The son of an old Setauket family, he was the owner of the Roe Tavern in Setauket, New York.
He featured prominently in the American Revolutionary War, being a secret courier in the "Culper Spy Ring" in service to General George Washington, on Long Island. He was known as the Messenger of the Culper Spy Ring, and listed in Col. Talmadge's Culper codebook as Agent 724. He and his band were instrumental on the capture of British Major John Andre and the down fall of Benedict Arnold in 1780. He was so well favored by President Washington that Washington made a special effort to visit him at his home in Setauket in 1790.
He moved to Patchogue in 1798 and founded and Roe Eagle Hotel in Patchogue, N.Y. His son Justus was the inventor of the modern day retractable Carpenter's Tape Measure.
He passed away in 1830 from gangrene that infected his left leg when he was accidentally thrown from his horse. He was buried in the Roe family cemetery on his property which was located on Roe Blvd., Patchogue, by the Greater Patchogue Lake, and was moved to a cemetery in named "The Willows" around 1875. In 1901 he was exhumed and reburied in Cedar Grove.
The son of an old Setauket family, he was the owner of the Roe Tavern in Setauket, New York.
He featured prominently in the American Revolutionary War, being a secret courier in the "Culper Spy Ring" in service to General George Washington, on Long Island. He was known as the Messenger of the Culper Spy Ring, and listed in Col. Talmadge's Culper codebook as Agent 724. He and his band were instrumental on the capture of British Major John Andre and the down fall of Benedict Arnold in 1780. He was so well favored by President Washington that Washington made a special effort to visit him at his home in Setauket in 1790.
He moved to Patchogue in 1798 and founded and Roe Eagle Hotel in Patchogue, N.Y. His son Justus was the inventor of the modern day retractable Carpenter's Tape Measure.
He passed away in 1830 from gangrene that infected his left leg when he was accidentally thrown from his horse. He was buried in the Roe family cemetery on his property which was located on Roe Blvd., Patchogue, by the Greater Patchogue Lake, and was moved to a cemetery in named "The Willows" around 1875. In 1901 he was exhumed and reburied in Cedar Grove.
Inscription
2 brass plaques one affixed to stone the first reads: "REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIER CAPTAIN AUSTIN ROE 1748-1830" Placed by the Col. Josiah Smith Chapter of the DAR.
"In Memory of Captain Austin Roe who died Nov. 29, 1830 Age: 81".
The Second reads: REVOLUTIONARY SOLIDER 1748 - 1830, PLACED BY THE DESCENDANTS OF AUSTIN ROE MEMBERS OF THE COL. JOSIAH SMITH CHAPTER DAR.
Family Members
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