Notes for JOSEPH ETLING ROE:

Son of Erastrus Gilbert Roe.
Born: October 28, 1844 in Virgil, Cortland County, New York.
Died: June 27, 1917 in Spokane, Spokane County, Washington.
Buried: Greenwood Memorial Terrace, Fairmount Memorial Park, Spokane, Spokane County, Washington.
Occupation: Farmer.
Census:
1870 - Union Township, Fulton County, Illinois.
1880 - Cub Creek, Jefferson County, Nebraska.
1900 - Jansen Village, Jefferson, Nebraska. (Last name indexed as Rowe.)
1910 - Ward 4, Spokane, Spokane County, Washington.
Residence: 1846-1871 - Union Township, Fulton County, Illinois.
1871 - Cub Creek, Jefferson County, Nebraska.
Military Service: Enlisted at Avon, Illinois in August, 1862, Company I, Seventy-Second Illinois Infantry. Member of Chicago Board of Trade Regiment. Discharged, July, 4, 1865. (See below for more.)
Married: Almira Malissa Edom 1869 in Unknown.

1870 Census

1880 Census
name: J. E. Roe
residence: Cub Creek, Jefferson, Nebraska
birthdate: 1845
birthplace: New York, United States
relationship to head: Self
spouse's name: A. M. Roe
spouse's birthplace: Illinois, United States
father's name:
father's birthplace: New York, United States
mother's name:
mother's birthplace: New York, United States
race or color (expanded): White
ethnicity (standardized): American
gender: Male
martial status: Married
age (expanded): 35 years
occupation: Farmer
nara film number: T9-0750
page: 589
page character: D
entry number: 2016
film number: 1254750
Household Gender Age
J. E. Roe M 35
spouse A. M. Roe F 36
child Minnie Roe F 10
child Arthur Roe M 7

1900 Census
name: Joseph E Rowe
titles & terms:
residence: Jansen village, Jefferson, Nebraska
birth date: Oct 1844
birthplace: New York
relationship to head of household: Self
spouse: Almira M Rowe
spouse's titles & terms:
spouse's birthplace: Illinois
father:
father's titles & terms:
father's birthplace: New York
mother:
mother's titles & terms:
mother's birthplace: New York
race or color (expanded): White
head-of-household name: Joseph E Rowe
gender: Male
marital status: Married
years married: 32
estimated marriage year: 1868
mother how many children:
number living children:
immigration year:
enumeration district: 0083
page: 9
sheet letter: B
family number: 146
reference number: 84
film number: 1240930
image number: 00750
Household Gender Age
Joseph E Rowe M
spouse Almira M Rowe F
child Arthur C Rowe M

1910 Census
name: Joseph E Roe
birthplace: New York
relationship to head of household: Self
residence: Spokane Ward 4, Spokane, Washington
marital status: Married
race : White
gender: Male
immigration year:
father's birthplace: New York
mother's birthplace: New York
family number: 167
page number: 7
Household Gender Age
Joseph E Roe M 65y
Almira M Roe M 66y
child Arthur C Roe M 36y

Joseph E. Roe, who is living in Cub Creek township, has made his home in Jefferson county since 1871 and has therefore been a witness of much of its development and upbuilding. He was born in Virgil, Courtland county, New York, on the 28th of October, 1844, a representative of one of the old families of that portion of the country, distinguished for loyalty in citizenship and for honor in business life. His paternal grandfather, Ira Roe, was one of the defenders of the American liberties in the Revolutionary war. The father, Erastus G. Roe, was born in New York, and was a cousin of the well known author, E. P. Roe. After arriving at years of maturity he married Miss Catherine Morse, who was born in Cortland county, New York, and in 1846 they emigrated westward to Illinois, settling in Fulton county among the early residents who took up their abode in the vicinity of Virgil. The father died at Avon, Illinois, when seventy-nine years of age, and the mother passed away at the age of seventy-six years. They were the parents of but two children, the daughter being Elizabeth Chatterton, who is now living at Avon, Illinois.

