Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman



Henry G. Sanders has played the character, Robert E. since the second episode of the first season. Robert E, as he is known by the good hearted townspeople of Colorado Springs Colorado, is the town's blacksmith. A jack of all trades, in the words of Brian, " Robert E can fix anything" (P). To date Robert E has served as coffin maker, (TE, BS) architect, foreman, (TO), chain maker (TP) (the only task he claimed he wasn't good at "they always seem to break"), camera (P) and axe repairman, (TV) mule (steam engine) repairman, and memorable train spike maker, besides his regular duties as the town's blacksmith.

He is an ex-slave, who was previously owned by a man named Vernon. The brand seared into his back by his ex-owner no longer hurts, but it still haunts him mentally (FC). He and Grace are the only two black business owners in Colorado Springs, as far as we know. He and Grace like Mike and Sully are also outsiders.

A runaway slave and good friend to Sully, Robert E is a proud man who demands dignity, "No one owns me anymore" (FC). He like Sully picks his fights carefully (Heroes). Like the other men of Colorado Springs, Robert E rejected Dr. Mike as a doctor because she was a woman. However, his opinion quickly changed when Dr. Mike "fixed him up real good" after he had an accident in which he was badly burned (TV).

What all horrors and ordeals Robert E experienced as a slave are not yet all known. However, when he is near death from his burning accident he reveals that he has children. What happened to Robert E's children is a mystery and perhaps it will always be, because he has sworn himself and Grace to silence, "To never speak of them again" (TV). It is speculated that he may even have had a wife. To date there have been no clues as to how Robert E got his name nor what the E stands for.

Robert E wants the same as every other man in Colorado Springs. He wants to give Grace, the love of his life a home. He wants to carry her over the threshold. He wants to have fires in his own fireplace...pictures on the walls. Robert E wants his friends to come over for dinner and his children to feel safe. And every night he wants to walk up the stairs of his own home and see Grace's smiling face...and to live with her there in their home where he can love her for the rest of his life (FC).

When the opportunity presents itself Robert E and Grace decide to buy the home they had been dreaming of. It is a nice cozy house located on main street right near the heart of Colorado Springs. They both had worked hard and saved for it. They paid a total of $700 in cash for their house. You see, Robert E and Grace lived in the barn before they purchased the house. A problem, yes, because the good citizens of Colorado Springs (Loren, Hank, Jake and Dorothy etc.) have never had Negroes as neighbors. However, no hate will stop Robert E, its his house and he is going to live in it. Robert E is a man and the fight he fights against the racist acts of the good citizens of Colorado Springs is "his fight" (FC).

A man of integrity, Robert E holds no grudges. Anytime the opportunity to serve the good citizens of Colorado Springs presents itself you can count on him. Why despite the fact that he nor his children will be able to go to the town's school, Robert E served as architect and foreman for the project. It was present for Brian in hopes that it would speed his recovery from a serious operation. Even when some of the good citizens of Colorado Springs objected to having their picture taken with Robert E, he still repaired Mr. Watkin's camera. Usually when important issues confront the town or lines are drawn in conflict, you'll find Robert E standing side by side with Mike and Sully.

We didn't learn much about Robert E in the third season. Oh, he was there but that's all, he was there.I guess you can say as some have said about Sully, Robert E was doing a lot of window dressing. He made the memorable silver spike for the railroad and engraved it with the words "The Road of Progress We Build Today Will Carry Us Into Tomorrow." He was there for Sully and Mike after the Washita Massacre like they were there for them when the KKK tried to run them out of town. Sully was there for Robert E when he needed help repairing the mule (steam engine). Robert E and Grace were parents to "Lives in Hope" until Cloud Dancing came for him. Robert E decided to rest in his hammock all day when he thought the world would end. But he had felt better at the end of a hard day of work (TEOTW).

Grace wanted to keep Lives in Hopes but Robert E didn't. He wants his own children. Maybe the reason he and Grace didn't have children as of yet was because God was saving them for Lives in Hopes. "But he was an Indian child." Robert E was the last person Grace expected to hear that from. "To do that, in this town would be nothing but trouble. He would know nothing but hate." Lives in Hope would have no one to be with. But who better to understand and take Lives in Hopes than Grace and Robert E. This time Grace was asking too much (W).

When the mule (steam engine) for the Rio Grande Railroad needed repair Robert E was highly recommended to do the job by Dr. Mike. Chances like this didn't come along often. Who knows where it could lead, perhaps a contract with Rio Grande Railroad or Robert E could get hurt. Robert E may have bitten off more than he could chew this time. He, like Mike had something to prove in a world that didn't really see Negroes as competent. Mike's exact sentiments were echoed, "Robert E those folks will blame you if that railroad is delayed in coming." So in many ways but by no means all, he and Mike's fight were same.

"Our lives are so different you can't begin to understand. You don't even know who I am." I guess these are the things his father never taught him because Robert E is the first generation to be free. Didn't he like everyone else have the right to a better life for himself. Robert E had to make sure he choose the right place and time these challenges himself! He needed to stop listening to what others said and listen to himself. So when he successfully repaired the mule (steam engine) he proudly walkedGrace to Loren's store and brought her that $20 cashmere shawl (STMFNTM).

