ROACH, Henry Lewis - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

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ROACH, Henry Lewis

Source: Crawfordsville Review June 12, 1886 pg. 1

Hon. Henry Lewis Roach, a prominent citizen living 7 mi. W. of Alamo, died at his home on Monday, May 17, 1886 at 7 o'clock p.m. of cancer in the stomach. Mr. Roach was born in Bath Co, Ky. Nov 21 1817. His parents were John W & Eliz. (Morgan) Roach. He removed with his parents to Rush Co, this state July 1828 and in the summer of 1834 they removed to the No. part of Parke Co. He was married in Fountain County, Jan 14, 1836 to Frances Allen, daughter of Thomas & Eliz. (Summers) Allen. Mrs. Roach died Nov 25, 1856. Mr. Roach removed to Fountain County in March 1857. He was married a second time, May 19th, 1857 to Mary A. Allen, widow of Elijah Allen and daughter of Judge M. Black of Fountain Co. Mr. Roach was one of the pioneers of Northern Parke Co. He bought land in the unbroken forest and cleared out his farm. He was an active, energetic and useful citizen, an honest, true and respected neighbor, a kind and affectionate husband and father and a true Christian Gentleman. Politically he was Democrat until 1876 when he became identified with the Nationals. He, as a Democrat candidate, was elected from Fountain County to the state legislature in 1864 and served in that position with distinction and honor. He was a carpenter, farmer and stock dealer, a member of no church, but a firm believer in the religious doctrine of the Regular Predestinarian Baptist church and he died with a firm belief that he would receive a future reward of happiness, or as he express it, "I feel a rest of conscience that I have tried to do right and believe I will be justly dealt with after death."

Source: Covington People’s Friend 10 June 1886 p 8

Hall of Wallace Lodge No 195, F&AM Wallace May 20, 1886
In kind remembrances of our deceased brother, Henry L. Roach will say in regard to his social and masonic biography that he was born in Bath County, Ky Nov 21, 1817 and departed this life May 17, 1886, leaving a devoted family and numerous relatives and kind friends to mourn their sad bereavement. Br. HL Roach petitioned Wallace Lodge for membership Dec 18, 1874 while said Lodge was yet under dispensation.  His petition having received the approval of the Lodge he was initiated to the degree of an Entered Apprentice Jan 15, 1875 and after making suitable proficiency in that degree he was passed to the degree of Fellow Craft, Feb 19, 1875 and after he had become proficient as a Fellow Craft he was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason March 19, 18875 and during his sojourn among us he was always to be found squaring his actions by the square of virtue and ever keeping in full view of the great Lights of Masonry. And in conformity to Masonic usage and at the special request of our deceased brother, whose memory we revere and whose loss we now deplore, assembled ourselves in the character of Masons and resigned his body to the mother earth whence it came and offered up to his memory before the world our tribute of affection thereby demonstrating the sincerity to our ? esteem and our steady attachment to the principles of the order. The Great Creator having been pleased out of his infinite mercy to remove our brother from the cares and troubles of a transitory existence to the state of eternal duration and thereby for weaken the Fraternal chain by which we are firmly united may we who survive him anticipate our approaching doom and be more strongly cemented in the mystic ties of brotherly love and affection, union and friendship, that during the short space allotted to our present existence we may wisely and usefully employ our time and in the reciprocal intercourse of kind and friendly acts mutually promote the welfare and happiness of each other.  Unto the grave we have consigned the body of our deceased friend and brother there to remain until the general resurrection in favorable expectation that his immortal soul may then partake of the joys which have been prepared for the righteous from the beginning of the world. And may the great, grand architect of the universe of his infinite goodness at the grand tribunal of unbiased justice, extend his mercy toward him and all of us and crown our hopes with everlasting bliss in the expanded realms of a boundless eternity we implore for the honor of his name to whom be glory now and forever more, amen. So more it be – by order of the Worshipful Master and consent of the brethren… HJ Holman, Sec.
Resolution of Condolence – Hall of Wallace Lodge No 85, F&AM Wallace, Ind May 20, 1886
To the Warden and Brethren of said Lodge: Your committee appointed to draft resolutions expressive of condolence in regard to the death of our worthy and beloved brother, Henry L. Roach who died May 17, 1886 respectfully beg leave to submit the following:
Whereas, the Grand Architect of the universe in his infinite wisdom has seen fit to call from his labor here below, to his rest and reward in the Grand celestial Lodge above, our worth and beloved brother, Henry L. Roach; therefore be it:
Resolved that in the death of brother Henry L. Roach the craft has lost a cherished brother, the relatives a kind and generous friend and the community a good and useful citizen whose works of charity and honest integrity has kept a bright record in our hearts and whose example is worthy of imitation.  Resolved, that in the death of brother Henry L. Roach we feel that he is not lost to us, but has only taken his earthly demit from his Lodge below to the Grand Celestial Lodge above where reigneth forever perfect peace and harmony and where divine wisdom rules in love supreme over all spirits that are called worthy to walk the gold paved streets of the New Jerusalem.  Resolved, that while we humbly submit to the will of Him who doeth all things well, we do most deeply sympathize with the bereaved family of the deceased and their numerous relative sin their sad bereavement and may He who tempereth the wind to the shorn lamb be their future strength and sosace. Resolved, that these resolutions be spread upon the records of the Lodge and that we request their publication in the People’s Friend and Resolved, that the secretary will see that the family of the deceased brother are provided with a copy thereof – HP McClary, VJ Day, HJ Holman, Com.

