Pleasant Roe

Pleasant Roe

Pleasant Roe was born in 1821, the fourth child of John Roe and Judith Clayton. He married about 1843 to his first cousin, Melissa Roe, born about 1826 to John Roe's brother, Samuel J. Roe, Sr. and his wife, Rosannah Stevens.

His grandson remembers that he had the brown eyes of the maternal side, i.e. Clayton side of the family. Pleasant was employed by his Uncle Samuel Roe, Sr. , and while he was thus employed, he fell in love with Samuel's young widowed daughter, Melissa Roe Blackburn. She had previously married in the early 1840's to a Blackburn, but as far as is known, was childless. Pleasant worked for his Uncle Samuel both in Rapides Parish and Natchitoches Parish.

Pleasant and Melissa Roe lived some time in Winn Parish near the old Sam Roe place, and some on Iatt Lake where the fishing was excellent, and some near the Prospect Community. Melissa died March 15, 1868 and it is believed that she is buried in an unmarked grave in the Spring Hill Cemetery which is about four miles from Pleasant and Melissa's old house place. Pleasant died on December 24, 1873 and is buried in an unmarked grave in a cemetery about six miles beyond Ennis, Texas, from Midlothian in Ellis County, Texas. One of his descendents, Vera Sebren Webb, says he died as the family was moving, between making crops.

According to Eliza Jane Roe McKay, Melissa's sister, Pleasant was a Cavalryman in the Civil War. There are two Pleasant Roes and one P. Roe listed as serving in the Confederate forces during the War between the States, but the following is most probably our Pleasant: "Roe, Pleasant - was Sergt. Co. Reserve Corps. La. Rolls of POW, CSA - Paroled At Alexandria, Louisiana, June 5, 1865. Residence: Rapides Parish, Louisiana (Now Grant Parish)."

After Melissa's death in March of 1868, the family moved to Houston County, Texas, where they lived until 1869 and where he apparently married Ann Bolin (Bunion). By 1870 they had moved to Van Zandt County, Texas where they lived until 1873. He did not live with "Annie" long and then remarried to Mary Snow and to them was born a son, Wesley W. Roe in about 1872, it is believed. They moved to Ellis County in 1873 where he died on December 24th.

1850 Census - Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana


May 16, 1851

Succession of Judith Roe filed in Caldwell Parish, with her son Pleasant Roe as executor of the Estate - lists him as residing in Natchitoches Parish.

July 10, 1851

Book B, Page 417, Caldwell Parish Deed Records: Sold 160.10 acres and an adjoining improvement containing 18 acres for $200 to Rankin S. Scott, witnessed by John Straughan and R. Duckworth.

1850 Census - Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana



1860 Census - Rapides Parish (Now Grant Parish) Louisiana
Name Age Sex
Pleasant Roe 39 Male
Melissa 34 Female
Samuel C. 16 Male
Judith E. 15 Female
Abby Frances 12 Female
Pleasant S. 10 Male
Henry S. 8 Male
Isabella Ann 7 Female
Sara Jane. 6 Female
William 5 Male
Peter B. 2 Male
Marion 1 Male
Mary Lenora 1/2 Female

1860 Census - Rapides Parish (Now Grant Parish) Louisiana
Name Age Occupation State of Birth
Pleasant Roe 48 Farm Laborer Louisiana
Annie 26 Keeping House Arkansas
Frances 23 At Home Louisiana
Pleasant 21 Farm Laborer Louisiana
Henry 19 Farm Laborer Louisiana
Isabel 17 At Home Louisiana
Sarah 16 At Home Louisiana
William 14 At Home Louisiana
Peter 12 At Home Louisiana
Marion 11 Female Louisiana
Laura (Mary Lenora) 10 At Home Louisiana
Melissa 3 At Home Louisiana
The oldest boy, Samuel C. Roe, had already married and he and his family are also listed in the 1870 Census of Van Zandt County, indicating they moved to Texas along with his father, Pleasant. The second child and oldest girl, Judith, did not come to Texas with the family as explained under her name. Cynthia, born in 1864, Catherine born in 1865, and Daniel Morris, born in 1866-67, apparently died as infants or at an early age, as they were not listed in the census and no trace of them has been found by researchers. This would indicate that Pleasant and Melissa had 15 children and since Melissa died in March of 1868, it would appear that the baby child, also named Melissa for her mother, would have been an infant - if the mother did not die in childbirth as so many mothers of that day did.