As of yet he and Grace have no children. The reasons for this are not known only hinted at. Or perhaps they don't know the reasons why. I would go as far to say that Robert E and Grace have to be pretty well off, both own successful businesses in Colorado Springs. Robert E and Grace can both read, unusual for ex-slaves perhaps.

The friendship between Sully and Robert E were much more visible during the fourth season. Why you might say that Robert E served as a confident and advisor to Sully. "Just because you had bad luck the first time don't mean it's goin to happen again." You see it hadn't been that long that he and Grace were pretty sure that it would never happen for them but if he had let his child get robbed from him because he was scared, it would have been even harder (OTON).

Robert E was Sully's voice of reason when McBride crossed the line and kidnapped that boy. But Sully rules and McBride's were not the same. Although Ezra didn't want Robert E along he went anyway, "A boy had been kidnapped, I can't sit back and do nothing (DOA). "Woman ain't got no business climbing no mountain. They ain't got the strength or the know how. The first sign of steep climbing you'll be headed right back home."

That about sums up Robert E's perspective on Grace climbing Pikes Peak with Mike, Dorothy, and Myra (TE). Well about Dorothy's book Robert E said, Grace was a great cook and a gracious woman just like Dorothy wrote. People came to the restaurant because of who Grace was and not who she was not. Robert E knew who Grace was, why, she was the only woman in CS 58%People came to the restaurant because of who Grace was and not who she was not. Robert E knew who Grace was, why, she was the only woman in CS lucky enough to be married to him. And of course he was the only man lucky enough to be married to Grace. And that was the truth (TB).

Robert E covered a lot of folk's back fourth season. He was backing Matthew up when Zachry Brent came to town. Ahhha, he and Grace stepped forth right after Dr. Mike and Sully. They backed Matthew up. Matthew wanted Robert E to be deputy but Robert E couldn't help with that. He had already seen his fill of hangings. Robert E supported Matthew in his bid for sheriff he knew such a position needed someone with a level head. He knew if trouble started Matthew would stop it from getting out of hand (TS). He was with the posse that rescued Matthew and Ezra's son. Robert E was well aware that although he lived in town and had a business he was still always colored no mater where he lived. He explained this to Anthony because Anthony thought they weren't colored anymore.

It was Robert E who fired the shot that stopped the mob from hanging Mr. Reed. Yep, Robert E did a lot of sign making too, The Sheriff, The Mayor you name it and Robert E could fix it (TS). And you know those two con men who came to town, they didn't fool Robert E for one minute. His motto, "Money don't work for us we work for money and I ain't givin' it to someone else to spend on something that might not work out. Now Grace wanted to make their money work for them so she invested without Robert E's knowledge cause she thought Curtis (con man) knew what he was doing. But that's alright because Robert E didn't stay mad at Grace at all (TIMC). Robert E won't say no to a pretty lady not if he weren't already married and happily too (COH). :-)

When the bounty hunter came to town and captured an ex-slave, Robert E knew what it felt like. Robert E made Sully promise to look after Grace in case anything ever happened to him. Well, there was something in his past that wasn't the kind of thing that folks would understand. He didn't want Grace to know, the less she knew the better, he didn't want her involved. Robert E killed the man who owned him (Vernon). He killed him with his bare hands. He was escaping with his brother and his brother's son. They waited for the fog to get thick. They waited until it was so thick you could hardly see ten feet in front of you..then they headed for the swamp so the dogs couldn't track them. They heard the dogs barking trying to pick up their scent.

Right before they got out of the swamp he was there standing right in front of them. Vernon shot Joe right off. He asked Robert E if he should drown the boy or just shoot him. He only waited half a second but he said Robert E was too late. Then he walked over and got the boy and he put his head under the water but not all the way, he said he wanted him to see what he did to the boy. He dove under the water and when he came up he was right behind him (COH).

He was trying to shoot him but he got him in a hold that no man could ever get out of. He told the boy to run back and don't say nothing. And Robert E killed him. Sully said, it was self-defense. Robert E says, "Where I come from they call it murder." He was afraid to tell because he thought Grace might leave him (TE).

Grace and Robert E had plenty of space and so they decided to take in Anthony. Oh, Anthony he is the young fellow from Shanty Town that stole Robert E 's and Grace's heart when he stole the apple pie from the cafe. But Anthony was sick. It was as if his body were fighting itself. And Robert E was getting more attached to that boy everyday and Grace didn't want his heart broken. Robert E had plans for that boy. If Dr. Mike could get him well, he and Grace would take him home and adopt him, legal. Robert E asked around Shanty Town but no one even knew Anthony was sick. He carved Anthony a bike but as soon as he gets better he was going to send to Chicago for a real one (COH).

Inconsistencies: One major inconsistency in regards to Robert E is that the story line for him and Grace are not clear as to where their boundaries are in the town or the other Negro citizens. However, it may not be an inconsistency but an indication of the changing time period they were living in. They did have their wedding in the town's church but it was unclear as to whether they are allowed to attend regularly. They are sometimes seen at the services...but in The Operation Episode it was alluded to that the Negro citizens of the town had their own church. During season three and four we see Robert E and Grace both present at most important town meetings. -- Pat Ball [patball@drquinn.com] Sept 19, 1996