Oran M. Roberts

Oran Roberts

Oran Milo Roberts (born July 9, 1815 in Laurens District , South Carolina , † May 19, 1898 in Austin , Texas ) was an American lawyer and the 18th governor of Texas.

Roberts was born in South Carolina to Obe and Margaret Roberts. He received his school education at home from private tutors. He began his law studies at the University of Alabama at the age of 17 , graduating 4 years later, and was admitted to the bar in 1837. In 1841 he moved to San Augustine , Texas, where he set up his own law firm. In 1844, Roberts was appointed district attorney by then President of Texas, Sam Houston . Two years later he became a district judge. He also taught at the University of San Augustine . In 1856 he was elected to the Texas Supreme Court. During this time he became the spokesman for state rights and when the discussion about secession reached its climax in 1860 he was the center of the faction voting for the Confederate. In 1862 he went back to East Texas , where he helped set up the 11th Infantry Regiment, but his military career was short-lived. In 1864 he was elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas .

After the American Civil War he was elected US Senator in 1866 . In 1868 he went back to Gilmer , where he opened a school for budding lawyers. With the return of the Democrats to power in Austin in 1874, Roberts was re-elected to the Supreme Court and served as Chief Justice for the next four years. In 1879 he was elected Governor of Texas to succeed Richard B. Hubbard . His main concerns were lowering high taxes, improving the state budget and establishing a nationwide network of public schools. To finance his ventures, he sold state-owned land and implemented financial reform, and in 1882 the foundation stone was laid for the University of Texas at Austin , which opened its doors in 1883, shortly before Roberts' retirement. John Ireland succeeded him as governor .

After retiring as governor, Roberts worked for the next few years as a law professor at the newly founded university. During his time at the university he published several specialist books. The best known of these is The Elements of Texas Pleading , published in 1890. In 1893 he left the university and moved to Marble Falls , where he wrote other historically significant writings. In 1895 he moved back to Austin, where he died on May 19, 1898.

Web links

• Oran M. Roberts in the National Governors Association (English)
• Oran M. Roberts in the Handbook of Texas Online (English)
• Oran M. Roberts in the database of Find a Grave (English)