The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-08-06
A Wide Awake Man.

Many of the old residents of Terre
Haute, an Indiana paper says, will re-
member an enterprising and very in
dustrious barber, whose name was Ed
ward j. Roye, who left many years ago
for Africa. In making his first trip he
took his goods out on freight, he being
passenger. The entire value of his
invoice was not more than $4,000. In
less than eighteen months from the
time he sailed from New York, he was
back with six thousand dollars worth
of oil. dyewood, ivory and gold dust.
Spending but little time in shaking
hands and telling stories, he chartered
half brig in company with a white
man, and about the time his friends in
Africa looked for a letter from him, he
anchored his brig in the bay of Mon
rovia, laden with good cargo, which
was at that moment salable at his own
rates. This was the beginning of the
career in Africa of the most remarkable
man, in many respects, the little Re-
public ever had within her borders.
Following the tidal wave of his good
luck, he put off to England in the
monthly steamer, where he purchased
English goods. He could go wherever
the English held the trade and furnish
both kinds of goods-English and
American. Crossing from England to
America, he made the acquaintance of
the great house of Phelps, Dodge &
Co., of New York city, with whom he
deposited sum of money, and by
whom he was introduced among the
first-class merchants, which resulted in
his purchasing a vessel and loading her
for Liberia.
The isolated colonists of Liberia had
not been accustomed to see a colored
man thus march up the ladder of sue
cess therefore all eyes were turned
toward him.
The poorer class broke loose from
both the old parties and elected this
man.
At the house of Ex-Governor Hicks,
where he often dined, was the adopted
daughter of the Governor, the pretty
brown-faced Hannah, without kith or
kin in the world. So in his business
like manner he courted her three weeks
and married her. Hannah was born in
Liberia, and could speak five or six of
the native languages. Leaving his
wife to manage home affairs, he bought
an English vessel and cargo out and
out, and made his first trip to the Gold
Coast, where the Ashantee war had just
been fought. This was another twenty
thousand stroke in less than thirty
four months. Returning, he landed at
home in Monrovia, and sent vessel and
cargo to England for sale, and both
sold we'll.
J. J. Roberts, the first President,
and now the sixth one, has been life
long enemy of Mr.. Roye, and the feel
ing was entirely mutual between them.
Mr.. Roye was three times nominated
and defeated for the Presidency before
he succeeded in taking the chair. He
was also Senator and Chief Justice OF
the Republic.
Mr.. Roye was elected President in
1868, the term at that time being two
years. His party being strongly in the
ascendency, thought they could enact
law by which be could hold his seat
without an election. Both he and all
the heads of departments were i'm.
prisoned for usurpatisn. He remained
several weeks in Jail, made his escape
and in an attempt to get to British
steamer, then lying in the Bay o.
Monrovia, was drowned. The body was
recovered and delivered to his family
and friends, and decently buried under
the waving palm trees in his lot il
Evergreen Cemetery. The Govern
ment confscated some of his property
Mr.. Roye was the wealthiest man il
Liberia, and his family will not wan
unless they become extraordinarily ex
travagant.