Samuel S. Roby

1880 advertisement

from the Daily Northwestern January 8, 1901:

The funeral of the late S.S. Roby, who died late Saturday afternoon at his home in this city from the effects of a stroke of paralysis, was held this afternoon at two o'clock from Masonic hall.  Bryan lodge, No. 28, had charge of the services and Rev. A. E. Leonard was the officiating clergyman.

 

Samuel Roby was born Sept. 9, 1825, at Harrison, Cumberland county, Maine, where he passed his boyhood days.  His father was a merchant and his grandfather a Congregational minister.  He received a common school education and was employed as a clerk until 1849, when he came to Menasha.  He was employed as sawyer in the Clinton mill, the first mill built in Menasha.  This was a combination grist and saw mill and was erected by the late C. Northrop.  In 1850 he built the three-story frame building which is now occupied by Mrs. Norton's restaurant and H. C. Park's barber shop on the ground floor.  This was occupied in 1852 by the late E.D. Smith, for whom Mr. Roby was employed as a clerk.  In 1856, after Mr. Smith's failure, Mr. Roby opened up a store in the building, which, with the exception of a short interval, he conducted continuously until 1895, when he was succeeded by his daughter, Miss Frankie Roby, who closed out her stock last November to give her time and strength to attend to her father.  For several years prior to 1871 Mr. Roby and the late O.J. Hale were in partnership, both in Menasha and at Forest Junction.  The Menasha business was sold to John Planner and the Forest Junction store to the late Jere Hunt.  During Mr. Roby's half century of residence he had at different times served as town and village treasurer, clerk, trustee and assessor.  From 1858 to 1886 he was treasurer continuously.  Mr. Roby was married Sept. 27, 1854, to Miss Melinda Beedle, who, with one daughter, Miss Frankie Roby survives.  A half brother, Henry Roby, of Lincoln, Neb., and half sister, Mrs. S. Bullard of this city, also survive.  Mrs. C. P. Houghton of Oshkosh is a cousin.  Mr. Roby was a member of Bryan lodge, F. and A. M., and of Island City chapter R. A. M.  He and W. P. Rounds are the two oldest Masons in the city.  He was formerly very active in Masonic work.  Mr. Roby was unable to get life insurance, but used the money such would have cost in collecting curios, and had a collection worth several thousand dollars.  He was not a wealthy man in the usually accepted sense of the word, for his generosity was such that he could not refuse to help any one in distress.  He was charitably inclined in his judgment of his acquaintances and had not a known enemy.