The Republican journal., 1920-08-05
WILLIAM PINKNEY ROBERTS

the town of Brooks, January, 1886, an
died in the city of Los Angeles, June 5,
1920, in his 85th year. The passing of
DR.. Roberts is worthy of some consider
able notice. His grandfather, Joseph
Roberts, a soldier of the Revolutionary
War; was the first white man to settle in
the town of Brooks He was the father
OF "a children, nearly all of whom were
born IN Brooks, and nearly all settled in
and about Brooks. Therefore the history
OF the Roberts family is very nearly iden-
tlcal with the first fifty years of the bis
tory of Brooks
Dr. Roberts father was DR.. Jacob Rob-
erts, who practiced medicine in Brooks
for nearly forty years, and was one of
the best known and best trusted physi-
clans IN Waldo county during the first
half of the nineteenth century.
Dr. William, before reaching his ma
jority, anticipated the advice of Hora e
Greeley and went West to grow up with
the country. Graduating from the medi-
profession in Michigan, Illinois, and Wis
consin. He made speciality of tubercu-
lar diseases, and was one of the very first
physicians in America to advocate a
scientific diet treatment and pure air as
cure for such diseases. He was one of
the founders of the American Health Re-
sort Association of Chicago and in con-
nection with that movement he was
appointed as a special commissioner to
Investigate the climatic conditions in the
United States. He travelled extensively
through the western states from Chicago
to California, making a thorough study
of the climatic conditions in different
sections Today there are scores of sani
tarums for the treatment of tuberculosis
in the various places recommended by
him where the patients live out of doors
night and day the year around. He was
also one of the organizers of the Ameri-
can Invalid Aid Society of Boston, work
which has resulted through scientific
treatment with proper food and pure air
IN saving thousands of lives from the
awful tubercular scourge | doubt if any
other physician in this country has de-
voted more faithful years to the scientific
study of this dreaded disease than DR..
Roberts. In the middle West for the last
20 years or more he has been known far
and wide as The Lunger's Friend"
like his grandfather, the old Revolu-
tionary soldier, DR.. Roberts was always
interested in the political questions O. his
day; in fact politics and patriotism seem
to flow in the blood of the Roberts fam
lily. His father was the first man in
Brooks, and one of the first in Waldo
county, to enlist in the Whig party.
Through his quiet but tireless activity
the town of Brooks, up to that time al
ways Democratic stronghold, voted
more than two to one in favor of Harri-
son and Tyler, the Whig candida es for
President and Vice President. His broth
eT, the late Hon Barnabas Nj. Roberts
formerly State senator from Waldo
county, Whig, Abolitionist, and later
Republican, was one of the recognized
leaders of the more progressive faction of
the Republican party in Waldo county
during his later years. At one time a
candidate for Congressional nomination,
and had he been elected he doubtless
would have been one of the leading Re-
publicans in Congress.
DIR R0beTtS ipt
than forty years ago he prepared bill
for the Legislature of Wisconsin which
became law in that State providing for
the raising of the Stars and Stripes over
the Little Red School House" believe
this was the first State in the Union to
pass such law.
Some over two years ago DR.. Roberts,
with his wife, came to Los Angeles to
spend their remaining days in this land of
flowers and sunshine. Knowing that
am also native of Brooks, he called on
me, and during his two years residence
in this city scarcely a fortnight passed in
which he did not come to my office at the
close of court and talk with me about the
early history of our native town. His
mind was as fresh and clear on the af-
fairs of that town three score and ten
years ago as if they had happened yester-
day. | learned more of the history of my
native town and OF the lives of its early
settlers from my conversation with him
than | had ever known before. DR.. Rob-
erts was active to within very few days
of his death.
A genial and kindly soul, bright in
hope, pure in purpose. and strong in faith
left this world in the passing Of DR.. Will
liam Pinkney Roberts.-Frank S. Forbes,
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