The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-01-04
JUDGE ROBERTS RETIRES.
Has Held the PHlce OF County Judge
Continuously for the Past Thir.
teen Years.

teen ears.
/ After continuous service Of thir
teen years, Judge David E. Robert:
retires from county judge, one of the
most responsible positions in Douglas
county, and will be succeeded by one
of Superior's able attorneys, Lewis S.
Larson, who, for years past has been
representative citizen and will make
the county an efficient official.
But few officials who have served
the people as many years as Judge
Roberts can retire with the honor and
respect tina; he commands, not only
from his associates in the legal pro-
fession. but from all classes, due only
to an efficient, honest, upright judge.
| That he has been a pains taking, i'm
partial official is shown by all his de-
cisions except one, having been sus-
iained by the Supreme court of the
state. record that few judges ever
attained.
Judge Roberts Is self-made man
having worked himself I'D from a
poor farmer boy to the honorable po-
sition he has so ably filed, and his
past life is an example that any young
man could emulate with honor To him
self
We give below brief history of his
eventful life which demonstrates what
pluck and energy combined with hon
esty will do for che boy who sets out
to make success in life.:
David E. Roberts was born in Oneida
county, N. Y. In 1854 and remained on
the farm till he was 21, except three
winters when he taught district
school and one summer when he tried
his hand at pealiLg bark in the Adir-
ondack region But Mr.. Roberts, dis
satisfied with this mode of life, decided
to better equip himself for the profess
sion of teaching and took a course in
the Potsdam Normal school, where he
graduated Disappointed in not Sc
curing position he finally entered
Cornell University in 1878. At the end
of two years he was stranded-no
money, and jobs as scarce as they are
today. He left at once for Kansas
where he worked in stone quarry
till he scraped enough money together
70 pay his fare to Colorado Springs,
Col. When he alighted in that place
he was just $50 ahead of the world.
The wages saved from working In a
stone quarry and silver mine in Col
orado afforded Mr. Roberts funds for
a two years course at the state Uni
versity of Michigan and at this institu.
ton he completed his collegiate course
begun at Cornell. After graduation
he applied Immediately for admission
to the bar and was one of three out of
class of eighty three who success
fully passed the law examination. But
embarrassment stood at the threshold
of Mr.. Re berts' success. He was what
the boys called 'strapped' and could
not get out of Ann Arbcr till he had
raised money from some quarter. A
classmate loaned him SIS and with
this money Mr.. Roberts tried his for
tune in the wild and woody" west
again. At Aberdeen, S. D., which he
finally reached in a round about way,
he took up the carpenter trade. The
prairies of Dakota, however, were not
to his liking and he began to look
around again for a more favorable
location. Reading an article in the
Pioneer Press about Superior, which
was the first he had ever heard of this
town, he made up his mind that this
was about the proper place for bin to
hang out his shingle. Mr.. Roberts
was delighted with the prospects OF
the then struggling village, and with
half dozen law books and Office ex
penses of $40 month began & sue
cessful law practice.
In 1884 he was elected district attOr-
ney in free for all fight, and in 1885
was appointed county judge, and the
same year was elected by large ma
jority, and has held the office until the
! present time
Judge Roberts is one of Superior's
representative men, and upon retire
! ment from official duties will devote
himself to his large law practice, but
his many friends hope soon to see
him represent this district in the halls
of congress.