LEROY ADOLPH TRUBEE, D.D.S.

 

     Leroy Adolph Trubee, born November 11, 1893 near Zimmerman in Greene County, Ohio, was the son of Eli and Sarah Ankeney Trubee. Both parents were from Beaver Creek Township, also in Greene County. Leroy's mother died February 4, 1896 and his father died May 4, 1902. His only full sibling, a sister, was born and died in 1896. He had three half-brothers and two half-sisters by a former marriage of his father.

     From the time of his father's death until his own marriage, Leroy made his near Zimmerman with a neighboring Mason and his family, Fran H. and Eliza R. Duncan.

     Leroy graduated from Beaver Creek High School, May 16, 1911-a member of class of seven. He was active in school sports and dramatics. In fall 1911, he entered Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio to obtain his degree for teaching school, but changed his major to Pre-Medical studies. In 1914, he entered the College of Dentistry at the University of Cincinnati. The same year, he married Lillie Mae Shoup on July 15 at Zimmerman with the Reverend C. Harold Clark officiating. On January 28, 1915, the couple had a child - a son - Franklin Leroy, born in Cleveland, Ohio, Lillie Mae died later that year on October 30, at the age of 18 year, 10 months and 12 days.

     To financially support his family and education, Leroy worked as a railway mail clerk on the Cleve- land-Cincinnati Run of the "Big Four", C.C.C.& St. L., later to become known as the New York Central Railroad. He graduated from college on June 2, 1919 with his degree in Dental Surgery.

     After his graduation, Leroy moved to Texas for personal health reasons. He then passed his Texas State Board of Dentistry examination in Dallas on February 1, 1920. He set up his dentistry practice in Waco and later moved to Rosebud. Dr. Trubee lived at the Clark Hotel, also known as the San Antonio - Aransas Pass Hotel, in Rosebud. It was there he met Miss Essie Lee Dean, later to become his wife.

     Essie was born August 13, 1906 near Williamsville, Mississippi. Her parents were Eswin W. Dean and Frances C. Elizabeth (Holland) Dean. She graduated from Williamsville High School in Mississippi on May 22,1924. Because of the poor educational systems in Mississippi, Essie moved to Texas to continue and further her education. She attended Rosebud school systems to receive her credits for Texas History and Government and graduated May 22, 1924.

     Upon her graduation, she received an Honor Scholarship to Central City Commercial College in Waco. She graduated from College on October 15, 1925 with a Business certificate.

     Essie lived in Rosebud with her aunt and uncle, Louella Dean Clark and William Alvin Clark, the proprietors of the Clark Hotel. It was there she met Dr. Leroy Adolph Trubee and later married him on June 6, 1926. The marriage took place in Waco and was performed by B. O. Herring, a Baptist minister.

     Leroy and Essie had two children. Betty Frances Trubee, their first born, died at birth on April 14, 1927. On April 7, 1928, the couple then had a son, Norman Dean Trubee, born in Cameron Sanatorium, Milam County.

     During the Depression, the family moved into an upstairs apartment next to Leroy's dental office since there weren't many paying patients. While the dentistry business continued for Leroy, Essie went to work as a bookkeeper in Waco, then worked at Ft. Hood out- side of Killeen. She later went to work for the Texas Soil Conservation in Rosebud.

     After World War II, Leroy and Essie purchased a farm west of Rosebud on Highway 53. There they built their and raised sheep and goats.

     "Doc" Trubee, as called by his friends and town members, was a member of the Rosebud Fire Department in his earlier years. Doc also helped organize the first Cub Scout Pack in Rosebud, in 1939. Both he and Essie were members of the Board of Stew arts of the First Methodist Church in Rosebud for a number of years.

     Doc was an active Republican. He was serving as District Committeeman of the Party at the time of his death on October 15, 1964. He had established his reputation as "The Poor Man's Dentist" throughout Falls County.

     After Doc's death, Essie sold the farm and moved into Thelma Light's apartment in Rosebud until 1977. At that time, she moved to Cameron and provided an income tax preparation service for the public until her death on October 24, 1982.

     Both Doc and Essie were buried in Woodland Cemetery in Rosebud.

     The children - Franklin Leroy Trubee graduated from Cedarville College in Ohio in 1935, and later received his doctorate in Theology. Franklin then married Viola Harbaugh on October 17, 1939. They presently live in Minerva, Ohio. They had one son, Rollo Eldon Trubee who married Bonnie Mae Cox on May 23, 1971. They have two children, and the family currently resides in Millersburg, Ohio.

     Norman Dean Trubee married Mary Elizabeth Holtkamp on June 6, 1951, and presently reside in Cameron. They have five children - Norman Dean Trubee, Jr., Mary Patricia (Trubee) Russell, Richard Leroy Trubee, Michelle Cheri Trubee and Timothy Neal Trubee.

 

 

Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical Commission, page 459 column 1 and 2.  
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.