter- nut Valley; Margaret, wife of Robert S. Hughes, of Lake Crystal; and Mary, the late wife of Henry R. Roberts, of Lake Crystal. Since 1892 Mr. Rees has resided at Lake Crystal, having by honest toil and thrift acquired enough worklly competence to live comfortably. Simple and modest in his ways, kind and hospitable in his disposition, strictly honest and conscientious in all his dealings Mr. Rees is a fine type of the best Welsh character. In 1841 he united with the Bap- ยท tist church at Llanelly, under Rev. Robert Pritchards, and ever since has lived a sincere christian life. For many years in Judson he was a deacon of the Baptist church and no one ever performed the duties of that office more faithfully. REESE, TIMOTHY-Merchant, born at
Cardiganshire, Wales, August 1, 1845. At the age of 7 years he emigrated with his parents to Madison, N. Y., where he lived until 1854, when he moved to a farm near Dodgeville, Wis. Enlisted in 1864 in Company C, Twelfth Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers, and served under Gen. Sherman until close of war. March 30, 1870, married Miss Anne, daughter of Rev. Evan Owen of Ridgeway, Wis. In 1872 he came to Judson, Minn., and was engaged in farm- ing until 1881, when he moved to Lake Crystal and formed a copartnership with Mr. J. Edwin Rowlands, in the hardware, furniture and farm implement business. Mr. Reese was County Commissioner of Blue Earth county in 1882 4. Ile is also a worthy member of the Presbyterian church and of the G. A. R. post of Lake Crystal and is highly esteemed by all. REES, THOS .- Born at Brondiny, in the Parish of Llanelly, Carmarthenshire, Wales, July 26. 1840. Son of John and Margaret Rees. In November, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Fourth Minnesota and was promoted corporal and sergeant. He was wounded at the battle of Champion's Hill near Vicks- burg on May 16, 1863, which resulted finally in his death on January 20, 1864. He was a man of excellent character.
REES, WM .- Born at New Dock, near Llanelly, Carmarthen- shire, Wales, May 22, 1842. Son of John and Margaret Rees. Came to Pennsylvania and thence to Nicollet county, Minn.,
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with his parents. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, Ninth Minnesota and served with his regiment until cap- tured at the battle of Guntown, Miss., in July, 1864. He was taken to Andersonville prison where he died October 11, 1864. He was a dutiful son, a faithful soldier and a sincere christian. RICHARDS. JOHN B .- Born at Remsen, N. Y., December 15, 1857. Son of Thomas J. and Margaret Richards. When he was two years old his parents removed to Baraboo, Wis., and two years later to Proscairon, Wis., thence after three years to Cambria, Wis., and from there to Butternut Valley, Minn., in the fall of 1867. At the age of 16 John left home to clerk in the grocery store of R. J. Thomas, Mankato. Six months later he entered the employ of George I. Lidgerwood, of the same place. After three and one-half years he became traveling salesman for a Minneapolis dry goods firm. In 1885 he formed a partnership with Henry Frink and opened a large dry goods store at Mankato. In 1888 his brother, David Richards, bought Mr. Frink out, and the firm has since been J. B. & D. Richards. He married Miss Jennie, daughter of Dr. J. D. Williams, of Cambria, Wis., in the summer of 1885. They have one daughter, Edith.
RICHARDS, THOS. J .- Born at Penrhyn Bach, Merioneth- shire, Wales, in 1811. His parents moved in 1815 to Tafarn Trip, in the parish of Ffestiniog. There at the Bront-urnor Sunday school he was greatly impressed by the remarkable prayers of William Elias, of Maentwrog. In 1820 the family moved to Hendre Ceryg, Dyffryn Ardudwy. When 28 years old Mr. Richards married Miss Margaret Owens, of Bron-y- Foel-Fach. In 1851 they emigrated to America and lived eight years at Holland Patent, N. Y., and thence they moved to Proscairon, Wis. In the fall of 1867 they came to Butter- nut Valley, Minn. In February, 1880, Mrs. Richards died and Mr. Richards ended this life in June, 1885. Both were devoted christians and faithful members of the Bethel C. M. church, of which Mr. Richards was an efficient elder. He was a man of very positive convictions and prompt in his denunciation of wrong. Mr. and Mrs. Richards had twelve children, only three of whom are now alive: John B. and David Richards, merchants of Mankato, and Margaret, wife of John J. Edwards, of the same place. Their son, Owen E. Richards recently died at Mankato.
