Biographical Sketch of Dr. Ira A. Roberts, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Dr. Ira A. Roberts, a prominent dental surgeon of Warrensburg, is a native of Iowa. He was born in 1860 in Clark county, Iowa, a son of Harvey Newton and Caroline (Spry) Roberts. Harvey Newton Roberts was born in Ohio, the son of James Robert, Jr., who was a prominent farm- er of Ohio. James Roberts, Jr., was a son of James Roberts, Sr., who was a native of Scotland, and a veteran of the War of 1812. In early manhood Harvey Newton Roberts went from Ohio to Hartford, Iowa, where he was united in marriage with Caroline Spry, daughter of John Spry, who had moved from Ohio to Iowa. To Harvey N. and Caroline Roberts were born the following children: James O., Lawrence, Kansas; Dr. Ira A., the subject of this sketch; Ulysses Grant, who died in infancy; Mrs. Cora Cott, deceased; Theron O., who resides in Canada; Mrs. Lillian V. Schuler, Chicago Heights, Illinois; Mrs. Lois E. Phillips, Lawrence, Kansas; and Mrs. Hallie N. Monroe, Ottawa, Kansas. In 1867 the Roberts family moved from Iowa to Missouri, where they remained two years, and in 1869, went to Miami county, Kansas. Two years later the father entered land from the government in Sumner county, Kansas, and there the family moved in 1871. Harvey N. Roberts spent the few remaining years of his life on this farm in Sumner county. He died in 1877. His wife is still living and is making her home at present with her daughter, Mrs. Schuler, of Chicago Heights, Illinois. Dr. Ira Roberts received his early education in the public schools of Miami and Sumner counties, Kansas. He attended the university at Ottawa one year, and at the age of 17 years was obliged to leave school, on account of the death of his father, and assume charge of the farm and help care for the younger children. For eleven years, he was engaged in farming on the home place. In 1888, he began life for himself, breaking "native sod." In 1889, Ira A. Roberts was united in marriage with Edith May Sabin, a daughter of Isaac Adams Sabin, and Esther (Abbott) Sabin, who both were born in Spencer, New York and lived there until they were married. In 1856, Mr. and Mrs. Sabin removed from New York to Minnesota, where they proved up on a government claim of 160 acres. Soon after they moved to Wisconsin, where Mr. Sabin tuaght school several years. While living in this state three daughters were born to them: Carrie A., now Mrs. Carrie Collins, of Manhattan, Kansas; Edith M., the wife of the subject of this sketch; and Grace, who died in infancy. Mr. Sabin was well known in educational circules, as he taught school in nine states of the Union, and was engaged in this profession for the remarkable period of 54 years. Much of this time he taught in high schools, or held the position of city superintendent of schools. He died in 1913 and his wife in 1895. Mrs. Edith Roberts, as well as her sister, Mrs. Collins was educated at the State Normal School of Whitewater, Wisconsin and later moved to Oxford, Kansas, where she taught school several years. To Ira A. and Edith M. Roberts have been born the following children: Gertrude Amy, who graduated at the Warrensburg State Normal School in 1912, taught school in Redlands, California, attended the University of Redlands two years, from which she graduated in 1916, married Elmer L. Setterlund, a young Baptist minister, and is now living in Roches- ter, New York, where Mr. Setterlund is taking a seminary course; Agnes Constance, who graduated at the Warrensburg State Normal School in 1914 and has been teaching since that time in a public school for Mexican children in Beaumont, California; Donald Judson, who graduated at the Warrensburg State Normal School in 1915, and joined the regular army soon after war was declared with Germany in April, 1917, and he is now in training at Nogales, Arizona, a member of the fife and drum corps, Company F, 35th Infantry; and Dwight Lester, who graduated at the Warrensburg State Normal School in 1917, and holds the position of principal of the Foster ward school in Warrensburg, who in 1916 marr- ied Mary Gladys Cramer, of Syracuse, Missouri. Both Donald J. and Dwight L. were members of the Normal School band and orchestra for several years. Mrs. Roberts has ever been her husband's faithful helper, and the greatest source of inspiration. She has assisted her husband in the dental office for a number of years. Quite recently Mrs. Roberts graduated from the School for Dental Hygienists, at Rochester, New York, where she took a course in "mouth hygiene," and is now devoting much time lecturing on the care of children's teeth. Dr. Roberts is a graduate of the Kansas City Dental College, in the class of 1896 and in 1906 did post-graduate work at the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. In 1916 he graduated from the International School of Orthodontia. Dr. Roberts began the practice of dentistry at Omaha, Nebraska. From Omaha he moved to Jefferson, Iowa, where he remained 11 years. He came to Warrensburg from Jefferson in 1908 in order to educate their children in the Warrensburg State Normal School, and has since been engaged in the practice of his profession in this city, where he has a large practice. Politically, Dr. Roberts is affiliated with the Prohibition party. He is a worthy and highly valued member of the Baptist church, of which he is a deacon. He has taught the men's bible class in the Sunday School for a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts are numbered among Johnson county's best and most progressive citizens. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. 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