My Genealogy Hound

JOHN M. ROE, M. D. The name of this gentleman is familiar to the citizens throughout Berrien County and to the medical fraternity of the State. As a successful practitioner he has become well known, and while his office is located in Buchanan, his practice is by no means limited to that village, but extends throughout the surrounding country. In the diagnosis of cases he is prompt and accurate, and his patients place implicit confidence in his judgment and skill. As a citizen, he is public-spirited and enterprising, and any measure which has for its object the progress of the city or the welfare of its people is sure of his support.

A native of Indiana, Dr. Roe was born in Henry County on the 6th of September, 1824, and is the third child in the family of Eli and Margaret Roe, of whom further mention will be found elsewhere in this volume. At the age of six years he accompanied his parents to St. Joseph County, Ind., where his studies were prosecuted in a private school and afterward carried on for three months each year in the district school. However, his time was principally occupied in assisting his father in the labor of cultivating and improving the home farm, and he gained a good idea of the work incident to carrying on a farm when he was quite young.

At the age of twenty, our subject commenced in life for himself, at which time he accepted a position as teacher in a district school near his home. In that way he earned sufficient money to pay his tuition at the South Bend Academy, where he pursued his literary studies for one term. His medical studies were commenced under the preceptorship of Dr. Dayton, of South Bend, in whose office he remained about two years. Later he took one course of lectures in the Indiana Medical College at LaPorte, and after completing his medical studies opened an office at Goshen, Ind., where he remained for two years. Thence he came to Buchanan in 1851, and now enjoys the distinction of being the oldest resident physician in the village. There are now only four men living here who were residents of the place at the time of his arrival.

In South Bend, Ind., in 1848, occurred the marriage of Dr. Roe to Miss Philenia Chipman, a native of Ohio, and daughter of Holton Chipman. They became the parents of four children, one of whom died in infancy. Lillia E. is the wife of E. H. Clark, and resides in Buchanan; Alison C. is a graduate of the law department of the State University at Ann Arbor, and is now conducting a rapidly increasing practice in Buchanan; Lennie L. died in Florida at the age of twenty-seven. The Doctor and his wife are members of the Christian Church, in which he is serving as Trustee. Socially, he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, although not at present actively connected with any lodge. At one time he was a radical Republican, but his political views underwent considerable change and he became a Greenbacker, and now works with the People’s party. He has served as a member of the Common Council, and has officiated as its President.