ROACH, Henry Lewis - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

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."