Is it truly possible for a man to live an entire life and then leave this earthly existence with no mark? The story of the purposeful life of a common man begins with an unwed mother in Victorian-era New England and her illegitimate son. This boy of humble beginnings eventually grew to be a man-neither famous nor wealthy-but one who left a lasting legacy that still inspires others today, even some twenty-five years after his death.

C. Steven Roaf 's grandfather could be gruff or comical-occasionally possessing the anger of a raging bull and often relying on an impish smile to reveal his...