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Hon. Henry Lewis Roach passed through the last wave of trouble and sorrow, pain and affliction, for the unknown, encampment beyond the Jordan at 7 o’clock p.m. Monday the 17th day of May 1886. He left to his family, relatives and friends the highest consideration of a well spent, useful and honorable life. His highest ambition was to elevate himself and family into the highest respect of honor among all people.  One of his constant aims in society was to be a gentleman – a man in every respect, ready to undo wrong at any moment.  He was enrolled in the front ranks of public spirited men, ready to help with ability and means any good and laudable enterprise.  We say it with pride that the most vivid monument, he has builded in the hearts of his friends and neighbors is the one that radiates his kindness, justice and devotion to his wife and family.  He was mortal – a man – he had faults as the best of men have, yet the mantle of virtue encircling his whole life will serve as a star gleam of high respect as truly worthy for all to follow and emulate.  To the Christian world that have a thousand doubts, uncertainties and conflicts, we can say that he bravely passed them all.  He was satisfied with his choice of life.  He was firmly committed and left no possibility of unresolved doubt. He had peace of conscience.  He had the strong hope of heaven and the assurance of his Father’s love and that he would be treated justly by Him.  He was buried in the Wolf Creek Cemetery May 19, 1886 in the honors of the Free and Accepted Masons, conducted by Wallace Lodge and assisted by neighboring Lodges, especially Hillsboro and Alamo and let us gently compliment them for the simplicity, systematic and orderly demeanor in which they executed their high and solemn duty.  It was a pleasure mixed with mourning to see the noble order conducts its last sad rites in memory of one of its honored dead with such earnest precision and accuracy of movements, free from all pomp and show, yet as honorable and brave men doing their duty to the dead for the benefit of the living, showing to all that they were not fearful of death for as such did their brother die. He died as the truly brave man, not afraid to die, knowing well that he would then be in the hands of the Lord – that the great, busy, bustling world would move on as though nothing had happened that even the old clock standing on the mantle, looking on in serene silence, would go on ticking as though nothing had happened and in this way admonishing all to proceed, faithful and constant with the duties of life.
His funeral was preached by Rev. Joseph Swearenger at the residence of the deceased being attended by a large circle of relatives, neighbors and friends.  Immediately after the funeral service, he was taken in charge by the Masons, reviewed in the yard by many friends, mourned and looked upon for the last time by the family and from thence removed to the grave.  
Henry L. Roach was born in Bath County, Ky Nov 21, 1817.  His parents were John W. Roach and Elizabeth (Morgan) Roach.  In the spring of 1828 in company with his parents, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio coming down the Licking River in a rude flat boat. Remaining a short time only in Cincinnati, they removed to Rush County, this state in the latter part of July 1828, stopping about 10 miles southeast of Rushville. From thence to Decatur County in 1830, back to Rush Co near Laurel on the west fork of White River. They also lived in Franklin County.  In the spring of 1831 HL Roach set out on foot from near Laurel with but 75 cents in his pocket to defray expenses to Parke County.  His object being to build a house for his father’s family – to obtain teams to remove them here and prepare other things for their coming.  He walked the entire distance, coming  by way of Greenfield, Indianapolis, Jamestown and Crawfordsville and after building a house and securing two teams he returned to Rush County, the teams following him a month later.  