ROBERTS, MRS. AMY-Born at Trenton, Oneida county, N. Y., January 1, 1818. She is a daughter of Griffith and
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Elizabeth Jones. On March 1, 1843, she united in marriage with John R. Roberts and in the spring of 1855 they came west and settled on a farm near St. Charles, Minn., where they resided for six and one-half years. In the fall of 1861 they removed to a farm in South Bend, Blue Earth county. Mrs. Roberts is much esteemed for her amiable christian char- acter. Her children are: Ann, wife of Hugh H. Edwards, Esq., of Judson: Elizabeth, wife of Win. E. Williams of Min- neapolis; Edward and David, both of Blue Earth county; Mary, late wife of Daniel Edwards of Judson; Amy, late of South Bend; John, Moses and Elias, all of Judson.
ROBERTS, GRIFFITH-Born at Coid Coch, Dyfryn Ar- dydwy, Parish of Llanendwyn, Merionethshire, Wales, April, 1800. Son of John and Jane (Lewis) Roberts. Married Margaret, daughter of Robert Williams of Llanegrin, Merio- nethshire, in 1824. Emigrated to Marcy near Utica, N. Y., in April, 1842, thence to Euclid, Ohio, about 1846, thence in 1848 or 9 to Emmett, Wis. and thence to South Bend, Minn., in June, 1855. There September 30, 1871, his wife died and he followed her April 27, 1878. His son, John G. Roberts, enlisted in Company E, Ninth Regiment, Minn. Volunteers and died at Andersonville Prison. His daughter, Winifred, wife of Robert R. Williams still resides at South Bend.
ROBERTS, REV. GRIFFITHI-Born on a farm three miles from Llanrwst, in Carnarvonshire, Wales, December, 1817. Son of John and Bridget Roberts, a very worthy religions couple who brought up their children in the fear of God from their youth. When Griffith was ten years old the family moved to Penmachno and when a young man he worked for a time in the quarries. He received his poetical training from Hugh Tegai and Chedfardd. When 26 years old he married Miss Ellen Richards. He had been fitting himself for the min- istry from his youth and was licensed to preach by the Synod in Merionethshire about 1845. This same year he emigrated to Wisconsin with his parents and brother, Rev. John Roberts, late of Columbus, Wis. He spent twelve years in charge of C. M. church at Dodgeville. At the Synod of the C. M. churches held at Seion, Welsh Prairie, Wis., in 1849, he was ordained to the full work of the ministry. After spending a few months in Colorado in 1864 he took pastoral charge of the C. M. church of Salem, Iowa. In May, 1874, he moved to Cambria, Minn., where he ministered to the churches of Horeb and Bethel for fourteen years. In 1888 he resigned
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pastoral work and retired to Lake Crystal, where he and his good wife still reside. Mr. Roberts is a deep, conservative, yet original thinker and when warmed to his subject he preaches with much power. His children are: Thomas Rob- erts, of Denver, Col., Griffith G. Roberts, of Courtland, Minn., Robert G. Roberts and Jennie, widow of John S. Jones, both of Lake Crystal. Minn., and Mary, widow of Wm. Shields, of Mankato, Minn.
