A prominent agriculturist of Whiteside County, he came to the township of Lyndon Oct. 22, 1864, and bought an improved farm, located on sections 13 and 14, which was originally owned by Brainard Orton, a pioneer of the township of 1837. Mr. Roe paid $12,000 for the farm, which comprised 440 acres. It is pleasantly located on Rock River, and is one of the most desirable estates in the county, on account of the situation and grade of cultivation. Mr. Roe set out about six miles of hedge on the farm after it became his property. In 1874 he rented the place, and removed to Lyndon village.

He was born in Vermilion Township, Richland Co., Ohio March 14, 1817, and is the son of Thomas D. and Elizabeth (Holmes) Roe. His father was born in 1779, seven miles south of Goshen, the government seat of Orange Co., N.Y. and was of English and German extraction. His mother was a native of New Jersey, and her father was a Judge in her native state. They were united in marriage in 1802, and two years later Mr. Roe, senior, set out for the West, the frontier then being in Ohio. The party, consisting of father, mother, and one child, traveled across the intervening country in a wagon drawn by a pair of horses, and they terminated their journey in Jefferson County, where they were pioneers. Thomas D. Roe entered the military service of his country in 1812, and after the war in 1814 he removed his family t Vermilion Township, in Richland County, and was the third white settler who took possession of a claim with his household. In 1833 they removed to Springfield, in the same county, where the father died in 1857. The death of the mother took place in 1874. They had nine children.

Mr. Roe, of this sketch is the sixth in order of birth. At 15 he took into his own hands the responsibility of managing his own career. He obtained employment at Sandusky City, where he worked for $8 per month, chopping cord-wood and doing chores on a farm nights and mornings, continuing in that manner about one year, when he borrowed money and purchased a span of horses, by which means he was enabled to engage in draying in the city of Sandusky. He conducted his business in that line until 1838, when he returned to Richland County.

In the month of December, in that year, he married Mrs. Concurrence (Orton) Magnor. She was the daughter of Dennis Orton and the widow of William Magnor. They had seven children, four of whom are now living, viz: Olive, who is the wife of George Chamberlain, of McPherson Co., Dakota, Oliver, who lives in Washington Territory; Margaret J. who is the wife of Henry Wilser; Joseph, who lives in Nebraska. Mrs. Roe died Feb. 18, 1876. Mr. Roe was again married Dec. 23, 1876, to Mrs. Clarinda L. (Herrick) Dimmick. She was born July 20, 1822, in Hubbardton, Rutland Co., VT. She was married to Gilbert H. Dimmick, Nov. 17, 1841, and became a widow July 29, 1873. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dimmick, and three are yet living, as follows: Fayette T. lives in Exeter, Neb., Ida E. is the wife of Thomas Dallam of La Salle, Ill; and Scott lives in Battle Creek , Iowa.

In 1840 Mr. Roe bought 80 acres of land in his native township. He pursued his purpose and plans there until 1864, meeting with success through the exercise of the quality of energy and common sense that never fail in the farmer's case to yield their sure reward. He was enabled to add to his estate until he was the owner of 210 acres. He sold his land in 1864, at $60 per acre, and within the year found himself located, as stated, in Lyndon Township.

Mr. and Mrs. Roe are still in vigorous health, and are living in the quiet enjoyment of which they have clear title through their lives of well-directed energy and purpose.

History of Whiteside County - Website of Linda Croucher