Civil War Union Army Officer. COLONEL HENRY EDWARD ROEHR.—Among the German-American citizens of Brooklyn, who, by their energy, perseverance and business tact, have made a mark for themselves, no one ranks higher than Col. Henry Edward Roehr, the subject of this sketch. Born in Schleiz, in the Principality of Reuss, Germany, in the year 1841, he was but seven years old when the ever memorable revolution of 1848 broke forth and shook up the old bones on the thrones of Europe in a lively style. One of the leaders in the revolutionary movement in the small Principality where Col. Roehr hails from, was his father, Mr. Edward Franz Roehr, who, although being an officer of the small military establishment of that little potentate, Prince Henry the LXII., by word and deed did his utmost to arouse the people against their tyrants. He assisted in organizing the Landwehr (militia), and was elected a delegate to different bodies. But the overthrow of the revolution of 1848, and the collapse of the uprising of the people in the southern part of Germany in 1849, sent him with thousands of other refugees to the ideal land of their dreams, the great republic of America. In common with all immigrants, and not being a mechanic, Mr. Roehr’s first experience in America was anything but pleasant. He came to Williamsburgh, our present Eastern District, shortly after landing, and, after working on a farm, in a whalebone factory, and trying to make life sweeter by manufacturing candy with a fellow-refugee, he at last engaged in an enterprise more to his liking and taste. It consisted in selling German books, periodicals and papers; the first few dollars earned by this occupation were sent to Germany, and soon enough was saved to bring Mrs. Roehr and four children to the shores of this country, after a most tedious sea voyage of nine weeks. This arrival happened in 1850, in August, and as shortly thereafter a new German paper was started in New York, called the Abend Zeitung, Mr. Roehr took the agency for Brooklyn, and young Edward, not quite nine and a half years old, was soon actively engaged in carrying out these papers. The business of Mr. Roehr prospered, and, in 1852 he opened a bookstore in South 7th street, or what is now Broadway. Edward had to assist in tending the store, and here at an early age acquired a taste for books that has never left him. The book-store was soon thereafter moved to No. 90 Montrose avenue, into the heart of our present "Dutchtown," where it was thought a better chance for selling German books would exist. Here Mr. Roehr, Sr., conceived the idea of establishing a German paper, which he carried out September 2d, 1854, by commencing the publication of the Long Island Anzeiger, and establishing a German newspaper and job printing office. The subject of this sketch here thoroughly learned the mysteries of the "black art," and many a day rolled forms on the hand-press and "stuck" type together. But the Anzeiger did not prosper, and expired peacefully August 23d, 1855. Meanwhile, Mr. Roehr however had established another journal, "The Triangel," a German Masonic paper which was published for 25 years in succession. Young Roehr, however, stuck to his case and press, and, although still very young, became quite an efficient printer. In 1857, however, he thought it was about time that he should see something of this great country, and he accordingly set out on a journey to see the land and improve himself in his trade. Albany was the first place where he stopped, and obtained work at the office of the Albany Freie Blaetter, at the big salary of $2.50 per week and board. Here he set type, made up the forms and printed the paper on a hand press, and also began to write small items for the paper. From here he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he worked but little in different offices, because business was very dull. In the fall of 1858, he was about to attach himself to the German Theatre in Cincinnati, he having previously attempted a little amateur acting, when he received a call to assume charge of the job printing office of an Evansville German paper at a very liberal salary. In this position he remained about eight months, when he left the situation, much to the regret of his employer, Mr. Val. Schmuck. After visiting other cities, he returned to Williamsburgh in the fall of 1859, and resumed work in the printing office of his father, where he remained until the spring of 1861. When, in the spring of 1861, President Lincoln issued his first proclamation for volunteers, and the young and patriotic men of the country flew to arms, young Roehr, then in his twentieth year, was the fourth man who signed his name to a call for volunteers that was issued by the Turner Societies of New York, Brooklyn, Williamsburgh, and other cities in the vicinity of New York, and assisted in organizing companies I and K of the Twentieth New York Volunteers (Col. Max Weber), also known as the "Turner Rifles." He marched out as First Sergeant of Company I; and, although he had never before handled a musket, he soon made himself proficient and acquainted with all the details of the service. In a little skirmish that took place at New Market Bridge, about five miles from Hampton, Virginia, in December, 1861, he was wounded in the head, and came very near having his military and other career suddenly stopped. He, however, soon recovered, got a furlough for a month, and soon thereafter, when Col. Weber was promoted Brigadier-General, and one step of promotion went through the regiment, was promoted Second-Lieutenant. It is said that he never felt so proud in all his life, as when he first donned shoulder straps. With his regiment, after leaving Norfolk, Va., he joined, in June, 1862, the Army of the Potomac in front of Richmond, when the 20th Regt., N.Y. Vols., was assigned to the Third Brigade, Second Division, Sixth Army Corps. With these troops the regiment took part in the "seven days’ fight," resulting in the retreat to Harrison Landing. Here Lieutenant Roehr was taken ill with camp fever, and when again sufficiently well to assume duty, he was assigned to the command of the Brigade Ambulance Corps. He continued in charge of this