Obituary of Governor John Seldon Roane, Jefferson Co, Ar

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Submitted by: Paul V. Isbell < >
 Date: 1 May 2011
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Roane, John Seldon 
Born: Jan. 18, 1817 
Died: Apr. 8, 1867 

Brigadier General, Arkansas Governor. Born in Lebanon, Tennessee, his uncle,
Archibald Roane, was a former Tennessee governor. John Roane attended Cumberland
College in Kentucky. In 1837, he relocated to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, to study law
with his brother, Samuel Calhoun Roane, an Arkansas plantation owner, attorney
and politician. John Roane became a prosecuting attorney for the Second Judicial
District at Van Buren, Crawford County. Arkansas. He returned to Pine Bluff in
1842, and served in the House of Representatives from 1842 to 1844. In 1844, he
was named Speaker of the House. Two years later, Roane was involved in the the
Mexican War, becoming second in command of Archibald Yell's Arkansas regiment.
He fought in the Battle of Buena Vista, which claimed the life of Archibald
Yell. There was controversy over leadership of the troops in that battle,
primarily from Albert Pike, who eventually fought a duel with Roane in 1847. The
duel took place, but neither man was harmed in the incident. Roane became the
fourth governor of Arkansas, serving from 1849 to 1852. He replaced Thomas Drew,
who had resigned his office. Roane did not seek re - election. During the course
of his term, Calhoun County and Sebastian County were added to the state of
Arkansas, and funding for education was increased. Roane married Mary K. Smith,
and the couple had five children. Roane later served as a Brigadier General
during the Civil War, and fought at the Battle of Prairie Grove. Following the
war, he returned to Pine Bluff. John S. Roane died on April 8, 1867. Interment
was at the Oakland Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas. - New York Times Obituary:
April 22, 1867 Obituary: Ex - Governor John Seldon Roane, of Arkansas, died on
the 8th inst., in his home near Pine Bluff, Jefferson County, that state, after
a long illness. He was elected Governor of Arkansas on the Democratic ticket in
1848. He served in the Mexican War, attaining the rank of Colonel. During the
rebellion he was an officer in the Confederate Army, and was appointed the rank
of Brigadier General.

Extracted from: 
New York Times via Ancestry.com