ROBERTS, ABEL CUMMINGS, M. D.

ROBERTS, COLE, CUMMINGS

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 6/30/2019 at 15:06:14

MADISON TOWNSHIP.
P. O. FORT MADISON

ROBERTS, ABEL CUMMINGS, M. D., was born in Queensbury Tp., Warren Co., N. Y., Jan. 15, 1830 ; he was the fifth child of Jonaathan and Melita (Cummings) Roberts, who had a family of fourteen ; in his youth, he attended the winter district schools, and, in the summer, worked on his father's farm ; as he grew older and advanced in education, he attended the High School at Adrian, Mich., for one term, but most of his studies were pursued at odd times at home; he selected medicine as a profession, and bent all his energies to acquire a sufficient degree of knowledge to enable him to properly pursue it; after making such progress as he could with this end in view, he attended lectures during the winter of 1850-51 at the University of Michigan; his means being too limited to complete his studies, he went to the Eldorado of America—California— where he spent two years; in 1853, having accumulated a considerable sum, he returned, again attended lectures at the University, and graduated as M. D. in 1854; the same year, he began to practice in Otsego, Mich.; in 1859, he removed to Fort Madison, and engaged actively in the practice of his profession; in 1862, he was appointed Contract Surgeon in the Government Hospital at Keokuk ; in March, 1863, he was commissioned Surgeon to the 21st Missouri Regiment, and served with it until mustered out in April, 1866 ; returning home, he resumed practice ; the doctor is a man of wide popularity, and, in 1869, was elected Treasurer of the county, holding the office for six successive years ; in 1873, he was elected Mayor of Fort Madison. He was united in marriage, in 1854, to Emily A. Cole, of Ann Arbor, Mich., but a native of New York ; they have three children— all sons—Frank, the oldest, is a physician, now a partner in practice with his father ; Dr. Roberts is often called upon to perform important surgical operations on patients from a distance ; this was particularly the case since his return from service in the army, when he found a number of cases waiting for him ; he has, for instance, ligated successfully the left subclavian artery, and performed many other capital operations; he was in all the battles in Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama ; after each, the medical officers were kept busy operating for several days and nights without rest ; when the army was disbanded, he returned home and was appointed Pension Surgeon ; but being then, as now, owner and editor of the Fort Madison Democrat, he was deposed, for political reasons, in 1876 ; he is a member of the Iowa Medical Society, and was a delegate from it to the American Medical Association, in 1871 ; he was Professor of Theory and Practice of Medicine in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, in 1862-63, and delivered two courses of lectures; the doctor is a man of great mental activity and untiring industry and perseverance, and popular and successful in whatever he undertakes. He is a member of the Masonic order, and at present High Priest of the Chapter at Fort Madison, a member of the Fort Madison Medical Association, American Medical Association and an honorary member of the California State Medical Society.

Source: BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY IOWA
CHICAGO: WESTERN HISTORICAL COMPANY, 1879

Transcription typed/proofed as article was originally published in 1879