R. Warren Roberts
R. Warren Roberts was nominated to the Chillicothe Hall of Fame in 2020.
Robert Warren Roberts was born September 26, 1881 near Mooresville, the son of James Nelson and Rosalee Barron Roberts. He graduated Breckenridge High School and was the principal of the Mooresville schools around 1905. He went on to the University of Missouri where he was a football tackle and guard and played every minute of every game in 1909. He was also a star athlete in track. In 1910 he graduated from the School of Engineering. He went on to receive his master’s degree and taught engineering while also acting as a football coach from 1910 to 1912.
Roberts returned to Chillicothe in 1913 and designed the new Livingston County courthouse. He opened an office in town and decided to stay.
In WWI Roberts served on the Mexican border then France. He was a billeting officer in the Army. He was fluent in French, reaching the rank of lieutenant.
Roberts was appointed the Livingston County Surveyor and Architect and the Livingston County Highway Engineer in 1915. By 1919 he was involved with the good roads meetings. Part of his job for the county was road, bridge and culvert maintenance. In 1920 Roberts served as the Industrial Representative for the Chillicothe Chamber of Commerce. In 1925 he was again appointed the county Highway Engineer, retiring from that position in 1929. He seemed to have picked back up the job of county Highway Engineer in 1931. He was elected County Surveyor and County Engineer starting in 1932, with his last election in 1948. In 1949 he was serving as Chair of the Livingston County Board of Equalization.
On October 2, 1920 he married Irene Waugh from St. Louis. They resided at 820 Jefferson Street. One daughter, Madeline, was born to them.
In 1943 Roberts was chosen to teach at the State Teachers College in Maryville for the Navy. He taught engineering, drawing, and descriptive geometry. He returned to Chillicothe in 1945 and re-opened his office.
Locally, Roberts worked on many building designs; undoubtedly the following lists are far from complete. He was the architect for the grand Adams Automobile and Supply Company on Locust Street in 1915. He is credited with most of the downtown facades as of 1925. He designed the new City Hall in 1925 after the previous one burned down. He also designed the old Chillicothe High School on Calhoun Street as well as the First Christian Church in 1926. He was responsible for a new commissary, cottage and hospital unit at the Industrial Home for Girls in 1923. The gym at the Chillicothe Business College was designed by Roberts. He completed work on the facades of the People’s Trust Company on Washington Street and the new Clark building at the corner of Locust and Jackson Streets. It is reported that he also designed private residences in the area. He also designed the school in Braymer, Utica and Avalon. He had completed the plans for the First Presbyterian’s new church shortly before his death.
Roberts’ work extended beyond Livingston County. He designed the Ray County courthouse in Richmond, Missouri. In Columbia, Missouri he designed the new Missouri Store on Lowry Street and the new Penn Drug store. He is responsible for the City Hall in Brunswick. He designed the gymnasium/auditorium at the Grand Pass High School east of Waverly. The new high school at Macon was also his design.
Roberts died in a car crash while in Waverly, Missouri. Dr. Grace, a close friend, was badly injured in the wreck, but survived. They had stopped for a school stop sign when they were rear-ended and the car burst into flames. Dr. Grace was able to crawl out with his clothing on fire. Roberts never got out. He is buried in Edgewood Cemetery.