Judge Fred G. Roberts – Probate Judge 1912-1920; City Solicitor 1921-1922; Common Pleas Judge 1925-1926
Ironton Evening Tribune, Friday, September 3, 1926 – Judge F. G. Roberts is Taken By Death; Last Rites Sunday. Apoplexy Ends His Brave Fight For Life.
A friend has passed on. This was the universal sentiment of the city this morning when its residents awoke to find that as yesterday ebbed, the spirit of Judge Fred G. Roberts had gone out with the tide, that at 12:20 a.m., he had lost his long brave fight against death and had answered the call of the Supreme Judge. A friend has passed on, for Judge Roberts was a friend to all who knew him but to them has left the consolation that as he stands before the heavenly bar, he will surely receive that mercy which ever characterized the judgment of his fellow man.
Fred Roberts has said that he enjoyed the largest following of personal friends of any man in Lawrence county. This has been well proven, not alone by his many political successes but by his personal life. His personality attracted friends by legions.
Courteous, affable, and a gentleman under all conditions, he possessed the happy faculty of making friends with all with whom he came in contact, and these friendships invariably endured. To these friends, he gave an unwavering loyalty that lasted until the hour of his death, and to the last, he maintained a keen personal interest in their welfare.
Achieved Signal Success as Lawyer, Jurist.
During his long and trying illness of apoplexy, the result of high blood pressure had ended fatally. The word quickly spread, and this morning as men returned to another day’s business, his death was the main topic of conversation as the word was passed from friend to friend Fred Roberts had passed on.
Judge Roberts was born in Waterloo, this county, forty-six years ago, and after securing an education, he came to a teacher in the county schools. With the money thus earned, he entered the Cincinnati Law School, where he graduated with honors. Returning to this city, he became involved in law practice with the late Joe Riley, then prosecuting attorney.
A lifelong Democrat, he was long a leader in the affairs of his party and served it on the board of elections and as chairman of its Executive Committee. His first major political honors came in 1912 when he was elected judge of the Probate Court. His term of four years was marked by signal success, and his efficient administration of office affairs was recognized in 1916 when he was re-elected for his second term.
At the expiration of his second four year term, he again resumed the practice of law. He was gaining an enviable reputation as a criminal lawyer when friends prevailed upon him to become a candidate for city solicitor. He was elected to this office in 1921 and was reelected in 1922, making the same conscientious discharge of his duties that marked his first office.
During his term as city solicitor, he became associated in law practice with Judge E. E. Corn, and their partnership was the most successful. It terminated in November 1924, when Judge Roberts was elected judge of the common pleas court, resigning at the same time as city solicitor. He assumed the duties of this office on February 8, 1925.
By close association with the common pleas court bench work, Judge Roberts was rapidly acquiring a reputation as a jurist when his health, which had been gradually failing, took a sudden turn for the worse. This culminated late last year in an attack of acute appendicitis, for which he underwent a hurried operation. He rallied from the operation and, for a time, grew better, and friends were hopeful that he would finally regain his health. However, this week, his condition again worsened, and last Tuesday night, he suffered another attack. He rallied Wednesday but started failing Thursday, and death came this morning.
On October 12, 1911, he was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Paul, daughter of Mrs. M. D. Paul, of this city, and to their union was born one child, Marjorie, age 13, who with her mother survives to mourn the loss of a loving husband and father. Their wedded life was ideally happy, and his ____ interest in life was centered on his family. His devotion to them was indeed beautiful, and despite the urgent demands of his public duties and those of his many friends, his thoughts were ever of his family, and he was never happier than when with them.
Throughout his illness, he never lost his cheerful manner and always had a _______ greeting for his friends. He bore his sufferings with fortitude and never abandoned hope of his immediate recovery. Only recently, he announced to friends his intention of resuming the bench at the October term of court.
In addition to his widow and little daughter, he is survived by his father, Joseph Roberts, of Waterloo, three brothers, Ernest, of this city, Odd and Hudson of Waterloo, and one sister, Mrs. Emma Gray, of Cincinnati.
The funeral services will be held at the late home on Fourth and Adams streets Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock, with Rev. W. H. Hampton and Rev. R. T. Stimmel in charge. The interment will be in Woodland cemetery. The honorary pallbearers will be the Lawrence County Bar Association members and county officials. The active pallbearers will be chosen from Judge Roberts’s closest friends.
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