ROEBUCK, John, was born at Sheffield in Yorkshire in the year 1718. His father was a manufacturer of Sheffield goods, and by his ability and industry acquired a considerable fortune. He intended John to follow his own lucrative employment; but he was powerfully attached to other pursuits, and his father did not discourage his rising genius, but gave him a liberal education. After an elementary training, he was placed under the tuition of Dr Doddridge, by whose instructions he was rapidly improved in many branches of useful knowledge. Having completed his studies at the academy, he was afterwards sent to the university of Edinburgh, where he studied medicine, and chemistry, which then began to attract some attention in Scotland. He was much distinguished among his fellow students by his logical and metaphysical acuteness, and by great ingenuity in his arguments. Here he formed an dc[7:19:311]quaintance with Dr Robertson, Mr Hume, and other literary characters.

Having completed his medical course at Edinburgh, he afterwards spent some time at the university of Leyden, where in 1743 he took the degree of M. D. He began to practise as a physician at Birmingham, a place which was then making rapid progress in arts, manufactures, and population, and where a favourable opening was presented to him by the death of an aged physician.

The extensive use of sulphuric acid in chemistry led many to various methods of obtaining it; and Dr Roebuck attempted to prepare it in such a manner as to reduce the price, for which purpose he substituted leaden vessels in the room of glass; and he had the good fortune to effect his benevolent design. Of this useful article he established a manufactory at Prestonpans in the year 1749, which was opposed by Dr Ward, but without success, as Roebuck’s discovery did not come within Ward’s patent? Dr Roebuck and his partner retained the advantages of their industry and ingenuity for a number of years, supplying the public with sulphuric acid at a much cheaper rate than had been formerly done. He found it expedient to relinquish his medical profession, and he resided in Scotland during the greater part of the year. He made some discoveries in the smelting of ironstone, greatly facilitating that process by using pit-coal instead of charcoal. He and his partner therefore projected a very extensive manufactory of iron, for which they soon procured a sufficient capital, as their friends had much confidence in their integrity and abilities. Dr Roebuck at length made choice of a spot on the banks of the river Carron, as the most advantageous situation for the establishment of their manufactory, abundance of ironstone, limestone, and coal, being found in its immediate vicinity. The preparations for this establishment were finished in the end of the year 1759; the first furnace was blown on the 1st of January 1760; and a second was soon afterwards erected.

These works turned the attention of Dr Roebuck to the state of coal in the neighbourhood, and to the means of procuring the extraordinary supplies which the iron-works might require. He therefore became lessee of the extensive coal and salt works at Borrowstownness, the property of the duke of Hamilton; in which he sunk, in the course of a few years, not only his own, and a considerable part of his wife’s fortune, but the regular profits of his more successful works; and, what distressed him above every thing else, the great sums of money which he borrowed from his relations and friends, without the prospect of ever being able to repay them. This ruinous adventure cut off for ever the flattering prospects of an independent fortune which his family had once cherished; and he drew from his colliery only a moderate annual support, for which he was indebted to the indulgence of his creditors. Some years before his death, he was seized with a disorder that required a dangerous operation, and this he bore with’ his usual spirit and resolution. He was restored to a considerable share of his wonted health and activity; but its effects never wholly left him. He visited his works till within a few weeks of his decease, in order to give instructions to his clerks and overseers, and was confined to bed only a few days. He departed this life on the 17th of July 1794, retaining all his faculties, spirit, and good humour, to the last.