About

Dr. James Cleveland Roberts was a beloved physician, coroner, and community leader in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, whose medical career spanned more than 40 years. Born south of Clinton on November 6, 1885, he was the son of Dr. A. J. Roberts, a South Carolina native who practiced medicine in East Feliciana Parish for over six decades. Following in his father’s footsteps, Dr. Roberts studied at Centenary College, LSU, and Tulane University, earning his medical degree in 1912. After two years on the resident staff at New Orleans Charity Hospital, he arrived in Pointe Coupee in 1913, where he would devote his life to medicine.

Dr. Roberts quickly became a trusted and admired physician in New Roads, often traveling long distances by horse, Model T, or rail car to reach his patients during an era of rough dirt roads and limited transportation. Over his career, he delivered more than 4,000 babies, including a set of triplets, and wrote an estimated half a million prescriptions. He treated patients through epidemics such as typhoid in 1913 and influenza in 1918, later embracing modern “miracle drugs” that transformed medicine. Known for his tireless energy, he routinely worked 12- to 15-hour days and responded to calls at all hours, earning a reputation for both stamina and compassion.

In 1914, Dr. Roberts married Bertha Seibert, daughter of prominent River Road planter Josiah William Seibert, Sr. Together they raised four children — Joel, J. C. Jr., Seibert, and George Pitcher “Pitch” — and eventually became grandparents. Beyond medicine, Dr. Roberts found success in finance, ranching, and real estate. While in public service he was elected Pointe Coupee Parish Coroner in 1932, serving six consecutive terms, often unopposed.

By his late sixties, Dr. Roberts remained as vigorous as ever, still dashingly dressed and full of energy. Reflecting on his long career, he expressed no regrets, remarking, “If I had my life to live over, I’d like to live it just as I have.” A symbol of devotion to both his patients and community, Dr. Roberts became inseparably linked with the history of Pointe Coupee Parish, leaving a legacy of healing, service, and steadfast dedication.

In the News