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T.J. Roberts     The Sherman Courier
Friday, August 15, 1917 pg. 14 Fiftieth Anniversary Edition ROBERTS ELECTRIC COMPANY Sherman and Grayson county has many successful men in their respective lines, but no man in the county can justly claim a greater degree of success in his chosen work than T.J. Roberts, founder and owner of the Roberts Electric Company, located on South Travis Street in Sherman. Mr. Roberts was born in Demby Shire, Wales, and came to America with his parents when he was twelve years of age, coming direct to Sherman. He began his business career with J.C. Tassey in the Bil Oil Mill in east Sherman when about sixteen years of age and remained with that concern for about five years. From there he went with Roberts, Sanford and Taylor Company and remained with them for about three years. Upon leaving this firm, he started in business for himself on South Travis street, in a very small way indeed, his business at that time being but little more than what people called a "tinner", but the man behind this shop was more than a "tinkerer" - he was, and is, a MASTER MECHANIC. From this little shop on South Travis, Mr. Roberts moved to the Birge Building on East Houston street; and from there to North Travis street, the business at that time being general machine and electrical work, and it was while there that the great "American toy" - the automobile - came on the scene of action and worked a revolution, such as the mechanical world had never seen before. In the demand for mechanics on automobiles, Mr. Roberts came into his own, and it is safe to say that during the last twelve years the business of Roberts Electric Company has expanded twenty-five thousand diameters. From the location on North Travis the "shop" was moved to the northwest corner of Travis and Jones streets, at which time the former business was converted largely into an automobile garage and machine shop, and each day and week brought a demand, and a response to this demand, beyond the wildest dreams experienced by this Welch lad, when in the "old country" he dreamed of America and a business of his own "some day." ...In the last twelve years the Roberts Electric Company now occupies the floor space of 22,500 square feet, the machine shops and store rooms occupying four buildings covering 150x150. The Company now regularly employs from 25 to 35 people in the conduct of its business and the pay roll is approximately $500 a week or $25,000 per year, the total volume of business exceeding $125,000 annually. Unlike many men whose business grows to large proportions, Mr. Roberts has always, and yet keeps in touch with almost every detail, a thing that not every man can do. While he has in his employ at all times a number of the best mechanics the country affords, there has never been a time when he has not been ready to take hold and show the man just how it ought to be done, and he has personally many times executed with his own hands some of the most difficult mechanical feats known in this age. To keep in touch with the financial end of the business of this size is no small task, but to do it and at the same time keep abreast of the mechanical world and also keep in personal touch with all the employes of the business, commanding their respect and esteem and at the same time have a word and an answer for every member of the public which he serves, is indeed a man's task, but all this Jim Roberts has demostrated his ability to do, and it is because of this that his business has attained the degree of success which he now enjoys. The business of Roberts Electric Company at present includes service in automobile repairing of every nature, including vulcanizing oxygen-acetylene welding, lathe work, painting of automobiles, making old cars look just like new ones, recovering in upholstery and tops, and along with this service is carried a full line of automobile accessories and supplies for practically all the standard makes of automobiles, and in addition to this the Company does a general electrical construction and repari work and carries a large line of electrical supplies. While one of the busiest men in Texas, Mr. Roberts never gets too busy to be sociabke and have a word with his friends, and to take an interest in all the social and political affairs of life, and perhanps not a single person of the thousands who do business regularly with the Company does not personally know the "boss" and if in serious trouble, insists on taking his trouble to "Jim". In addition to his other duties, Mr. Roberts also takes a special interest in his employes and often meets with the "boys' at night and discusses with them the modern inventions in mechanics, and counsels with them to the end of making them better mechanics and business men and of more use and service to the world and themselves. Nine years ago Mr. Roberts married Miss Blanche McKinstry of Sherman, a member of one of the oldest and best families of Grayson county. To this union has been born one son, "J.C.," and Mr. Roberts attributes much of his success to the counsel and support of his wife, Mrs. Roberts having spent several years in the office of the Company, assisting her husband in looking after their ever-increasing and fast growing business, and all of Sherman and Grayson county and their host of friends bespeak for Mr. and Mrs. Roberts a continuation of the great success which they have already attained and justly deserve.  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