JOHN R ROE, b 20 Oct 1828

ROE, MCHERTER, STREET, STEADMAN, MCCRACKEN, MOULDS

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 10/9/2004 at 08:13:27

Washington Township possesses no more worthy citizen than the subject of this sketch. Careful, temperate, and industrious, he has been endowed by nature with all the Christian virtues, and is regarded in his community as one of its most useful and reliable men. He is a farmer by occupation, a Republican in politics, and a Deacon of the Congregational Church as Green Island; which church he assisted in building up, and to which he has contributed a liberal support. The property of Mr. Roe embraces 179-1/2 acres of thoroughly cultivated land, located on sections 15 and 16. He makes a specialty of live-stock, shipping about two car-loads of swine annually, and fifty or sixty head of cattle. He also has a goodly number of first-class road and draft horses, and in every department of his farm has indicated his close attention to business, and his skill and thoroughness in his labors.

Our subject is of excellent parentage and ancestry; being the son of Daniel J. and Sarah (McHerter) Roe, who were natives of New York State, and the latter of English blood, with a tincture of Irish. The paternal grandfather of our subject was born in Scotland. The parents were married in New Jersey, whence they returned to their native State, and there spent the remainder of their lives; the father dying in 1886, when about eighty-six years old, and the mother, in 1868, at the age of fifty-seven. They were the parents of four sons and seven daughters, who lived to mature years; and one, who died young. John R. was the eighth child, and was born in New York State, Oct. 20, 1828.

The boyhood and youth of our subject were spent at the homestead, in his native State, where he received limited educational advantages, and began working at an early age, as his parents were by no means wealthy, and the children were obliged to assist, as soon as able, in adding to the family income. John R. remained a member of the home household until 1850, and on the 11th of October, that year, was married to Miss Caroline Street. This lady was the daughter of William and Sophia (Steadman) Street, who were natives of New York State. The father was an engineer, mostly employed in a paper-mill. The mother departed this life prior to the Civil War, at the age of fifty-five years. Mr. Street survived his wife until 1872, and died in the city of Rochester, N.Y., at the age of seventy. They were the parents of nine children, six daughters and three sons, all of whom grew up, and of whom Mrs. Roe was the sixth in order of birth. Her native place was Dansville, Livingston Co., N.Y.

Mr. and Mrs. Roe lived in Livingston County, N.Y., three years after their marriage, then set out for the young State of Iowa. Coming to this county Mr. Roe took a contract to furnish 18,600 ties for the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad Company. This he completed successfully, and gave employment for some time to a number of men. Later he removed with his family to Mower County, Minn., and pre-empted 160 acres of land, including the present site of the city of Austin. He sojourned there for a period of seven years, and then, after the outbreak of the Civil War, enlisted Aug. 20, 1862, in Company C., 38th Iowa Infantry, and was mustered into service at once. They drilled for a time at Dubuque, and in the course of three months were ordered to the front, and around Memphis, Tenn., as a guard for the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. Thence they went to St. Louis, and from there to New Madrid, where they engaged in several skirmishes with the enemy. Their next objective point was Vicksburg, where our subject was present during the siege of the city; but being taken ill was placed in the hospital at that point, from which he was removed to Memphis, and finally transferred to Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis. After his recovery, in 1864, he was assigned to another division of the army, called the Veteran Reserve Corps, which was engaged in guarding prisoners. In the pursuance of this duty Mr. Roe assisted in the transfer of 22,000 captured rebels, from Palmyra, N.Y., to an ocean vessel. After that for some time he continued to go back and forth, from North to South, as an escort for prisoners, and was thus occupied for about six months. At the close of the war he was in Boston, guarding Government stores, and there received his honorable discharge, in July, 1865.

Mr. Roe was in the army three years, and home only once, on a furlough. After his return from the army Mr. Roe soon settled on the farm which he now owns and occupies, and which he purchased in 1868. He put up his house the following year. His prosperity has been due to hard work and good management. The family of children born to them were named respectively: John A., Ida, Josephine (deceased), Charles, Mattie, Will, George, and Rose. John A. married Miss Margaret McCracken, and they have three childen - Mary, Minnie, and Nettie. Ida is the wife of Martin Moulds, and resides in Dakota; they have five children - Jennie, Carrie, Robert, Charles, and Pearl. Charles is unmarried, and farming in Dakota. Mattie is the wife of Edward Moulds, of Dakota, and they have three children - Harvey, Edith, and Margaret. The other children of our subject and his estimable wife are at home with their parents. The family occupy a high position in the community, and enjoy the friendship and acquaintance of its best people.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)