Denver, History of Colorado, BIOS: ROBERTS, Thomas (published 1918)
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"History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J. 
Clarke Publishing Co. (1918)  Vol. II


p. 388, 390
photo p. 389


THOMAS	ROBERTS.

	Thomas Roberts, at the head of the Marmon Automobile Agency of 
Colorado, is numbered among the "Big Six" dealers of the city. His 
business has rapidly developed owing to the tact that he possesses 
executive ability, mechanical skill and ingenuity and power to readily 
understand human nature. Mechanical training enables him to speak with 
authority concerning the good points of the Marmon car, a machine in 
which he has implicit faith. -His business interests are conducted in 
attractive salesrooms under the name of the Roberts Automobile Company.

	The life story of Mr. Roberts is an interesting one. He was born 
at Morton, Illinois, December 18, 1886, and has therefore passed only 
the thirty-first milestone on life's journey. His parents are John A. 
and Ellen (Saul) Roberts, also natives of Illinois. They came to Denver 
to reside in 1893 and the father was well known in railroad circles as 
a careful and efficient locomotive engineer on passenger trains. He 
still makes his home in Denver but is now living retired from active 
business. At the outbreak of the Civil war he ran away from home to 
take up arms in defense of the Union but was too young to be allowed to 
enlist as a regular soldier, so that he joined the army as a drummer 
boy of an Illinois regiment. His wife also survives and is with him in 
Denver. They have reared a family of six children: Carl, Louis, Thomas, 
Joseph, Ora and Leonora.

	Thomas Roberts, whose name introduces this review and who is well 
known to his many friends as "Tommy" Roberts, attended the public 
schools of Denver and Immediately after putting aside his textbooks 
entered business circles along mechanical lines. He possibly inherited 
this tendency from his father and at all events he made rapid progress 
in the field which he chose to enter. In 1902 he first became 
identified with automobile mechanics, working at the trade for others. 
He started in at a salary of ten dollars per week and in a short time 
was commanding a salary of fifty dollars per week, his services being 
constantly in demand. In 1913 he decided to engage in the automobile 
business on his own account and secured the agency of the Stevens 
Duryea car, but when the war broke out the manufacture of this car was 
discontinued and he secured the agency for Colorado and Wyoming of the 
Marmon car, manufactured at Indianapolis. This is one of the best made 
cars upon the market. Hundreds of cars have been sold to satisfied 
patrons by Mr. Roberts, who in looking about him to select a car which 
he wished to handle recognized the fine mechanical points of the Marmon 
car, for he had always been working with well made machinery. He 
occupies a spacious two-story building, having ample room for service 
and storage and with comfortable selling facilities. He thoroughly 
knows every feature of the car which he handles and maintains a large 
garage and repair shop in connection with his salesrooms. He is 
likewise a director and the vice president of the Climax Oil Company of 
Oklahoma.

	On the 14th of October, 1905, Mr. Roberts was married to Miss 
Martha Rockstroh, of Denver, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Rockstroh. 
They have two children: Charles Roberts, who was born in Denver in 1906 
and is in school; and John, who was born in 1910.

	Mr. Roberts belongs to the Denver Athletic Club, also to the 
Automobile Association and the Automobile Dealers Association. In lodge 
circles he is well known as an Elk, a Mason and a Knight of Pythias. In 
Masonry he has passed up both routes and has attained the thirty-second 
degree of the Scottish Rite, while in the York Rite he is a Knight 
Templar. His alertness enables him to readily recognize the 
opportunities of every business situation. His social qualities and his 
adaptability are combined with enterprise and sound judgment in 
business affairs and constitute a strong force in the attainment of 
success.