The Johnny Appleseed of

Rotary

. . . was born in Ventura

. . .and died in Ventura

James Henry Roth

The man

His fatherIsaac Frederick Roth was born in Niederbrun,Alsace Lorraine January 26, 1829.Emigrated to America in 1848, and moved to Ventura in 1872He had a General Merchandise store in partnership withLuis Arnaz.He died February 4, 1913

His motherJuanita Mary Foxen was born in Misión La Purísima,Santa Bárbara, February 10, 1844.She married Isaac F. Roth in 1872, and moved to Ventura.She died January 20, 1925

Isaac Frederick Roth and wifeJuanita Mary Foxen - 1873

Caroline Mary, Isaac, Frederick Joseph,Juanita, Matilda; Bertha and Elvira Roth.

1886Courtesy Ventura County Historical Museum

Courtesy Ventura County Historical Museum

Ventura Union High School – At graduation, June 1906

If you guessed 8, you are right!Courtesy Ventura County Historical Museum

Isaac Frederick RothDate unknown.

Probably early 1900’s

Juanita Mary FoxenRoth.

Date unknown.Probably late 1910’s

The house they builtIn 1874, at

1108 Main Street.Later it became

724 E. Main Street.Photo taken in 1929

Courtesy Ventura County Historical Museum

Courtesy Ventura County Historical Museum

Courtesy Ventura County Historical Museum

James H. Roth - 1955

Showing the Cruzeiro do Sul condecoration.

Star Free PressFebruary 1955

OnRotary GoldenAnniversary.

Don Jim – Christmas 1964

Don Jim – Christmas 1965

James H. Roth - 1965

Star Free Press – Jan. 30, 1965

Vida Rotaria Nov-Dec 1998

This is the lastpicture of

James H. RothThe date is

Christmas eve1967

Star Free PressObituary

August 30, 1968Front page

LastWill

Nov.1967

Don Jim

His mission

First contact with Rotary

Lima, Perú – January 1921

San José, C. Rica – February 1927

Field reportFrom

San SalvadorMarch 1, 1927

San Salvador R.C. starts 3/17/1927

AsunciónParaguay

March 1927

Letter from RITo Don Jim

Re: form new Rotary Club in

Asunción,Paraguay

April, 1927

Guayaquil, Ecu. First meeting

Wednesday, May 25, 1927

Inaugural session B. Blanca, Argentina 1927

Don Jim, atthe head of

the table.

El RotarianoArgentinoDec. 1927

Representa Presidente de R.I.

R.C. Campos, Brasil - 1928

R.C. Porto Alegre, Brasil - 1928

R.C. Petropolis, Brasil - 1928

R.C. Pelotas, Brasil - 1928

R.C. Medellin, Colombia - 1928

R.C. Rio Grande, Brasil - 1928

The RotarianMarch 1929

“We are glad to record good progress fromBrasil, where six new clubs have been organized

by Commissioner James H. Roth, bringing thetotal up to eleven.”

R.C. Campinas, Brasil - 1931

R.C. Belem do Para, Brasil - 1931

R.C. Sao Luis, Brasil - 1931

R.C. Recife, Brasil - 1931

Junín, Argentina

News of firstMeeting.

Junín, Arg.

October 11, 1935

R.C. Bahia, Brasil - 1933

R.C. Curitiba, Brasil - 1933

R.C. Joao Pessoa, Brasil - 1933

The RotarianSeptember 1934

R.C. Joinville, Brasil - 1934

R.C. Manaus, Brasil - 1934

R.C. Santa Maria, Brasil - 1934

R.C. Vitoria, Brasil - 1934

District 63 Newsletter, Sep. 1935

News of firstmeeting.San Luis, Arg.October 13, 1935

R.C. Bage, Brasil - 1935

R.C. Jaboticabal, Brasil - 1935

Uberlandia, Brasil – February 1936

Venado Tuerto, Arg. – First meetingDecember 1937

History of Rotary in Brasil

Rotary in Colombia

Rotary in Venezuela

Typical fieldReport from

Don Jim

The RotarianNovember 1942

The Rotarian1946

The Rotarian1947

The RotarianJanuary 1948

The RotarianApril 1948

District 437ConferenceMay 1988

Proposal to create a library in

Venturato honor Don Jim

Honored at a Museum in Brasil

A tribute to Don Jim - Brasil

James Henry Roth

Why was he chosen ?

