GENERATION 13

GENERATION 12

Biography

There were a number of families of the name Roe, Row, and Rowe, that emigrated to America prior to 1650, but none can be positively connected to HUGH ROE. It is believed that HUGH ROE landed at or near Weymouth, Norfolk, MA, in 1642. It appears that HUGH stayed in Weymouth about 16 years.

The fact that the name of HUGH's first wife is unknown, suggests that they were married in England before leaving for America. Three daughters were born in Weymouth before her death about 1653-4. HUGH married second, about 1654-5, in Weymouth to Abigail, last name unknown.

There is no record of HUGH's occupation in Weymouth, between 1642 and about 1657. However, some time after the birth of Samuel he seems to have begun a search for "greener pastures." The first move may have been to Martha's Vineyard, as reported by one source. The family was probably living in the southeastern part of Connecticut in 1661, when his oldest daughter, Mary, married William Dudley, Jr. of Saybrook. He may have been in Hartford, Hartford, CT, in 1663, as a "sealer of leather (tanner)."

Sometime before 1674, HUGH was granted land in Suffield, Hampshire, MA (prior to Suffield being part of Connecticut). He was one of 38 who voted that year in Suffield's first Town meeting. He was unquestionably among the earliest settlers of Suffield, evidenced by the fact that he and his son, Samuel, had 80 acres of land, "bounded west on High Streete, north on Feather Streete, extending east 3/4 of a mile." "High Streete" is now Main Street, so the ROE property, as described, constituted much of the southeast portion of the present inner town.

HUGH's principal means was in "tilling of the soil." He had continually moved westward and northward, from the thin rocky coastal land of southern Connecticut to the rich Connecticut River Valley. In Spencer's "History of Suffield", HUGH is referred to as Goodman ROE, reflecting the status of the founding father's of Suffield. The developers of the town were known as "gentlemen" and the farmers as "goodmen."

In 1675, most of Suffield was burned by the Indians and the settlers fled to Springfield, Hampden, MA. It was a dark year for every family and there is no record of a Town meeting until 1676, when they returned and rebuilt from ashes. Apparently the settlers formed some kind of military home guard at this time for better protection. In 1678, HUGH ROE petitioned the Town court for "exemption from militery service" on the grounds of infirmity, and the request was granted.

This period had to be extremely hard on the ROE family and all others in Suffield, but they survived and ultimely thrived. Whether HUGH's infirmity was the result of the Indian attack and ensuing year of hardship is unknown, but he was then 61 years of age and apparently was soon unable to do active farm work. He was licensed to open a tavern or inn in 1681, probably Suffield's first. Also, he was Town constable during his last few years, after 1684.

HUGH died, in Suffield, Aug. 5, 1689. His will, filed in North Hampton, divided his estate between his son, Peter, and his living daughters. It also provided that his wife, Abigail, be cared for by Peter. Presumably this clause was because she was ailing, which was confirmed by her death Sep. 3, 1689, just one month later.