My Genealogy Hound

Logan H. Roots, youngest son of Prof. B. G. Roots, the famous educator of Illinois, was born on a farm in Perry County, Ill., March 26, 1841. He was early taught that thoroughness and industry were the keys to success. During his school days he managed to earn a very considerable portion of the amount necessary to his maintenance, and graduated at the Illinois State Normal University with the first honors of the class of 1862. Immediately after his graduation he joined the Federal army, and serving therein to the close of the war, made a most creditable military record. He was with Gen. Sherman on the march to the sea, and after participating as an officer on Gen. Sherman’s staff in the grand review at Washington, in May, 1865, he came west with that General and was ordered on duty in Arkansas. He formed an attachment for the State and bought a cotton plantation before the acceptance of his resignation as an officer of the army. Though never an office-seeker, he has both held and declined many important official positions. He was the youngest member of the XLth Congress of the United States, was reelected and also served through the XLIst Congress, which closed on the 3d of March, 1871. He introduced the first Congressional bill that named the great Southern Trans-Continental Route, the Texas & Pacific, and with skillful ability he introduced, promoted and materially aided in securing the passage of many measures of special practical importance in the development of prosperity in the South. The thrift of his youth has attended his manhood, and since his peremptory refusal to accept any political position his success in accumulating wealth has been both rapid and continuous. He is always engaged in enterprises of development. After falling under his energetic management, the telephone was introduced more rapidly in the Southwest than in any other part of the nation, and from this enterprise the Colonel is reputed to have reaped a golden harvest. He has been active in promoting the building of railroads in the South, and has devoted both time and money liberally thereto. He has extensive interests in cotton seed oil, lumber and other active manufactories, and is president of the Lumberman’s Association of the State of Arkansas. He is president of the Arkansas Loan & Trust Company, which has been an efficient agency in the introduction of capital for developing enterprises. He is president of the First National Bank of Little Rock, which has always been notably liberal in the encouragement of manufactories and corresponding enterprises, which bank stands today, not only the oldest National bank in the State, but unexcelled and unquestioned, the leading bank of this section of the country. These statements, while indicative of the character of his investments, do not embrace anything like an enumeration of the enterprises in which his controlling voice and capital produce success. He is so much a Republican that last year the party State convention unanimously elected him a delegate to the National convention by acclamation, and a person of such universally recognized energy and ability that a convention of as intelligent and enterprising men as ever assembled in the State, four fifths of whom were Democrats, unanimously made him the president of the Arkansas State Bureau of Immigration, in connection with which movement he has given liberally of his time and means toward making known the wonderful resources of Arkansas. He is an active promoter of numerous humane and benevolent movements, being the largest contributor in the State to each of many systems of philanthropic efforts. And although so busily occupied with divers matters that he never seeks office, he is constantly pressed into official positions connected therewith. He is now president of the Arkansas State Sunday-school Association and also of the executive committee of the Young Men’s Christian Association of the State of Arkansas. Is treasurer of the diocese of the Episcopal Church of Arkansas, and one of the deputies chosen by the diocese of Arkansas to the general convention of the Episcopal Church. He has been Grand Master of Freemasons of Arkansas; Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter, Illustrious Grand Master of the Grand Council, and is now Grand Commander of Arkansas Knights Templar. He is a cultured gentleman who has traveled extensively over the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe. With a lovable family he enjoys a charming home in Little Rock, noted for its hospitality.