ROBERTS, HARLAN P .- Born December 5, 1854, at Wil- liamsfield, Ashtabula county, Ohio. His grandfather was Judge George Roberts who was born and married in North Wales, and at the beginning of this century came to this country and settled and raised a family in Ebensburg, Pa. His father was Rev. George Roberts, who graduated at Wash- ington school, in western Pennsylvania, and preached in Welsh during his early ministry, but afterwards took an Eng- lish church in Ashtabula county, Ohio, and his family was born and raised in that county. The maiden name of the mother of Harlan P. Roberts was Ann Jennette Marvin, and his father was a cousin of the well known Welsh divines Rev. Samuel and John Roberts ( Llanbrynmair), their father being a brother of Judge George Roberts. The subject of this sketch graduated from Oberlin college in 1875, and spent three years at Yale Theological seminary, from which he gradu- ated in 1878, with the intention of entering the ministry in the Congregational church, but was hindered by a throat dif- ficulty. In 1878 he went to Silverton. Col., where he was elected county treasurer, and at the same place in 1882 was admitted to the bar. In 1884 he came to Minneapolis where he has ever since been attending strictly to law, having a large practice. For four years he was in partnership with J. T. Baxter, under the name of Roberts & Baxter, and now is in partnership with John C. Sweet, under the name of Rob- erts & Sweet, and have their office in the Bank of Commerce building. Since coming to the city Mr. Roberts married Miss Margaret Conklin, of Binghampton, New York, a niece of David C. Bell. of Minneapolis.
ROBERTS, HUGH G. (Gavngyll)-Born at Gerwen, Ang- lesea, Wales, September, 1854. Son of David and Elizabeth Roberts, being the youngest ot ten children. His father died in 1858 and mother in 1883. In 1874 he removed to a place called Llan-fair-pwll-gwyngyll, from the last part of which name he derived his bardic nom de plume. At this place he
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was manager of a store for Wm. Hughes ( Siglau) for nine years. In 1885 he married Grace, eldest daughter of R. W. Parry and about the same time started in general mercan- tile business for himself. In the spring of 1888 failing health obliged him to sell his business and seek a drier climate. On his departure from Wales the society of "Cymry Fydd" ( Com- ing Welsh ) of which he was a member, presented him with an address and a purse of $10 (8501. May 17, 1888, he started from Liverpool with his wife and two boys, Griffith and David, and arrived at Mankato June 7. Located first three years at Judson, then for one year at Lake Crystal, and ever since at Mankato. lle is very fond of music and poetry and has won many bardic prizes.
ROBERTS, HUMPHREY J .- Born February 24, 1848, at Ty Hen, Rhosnegir, Anglesea, Wales. He is a son of Owen and Catherine Roberts, herein mentioned. Emigrated with his parents to Wheeling, W. Va., in the spring of 1850. Thence he removed to Minersville, O .. in 1852, and again to Mason City, Va., whence in November. 1855, he came to Jud- son, Minn., with his parents. Ile received an ordinary com- mon school education and in 1870 attended a commercial school at St. Paul. November 3. 1875, he was married to Miss Kate J. Jones, daughter of Mr. Evan Jones, of Judson. Mr. Roberts is a member of the C. M. church, of Jerusalem, in which he is a very earnest and active worker. He is always a stout champion of the right and has the courage of his con- victions on every moral and religious question. He now owns and resides in the house built by his uncle, the late Humph- rey Jones, on the very spot where he .Jones ) and his seven pioneer comrades built the first log shanty in Judson. (See cut of house and Mr. Roberts and family on page 31. )
ROBERTS, HUMPHREY O .- Born January 1, 1841, in Castell Moelun, Llanrug. Carnarvonshire, Wales. His par- ents were Owen and Ann Roberts. Having lost his father when very young he was taken by his uncle, ( father's brother ) Rev. Thos. Owen Pentre Uchaf near Pwllheli, where he re- ceived a common school education and also learned his trade as carpenter. In the spring of 1860 he came to Slatington, Pa., and the following year went to New York city, where on March 8, 1862, he married Miss Mary Jones. In the fall of 1862 moved to Utica, N. Y., and remained there two years, and another two years were spent at Cambria, Wis., after which he went to Bangor, Wis., in the spring of 1866. Here
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he engaged in the business of manufacturing wagons and sleighs and succeeded in establishing a large trade. In 1874 he moved to Lime Springs, la., to live on a farm bought in 1870 and remained there until his coming to Minneapolis in 1880. Here he worked at his trade, superintended the building of the church, the large dwelling of R. H. Jones on Park avenue and others, and for a time he also ran a repair shop. In 1888 he invented a riveting machine which has been placed on the market. He has strong political convic- tions and twice has been the Prohibition candidate for alder- man in the Seventh ward, a position for which he is well adapted. He was elected deacon of the church of Foreston, Ia., and was active in the organization of the Minneapolis church, where he has served in the same capacity from its be- ginning. He has been actively engaged in temperance and literary work and has composed some fine poems. It has been his lot to have been the first president of the Bible, Temper- ance, Wyddorfa and Cymrodorion societies, which he has aided in organizing. Ile was, also, the first secretary of the Minneapolis church and. for years, a member of the board of trustees. Mr. Roberts is a fluent speaker, and is always ready to take part in every good work.
