The name Uriah Milton Rose is one for the history books and what’s written about him tells the story of a most-respected legal mind in his time – one that drew the attention of former President Theodore Roosevelt to appoint Rose to a position of international significance.
Rose’s life is rooted in American law and scholarship, evidenced by his co-founding of the American Bar Association and his library of over 8,000 volumes donated to the Little Rock Public Library.
He was born in 1834, in Bradfordsville, Kentucky, and his early life presented challenges. Rose became orphaned as a teenager, but his intellectual curiosity propelled him through the tough times. With the help of a private tutor, Rose mastered Latin, French and German at a young age, and by 17, he was a deputy county clerk under lawyer Rutherford Harrison Roundtree, gaining invaluable legal experience. Rose furthered his legal studies at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, under the mentorship of Justice Robertson, completing his education in just six months and encountering influential figures like Henry Clay and Daniel Webster.
Rose, who became known as U.M., relocated to Arkansas in 1853, settling in Batesville, with his wife, Margaret T. Gibbs. He established a successful law practice and, in 1860, became chancellor of Pulaski County. Despite his initial opposition to secession, Rose supported the Confederacy during the Civil War and served as the state historian.
Following the war, Rose moved to Little Rock in 1865 and co-founded the Rose Law Firm. He gained a reputation for his integrity and legal expertise, eventually co-founding the ABA, which he served as president twice, and organizing the Arkansas Bar Association and was its first president.
Beyond his legal career, Rose was a distinguished scholar, marked by his translations of French and German poetry, and his eloquence in public speaking earned him a national reputation. Roosevelt, who once called Rose “the brainiest man I have ever met” appointed him as U.S. ambassador to the Second Peace Conference at The Hague in 1907.
Despite offers of political office, including a U.S. Senate position, Rose remained dedicated to his legal practice and scholarship.
He died in 1913, in Little Rock. A century later, his legacy endures as a groundbreaking figure in the legal landscape of Arkansas and the nation.
Legacy Highlights
- Co-founder of both the Arkansas and American bar associations
- Appointed by former President Theodore Roosevelt as a U.S. ambassador to the Second Peace Conference at The Hague
- Roosevelt once called Rose “the brainiest man I have ever met”
- Donated his book collection of over 8,000 volumes to the Little Rock Public Library
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