James Peter Roach taught himself how to play the fiddle when he was a young man. On weekends a group of friends would meet at someone house. They would roll-up the carpet. He would play for them to dance. They would take up a collection and he would make a couple of dollars. At this time wages for labor was $0.25 to $0.50 per day.
James Peter Roach & Laura Viola Wheelis Roach Came to Connerville, Johnston County, Oklahoma in 1918.
James Peter Roach was a janitor for Decatur Public Schools at the time they left to visit Laura's brother in Arkansas. On this trip he cleaned out water wells for food or money. They traveled awhile and worked a while to get enough money to continue.
He had built his wagon up at the rear for sleeping. James and Laura slept on top of built up portion and their children Willie Ruben & James Washington slept underneath their bed. Callie and Gussie slept in front of the wagon. They cooked in cast iron pots and skillets. They had all their belongings tied to the wagon.
Callie and Gussie would dress up their pet rooster to pass the time. The rooster would strut around when they dressed him up and everybody would laugh.
James Peter Roach - Cleaned out water wells for a living in Oklahoma. When he retired he retired on welfare. (They called it old age assistance at the time).
More About James Peter Roach: Burial: Unknown, Buried Connerville, Okla.. Funeral Expense: 07 Feb 1965, Chapman Funeral Home ($1014.86).
More About James Peter Roach and Laura Viola Wheelis: Marriage: 13 Mar 1895, Wise County Texas.
Children of James Peter Roach and Laura Viola Wheelis are:
Roach, b. 14 Sep 1896, Decatur, Texas, d. 14 Sep 1896, Born Dead - Buried Bethel Cemetery - Rock marks his grave.
Callie Viola Roach, b. 24 Nov 1897, Decatur, Texas, d. 24 Mar 1963, Old farm east of Connerville.
+Gussie Allie Roach, b. 11 Jul 1900, Decatur, Texas, d. 18 Oct 1967, At home east of Connerville, Oklahoma.
+Willie Ruben Roach, b. 10 Nov 1910, Decatur, Texas, d. 08 Mar 1992, Ada, Oklahoma.
James Peter Roach (b. 05 Jul 1872, d. 07 Feb 1965)
Notes for James Peter Roach: