James T. Roe
SOURCE: "Early History and Pioneers of Champaign County, Illinois," by Milton W. Mathews and Lewis A. McLean, editors of the Champaign County Herald, published by the Champaign County Herald, 1886
JAMES T. ROE is remembered as a somewhat eccentric man who would not swap his opinion for that of any man. He was born in Orange county, New York, August 4, 1793, and settled in Shelby county, Kentucky, before coming to Illinois. He was married to Lillis BUSEY, daughter of Isaac BUSEY, the pioneer of Urbana, June 19th, 1831, in Kentucky. The same year the young couple came to Illinois and purchasing the land and improvement of Runnel FIEDLER, who was the pioneer and first settler of this county, settled on section 12, Urbana, now owned by Bate SMITH. Mr. Roe laid off four additions to Urbana, built several houses, and took a great interest, while he lived, in its prosperity. Although he began life here with eighty acres he rapidly accumulated and when he closed his business preparatory to his anticipated death, he had near nine hundred acres of the finest land in the county. Mrs. Roe, after being an invalid for many years, confined to her bed for five years, died in November 1860. He died August 23, 1866. They left two sons surviving them, five other children having preceded them to the silent land.