William Roach Jr

• General Notes
  • JEREMIAH S. ROACH, formerly a well known and highly respected citizen of Jefferson county, was born April 6, 1789 and died January 26, 1857. He was a son of William Roach, who was born in Ireland, about 1751, son of William Roach, who passed his life in that country. The junior William came to America in colonial days with his brother John, and settled in Kentucky, where they remained until the war of the revolution broke out when they both enlisted in the continental army, and remined together until the battle of Bunker Hill, when they were seperated and John was never afterward heard from by his brother. William served in the army until peace was obtained, and then came to Ohio and located near what is now Toronto. A few years later he moved to section 16 on Yellow creek, where he remained seventeen years, then changing his residence to the site of Mitchell's salt works, where he passed the remainder of his days. He was married while he was in Kentucky to Mary Clark, by whom he had seven sons and three daughters, all of whom are deceased. His wife died July 31, 1833. Their son Jeremiah, received his early education at home, with such limited advantages as were available in those days on the frontier, and in his youth enlisted in the war of 1812, in which he served six months. Returning then to his home on Yellow creek, he engaged in farming, which he followed during the rest of his life. Being one of the early residents, he was widely acquainted, and was everywhere held in high regard. His wife, Sarah, to whom he was married September 6, 1832, was a daughter of Aaron and Sallie (Williamson) Pugh, natives of West Virginia, who settled in Ohio county, and passed their later years there. She died April 20, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Roach had eight children, William P., Elizabeth L., Jane, Moses, Martha M., Sidney, JohnJ. and Mary A., of whom Moses, Jane and John are deceased. Elizabeth L. was married November 21, 1866, to William T. Devor, a native of West Virginia, and now one of the leading citizens of Mingo. They have two sons, Andrew G. and William L.