ROBERTS, JOHN G. Born at Bristol, Fillmore county, Minn., in 1867. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Griffith G. Jones. Re- ceived a good business education at Minneapolis. For a num- ber of years has been in the employ of the J. I. Case Manu- facturing Co. and has been very successful. His home now is at Lime Springs where he is an efficient member of the Welsh church and held in high regard by the entire community.
ROBERTS, REV. JOSEPHI-Born in the neighborhood of Penmachno, Anglesea, Wales. He received the most careful religious training from his youth and was an efficient worker of Rhyd-y-Meirch C. M. church when a mere boy. He early indicated his preference for the ministry and showed signs of special ability for the work. He received an excellent educa- tion and came to America to take charge of the mission work in the vicinity of Fair Haven, Vt., where he rendered splen- " did service. He married Miss Maggie, daughter of the able deacon David Cadwalader, formerly of Proscairon, Wis. In 1874 Mr. Roberts accepted a call to the C. M. church at Ra- cine. Wis., where he labored very efficiently for fifteen years. In June, 1889, he accepted an unanimous call to the Welsh church of Minneapolis, Minn., where he ministered with great
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Rev. John Moses.
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Rev. Joseph Roberts, D. D.
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success until November, 1894, when he became pastor of the C. M. church at New York City, where he now is in the midst of a great work. He is a great reader, a close student and a profound thinker. Has contributed many val- uable essays to Welsh periodicals which have won him a high place as a thinker and man of letters. He is a preacher and divine of rare ability and has presided frequently at local and general assemblies of the C. M. church.
ROBERTS, LIEUT. JOHN R .- Born August 4, 1833, in Oneida county, N. Y. Ile was a son of the Rev. Richard Roberts, late of Ebensburg, Pa. The family removed to Ebensburg when John was quite young. In the spring of 1858 he left home and came to South Bend, Minn. From there he went to the Big Woods Welsh settlement and in August, 1862, enlisted in Company E, Ninth Minnesota and was appointed second lieutenant. May 16, 1863, he married Miss Dorothy Jones, daughter of Mr. Thos. W. Jones, late of LeSueur county. He was wounded in the leg while leading his company to a charge on the rebel lines at the battle of Nashville. He was taken to the hospital and there died Jan- uary 4, 1865, from a fever induced by the wound. He was one of the bravest and best of men. No man in his regiment stood higher in the esteem of his comrades for bravery, honesty and every element of genuine christian manhood than he.
ROBERTS, REV. JOIN W .- Born at Pen-y-Groes, Llan- ihenadl parish, Anglesea, Wales, in March 1830; son of Wm. and Elizabeth Roberts, who were devout people and faithfu members of the C. M. church at Bodedrn near by. Here their son, John, was baptised by the renowned Welsh preacher, Rev. John Elias. Emigrated to Ixonia, Wis., in the spring of 1854. After one year removed to Bangor, Wis. where he remained two years and began to preach. In March, 1857, he removed to the Welsh settlement of Le Sueur county, Minn. There he ministered to Saron church for five years, preaching, also, for the Welsh churches of Blue Earth county. He preached the first and last sermon in the Saron log church building. In 1858 he married Mary, daughter of Evan Griffiths, of Le Sueur county. His wife died in 1861, leaving two children, Evan Roberts, now of St. Paul, and Elizabeth, wife of Chas. E. Davis, of Judson, Minn. In 1863 he removed to Judson, and three years later married, Rachel, daughter of John Rees, of that town. At the annual synod of the C. M. churches held June, 1887, he was ordained to the full work of the ministry.