Children of Pleasant Roe and Melissa Roe Blackburn



Children of Pleasant Roe and Mary Snow




Samuel Clayton Roe and Cynthia J. Greer
(1st Child of Pleasant Roe & Melissa Roe)

Samuel Clayton Roe

Samuel Clayton Roe was born July 1, 1844 in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, (near Alexandria), the first child of Pleasant Roe and his wife, Melissa Roe (Pleasant being the son of John and Melissa being the daughter of Samuel, brothers), (both sons of John Roe and Judith Clayton).

"Enlisted at Monroe, Louisiana, on April 12, 1864 as private or ordinary seaman on the U.S. Steamer "Juliett" and served during the Civil War on US Iron "Choctaw," Hospital Ship "Pinckney", and "Fawn", and was honorably discharged on April 11, 1865 at Helena, Arkansas."

He was married on August 31, 1865, near Alexandria, Louisiana, by a Rev. W. H. Bellamny (Vol. 18, Page 24, Rapides Parish Marriage Records) to Cynthia Ann Greer. She was born February 13, 1841 in Pike County, Mississippi. Samuel Clayton Roe was 5' 7" tall, of rudy complexion, had blue eyes and dark hair.

According to census records, their first three children were born in Louisiana, but there seems to be some variance on the times or dates of their succeeding moves. According to their son, B. F. Roe of Fort Worth who was 85 years old (in 1960) he contended that they did not leave Winn Parish, Louisiana, until after the birth of their fifth child on November 15, 1873 and that he (B. F.) was the first born in Texas. On the other hand, the fourth child, Erova Ann, who was born November 15, 1873, contended she was born in Johnson County, Texas, and it was so recorded on her death notice.

However, on September 18th, 1918 in Samuel Clayton Roe's "Declaration for Pension" as a veteran of the Civil War, he stated that the family "lived near Alexandria until March of 1868, in Houston County, Texas, until 1869, in Van Zandt County until 1873, in 1874 in Ellis County, in Johnson County until 1883 when they moved to Wise County". This account is borne out by the contention of Erova Ann Roe, as well as, the 1870 Census of Van Zandt County, Texas, as follows:

1870 Census, Van Zandt County, Texas
Name Age Occupation State of Birth
Samuel Roe 26 Farm Laborer Louisiana
Cynthia 28 Keeping House Mississippi
Frances 4 Louisiana Louisiana
Melissa 3 At Home Louisiana
Louisiana 1/2 At Home Louisiana
Samuel Clayton Roe was a farmer all of his life, but his son, B. F. Roe, said he always provided well for his family. They were of Baptist faith.

He died January 12, 1919 at their home at RFD 3, Box 37, Decatur, Wise County, Texas. Cynthia Jane died on the night of January 22, 1919 and both are buried in the Pleasant View Church Cemetery about 3 1/2 miles northeast of Bridgeport, Texas.




Frances Jane Roe
and husband
Will Giles

Frances Jane Roe was born July 23, 1866 in Winn Parish, Louisiana. She married on February 8, 1884 to W. B. Giles who was born November 12, 1859. W. B. Giles died January 21, 1935 and Frances Jane died March 4, 1952. They are both buried in Pleasant View Church Cemetery, near Bridgeport, Texas, in Wise County.

Children of Frances Jane Roe and Will Giles

Frances Jane Roe


Melissa Adeline Roe

Melissa Adeline Roe

Pictured: (Back Row) Charlie Green, Frankie, Minnie, Sally, Willie
(Front Row) Almyra, John G. Green, Maudie Lee (in mothers lap), Mary

Melissa Adeline Roe was born November 6, 1867 in Winn Parish, Louisiana. She married on February 14, 1886 to J. G. Green. She was married three times before her death on June 20, 1959 at the age of 91 years, 6 months and 20 days. They had ten children




Mary Louisiana Roe

Mary Louisiana Roe

Mary Louisiana Roe was born November 4, 1869 in Winn Parish, Louisiana and was brought to Van Zandt County, Texas as an infant. She was listed with her parents, Samuel Clayton Roe and Cynthia Ann Greer Roe in the 1870 Census ofVan Zandt County, Texas.

