Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 3.djvu/308

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\"iR(i.\iA r.ior.RAPHY

Roller, John E., l)orn at Mt. Crawford, Kockingham county. \'irginia, October 5, 1844, son of Peter S. Roller, who served as jr.stice of the county court Of Rockingham. and whose wife was a descendant of Chris- tian AUcljach. an early settler in the Perkio- nun X'alley. and of John Boneauvent, an early settler of Colebrook Dale. John Peter Roller, great-great-grandfather of Gen. Roller, was of Huguenot stock, originally from France, and he located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1752, having been the first of the name in this country. Later he set- tled in the Valley of the Hawksbill. now in Page county, Virginia, removing from there to the North Fork of the Shenandoah in Rockingham county, where he was the possessor of an extensive estate. All his sons served in the revolutionar}' army, be- ing attached to the Third Virginia Regi- ment. In 1861. when about to enter the University of Virginia, the war between the states broke out, and John E. Roller attached himself to Company I, First Virginia Cav- alry, and participated in the first battle of Manassas. In the following year he was appointed a cadet in the Virginia Military Institute, from which he graduated July 4, 1863. He was elected lieutenant of Captain Blackford's scouts, and later was appointed lieutenant of engineers in the regular serv- ice. Shortly afterward he was ordered to the institute as assistant professor, but in 1863, on his own application, was ordered to Charleston, served under Gen. Beaure- gard and accompanied him to Virginia in the spring of 1864; was assigned to Hoke's division. Fourth Corps of the Army of North Virginia, as engineer officer, and was promoted two grades for his share in the campaign of 1864 and the defense of Peters-

burg; he organized Companies G and H, Second Regiment of Engineer Troops, win- ter of 1864-65, and served in front of Rich- mond and Petersburg until the evacuation, April 21, 1865. He was paroled at Appo- mattox. In September, 1865, he opened the old academy at Pleasant Grove, and studied law at the University of Virginia the fol- lowing year. He practiced law at Harrison- burg, Virginia, making land law his spe- cialty. He met with much success and be- came the owner of extensive mines and man- ufacturing plants, mineral and timber lands, and real estate in Virginia and other States. He has met with much success as a lecturer, some of the more popular being addresses as follows : "The German Element in Vir- ginia," "Tersteegen," "The Reflex Power of Missions," "Michael Schlatter." and "Robert E. Lee." He is a member and elder of the Reformed Church in the United States, and in 1887 identified himself with the Republican party. He has taken much interest in history and literature and is a member of many societies. Gen. Roller married (first) June 27, 1878, Margaret Rector Schacklett. He married (second) November 11. 1896, Lucy Brown Cabell, daughter of Patrick Henry Cabell, of the distinguished family of that name.

Smith, Francis Lee, born at Alexandria, X'irginia, October 6, 1845, son of Francis Lee Smith, a prominent lawyer, and Sarah Gosnell Vowell, his wife. He was a pupil in the schools of Alexandria, and completed his studies at the Virginia Military Insti- tute, and graduated in 1864. During his ])eriod of study there he served occasionally in the Confederate army, being seriously wounded twice in the battle of New Market.