Ross Roberts

Ross & Edith Roberts-Buckeye Valley Pioneer Days

Young Ross lived the normal life of a farm boy, milking before school, walking a mile to school and back, then milking again when he got home.

The school was small but in 1913, when Ross graduated, they had the largest graduating class to date. He was the smallest of the four students earning their diploma. Ross went on to attend Tempe Normal School but when he came home for Christmas he brought all of his possessions with him and never went back.

When he was about 12 years old his father gave him his start in the cattle business, two heifers.  In 1918 he bought 40 acres from his brother Lester. The land was part of his dad’s homestead.  Between 1935 and 1949 he acquired 70 additional acres from the Woods family.

Roping was part of their daily routine when they had to brand or doctor their cattle. It was also a form of entertainment. There was always calf roping at the Fourth of July celebration. Later there were team roping events. Ross’ great grandson, Michael McLaughlin, continues the tradition of team roping as a member of the World Series of Team Roping.  

Ross’ ranch brand has an interesting history. In 1890, when his father was 16 he had the pitchfork brand recorded in Maricopa County. It was later transferred to the Territory and then to the State. It was then transferred on to Ross and his son Bud and now is in his grandson Tom’s name.

Edith Higgins and Ross were married on March 4, 1918 and the couple went on to have five children. He lived on his dad’s homestead in Palo Verde for 72 years, 52 of those years with Edith. The house was flooded twice so in 1970 they moved to Buckeye.  

In 1938 Ross became the brand inspector for the Livestock Sanitary Board in the Buckeye area. He served in that position for 27 years. It seems to be a family tradition. Both his father and his brother Roach were also brand inspectors. JG Roberts acted as a deputy sheriff in the Buckeye area for several years and constable for two years. Ross’ great granddaughter, Leatta McLaughlin, has served the State as the Arizona Dept of Agriculture’s Arizona Associate Director for the Animal Services Division. Her duties included supervising livestock services.

Ross Roberts died December 31, 1981.

Palo Verde - Maricopa County

Inducted in 2019

Ross Roberts was the son of John G. and Effie J. (Harer) Roberts. He was born in Phoenix on September 23, 1898 to one of the early pioneering farm families in the Palo Verde area. As soon as Effie and the baby could handle the trip the family headed home to the farm.

Affiliations

Brand Inspector Buckeye 27 years

Awards

Buckeye Pioneer Days royalty

One of six honorary marshals Buckeye Rodeo Parade