Biographical Sketch of Rev. Henry Roam, Pulaski County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas,
 Pulaski, Phelps & Dent Counties, Missouri, Published 1889, Goodspeed
 Publishing Company.

Transcribed by: Penny Harrell (Incog3678@aol.com)

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Rev. Henry Roam, minister of the Christian Church at Swedeborg, MO.,
and also a farmer and stock raiser of Liberty Township, was ordained 
in 1884 by Elder John Glover, and since that time has expounded the
doctrine of the Christian Church in Pulaski, Camden and Laclede
Counties.  He is the pastor of the Pleasant Grove congregation, but
owing to ill health has been compelled to abandon many other con-
gregations.  He united with the church in 1861, and has since been
a faithful member and active worker for the grand cause of Christ-
ianity.  He had been an elder for some years prior to his ordination,
and had occupied pulpits at different times in the absence of the 
regular pastor.  He was born in Overton County, Tenn., in 1835, was
reared on a farm, and in early life had meager educational advantages.
In April, 1853, he was married to Thoda Strain, daughter of Thomas
Jefferson and Lydia Strain, by whom he became the father of eleven
children, six sons and three daughters living.  He came to Pulaski
County in 1857, and in 1867 settled on his present farm near Swedeborg.
He owns 400 acres of land in different farms, and has about 150 acres
under cultivation, and has proved himself to be one of the industrious
and honorable citizens of the county.  He started in life a poor boy,
but by the breaking out of the war had accumulated considerable means,
all of which were destroyed during that conflict.  He was then obliged
to commence anew, with broken health, and by close application to
business, good management and economy has secured a good home for his
declining years.  In July, 1864, he joined Company A, Missouri Infan-
try, United States Army, at Waynesville, MO., and went with the regi-
ment to Rolla, where he was taken sick.  He remained with the regiment
however, until it was ordered to Tennessee, and while at Spring Hill
was sent to the hospital at Nashville, in which he was kept eight to
ten days.  Later he was removed from there to Louisville, KY.  Up to
this time he could not write his name, but while in the hospital he
was seized with a desire to write a letter to his family, and requested
one of the officers in charge to set him a copy, which he soon master-
ed and in a short time was able to write his name, and soon wrote a 
letter home.  He remained at Louisville until May, 1865, when he was
sent to his regiment in Chicago, and in June to St. Louis, where he
received his discharge.  He then returned home, and has since been
engaged in preaching the gospel, farming and stock raising.  He has
spared no pains to educate his children, and has done all in his
power to promote the welfare of the community in which he has resided.
He has been a life-long Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote
for Buchanan in 1856.  His wife and six children are also members of
the Christian Church.  His parents Rev. Isaac and Elizabeth (Ward)
Roam, were born, reared and married in North Carolina, and about 1832
moved to Overton County, Tenn., where the father died in 1862, at the
age of seventy-one years.  The mother is still living, and has resided 
in Pulaski County since 1872.  Both were members of the Christian 
Church for many years, and reared a family of nine children, seven of
whom are living.  The father was a minister of the Christian Church
for many years, and was also a miller and farmer.  He was thrown on
his own resources at an early age, and would work wherever he could
find employment.  He grew to manhood without obtaining any schooling,
but in later years became an exceptionally well-informed man.  He was
a soldier in the War of 1812.  His father was a wealthy German, who
came to the United States and settled in North Carolina, and when
Isaac was about eight years of age he was making preparation to start
on a visit to his native land; but before starting, and while making
preparation, his dead body was found in a creek in North Carolina.  
The mother lived until Isaac was a man.

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