trust through the campaigns in Maryland (South Mountain and Antietam) and the first battle at Fredericksburgh, Va., when, having been promoted First Lieutenant, he joined his regiment again, and assumed his duties as such. As First Lieutenant he also performed the duties of Adjutant, Quartermaster and Commandant of Companies, and finally took part with his regiment in the battle of Mary’s Heights, in the rear of Fredericksburgh,Va., May 4th, 1863. The time of service of the regiment having now expired, the same was ordered home May 6th, and he returned with his comrades a few days later to New York and Williamsburgh. In the attempted re-organization of the 20th Regt., N.Y. Vols., he was selected as a Captain, but as it soon became apparent that there was no chance of re-organizing the regiment, he laid aside all further military aspirations, and returned to his former business. After working in a few offices in New York, he thought of establishing a small printing office for himself, when his father offered him a share in his business. It was, of course, accepted, and, with the money that he put in, a" Campbell Country Press" was bought, and the old hand-press, which had done service for ten years, was put in a corner. It now occurred to young Roehr that there would be a splendid chance of starting a German paper in that part of the city, at that time and now known as "Dutchtown." Numerous German societies had sprung into existence in the last few years, business prospects seemed very good, and many matters of common interest to the German population of the Eastern District of Brooklyn seemed to demand their discussion by a German paper. When this idea was first broached to Mr. Roehr, he, however, strenuously opposed the plan, believing that this second enterprise would in no wise end differently from the first. But, persistently arguing the matter, and showing that things were quite different from ten years before, when the whole German population of Brooklyn perhaps did not number more than 10,000, while in 1804 it counted at least 40,000, young Roehr at last succeeded in getting his father’s consent to the publication of the new paper, for which the old name, Long Island Anzeiger, was again chosen. As it was not intended that the paper should be looked upon as a campaign issue only, the publication of the same was postponed until after the election of 1864, when, on Saturday, December 3d, the first number of the new Long Island Anzeiger was published. The office of the paper at that time was in No. 40 Stagg street, and the paper itself was four pages of five columns each; each page measuring 23x16 1/2—or, 23x33 over all. To be candid, it should be said that the typographic appearance and the press-work left much to be desired. However, the start was made, and many were the predictions that about six or eight months would be sufficient to lay the new paper to its forerunners. But this proved to be a mistake, for the paper crept on slowly, it is true; but already, on the 28th of July 1866, it was presented to its readers in an enlarged form, as a seven-column paper, 24x38 inches. The growing business soon made it necessary to look out for larger quarters than the house, No. 40 Stagg street, could afford, and in consequence thereof, the three-story brick house, No. 61 Montrose avenue, was erected, and the business moved into the same on the 7th day of August, 1869. Larger quarters now having been secured, the paper was published twice a week, commencing October 13th, 1869, and the price reduced from five cents to four cents per copy. This increase in the editions proved such a success, that, not quite two years later, on July 18, 1871, it was again determined to enlarge the scope of the paper, and to publish it three times a week; the size of the paper was cut down to its former length and width, and the price also again reduced, this time to three cents per copy. It now seemed as if the Long Island Anzeiger would, for a long time, remain what it was, a tri-weekly paper, but the intermission of one day in its publication only served to more distinctly show that there was quite a "link" missing to report faithfully and extensively the events of each day. If the proprietors of the Anzeiger had possessed a sufficient amount of capital, the solution of this dilemma would have been easy enough, and the publication of a daily paper the very next thing. But the publication of a daily paper would not only increase the running expenses of the paper to very nearly double the amount; it might, also, if the enterprise should turn out unsuccessful, carry down with it the hard and unceasing labor of eight years. After, however, taking everything into consideration, and fully believing that the German people would also fully support the daily, as it had heretofore given its unstinted help to the earlier publications, it was finally resolved to publish the paper daily, and September 30, 1872, was decided upon as the day, from whence the paper should so greet its readers. The paper up to this time, with its name of Long Island Anzeiger, had been principally known as an Eastern District enterprise, and as an organ of the Germans of that district; and in order to give it, with its entrance upon the field of daily journalism, a wider scope, and make it the representative of the Germans of the whole city, it was resolved to change the name to the Brooklyn Freie Presse, and an office was established in the Western District. The price of the paper was fixed at 15 cents per week, and a Hoe double-cylinder press was procured for the press-work. The publication office remained at No. 61 Montrose avenue. The expected success of the daily issue, however, did not come, and Col. Roehr about this time did some of the hardest work of his life. He not only attended to the business part of the concern almost alone, but also superintended the job printing room, procured advertisements, and even personally canvassed for subscribers among the Germans, and paid due attention to the editorial conduct of the paper; and last, but not least, commanded the 32d Regiment of the National Guard. In the year 1878, he purchased his father’s interest in the business, and became