William Penn Roberts, M. D. Biography


	This biography appears on page 480 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				WILLIAM PENN ROBERTS, M. D. 

	Sioux Falls claims a number of capable and eminent 
representatives of the medical profession and in this class ranks Dr. 
William Penn Roberts, who since 1905 has here made his home. He was 
born on a farm in Tazewell county, Illinois, January 23, 1869, his 
parents being Joseph T. and Mary C. (Bosserman) Roberts. The family is 
of Welsh lineage, the immigrant ancestor locating in New Jersey, and it 
was in that state that Robert Roberts, grandfather of Dr. Roberts, was 
born. 

	Reared in Illinois, Dr. Roberts attended the country schools and 
also spent two years in a seminary at Westfield, that state, thus 
laying the foundation for his professional knowledge. Having determined 
upon the practice of medicine as a life work, he entered the College of 
Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago and was graduated therefrom in 1894. 
He then located for practice in Cleghorn, Iowa, where he remained for 
eleven years, or until 1905, when he came to Sioux Falls. In the 
intervening period of ten years he has made continuous progress along 
professional lines, keeping in touch with the best thinking men of the 
age and with the most progressive methods. 

	On the 25th of December, 1893, in Proctor, Illinois, Dr. Roberts 
was united in marriage to Miss Ida B. Proctor, a daughter of Captain 
Willard Proctor, of the One Hundred and Fourth Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry, who served for four years in the Civil war. Dr. and Mrs. 
Roberts have a son and a daughter: William Proctor, born May 18, 1901; 
and Florence Charlotte, born January 23, 1914. 

	The parents attend the Congregational church and Dr. Roberts is 
well known as a valued member of the Masonic lodge and the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows. His political allegiance is given to the 
republican party. He served for four years as mayor of Cleghorn, Iowa, 
and was also a member of the school board there. He is interested in 
all that pertains to the public welfare and his cooperation can be 
counted upon to further any movement for the general good. Those who 
know him esteem him highly for his personal qualities, and he has 
gained many friends during his residence in South Dakota.