The Smiths and the Rollers
LeClaire Township Scott County Iowa

Ira F. (Fuller) Smith, retired farmer, LeClaire, was born in Washington Co., PA., on the 5th of December, 1804, son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Fuller) Smith. The family consisted of five sons and two daughters, three of whom are now living.

Before the Roller family's origin in LeClaire can be clearly understood, we must go back to the year 1829 and prior years.

Two brothers, Martin Smith and his brother Nathan, left their home in Green County Pennsylvania, both of them about 16 and 18 years of age. Fabulous stories of untold wealth from lead mines in Galena lured them to travel on foot to Galena to seek their fortune. Most of their journey from Pennsylvania was through unbroken wilderness.

These two brothers arrived in Galena with the clothes on their back, one rifle and a knife. Galena was not what they expected to find. They worked at hard labor in open pit mines for long hours and low wages. But they stayed and worked for several months, saved some money and traveled to Dubuque's where lead mines were being developed.

Martin and Nathan were not satisfied with the conditions in Dubuque, with no hope of anything better than hard labor and low wages. They traveled down river to a settlement which is now LeClaire.

Some local historians have written that Nathan and Martin were in this area prior to 1829. Some say as early as 1823. The information I have is based on what I remember of hearing Great Grandmother Harriet Conroe Smith & Grandmother Hannah Smith Roller, the wife and daughter of Ira F. Smith the 2nd relate many years ago.

Sisters of Grandmother Hannah Smith Roller namely; Rodella Smith Miller, Jennie Smith Willits. Great Aunts of mine and my brother and sisters gave the same version.

Martin Smith settled on the island down river from LeClaire, which is still known as Smith's Island. A few steamboats were navigating the river at that time; coal mining was not yet developed in this vicinity. The steamboats depended on wood to generate steam, sources of ready cut wood were few, on this part of the river. Martin and Nathan cut and sold cord wood for unbelievable profit at that time. Their life style and living conditions were similar to the Sauk and Fox Indians who were still living in this area. They were on good terms with the local Indians.

Nathan married an Indian and left this area with his Indian wives people. To my knowledge there isn't any record of him after leaving here.

Sometime during this period Martin married. The only children I have heard mentioned were two sons namely Martin 2nd and Fuller. There may be other children.

In 1832 Martin had saved enough money to buy passage on a down river steamboat to the mouth of the Ohio River and returned to Greene County, Pennsylvania. The only family I have ever heard of when he returned were two brothers, Ira F. Smith and Eli Smith.

Ira Smith with his wife Nancy and children came to LeClaire and lived for a time on the Island. Two of these children should now be brought to our attention. These two brothers sons of Nancy and Ira Smith were Ira F. Smith the 2nd and Eli.

These two brothers have an important role in the Roller family origin in Scott County.

Martin had established himself long enough on this island to be the legal owner. He had salvaged lumber from the wrecks of Keel boats that met with disaster on the LeClaire rapids and built a cabin and shelter for the family. The cutting of cord wood resulted in enough clear land to raise a garden. With fish from the river and game from the mainland they managed to survive.

Ira Smith was not satisfied with life and condition on this island so with his wife Nancy and children they moved to the mainland. He took a claim on the land near LeClaire. He and his sons continued to cut cord wood for which there was becoming in more demand.

Later Martin moved to the mainland. With his sons Martin and Fuller they built a grist mill and powered it with a water wheel. The rapids had a fast enough flowage that a small dam could dwert enough water to turn a power wheel.

By the year of 1836 settlers were coming in increased numbers. Martins brother Eli moved here and settled north of the town of LeClaire. This may have been Parkhurst at that time. The south was known at one time as Berlin.

Eli and his sons started and operated the stone quarry at the north edge of LeCalire.

The Smith families prospered in work on the land and also some of them became prominent river men.

Around the year 1835 or 1836 , William and Sarah Conroe bought a parcel of land from the government. Richard Roller lives on some of this remaining Conroe homestead. Our aunt Jennie Ruth Mangles owns a part of this origin William and Sarah Conroe purchased. William Conroe came here from Ireland. I have never known where Sarah Huffman Conroe's family was from.

Before going any farther into the family record; I will bring to attention the names of the Conroe Children. They are as follows, one son Sam Conroe and three daughters, Harriet, Hannah and Jane.

The Smiths and Conroes living close to each other became acquainted. In the year 1846 the Mexican War broke out. Ira Smith the 2nd enlisted also his cousin Joe the son of Eli joined up. They spent more than a year in what is now the state of Texas and along the Rio Grande River and both of them were in for the duration of the war. When the war was over they returned to LeClaire where they stayed until the year of 1854.

At that time these two brothers Ira 2nd and Eli married two Conroe sisters. Harriet and Ira were united in marriage the other sister Hannah married Eli.

Ira and Eli with their brides decided to move about 100 miles west of LeClaire where new land was offered for sale by the government to new settlers for one dollar per acre. The settlers were allowed to buy 160 acres per family.

Eli and Hannah settled near the present town of South English which is in Keokuk County. Ira and Harriet settled a few miles to the North near the present town of North English.

I have never known how many children Eli and Hannah had but I remember a daughter Mary Smith Green and sons Todd and Homer. I am sure there were several more besides these three.

Ira and Harriet were the parents of three daughters, Hannah Smith Roller, Jennie Smith Willits and Rodella Smith Miller.

The George Roller family settled near Ohio. I don't know the year they came. I remember of meeting all of them. George 2nd, Henry, Nathan, Michael, Wilson, John and two daughters, Mary Roller Johnson and Nan who never married.

I remember family talk of attention that great grandfather George Roller earned when the Civil War or what the older members call the War between the States broke out.

George Roller and his brothers were radically opposed to this war. They all believed that it could have been resolved by a blockade of railroads, steamboats and stopping all commerce with the southern states. Their logic was that the deep South depended on the export of their cotton. They had a few textile mills but nothing else to offer the World Trade.

The North had control of all manufacturing and railroad transportation. Plus the US Navy. The South could not have survived without support and trade off the North. Politics and propaganda by both sides led Americans into four years of Americans slaughtering Americans.

I heard our great grandmother Harriet Smith say it was the most shameful and disgraceful four years of American history.

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.

Smith family history