He removed his father’s family to Parke County in the summer of 1834, his father remaining behind to complete a job of carpenter work, HL providing winter quarters and and supplies for his father’s family, he being at that time only 17 years old.  He was married in Fountain County Jan 14, 1836 to Frances Allen, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Summers) Allen.  She was born in Morgan County, KY July 20, 1816 and died Nov 25, 1856 leaving 10 children in the care of her husband. HL Roach moved to Fountain County in March 1857 on the farm he died on.  He was married the second time May 12, 1857 to Mary Ann Allen (Black) widow of Elijah Allen.  She survives him with six children by Black and three by Allen.  He bought his first tract of land, 65 acres in 1840 paying for it with money earned by building flat boats and running them down Sugar Creek to the Wabash receiving 62 ½ cents per day.  Many pleasing remanences did he tell of those early days of boat building and boat steering as being some of the happiest days of his life.  He was one of the chief carpenters in building the old White and Russel flouring mills, his work always giving good satisfaction.  Under the old township organization of this state he filled many of its offices.  He was Inspector of Elections in Sugar Creek Township, Parke County holding this position for a number of years, resigning it for the position of Township Trustee, being elected Trustee of Sugar Creek Township in 1854 holding this position  until he left the county in 1857.  In those days he was one of the best debators of this section, posting and gaining information from books secured from the Parke County Library at a rental of 10 to 50 cents per month, not being allowed to keep any one book over 30 days.  But the strange part of it is that he seldom ever spoke in public, only in debating societies where he was always logical and frequently eloquent.  The first office bestowed on him in Fountain County was that of Assessor of Jackson Twp.  In the summer of 1864 he received the nomination for Representative and was elected at the fall election, serving in that important position in the turbulent and exciting Legislature of 1865, both of the regular and call sessions. Many new and important position in the turbulent and exciting Legislature of 1865 both of the regular and call sessions.  Many new and important questions having to be met and disposed of. In after years he was the nominee of the democratic party for Treasurer of the county. Politically he was a life long democrat until 1876 from which time he was in sympathy with the Greenback or National party.  His early reading was from the writings of Jefferson and Calhoun being his especially favorite among all public men, frequently saying, “he is unanswerable on the tariff, finances and domestic rites of States.”  But when we speak of political honors we speak of things that soon fade and pass away. There is no way in which any man can make so much less with all its faculties and opportunities as by giving himself as Roach did to making the world better and happier.  In political work he may do much and labor for the right, yet never do anything for which the world would ever thank him, but when he has given his time, influence, money and accomplishments to the life work of brining men to a true knowledge of citizenship, educating men for the good of society and pointing out where the true life is to be found, he will make for himself a lasting name in the hearts of all good people.  He will have many to do him honor that never knew him before.  Let all those who are waiting and mourning in anxious homes for the beloved ones and for those that come not back, emulate and practice the good deeds and admonitions of those for whom you mourn. Their work is done; they have entered into rest; the honor roll has been called and the mansions of rest are open to welcome them in … DW Cunningham  

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