The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-05-21
AN OLD TEXAN GONE.
Ex-Governor Roberts Passes AWAY
After n Short Illness.
HIS CAREER WAS USEFUL.
lie Held All the Highest Positions with
In the Gin of the reaa. People,
aud Was a Lawyer of Emi-
nent Distinction.

Austin, May 70 -EX.Govcrnor Oran
Milo Roberts is no more. He passed
away az the family residence here at o
O'Clock last night His illness was only
Of weeks duration, and even many Of
his friends were ignonn, Of his sickness.
Oran Milo Roberts was native OF
North Carolina, and was born IN Iau-
rons district on July 0, 1913. At an
early age he removed with his fathers
family to Asheville, in the mountainous
region Of north Alabama, where he was
engaged in the labors OF the farm. His
early life was attended with many diff
fculties and tmmmeling circumstances.
At the age Of 10 through the kindness
OF Ralf r. Lowe, an attorney OF Ashe'
VILE and aftorward an eminent lawyer,
governor and supreme court judge Of
Iowa, he obtained u situation in his ot.
fee, where he prepared himself for col.
lege, and in 1886, at the age Of 81 years,
graduated at the University Of Alabama
in a class which furnished many others
who afterward attained distinction.
He began the study Of law in the Office
OF Judge Ptolemy Harris, near st.
Stephens, in south Alabama, and acted
at the Same time a. private tutor TO his
sons to defray his expenses. He com.
,.l.t.A Ngs utrdtaa q, fl,a .flta. 80 NNtiltutu
p. Chiffon Of Talladega, who was subse-
quently one Of the judges Of the supreme
court OF Alabama. Having obtained his
license he returned to Asheville in the
successful practice Of his profession aud
was soon afterward elected TO represent
his county in the Legislature Of the state
He came 10 Texas in 1871, and began
the practice OF law at san Augustine,
and in 1874 be was appointed By Presi.
dent Houston to the Office OF district at
torney, which he held until the annexa.
ton OF Texas 10 the Union.
On the organization Of the judiciary
Of the new state in 1896, he was appoint.
ed Judge Of the Fifth judicial district.
He was then but 20 years Of age He
was appointed for six years, but after
serving five, resigned aud resumed the
practice Of law.
In 1857 he was elected associate jus.
tice Of the supreme court, 10 I'll the va.
cancy caused by the death Of Judge
Lipscomb, and held this position until
1892, when he resigned and became
colonel of the Eleventh Texas regiment
in the Confederate army.
In 1854, while still at the head Of his
regiment, he was elected chief justice Of
the supreme court TO succeed Judge
Wheeler, upon which he resigned his
commission in the army and again took
his seat upon the bench. At the close
Of the war he settled at Tyler aud re.
sumed the practice of his profession, but
his public services were soon again
placed under requisition and he was
elected 10 represent his county In the
state convention Of 1856 and was made
chairman Of the judiciary committee OF
that assembly, in which he took an eff
cient part In framing the constitution
under the Johnson reconstruction.
In August, 1866, he was elected TO q
seat in the United States senate and re-
paired with his credentials 20 the federal
capital, but being rejected, together
with his colleague, the venerable David
G. Burnet, he placidly returned to Tex
as and confined his interest in public NJ
fairs TO the redemption Of his state from
the Moloch grasp Of federal oppres ,ion.
From 1868 TO 1870 he was professor o.
law in the high school at Gilmer, Tex
and upon the return Of Democratic as
tendency in 1874, he was reappointet
by Governor Coke 20 the Office Of chic
justice Of the supreme court, and in 1874
was elected to the same position by tn
people.
In 1878 he was elected governor o
Texas, and his administration was char
actcrized by tine most patriotic, vigorou
and successful efforts for the promotion
Of the material prosperity OF thu state
and not only gave unusual satisfaction
90 the citizens, but added luster an,
honor to its name abroad. In 1880 h
was reelected
In 1888 he was appointed by the boar
Of regents professor Of law in the Uni
yersity OF Texas.
Governor Roberts has made his HON
in Austin since 1873.
OIIT nE TIE PAHE