Abel Cummings Roberts, M.D., was born in Queensbury
Tp., Warren Co., N.Y., Jan. 15, 1830; he was the fifth child of Jonathan
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 –
1851 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 reason, 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 – 1863, 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.
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