Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1898-05-25
A NOTED TEXAN GONE

Ex-Gov. o. M. Roberts passed quietly
away at the family residence in Austin
about o'clock Thursday after an i'll
ness of about one week.
Oran Milo Roberts was native of
South Carolina and was born in Laur-
ems district on the 9th of July, 1916. At
an early age he removed with his faith
er's family to Ashville, in the noun
famous region of north Alabama where
he was engaged in the labors of the
farm. His early life was attended with
many difficulties and trammeling cir
cumstances.
He graduated at the University of AL
ALBANIA. He then began the study Of
law in the office of Judge Ptolemy Har-
ris, near st Stephens, in South Alabama,
and acted at the same time as private
tutor to his sons to defray his expenses.
He completed his studies in the Office Of
VIM. P. Chiffon of Talladega, who was
subsequently one of the judges of the
supreme court of Alabama. Having
obtained his license he settled at Ash
vile in the successful practice of his
profession and was soon afterward
elected to represent his country in the
legislature of the state.
Coming to Texas socn after, he was
in 1916 appointed to q judgship, serv-
ing five years.
In 1857 he was elected associate just
ice of the supreme court, which he re-
signed in 1860 to enter the Confeder-
ate service. The governor was colonel
of the eleventh Texas infantry.
In 1864 he was elected chief Justice
of the supreme court, ard in 1856 help
ed frame the constitution of the state.
He was elected United States sena-
or in 1866, but refused admission to the
senate on account of his war record
In 1874 Gov Coke appointed him
chief justice, and in 1876 ne was elected
to that position.
In 1878 Judge Roberts was elected
governor and reelected in 1880.
In 1888 he was appointed by the
board of regents professor of law in the
University of Texas, a position for
which he was peculiarly qualified by his
knowledge of law and his eminent ex-
emplification of the highest professional
standard.
Since the close of his administration
Gov. Roberts has lived for the greater
part of the time at Austin. For several
years he was lecturer to the law class
of the State university, revealing in
that capacity, as in all others, the va
ried research, the clear insight and the
full flower of master mind. In 1894
he was urged to become an independent
candidate for governor and for awhile
lent himself to the idea, but finally
withdrew from the race. Since then he
has lived in retirement.
There was no man in Texas more ia
miliar with its people, its products, its
varied characteristics diversified inter-
ests and vast resources than Gov. Rob-
erts, and while governor of the state
he found time amidst his official duties
to embody his knowledge in a valuable
little book describing Texas and the de-
velopment of the advantages and re-
sources. The governor was firm be-
lever in doing business on cash basis,
and applied his theory to state matters
while holding that office.
His opinions are numer- us. They ex-
tend through fifteen volumes of the
Texas reports and involve almost every
important question that can affect So
ciety. His Interpretation of the rule
in Shelly's case (21 Tex, S4O), in which
he held that in deed made to person
for the term of his natural life and at
death to his lawful issue forever, the
words lawful issue" are words of pur-
chase and not of limitation, has been
adopted by several law colleges.