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He has visited Wales two or three times and made extensive preaching tours there and through the Welsh settlements of this country. Ile is noted for his honest, christian character and his sincere faithfulness in the christian ministry. His children by his second wife are: Wm. R., John C., Robert C. and Thomas S.
ROBERTS, OWEN-Boru at Llachenffarwudd, Anglesea, Wales, in 1826, Son of Henry and Margaret Roberts, who died when he was seven years old. Married in 1849 Miss Catherine, daughter of Robert Jones, Ty Hen, Rhosnegir, Llanfallog, Anglesea, where she was born June 15, 1821. Emigrated to America in 1850 and spent two or three years at Wheeling and Mason City, W. Va., and about two years at Pomeroy, O. In 1855 he removed to Judson, Minn., and loca- ted on his present farm. The Jerusalem C. M. church was organized at his house in July, 1858, and the services were held there for some time. He was, also, elected one of the two first elders of this church, and has been always faithful and generous toward all christian work. His wife died April 24, 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts had eight children, only two of whom are living: Humphrey J. Roberts, of Judson and Henry R. Roberts of Lake Crystal.
ROBERTS, RICHARD .- Born at Llanddona, Anglesea, Wales, in 1829. In 1850 he married Miss Jane Jones of the same shire. He emigrated with his wife and three children to America in 1855, stopping for two years at Racine, Wis. He removed to Cambria, Wis., in 1857, where he was engaged in farming, and thence came to Cambria, Minn., in 1863. Here his wife died in 1877. In the year 1880 he married again, his second wife being Mrs. Elizabeth Burgess, daughter of the late John Shields. In 1881 he removed to the village of Court- land in Nicollet county, where he resided up to the year 1894, when he came back to Cambria, having purchased the Shields homestead in addition to his own. He had five children by his first wife, only two of whom are now living, viz: Wm. Roberts of South Bend, and Mrs. Jas. D. Price, of Cambria. By his second marriage he has two children, Minnie and Enoch. Mr. Roberts was chosen elder of Horeb church in 1865 and has served it ever since with great acceptance. IIe is a man of the strictest integrity, gifted with good, shrewd common sense and much natural humor.
ROBERTS, ROBERT-Born at Nant Uchaf Abergele Den- highshier, Wales, July 12, 1834; son of Robert and Mary Rob-
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erts. After spending two years in Liverpool, in 1856 he emi- grated to Norwich, N. Y., and thence in the summer of 1857, he came with his brother, Wm. R. Roberts, to Mankato, Minn., where he has made his home ever since. Attended school from 1858 to 1862, except one or two terms, when he taught country schools. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, Ninth Minnesota Volunteers, and served until the close of the war. He then followed the plasterer's trade for some time. In 1877 married Ella S. Conger. The same year he accepted the position of business manager of the Man- kato Manufacturing Co., and continued as such until the sum- mer of 1886. In 1869 he was elected a member of the Man- kato city council and served three years. Was deputy county treasurer, under Win. Jones, for two years. In 1894 he was - elected county commissioner from the city of Mankato. He is honest, thrifty and of sound judgment.
