Nathaniel Roe

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="0a5d05a3.jpg"> <div> Orange County, New York</div> <div> American History and Genealogy Project</div> <div> Nathaniel Roe</div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="0a6d2123.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/orange/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/or"><U>Orange County AHGP/ALHN</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/state/"><U>New York AHGP/ALHN</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://ahgp.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://ahgp.org"><U>AHGP</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://alhn.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://alhn.org"><U>ALHN</U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="623" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 960 WIDTH="617"><div> <B><IMG SRC="069c00b0.jpg" border=0 width="192" height="267" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Old English Text MT" >I</FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Georgia" >S known throughout the Church as “The Elder.”  His sacred memory is kept before those who knew and loved him, by his faithful children’s tribute of a memorial window in the Chester Presbyterian Church.</FONT></div> <div>      He was recognized by all who knew him as a man worthy of being an elder in that Church.  He is known as the man of God who went about doing good.</div> <div>      He was the eldest son of William and Mittie Mapes Roe, born November 11th, 1815, and showed his Scotch blood in his rugged character.  Owing to the death of his parents he went, at the early age of eight years, to live with his grandfather, Thaddeus Seely, and after his death, lived with his son Gabriel Seely, in Chester.  His wife, Sarah Board Roe, who still lives with her son Henry, was of as notable a family as her husband.  She was the daughter of General Charles Board and Joanna Seely, and was born January 7th, 1815, at Boardville, N.J.  She was the granddaughter of Joseph Board, who with his two brothers, James and David, emigrated from Wales and settled at that place, where they had charge of the iron works and owned some fifteen hundred acres of land—in Pompton Valley.  She and her husband, who were of the same age, began housekeeping at the old homestead, near Oxford Depot, in 1843, immediately after their marriage, which took place on April 1st of that year.  Here their six children—live Sons and one daughter—were born.  The daughter, Hannah E., died in 1884.</div> <div>      In 1855 they left the farm now occupied by their son, Thomas B., moving to the new farm now occupied by their son Henry, and where Mrs. Roe still lives.  They began life with moderate means, but by 1867 they had by their frugality and thrift gathered together enough to warrant them in building the spacious and substantial residence on this new farm and in sight of the Grey Court Depot. Mrs. Roe is recognized by all as a very modest, retiring woman, but a faithful, intelligent, Christian mother, wife, friend and neighbor.  Her large benevolence is well attested every year by her gifts to Missions and all worthy causes of the Church.  The children show the stamp of their mother’s character in godliness, upright dealing and careful business management.  The sons say of her that “ she dealt out the Catechism for heart and mind, as well as the slices of bread for the body, and they rise up and call her blessed.”  Mr. Roe was given a liberal common school education and was trained from his infancy in the principles of Christianity.  Very regular in his attendance on divine ordinances he was converted in the prime of manhood was chosen to the eldership while quite a young man, September 16, 1849, and served in that relation for thirty-live years, or until his death, December 9th, 1884.</div> <div>      He was of a quiet, retiring disposition, very kind as a husband, exemplary as father in his home, energetic and decisive in business.  His children realized that his word was law, and while not stern, he was firm and decided.  His was a home in which the family altar appeared in a strong light.  Night and morning thanks were offered to God for all His goodness.  The pastor and the flock were not forgotten, nor were the poor or the godless.  He was a man of large sympathies, but not demonstrative.  There was a sincerity in his utterance and such a kindly heartiness in his doing that his words always carried weight with them.</div> <div>      He was a Democrat in politics and served the Town of Chester three years as its assessor, representing it also in 1877 in the Board of Supervisors.  His business ability was recognized by his neighbors, and he was made one of the directors of the Chester National Bank in 1879, in which position he continued till his death.</div> <div>      His falling asleep at the threshold of three score years and ten has probably been felt by the Church of which he was a member, and the poor of the community, more than that of any other man who has passed away in the last quarter of a century.  But Christ was more real to them because this man had lived with them and had showed him to them.</div> <div>      While the loved ones mourn and wait, they are assured that he who taught them how to believe in Christ is waiting for them.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="pg37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Walter B. Conklin"><U>Next Page</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="pg1.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Table of Contents"><U>Table of Contents</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>