CO-ROOTS-L Archives

From: "Maggie Stewart" <>
Subject: GEORGE W. ROE.
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2000 02:44:28 -0500

"History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J.
Clarke Publishing Co. (1918) Vol. II


p. 438-439




GEORGE W. ROE.

George W. Roe, a Pueblo architect, standing high in his
profession, was born In Jefferson county, Ohio, October 24, 1850, and
is a son of William and Elizabeth (Gosnell) Roe. The father died while
serving as a soldier in the Union army, and the mother passed away in
March, 1918. George W. Roe was but a young lad when his father died,
giving his life as a sacrifice to his country during the Civil war. The
boy attended the public schools and afterward had the benefit of
instruction in Hopedale College at Hopedale, Ohio. He later took up the
study of architecture in the office of W. A. Burkett in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, and located first for the practice of his profession in
that city for six years, removing to Canon City, Colorado, in 1881.
Arriving in Denver he expected to follow his profession there but found
twenty-seven architects already established which fact decided him to
turn his attention to the lure of the mines and he became identified
with mining and prospecting, but after having some experience along
that line he concentrated his efforts and attention upon his profession
in Canon City, where he remained for eight years. In 1889 he came to
Pueblo and through the intervening period, covering almost three
decades, he has designed some of the state's finest buildings,
Including the library building of the University of Colorado at
Boulder, also the chapel and the dining room and some of the cottages
for the State Industrial School for Boys at Golden. He likewise made
the plans for three buildings for the Colorado State Hospital at Pueblo
and while in Canon City he was superintendent of construction of the
state penitentiary. He likewise planned the county building at Canon
City and was associated with Albert R. Rosa in the building of the
Pueblo county courthouse. He has planned sixty different public school
buildings in the state, among them being the Centennial high school of
Pueblo, the Riverside school, the Carlisle and the Hinsdale, all of
Pueblo, together with eleven others in this city. He was the architect
of the Carnegie Library at Lamar and has made the plans for between
five and six hundred other buildings at various points in the state. In
fact there are few architects in Colorado who have equalled him in the
number and in the importance of the buildings which have been erected
after designs which he has made.

Mr. Roe was united in marriage to Miss Clara Schaefer and to them
have been born two children: George H., a draftsman with the United
States Naval Construction Company at Long Beach, California, who
married Ethel Rigdon, a member of a very prominent Pueblo family; and
Anna, who married Alfred R. Johnson, also a member of a prominent
Pueblo family, who is now serving in the Aviation Corps of the United
States army and is stationed at Riverside, California.

Mr. Roe gives his political allegiance to the democratic party.
He is very prominent in the Masonic order, in which he has attained the
honorary thirty-third degree. He is a past grand master of the Grand
Lodge of Colorado, is a past grand high priest and past grand
commander.

Moreover, he is a member of Colorado Consistory, No. 1, A. A. S.
R.; Canon City Council, No. 5, R. & S. M.; and is an active life member
M. V. A., Pacific Coast, and inspector general honorary of the Supreme
Council, thirty-third degree, S. J. U. S. A. He has figured quite
actively in public life, serving as town trustee also as county
commissioner and in other positions of public trust. He is guided by a
progressive spirit in everything that he undertakes, whether for the
benefit of the community at large or in connection with his profession,
and advancing step by step, he now occupies a prominent place among the
leading residents of southeastern Colorado.

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• GEORGE W. ROE. by "Maggie Stewart" <>