Thomas Roe
of
Reed Township
Will County, Illinois
Submitted by William Brackett
Thomas Roe was born in Lancashire, England on 29 Aug 1820 the son of Henry and Mary (Knight) Roe. Thomas married Sarah Hill in England in 1840 and they immigrated to America about 1855, first to New York and then moved to Chicago. In 1865 they moved to Will County, Illinois and bought 80 acres of land. They later owned a farm of 200 acres. Thomas Roe was a member of Primitive Methodist Church and was a local preacher for over 20 years. Thomas Roe died on 09 Apr 1892 and his wife, Sarah (Hill) Roe died on 14 Jul 1879. They are buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Braidwood, Will County, Illinois. The Wilmington Advocate carried a death notice of Sarah (Hill) Roe on 25 Jul 1879 and it reads: “DIED In Braidwood on the 14th of consumption, Sarah wife of Thomas Roe, aged 57 years. Funeral services will be preached on tomorrow evening at the Primitive Methodist church.”
The 1851 census of Burbage Chapelry of Leicestershire County, England includes:
Thomas Roe 30 years of age Coal Dealer
Sarah Roe 29 years of age
Henry Roe 10 years of age
Charles Roe 9 years of age
Mary Roe 8 years of age
Thomas Roe 2 years of age
According to files found on www.rootsweb.com Henry Roe was born on 23 Apr 1786 in Kilby, Leicestershire, England. Henry Roe married Mary Knight on 24 Nov 1807 in Burbage, Leicester, England. Mary Knight was born on 01 Jan 1791 in St. Mary’s, Leicestershire, England. Henry was the son of George and Sarah Roe. The children of Henry and Mary (Knight) Roe are listed as:
John Roe b. 13 Dec 1810 in Burbage, Leicester (Leicestershire)
Henry Roe b. 01 Jul 1808 in Burbage, Leicester
Sarah Roe b. 03 Apr 1816 in Burbage, Leicester
*Thomas Roe b. 16 Sep 1821 in Burbage, Leicester
Eliza Roe b. 01 Apr 1824 in Burbage, Leicester
Charles Roe b. 02 Nov 1826 in Burbage, Leicester
William Roe b. 08 Apr 1830 in Burbage, Leicester
*Note there is a discrepancy between the birth date of this Thomas Roe and the date include in his brief biography above.
In 1860 Thomas and Sarah (Hill) Roe can be found in the census of the 10th Ward of Chicago:
Thomas Roe 40 years of age born in England a Laborer
Sarah Roe 38 years of age born in England
Henry Roe 19 years of age born in England
Charles Roe 17 years of age born in England
Mary Roe 15 years of age born in England
Thomas Roe 6 years of age born in England
Sarah Roe 3 years of age born in Illinois
Mary Roe 72 years of age born in England
By the 1870 census this family had moved to Reed Township, Will County, Illinois:
Thomas Roe 49 years of age born in England a Farmer
Sarah Roe 48 years of age born in England
Thomas Roe 15 years of age born in England
Sarah Roe 12 years of age born in Illinois
and next door:
Charles Rowe 26 born in England a Plasterer
Frances Rowe 26 years of age born in New York
Thomas Rowe 4 years of age born in Illinois
Charles Rowe 1 year of age born in Illinois
Charles Roe/Rowe had married Frances Upson about 1865. Their first son was Thomas Gates Roe. Frances was the daughter of Gates and Elizabeth (Williams) Upson of Niagara County, New York and later of Berrien County, Michigan.
In the 1880 census of Reed Township, Will County, Illinois:
Thomas Roe 60 years of age born in England a Farmer
Thomas Roe 20 years of age born in England
Charles Roe 37 years of age born in England a Brick Mason
“Francas” Roe 34 years of age born in Michigan
Thomas Roe 15 years of age born in Illinois
John Roe 12 years of age born in Illinois
Richard Roe 8 years of age born in Illinois
Maud Roe 7 years of age born in Illinois
May Roe 5 years of age born in Illinois
Janes Roe 2 years of age born in Illinois
Henry Roe 39 years of age born in England a Farmer
Harriet Roe 28 years of age born in Illinois
William Roe 13 years of age born in Illinois
Ida Roe 9 years of age born in Indiana
Muzetta Roe 7 years of age born in Illinois
Thomas Roe 5 years of age born in Illinois
Lowdena Roe 2 years of age born in Illinois
Note: It appears this Charles Roe died on 13 Aug 1888. The Wilmington Advocate carried an obituary for Charles J. Roe on 01 Sep 1933 and it reads: “Charles Joseph Roe passed away very suddenly at his home south of Custer Park, August 13. He was born in Chicago on October 3, 1868 the son of Charles and Frances Roe. He married Melvina E. Yeates in Salina on October 14, 1891, and is survived by the widow and two daughters, Mrs. Olive Bonile of Kankakee, and Mrs. Mae Tyler, of Shelby, Indiana. Two children preceded him in death. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon in the Baptist church with the Rev. Marshall Rice, of Wilmington, officiating. Mrs. Ada Anderson and Mrs. Alice Defanett sang Jesus Savior Pilot Me and Face to Face. Mrs. Alice Larsett served as accompanist. Pallbearers were six nephews, Charles, Dennis, John, Howard, William and George Roe. Interment was in Custer Park cemetery.”
