JOHN ROOME

Company "A" 11th W.Va. Infantry

Researched & Compiled by Linda Cunningham Fluharty

1850 Marshall County Census
ROOME (569)
William...Farmer...45-M...Eng.
Elizabeth...35-F...Ire.
John...16-M...VA
William...14-M...PA
Edward...12-M...VA
Martha J...7-F...VA
Thomas...5-M...VA
Charles...3-M...PA
Mary J...4mo.-F...VA
Thornberry, Hester...25-F...VA

At age 28, John Roome joined for duty & enrolled on Nov. 1, 1861 at Wirt County; mustered in there on Mar. 26, 1862. “Born Washington Co, Pa.”

Service Record & Minor Children’s Pension file: “Discharged for disability on June 20, 1862 at Parkersburg, W.Va. by Post Surgeon for disability.” This certificate was issued on June 23, 1862, at which time the soldier was probably dead. The death date is stated variously as June 20, 21, 23 and 28. From affidavit of Capt. John Baggs, Co. A 11th W.Va. Infantry: “...John Roome, now deceased, was a member (Private) of said company, and that he died on the said 20th day of June 1862 in the hospital at Parkersburg, Wood County, in the state of West Virginia of disease of the lungs caused by hardships & exposure while in the service of the United States in the line of duty; and further that the said John Roome at the time of his enlistment was a man in enjoyment of good health....” In a handwritten letter from Captain John M. Dickey, Commanding Post, he states that he had taken the liberty of sending the body home to the family - and that the soldier had died during the night, on June 20, 1862. The cause of death was Phthisis Pulmonalis, which was described in great detail in the file. - The soldier was buried at Roome Cemetery, Little, Tyler County, W.Va.

John Roome, born about 1834, was the son of William Roome, born in England, and Elizabeth Ryan, born in Ireland. They were married in Zanesville, Ohio in 1833. At the time of the 1850 census, William and Elizabeth Roome lived in Marshall County with their children, John, 16; William, 14; Edward, 12; Martha I., 7; Thomas, 5; Charles, 3; Mary, 4 mos.

By 1860, the family had moved to Tyler County and had two more children, Margaret and Francis.

In Tyler County, on May 8, 1856, John Roome married Margaret Jane McCandless. His place of birth is stated as Wheeling in the marriage record, but his Service Record says he was a boatman, born in Washington County, Pa. By 1860, they had two sons, Edward McCandless and John William. Margaret McCandless Roome died on January 20, 1861 in Tyler County, aged 23 years 11 months and 25 days, according to the minor children’s pension file. Initially, the soldier’s father, William Roome, had guardianship of the children but he resigned in 1864 and John McCandless, presumably the father or brother of the children’s mother, became their guardian.

1860 Census Tyler County
John Roome...27-M...Boatman...b. VA.
Margaret J Roome...23-F...b. VA
Edward M Roome...3-M...b. VA
John W Roome...4/12...b. VA


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