J. P. ROBARTS, editor and publisher, Mound City, is of Welsh descent, born in Madison County, Ill., on the 2d of March, 1850, in the city of Godfrey. His father, Dr. James Robarts, was born in 1814 in Philadelphia, Penn., and graduated from the Jefferson Medical College of that city, while in his minority; at twenty-two years of age, he came to Illinois and located at Brownsville, Jackson County, where he engaged in the practice of his profession. He is now located at Carbondale, Ill. Our subject's mother was Sarah M. (Crandall) Robarts, a native of Rochester, N. Y. She is the mother of six children, of whom subject is the oldest child. He was educated at Carbondale, and the Illinois Military Academy at Fulton, Ill. When a young man, he served an apprenticeship as "devil" in a printing office at Carbondale, and after completing his trade, worked as journeyman in several of the large cities. In 1873, he established a Republican paper at Murphysboro, Jackson Co., Ill. It was the first Republican paper of the town, and is now known as the Jackson County Era. In 1878, he began the practice of law in Murphysboro, and the following year removed to Mound City, and followed the law practice. In 1880, in connection with his law duties, he purchased the Pulaski Patriot. In 1873, he was elected Assistant Door-Keeper of the Twenty-eighth Illinois General Assembly. In 1881, he was elected State's Attorney of Pulaski County, filling the vacancy caused by the death of Hon. James Anderson, and resigned the office in February, 1883. to accept the office of Commissioner of the Southern Illinois Penitentiary. He was married in October, 1875, to Miss Lillie Osborn, who was born in April, 1858, in Murphysboro, Ill. He is a member of the order I. O. O. F., and a Republican in politics.
Extracted 02 Nov 2014 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V - Biographical Sketches, page 277.
| Union | Johnson | |
| Alexander |
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Massac McCracken KY |
| Ballard KY |