The 1900 census of Reed Township, Will County, Illinois:
Henry Roe 58 years of age born Jul 1841 in England a Farmer
Harriet R. Roe 50 years of age born Apr 1850 in Illinois
Lodemia R. Roe 22 years of age born Feb 1878 in Illinois
George L. Roe 18 years of age born Dec 1881 in Illinois
Dennis R. Roe 14 years of age born Dec 1885 in Illinois
Charles C. Roe 11 years of age born Oct 1888 in Illinois
Sarah Annie Roe 65 years of age born May 1835 in England a Farmer
Thomas T. Roe 24 years of age born Aug 1875 in Illinois a Farmer
Clara Roe 25 years of age born Oct 1874 in Illinois
Thomas Roe 49 years of age born Aug 1851 in England a Coal Miner
Isabella Roe 38 years of age born May 1862 in England
Annie Roe 18 years of age born Aug 1881 in Illinois
Susanah Roe 16 years of age born Feb 1884 in Illinois
J. Thomas Roe 15 years of age born Mar 1885 in Illinois
Albert Roe 13 years of age born May 1887 in Illinois
Peter Roe 10 years of age born Jul 1889 in Illinois
E. Barbara Roe 8 years of age born Jan 1892 in Illinois
John Roe 4 years of age born Jul 1885 in Illinois
Laura Roe 1 year of age born Aug 1898 in Illinois
The 1910 census of Reed Township. Will County, Illinois:
Harriet R. Roe 60 years of age born in Illinois Farmer
Robert D. Roe 24 years of age born in Illinois Farmer
Charles C. Roe 21 years of age born in Illinois Farmer
Sarah A. Roe 74 years of age born in England Farmer
Thomas T. Roe 34 years of age born in Illinois Farmer
Clara J. Roe 35 years of age born in Illinois
The 1920 census of Reed Township, Will County, Illinois:
Dennis R. Roe 34 years of age born in Illinois Contactor
Blanche Roe 34 years of age born in Michigan
Blanche Roe 14 years of age born in Illinois step-daughter
? Wierf Roe 9 years of age born in Illinois
Dennise Roe 6 years of age born in Illinois
Dorothy Roe 3 years and 9 months old born in Illinois
Thomas T. Roe 43 years of age born in Illinois Farm
Clara Roe 45 years of age born in Illinois
Charles Roe 31 years of age born in Illinois Farm
Josephine Roe 28 years of age born in Illinois
William Roe 5 years of age born in Illinois
Charles Roe 3 years of age born in Illinois
Margaret M. Roe 8 months old born in Illinois
Margaret A. Culley 65 years of age born in Ireland mother-in-law
Ralph Culley 27 years of age born in Illinois brother-in-law
Note: I focused on the “Roe” spelling of the name in the Will County, Illinois census records. There are also individuals spelled “Rowe” in these records that may be related.
Margaret "Sis" (Roe) Ruffino
Margaret Ruffino "Sis" (nee Roe) Age 90, of Verona, IL, formerly of Braidwood, IL, passed away Thursday, March 4, 2010 at River Shore Care Center in Marseilles, IL. Born June 11, 1919 in Braidwood to the late Charles C. and Marie Josephine (nee Culley) Roe. Member of the First United Methodist Church of Seneca, Order of the Eastern Star, Holly Chapter #183 in Braidwood for 50 years, and a former member of the First Presbyterian Church in Braidwood. Margaret retired from the Braidwood Grade School after 20 years of employment. She greatly enjoyed spending the winter months in Texas. She also enjoyed crocheting and playing cards. Surviving are one daughter and son-in-law, Dana and Ron Flynn of Verona; two grandsons, Mike (Julie) Flynn and their children, Erica, Andrea, and Leah, of Odell, and Paul (Angie) Flynn and their children, Hunter and Holden, of Verona; one brother, Harry Roe of Verona, one sister, Lois (Jake) Volk of Regina, Saskatchewan; and several nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death was her husband, Mitchel Ruffino; two brothers, William Roe and Chuck Roe; and special friend, Ward Adrian. Funeral services will be at the R.W. Patterson Funeral Homes, Ltd., Braidwood Chapel, Monday, March 8, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Tom Bourke officiating. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Wilmington, IL. The visitation will be Sunday, March 7, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and also Monday, March 8, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials in her name to Donor's Choice would be appreciated. R. W. Patterson Funeral Homes, Ltd. 401 E. Main St., Braidwood, 815-458-2336
Published in Herald News on March 5, 2010