The situation

In the early 1920’s, Rotary was spreading very rapidly inThe United States, Great Britain, and 20 other countries in

Asia, the Caribbean and South America.The first Rotary Club in Europe was Madrid (1920),

followed by the Rotary Club of Paris (1921)Now, alarm bells rang in the catholic church.

Voices from the pulpit raised to condemn Rotary as a quasiFree Masonic, atheist organization, and to advise the faithful

to avoid it.

La Croix (France) – April 15, 1925

La Croix was a very influential newspaper in France.It was started in 1880, and once it prided of being

“the most anti Semitic paper in France”The article entitled

“The New Free Masons – International Rotary”intends to prove the Masonic nature of Rotary, bycasting doubts, from the “real” significance of the

Rotary emblem, to the supposed “secrecy” involvingthe organization. The principles of Rotary are found to

be empty, vague, inconsistent, vulgar, . . . Every aspect of Rotary is severely criticized, from the

selection of members to the nature of meetings.Also: it is basically an American Anglo-Saxon

institution working to get a foot hold in Europe.

This book was publishedApril 19, 1929

in Spain.Over 200 pages dedicated

to the analysis andcriticism of Rotary.

Father Felipe Alonso Barcena was a Jesuit, and a prolificwriter. In this book he analyzes Rotary in detail.

The Code of Ethics adopted by Rotary International andthe By-Laws and Statutes are proof, to Felipe, that Rotaryis linked to the Free-Masons, a minor problem, accordingto him. What really makes it satanic is the fact that it doesnot include any reference to God, and accepts men of all

denominations, including atheists, on an equal basis. Therein lies the main sin of the organization.

The book includes pastoral letters from most of the bishopsin Spain, condemning Rotary and very clearly stating

that true Catholics should abstain from associatingwith Rotarians and Rotary Clubs.

Page 54 of the book“Los Rotarios” by

Felipe Alonso BarcenaTarget: James H. Roth

Commenting on his workon behalf of Rotary:“Such digression andaberration of ideas ina Catholic seems tosurpass the limits of

credibility”

James H. Roth to the rescue . . .

October 1927 – Buenos Aires – El Rotariano Argentino, the magazine published by the Rotary Club of Buenos Aires.

James Roth talks about his role; quote:“to dispel the doubts of some Catholics, as a

Knight of Columbus . . . Chile, USA and Cubahave catholic priests (members of Rotary)”

He was the perfect Rotary ambassador to Latin America.His presence, his manners, his speech, his power of persuasion

made him the ideal person to deal with the predominantly catholic societies in the big cities, the very same people who

would be invited to establish the new Rotary Clubs.

To better understand the impact he had on prospectivemembers, Julio Sanchez Viamonte, president of the Rotary

Club of La Plata in 1930, described him this way: “He looked like a gentle man, with almost a bishop-like quality, a true Rotary missionary, unselfish and altruist,

tactful in dealing with people; his face reflected kindness,gallant disposition, high moral standards.”

And he added :“When he entered a room, his presence was felt”.

In many of the inaugural speeches he delivered, he madereference to the fact that, in Rotary, religion is

a private quality, because Rotary is religion-blind.Sometimes, however, he inserted sayings from the Pope to

show that the church and Rotary shared some ideals.

There is no question: the diplomatic skills he had acquired,his ability to speak fluent Spanish and Portuguese, his

impeccable credentials (Knight of Columbus), his knowledgeof Rotary, all contributed to make him unique.

Don Jim, rather than James H. Roth, became a friend toall these men who were determined to spread the Rotaryideals in their communities. Praising words followed him

wherever he appeared, and gratitude and recognitionwere expressed publicly.

In the end, Rotary had taken roots in

Latin America.

This tribute to James H. Roth

is dedicated to the memory of the late

John Rains,

member of the Rotary Club of Ventura,

who worked tirelessly for many years

trying to persuade Rotary International

that the work of Don Jim

deserved recognition at the highest level.

John, we’ve done it!