the sole owner of the paper. Slowly the paper kept growing in circulation; the publication office, however, being about two and a half miles away from the City Hall and the Court-house, the Post Office a mile distant, it soon became apparent that, to make a real success of the paper, a change of base was necessary, and that to the Western District, near the public offices of the city, and its mercantile and political centres. After looking about for some time, the house, No. 30 Myrtle avenue, was at last secured, and, in May, 1875, the erection of a two-story brick extension was begun and other alterations made to prepare the house for its new use. As the publication of the paper at the old office had to be continued, a new steam boiler and engine had also to be bought. On Saturday night, June 5, 1875, the presses, type, &c., were moved from 61 Montrose avenue to 30 Myrtle avenue. Everything having carefully been previously arranged, on the following Monday, June 7, 1875, the Freie Presse, for the first time, was issued from its present location, No. 80 Myrtle avenue, a block away from the City Hall. Court-house, and Municipal Department Building. This "change of base" proved to be of great service to the paper, for it not only enabled it to publish the latest municipal news, but it also gave it a position of influence and prominence. The circulation also at once commenced to grow, and has done so steadily up to the time of this writing, and will no doubt do so in future. To the Freie Presse also belongs the distinction of having been the first paper to come out with a Sunday edition. This occurred on April 19, 1873, when the Long Islander made its first appearance. It was given gratis to the readers of the Freie Presse, and consisted only of four small pages. But it was so much favored by the public, that on December 6, 1874, it was enlarged to eight pages. On April 14, 1878, it was again enlarged, and the price for the same fixed at three cents, while that for the daily issue was reduced to two cents. On January 14, 1880, the paper was again increased so its size was 28x42 inches. One page was devoted to Masonic matters, this page taking the place of the Triangel, mentioned above, which, after an existence of 25 years (and in the latter years being edited by Colonel Roehr), was merged into the Long Islander. This venture, however, not finding that appreciation which it was expected it would, the Masonic page ceased to exist on January 1, 1881, having had an existence of just two years. On September 22, 1882, another enlargement took place, and a column being added to each page, its size measured 33x46 inches, making it one of the largest and best Sunday papers published in the German language in the United States. The increased circulation of the paper made it necessary to look for some better facilities to do the press-work. After examining a number of presses, it was finally resolved to order one of Hoe’s web perfecting presses, which prints direct from type, cuts and folds the paper at the rate of 12,000 copies an hour. This press was put in operation in the month of December, 1882, and proved itself a great success. It necessitated an outlay of nearly $18,000, but gave the paper the opportunity to supply all the demands for it in seasonable time. Thus, Col. Roehr has the proud distinction of being at an early age (42 in 1883), at the head of a paper which is, in a great measure, his own work, and which bids fair to become, in the near future, one of the best German papers in the United States. His rank as Colonel, Mr. Roehr has earned by eight years of service in the National Guard of the State of New York. In the summer of 1868, he was authorized to raise a battalion of Infantry of four companies, in the Eastern District of Brooklyn, for the 11th Brigade, at that time commanded by that genial soldier and gentleman, General Jere. V. Meserole. In October of that year, the battalion was mustered into the state service, designated as the Battalion of Infantry, 32d Regiment, with six companies. Mr. Roehr was elected Major, and rose to the position of Lieutenant-Colonel; and when the Regimental organization was completed, he was elected Colonel, and retained command until November, 1876, when he resigned his commission. It must be said that the Regiment has never again maintained that degree of perfection in drill, discipline and appearance it enjoyed under the command of Col. Roehr. In politics, Col. Roehr early espoused the Republican cause but with many others, in 1872, joined the "Liberal" movement. After the collapse of that attempt to reform party politics, he again joined the Republican forces and served as member of the General Committee and delegate to numerous conventions. In 1879 he acquiesced in the wish of a great number of his party-friends, and accepted the Republican nomination as State Senator against the Hon. John C. Jacobs, one of the most prominent Democrats of the Empire State. Of course he did not expect to be elected; but the great number of votes he received, under especially unfavorably circumstances, astonished even his political enemies. A German paper called The Anzeiger was started by A. Fries, in 1851, three years before its namesake by Mr. Roehr, and was afterward published as a daily under the name of the Long Island Zeitung, but it died in 1854, the year Mr. Roehr first started his paper. Another and more recent Anzeiger was published at 14 Boerum Place in 1880, by H. Soshinsky. The Brooklyn Times.—On the 28th of February, 1848, the Williamsburgh Daily Times first appeared. It is now known as the Brooklyn Daily Times. It was published by George C. Bennett and Aaron Smith. It sprang up from a quarrel among the proprietors of the Morning Post, which was issued about a year before by Thomas Devyr and Messrs. Bennett and Smith. The Times was at first neutral and independent, but soon became Whig and afterward Republican. The paper was a success from the start. In 1856, Mr. Bennett was the sole proprietor and became wealthy. A few years ago he sold it to Messrs. Bernard Peters and George H. Fisher, in whose hands it is now in a prosperous condition. Mr. Peters edits it with ability and eminent success.