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The Greater Tallman Newsletter Winter Issue No. 12 1987 page 5
Email from Richard Harrison 28 Oct 1997 14:37 EST.


From a note written by Minnie (nee Roller) Warner to her grandchild Janet Woolley:

“My Grandfather Roller (George W. Roller 1824-1905) came as a land agent (to Iowa) and received his land as his commission. His father (William Roller 1775-1849) was a Lawyer and grandad (George) had had the legal training necessary to take care of legal matters and in the early 50’s (1850’s) rode a horse back and forth from North English to Iowa City to do so. His father or grandfather came from Wurtemberg Germany. Grandad’s wife, Susanne Harrison was a cousin of President Wm H. Harrison, President and it is from her that you get your Indian blood, you no doubt have heard your dad kid your mother about. I heard Aunt Nan (Nancy Jane Roller) tell Glen that this Algonquin squaw who the young Harrison soldier took for a wife was the 7th generation from him-makes you the eigth.”

History of North English, Iowa, written in 1915:

North English was at first called Nevada, and by a few people was dubbed Soaptown, the reason for which is explained elsewhere. The town was laid out by Thomas G. Wafters and Jacob Yeager on June 8, 1855, on the southwest quarter of section 36, township 78, range 10. The postoffice was established about the same time. At the time of its location the town was located on a site now known as the old town. In 1884, when the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad (now known as the Milwaukee Road) came through, the town was moved down to the railroad. Anticipating, however, the demand for lumber which the erection of so many buildings must incur Robert and Samuel Mayne opened a lumber yard in 1883, hauling every stick they handled from South English, through which the B. C. R. & N. Railroad had been built. The first building erected in the new town was the one later used as a hotel; the first store was owned by Curry and Evans, located in a frame building.

Note that the Milwaukee Railroad was a north south line that intersected with the Rock Island Line between South Amana and Homestead Iowa. The Milwaukee Line went into bankruptcy in the 1970’s and seems to be no longer any physical evidence through North English.

Following is from the Celtic Cousins Website: http://www.sycamorecreekdesign.com/familyhistory/smithbrothers.html


”George Roller left North English as did his brothers and went west for the duration of the war. Their wives and children went four years of hardship and heartbreak. Some of George Rollers brothers never returned to North English.
I don't recall of ever hearing the exact date or year that John Roller and Hannah Smith were married. Their first child Ira Ross Roller was born on October 10th 1881. The second Willis born in 1883. The third was a daughter Minnie, I don't know the date of her arrival. The fourth Jennie Ruth born December 24th 1894.

Jennie R. Mangels celebrated her 100th birthday December 24th 1994. She is still living with her daughter Mildred, in Phoenix, Arizona. She is confined to a wheel chair her eyesight is poor; but her mind is very much alert.
John Roller and business partner by the name of George Smith who was no relation of the Ira Smith family operated a cattle buying and selling business. The Roller and Smith families owned a lot of pasture land, also lots of other pasture was available for very reasonable rent.

In the spring of the year they would travel over a large area of Iowa buying cattle. They also attended auctions in Sioux city and Rapids City South Dakota. They would pasture feed these cattle from early spring until fall. Then they would ship them to the Union stock yards in Chicago. Their profit came from the weight these cattle would gain from Spring until Fall. Risky business in dry years. Our Dad and his brother Willis went along on many of these buying and shipping trips.
After several years, grandfather John Roller and his partner became commissioned buyers for Swift Packing Company and managed the Rock Island railroad stockyard in North English. Through the years they prospered well.

By the early 1880's William and Sarah Conroe had reached an age where they were unable to manage their homestead near LeClaire. Their son Sam had left and was living in Ohio. William passed away so Sarah was alone. Harriet and Hannah were in North English. The daughter Jane had married a man whose last name was Kelly. Jane Kelly and her husband took the homestead over as owners.
Sarah Conroe was moved to North English where she spent her remaining years in the care of Eli Smith and daughter Hannah.
The Kellys farmed the homestead until around 1900. At that time they were reaching an age where they were ready to retire.

Jennie Smith Willits had some how became moderately wealthy. She lived in San Francisco. She had no children and was a widow. Her husband s name had never been mentioned that I remember of. Jennie bought the Conroe Homestead from Jane Conroe Kelly and presented it to her father and mother, Ira F. Smith and Harriet, our great grand father and grandmother. She also had a new home built for them. The home was located south of where Richard Roller now lives. A service station is now on that exact site.
Great grandfather and grandmother Smith left North English and retired in the home that Jennie built for them. They rented farmland out to local farmers. The old Conroe home which we now refer to as the house on the hill was also rented out for additional income. Our father Ira R. Roller left North English and lived with his grandfather and grandmother in their new home.
I believe these were the happiest years of our fathers life. He referred to these years as "the days of real sport". He fished and hunted. He made a lot of friends and was accepted and welcomed by everyone.
For a number of years he worked for a contractor building the Interurban Electric Railroad or the C.D. & M RY. Clinton, Davenport & Muscatine Railway.
At that time all of the bridges and trestles were built with plank piling and heavy timbers. So he earned the title and worked as a bridge carpenter.
Dad met and courted Ethel B. Suiter. John Roller and Hannah our great grandfather and grandmother, moved from North English to LeClaire and lived in the W.P. Headly home. This home still stands in LeClaire on Main Street. Grandfather and grandmother lived in one half and the Headlys lived in the other half. Our aunt Ruth, dads youngest sister attended LeClaire school and graduated in 1910.
This account if I have written it so it can be understood by the reader explains the Roller family origin in LeClaire.
On January 1st 1908, Ira R. Roller and Ethel B. Suiter were united in marriage in LeClaire by Captain Wm. A. Shirk. The Shirk home where they were married still stands on south 2nd street directly across from the bank.

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Email from Richard Harrison 28 Oct 1997 at 14:37 EDT.