ROBERTS, ROBERT W. and GRACE-Mr. Roberts was born at Ddol, parish of Llanligan, Montgomeryshire, Wales, in 1816. He was a grandson of Rev. Robert Roberts, of Cly- nog, a noted C. M. preacher, and nephew of Michael Roberts (Pwell-Eli). Emigrated to Oneida county, N. Y., in 1836, and at Utica in 1847 married Miss Grace Williams. Mrs. Roberts was born at Cae Gwigin, parish of Llanllechid, Car- narvonshire, Wales, May, 1818. Emigrated with her parents to Steuben, N. Y., in 1828. In 1854 Mr. and Mrs. Roberts removed to La Crosse, Wis., thence in 1856 to South Bend, Minn., thence in 1864 to Martin county, Minn., and thence in 1874 to Sharon, Le Sueur, county. There Mr. Roberts died June 18, 1882, and in 1885 the family moved back to Blue Earth county, where Mrs. Roberts still resides with her son. Wm. E. Roberts, of Butternut Valley. Their other children are: Jolin M. Roberts, of Mankato; Margaret, wife of David Woods; and Katie, wife of John D. Evans of Judson.
ROBERTS, REV. WILLIAM-Born at Pen-y-Groes, par- ish of Llanyngugenadl, Anglesea, Wales. Ilis father, Wil- liam Roberts, belonged to the family of Castell in same par- ish, his mother, Elizabeth, was descendant of P'eurhos, Bode- dern. When William was a child his parents moved to Pen- rhos, where they lived until they came to America in 1850. They settled for a season in Ixonia, Wis., where in 1851 the subject of our sketch began to preach. In November, 1855, he came to South Bend, Minn., and preached regularly there and in the Zion neighborhood until the spring of 1856, when
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he returned to Wisconsin, and married Miss Mary Cheshire, sister of Isaac Cheshire, at Racine. In the spring of 1857 he again removed to South Bend, and after a short sojourn in Wisconsin during the Indian outbreak of 1862, he located on a farm in Judson, Minn., and organized Carmel church in 1869. In a few years he sold his farm and removed to Skunk Grove, near Racine, Wis. Thence he returned to Wales where he has been pastor of Capel Coch church, Anglesea, for about twenty years. ITis wife died in the spring of 1888. His daughter, Lizzie, is his only surviving child. He is an honest, sincere christian and faithful preacher.
ROWLANDS, REV. DANIEL T .- Born May 23, 1823, at Nant-y-Graen, Llanllechid, Carnarvonshire, Wales. Ile emi- grated to Welsh Prairie, Wis., in 1847. March 15, 1852, he was married at Dodgeville, Wis., Rev. Richard G. Jones, of- ficiating. They resided sometime at Dodgeville and then re- turned to Welsh Prairie. Mr. Rowlands had began preach- ing before leaving Wales, but had refused a letter showing the fact to the Wisconsin churches. A letter, however, was sent and he was soon urged to preach by the then pioneer churches of Dodgeville and Welsh Prairie, and soon after his marriage he was ordained to the full work of the ministry at a synod of the C. M. churches held at Proscairon, Wis. He resided some years at Berlin, Wis., and thence went to Ver- mont for one year. He then returned to Madison, N. Y., for four years and thence to care for the churches of Collinsville, Tug Hill and Constableville, N. Y., for two years. He next moved to Lime Springs, Ia., in 1867, where he organized the Foreston church. About 1871 he removed to Blue Earth county, Minn., to minister to the Welsh Presbyterian churches of South Bend and Judson. About 1884 he removed to Aber- deen, Dakota, where he has retired from active labors -- only preaching occasionally. Mr. and Mrs. Rowlands are now en- joying the fruits of a long life of christian usefulness.
SHIELDS, JOIN-Born at Llantrisant, Glanmorganshire, Wales, October 31, 1817. Worked in the coal mines of Trede- gar, Dowlais and other places. Early in 1841 at Victoria, Monmouthshire, he married Miss Jane, daughter of Wm. and Jane Tanley, who had been born July 28, 1816, at Ceryg, Ca- darn, Breconshire. Soon after their marriage they emigrated to America and settled at Pottsville, Pa., for three years, thence went to Cumberland, Md .. for two years, thence to Mt. Savage, Md .. for some time, where Mr. Shields united
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