Henry Roe ¹²

  General Notes:

Henry Roe, deceased, for many years prior to his death, was known as a prosperous farmer and worthy citizen. He became one of the pioneer settlers of Howard county, and his farm in Warsaw precinct is one of the valuable estates in that locality. During the last few years of his life, he made St. Paul his home, retired from active labors, and his wife and children now occupy the residence there. Mr. Roe died, February 11, 1908.
Mr. Roe was born in Pilbery county, Ireland,. on June 28, 1834. In 1850, he emigrated to Canada with his parents and seven brothers and sisters. He soon afterwards settled in Huron county, Ontario, beginning work on his own account, following farming for a number of years.
He was married there to Mary Duke, and to them were born three children, the wife and mother dying four years after her marriage to our subject. Their son, David, is now living in Howard county, and is the father of thirteen children.
In 1863, Mr. Roe was married the second time, to Mary A. McCracken, in Canada. Mrs. Roe was a native of that country, the eldest in a family of eight, and she became the mother of seven children, five born in Canada. In 1872, the family came to Nebraska, locating in Howard county, where Mr. Roe preempted one hundred and sixty acres, and lived on it for six months, then homesteaded on section fourteen, township fourteen, range eleven. This he proved up on, and later purchased railroad land in the same vicinity, and by dint of industry and thrift, succeeded in becoming a prosperous farmer and stockman. He went through many disappointments and hardships in getting started, but always stood for the best interests of his county and state, and his name will occupy an important place in the history of the region.
Mr. Roe was a republican, and was prominent in his party. During the early years, he served as justice of the peace, also was moderator of his school district for a number of years.
Mr. Roe was survived by a wife and four children by the second marriage, the latter named as follows: Susanna, wife of J. H. Morris, parents of two children, they residing in St. Paul; Samuel W., who, with his family, reside on the original homestead; John B., pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Ponca, Nebraska, father of one child; and Ella May, wife of William Harvey, parents of two children, also residing in St. Paul. Mrs. Mary A. Roe, widow of our subject, makes St. Paul her home. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey are living with her. She is a very estimable lady, enjoys the friendship of a large circle of people, and is surrounded by her children who are a source of comfort to her, they all being settled in nice homes of their own within a radius of thirty miles of St. Paul.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Immigration.

• Immigration, 1850, Canada.

• Immigration.

• Immigration, Mar 1872, Nebraska.

• Census, 1880, Dannebrog, Howard County, Nebraska.

Henry married Mary Ann McCracken, daughter of James McCracken and Sarah Ann Welsh, on 12 May 1863 in Huron Co., Ontario, Canada. (Mary Ann McCracken was born on 21 Mar 1844 in Peterborough Co., Ontario, Canada and died on 20 Jan 1933 in St. Paul, Howard County, Nebraska.)

Henry next married Mary Duke.