Roach - Henry J.
Source: History of Montgomery County, Indiana.
Indianapolis: AW Bowen, 1913, p. 846
The progenitors of Henry J.
ROACH, the efficient and trustworthy manager of the Crawfordsville Water &
Gas Co. were on the paternal side, natives of Ireland, in fact, no further back
than the father, however, the major portion of his life was spent in the US.
However, our subject seems to have inherited many of the winning and
commendable traits of the Celtic race. Mr. Roach was born in Chicago, May 4,
1866, son of henry J. and Sarah WATT Roach. Henry J. Roach was born in Cork,
Ireland and he was 3 when his parents brought him to America and here he grew
to manhood and was educated. When a young man he took up railroading and being
alert and industrious as well as trustworthy, his rise was rapid and he
followed this vocation all his active life, reaching responsible positions and
becoming widely known as a railroad man in the Middle West. His last official
position was that of division superintendent of Logansport, Detroit &W
abash Railroad, which responsible post he held for a long period with the usual
satisfactory and laudable results. He is now living in retirement with his son,
Henry J in Crawfordsville. His wife passed to her eternal rest in 1891. Henry
J. Roach received a good common school education and he began life for himself
not by following in the footsteps of his father in a business way and entering
the railroad field, but by taking up the water works question which he has
continued to the present time, having mastered the various ins and outs of this
line. For a number of years he had charge of gangs building water works plants
at different places such as Danville, Champaign, Aurora, and other places in
Ill and Ind and later he had charge of plants in these two states, also Ohio
giving eminent satisfaction in all of them. In 1912 he came to Crawfordsville
as manager of the Crawfordsville Water & Gas Co which position he is
holding at this writing and he is doing much to improve the local plant and
service. Politically, he is a Democrat, but he has never been especially active
in public matters. Religiously, he belongs to the Presbyterian church and
fraternally is a member of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks. Mr. Roach
was married Dec 23, 1893 to Dolly Campbell of Logansport, Indiana the daughter
of Maurice and Mary Campbell an excellent family of that city where they have
long resided. To our subject and wife have been born 3 children: Esther, Gladys
and Mildred, all at home and attending the local schools.