268
\"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.
