Robert C. Waters, M. D., a physician of Perryville, Missouri was born 5 miles from Perryville in 1856. He is a son of Robert C. and Margaret (Rice) Waters. Robert C. Waters was born in Missouri, Ste. Genevieve County, April 18, 1820.

During the religious persecutions in France, three brothers, John, William and Andrew Caldwell fled to Scotland. After the persecutions ceased they returned to France and secured their coat of arms, a roebuck, a star and three waves of the sea, and set it in the house of Claud, in Scotland. When James VI of Scotland ascended the throne of England, the families of these three brothers settled in the north of Ireland, and from that house John Caldwell descended. He emigrated to the United States and settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, from whence he moved to Virginia. The senior Robert C. Waters' mother was a Caldwell, and a direct descendant from the above.

When Robert C. was about 6 years old his father, Joab Waters, removed to Perry County, Missouri, and settled in Bois Brule bottom. Robert C. married in Perry County. In 1856 he located on the farm now owned by the widow of Frank Hoffman. Mr. Waters died in 1865. His wife was a native of Perry County, born in 1831, and a daughter of James Rice, a leading political factor in the county for many years.

He served for a number of years as clerk of the County Court. He was of Irish birth and could speak German fluently. Mrs. Waters died in 1859, and was the mother of five children, He received his literary education in the public schools and in St. Vincent's College, Cape Girardeau. At the age of 18 he began teaching school and taught for one year. When nineteen years of age he began the study of his chosen profession, and in 1878 graduated from St. Louis Medical College. Returning to Perryville, he began practicing his profession. He now has a large practice, and stands high in the estimation of the people who know him. He has a fine library and possesses excellent literary taste.

In 1879 he married Clara M. DeLassus, a native of the county, born in 1856. She is the daughter of Leon deLassus, a grandson of Charles deLassus, the last Lt. Governor of Upper Louisiana. Her mother was Mary Louise Elliot, a relative of President Elliot of Harvard College and a descendant of John Elliot, the apostle to the Indians. Politically the doctor is a Democrat. He is a member of the Southeast Missouri Medical Association and also of the American Medical Association. He and his wife are members of the Catholic Church. They have four children.

The Goodspeed Publishing Company compiled a series of histories of various counties in the U.S. in the late 19th century. The information in the History of Southeast Missouri, published in 1888, was provided by the contemporary residents of Perry County and her neighboring counties. The biographies are a valuable source of genealogical information, despite a few minor inaccuracies. We are glad to present the transcribed biographies here for anyone researching Perry County's history.