Dr. Robert L. Blackburn, born January 18, 1865, in Caldwell County, Kentucky, came to Texas and the Carrollton area about 1900.  He received his training at the Louisville, Kentucky School of Medicine and Baylor Medical School in Dallas, Texas.

He was friend to man for fifty years of service to the countryside within a radius of 25 miles of Carrollton.  He relied on his horse for transportation in all kinds of weather in the early days, over terrain which would not permit buggy travel. This grand old man was one of the most indispensable persons in early pioneer days.

Dr. Blackburn never refused a call and devoted a lifetime to serving humanity in his community and, like every doctor in the country, made many, many calls when he was probably more in need of rest than his patients.  He never turned anyone down for lack of money or time, and many times his fees were in corn, cotton, chickens, or eggs. In one year's time in his career, Dr. Blackburn delivered 59 babies.

He recalled many times about the flood of 1896 when he had to go by boat into the town square and drugstore in order to get the medicine to treat his patients and refugees from the flood. Years of wisdom mellowed his thoughts, and his alert mind kept abreast of the present while remembering the past.

After 50 years of service as a Country Doctor, he retired and lived with his daughter for seven years prior to his death in Dallas on February 1, 1945. Dr. Blackburn is buried in Perry Cemetery along with his wife, Ellen Riley Blackburn, sons, and daughter. His son, Joe Blackburn, died in Carrollton in 1970.  He is survived by his daughter, Mrs. Mable Blackburn Morris, and son, Luke P. Blackburn, both of Dallas, and three grandchildren.