Reuben Roach [34699]

  General Notes:

His estate was probated on Apr. 26, 1795 at Rockingham Co., VA.

From Tim Roach on the Roach Rootweb message board:
"In a flurry of patriotism, four members of the Roach family volunteered to fight in the Revolution. Absalom enlisted on February 13, 1779; and Jonathan, David, and Reuben Roach enlisted on January 26, 1779, days after their cousin Ambrose Madison was appointed Captain of the regiment. Reuben died less than three months later. (Elizabeth Petty Bentley. Virginia Military Records. Baltimore. Genealogical Publishing. 1983. pp. 1-3.)

Some family researchers have speculated that the Reuben Roach who died was the father of the Roach family listed below. However, in 1787, Reuben Roach, an adult, was living in Rockingham County and very much alive. Either rumors of his death were greatly exaggerated, or the deceased Reuben was simply a son of the family. Also, Reuben R. Roach, described on all the land deeds as a member of the family, was born in 1785 - so the father of the family seemingly was alive at that time.

The first records of Reuben Roach can be located in Orange County,
where Reuben's father David resided. In 1766 Reuben was shown as paying one tithable in Orange County. (Barbara Vines Little. Orange County, Virginia Tithables 1734-1782. Part One. p. 84.) Around 1762 Samuel Dalton brought a complaint against Reuben in court and asked to have Roach arrested, but the case was eventually dismissed. (Court Order Book 7. Orange Co., Virginia. pp. 48, 76, 200.)

In 1760 Reuben purchased 175 acres of land in Orange County on a
branch of Taylor's Run at the foot of the great mountains from Moses Harris, a cooper. In 1767 Reuben and his wife Esther sold this same land to Samuel Bullis. The deed was not recorded until 1772, but Esther was present to witness her approval. (Deeds. Orange Co., Virginia. Vol. 14. pp. 46-48; 204-206. Copies.)

In 1775 Reuben bought another 50 acres of land in Orange
and Rockingham counties at the foot of the great mountains. He and his wife Esther sold that land in 1780 to Francis Meadows. (Deeds. Orange Co., Virginia. Vol. 16. pp. 339-341. Vol. 17. pp. 380-382. Copies.)

In the early 1770s Reuben moved his family to Rockingham County,
Virginia. Frances Kirtley and Reuben bought 150 acres of land in Rockingham County on March 15, 1770. (Peter Cline Kaylor. Abstract of Land Grant Surveys 1761-1791. Dayton, Virginia. Shenandoah Printers. 1938. p. 60.) This was the same 150 acres of land that Absalom Roach gave to his son-in-law in Absalom's will: "land for which the said Absalom Roach holds Frances Kirtley's little bond bearing date this 4th day of September 1778, which little bond is filed
in a suit heretofore defended in the County Court of Rockingham between Honorius Powell, Plaintiff, and the said Roach, Defendant." The land was situated partly in the County of Rockingham and partly in the County of Orange on the Blue Ridge. (Will of Absalom Roach. Rockingham Co., Virginia. Vol. 1. p. 168. Copy.) The papers filed with the suit in 1826 contain a survey of that land and a bond from Francis Kirtley giving Reuben Roach the title to this land. (Court of Appeals. Rockingham County, Virginia. 109 L. Copy.)

In 1788 Reuben was taxed for one horse; in 1789 he paid taxes for this 150 acres of land in Rockingham County. (John W. Wayland. Virginia Valley Records. Strasburg, Virginia. 1930. pp. 47, 115.) By 1795 Reuben had acquired another 61 acres of land; until 1803 Reuben, or members of the family, was still paying tax on the 150 and 61 acre parcels. (Tax list. Rockingham Co., Virginia. Microfilm 0029964. Church of the Latter Day Saints.)

According to Jonathan Roach's Pension File, in 1832 Jonathan had lived in Monroe County for forty-seven years. Around 1787-1788 many members of the Roach family moved there. But Reuben Sr., Absalom, and Samuel stayed in Rockingham County. They are on the tithable list in 1792 - Samuel and Absalom immediately after Reuben. At this point, Reuben was old enough to be clear of levies. (Harry M. Strickler. Rockingham County, Virginia Tithables for 1792. Luray, Virginia. 1930. p. 60.)

In 1792 one of the Roaches of Rockingham County was brought to court and fined for the profane swearing of two oaths and being drunk. (Constance A. Levnison and Louise Chambers Levinson.
Rockingham County, Virginia. Minute Book No. 2. p. 58.)

The children in the family are very well-documented from land deeds.
Deeds filed in Rockingham County, Virginia, in 1816 list the brothers of Samuel Roach as David, Reuben, Jonathan, Jeremiah, and Absalom, all living in the appropriate counties. (Deeds. Rockingham Co., Virginia. Vol. 3. pp. 305-306. Vol. 4. pp. 88-90.) A quit claim deed filed in Monroe County on November 13, 1820, lists the brothers and sister of Micklebury Roach - David, Reuben, Jonathan, Jeremiah, and Frances Siers. (Deed. Monroe Co., Virginia. Vol. G. p. 335. Copy.)

On March 28, 1795, Samuel Roach appeared in court to administer the
estate of Reuben Roach. (Court Minute Book. Rockingham Co., Virginia. Book 3. p. 24.) On April 26, 1795, Samuel Roach, John Smith, and Daniel Baugher posted a $400 bond to serve as administrators of the estate of Reuben Roach, deceased. Because the court house records of Rockingham were burned several times, no record exists of the settlement of Reuben's estate. (Administrator Bond. Rockingham County, Virginia. LDS. 0033505. Copy.). He was a Farmer.

He appeared on the census of 1810 at Monroe Co., VA.

Reuben married Esther Unknown [34700] [MRIN: 11793] before 1759. (Esther Unknown [34700] was born in 1740 and died after 1785 in Rockingham County, VA.)