Joseph E. Roe was only about two years of age at the time of his parents' removal from the Empire state to Illinois, where he was reared upon the home farm, working in the fields and meadows, when not occupied with the duties of the schoolroom. He has followed agricultural pursuits throughout his entire life, continuing in that business in Illinois until 1871, when he came to Nebraska and purchased a deed to land. Here he has since resided and is devoting his time and energies to agricultural pursuits in Cub Creek township. Many difficulties and discouragements had to be faced and overcome. Great blizzards occurred during the winter months, and the hot winds of summer proved very detrimental to the crops. Grasshoppers, too, came down upon the country in great swarms and for several seasons entirely destroyed the fields of grain, but Mr. Roe persevered, making the most of his opportunities and to-day he is the owner of a rich and arable farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He has considerable land planted to alfalfa, and he also raises many kinds of grain adapted to soil and climate. He now has a large barn thirty by forty feet, and a pleasant home which was erected at a cost of three thousand dollars. It is located five and a half miles northeast of Jansen in a good neighborhood, and altogether the farm is regarded as one of the best in the locality.

At the time of the Civil war Mr. Roe manifested his loyalty to the Union cause by enlisting at Avon, Illinois, in August, 1862, as a member of Company I, Seventy-second Illinois Infantry. He became a member of the Chicago Board of Trade Regiment, which made a most creditable record in the Civil war. He was under Captain Harvey, who was the grandson of an old Methodist circuit rider of Illinois in pioneer times, Richard Harvey. The colonel was F. A. Staring, of Wheaton, Illinois, who was succeeded by Colonel Wright, who had formerly been lieutenant-colonel. The regiment was ordered to Cairo, Illinois, and after two weeks went to Paducah, Kentucky, later proceeding to Columbus, Kentucky, and on to Moscow, Tennessee. Mr. Roe was in the engagements at LaGrange, Tennessee, and Holly Springs, Mississippi, was at Yazoo Pass, subsequently proceeded to Helena, Arkansas, on transports, and returned later to Millikin's Bend, and participated in the siege of Vicksburg under General Grant, aiding in the capture of that important point; also saw service in the commissary department for a time and in the provost department. Subsequently he returned to Vicksburg and joined General Thomas' troops at Nashville, Tennessee. He went to Columbia, Tennessee, to meet General Hood's forces and was in the battle of Franklin, one of the most hotly contested engagements of the Civil war. He was also at the siege of Nashville for eighteen days and was later in the hospital there. He came to know the full meaning of war with all of its hardships and sorrows, but he never faltered in the performance of any duty and was ever most loyal to the starry banner of the nation. At length he received an honorable discharge on the 4th of July, 1865, and returned to his home. The country owes a debt of gratitude to the Union soldiers that can never be repaid and their memories will be honored as long as this nation endures.

Mr. Roe was married in 1869 to Miss Almira M. Edon, who was born in Pike county, Illinois, and was reared and educated in that state. Her parents, John and Emeline Edon, were natives of England and both died in Illinois. Two years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Roe came by team and wagon to Jefferson county, and their first home here was a sod house eighteen by twenty-four feet. They have one son, Arthur C. Roe, who assists in the operation of the home farm. They also lost a daughter, Minnie, who died at the age of thirty years. She had been a successful and popular music teacher, and she was greatly loved for her many good qualities of heart and mind, for she possessed a loving disposition and her life was characterized by many kindly acts. Mr. Roe is a Republican in his political views, and socially he is connected with the Knights of Pythias fraternity. In 1895 he made a trip to California, but soon afterward returned to Jefferson county and has remained continuously in this part of the state, his residence here covering over a quarter of a century. He stands to-day as a respected and honored citizen of the community, for at all times he has been an advocate of its best interests and as a citizen he is as true and loyal to his country to-day as when he followed the old flag on southern battlefields. It is his present intention to soon leave Nebraska to settle somewhere upon the Pacific coast.
(Source: A biographical and genealogical history of southeastern Nebraska Vol 2 by Lewis Publishing Company; 1904)