She married February 5, 1891 at Decatur, Texas to Joseph William Tull who was born April 5, 1870 at Canton, Texas and died April 8, 1953 at Canton. Mary Louisiana died in 1932 and they are both buried in the New Hope Cemetery near Wills Point in Van Zandt County, Texas. Joe Tull's mother died when he was only a few weeks old and his father, Thomas Jefferson Tull, married Abby Frances Roe who was a sister to Sanuel Clayton Roe, Mary Lou's Father. Thus, although Joe and "Lude" (as she was affectionately known) were no blood kin, Lude's aunt Abby Frances raised him from an infant. Joe and Lude lived all of their married life in Van Zandt County. They had four sons: Benjamin Franklin Tull, Erwin Joe Tull, Ernest Collier Tull, and Haskell Jim Tull.




Pleasant Wesley Roe

Pleasant Wesley Roe

Pleasant Wesley Roe was born December 6th, 1871 apparently in Van Zandt County, Texas, since from all records his parents were living there at the time of his birth. He married October 20th, 1890 to Para Lee Giles who was born September 19th, 1871, and who died about 1945.

There is a marker in the Pleasant View Cemetery near Bridgeport, Texas, where many of the Roe family are buried, which reads:

"S. G. Giles - March 8, 1836 - died January 28, 1912".

This must have been the father of Para Lee Giles, W. B. Giles who married Frances Jane Roe and J. E. Giles who married Erova Ann Roe.

There is another marker in the same cemetery which reads: "Elmer E., daughter of P. W. and S. P. Roe, born 11-17-1892" - death date covered over with dirt and could not be read. This apparently was a child of Pleasant Wesley Roe. He and his wife had ten children whose names only are known to us. In 1960 he was still living in Oklahoma.




Erova Ann Roe

Erova Ann Roe

Erova Ann Roe was born November 15, 1873 in Johnson County, Texas. She married April 9, 1905 to J. E. Giles who was 29 years of age. She moved with her parents to Wise County in 1883 when she was ten years old. She died on Sunday, January 31, 1960 at the age of 86 years, 1 1/2 months after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage on January 16th. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Bridgeport where funeral services were held with burial in the Thomas Cemetery. Surviving her were twelve children, 62 grandchildren and 123 great grandchildren.




Benjamin Franklin Roe, Sr. (Frank)

Benjamin Franklin Roe, Sr.

Benjamin Franklin Roe, Sr. (Frank) was born April 3, 1876 in Hill County, Texas. He married April 9, 1905 to Eva S. Stevens who was born October 31, 1886, and died January 4, 1957 and is buried in Mount Olive Cemetery in Fort Worth, Texas. She was the daughter of G. W. Stevens who died May, 1908 at Dan in Wise County, Texas, and his wife, Annie Mays Stevens who died November, 1886 at Dan, in Wise County, Texas.

B. F. and Eva were married at Decatur by W. J. Porter. He finished school at North Texas College in Denton, Texas; taught school for 35 years in Texas and Oklahoma (Mostly at Decatur) and served three terms as County Superintendent of School in Wise County. He studied music under the late A. J. Showalter, wrote and published many songs and was an accomplished pianist. He was a Baptist and taught a men's Bible Class for many years. He was about 85 years of age when he died.

Benjamin Franklin Roe, Sr. and Family

Children of Benjamin Franklin Roe, Sr.
and
Eva S. Stevens




Samuel Newton Roe

Samuel Newton Roe

Samuel Newton Roe was born August 12, 1879 in Johnson County, Texas. He married August 12th, 1901 to Mary Susanna Barnett who was then 18 years old. She was called Suda or Suzzie by members of the family. Samuel Newton receivedhis name from Samuel, his father, and his uncle Isaac Newton Greer. Samuel Newton Roe died April 30th 1913 and Susanna Barnet Roe then remarried to a Wagner and finally to a Winchester. She was born August 13, 1884. Their children: Gladys Roe, born July 28, 1902, a boy who was stillborn in 1903, Roxie Roe, born May 8, 1905 and Retha Roe born July 3, 1906.





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Linda B. Shull

All contents copyright © 1996, Linda B. Shull. All rights reserved.
Created May, 1996
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