Pylant Geneology

From "A Memorial and Biographical History of McLennan, Falls, Bell and Coryell Counties, Texas" - The Lewis Publishing Company; Chicago, 1893.

<p>Dr. Joseph L. Roll, Wilderville, Texas, a leading physician and one of the representative citizens of Falls county, is deserving of more than a passing notice on the pages of this volume. Michael Roll, the Doctor's father, was born in Kentucky in 1822, and died there in 1890. He was a self-made man, never having attended school but three months in his life. He was a successful farmer in Kentucky, and a prominent member of the Grange. Politically, he was a Democrat. He was married, in 1850, to Elizabeth Ann Depoyster, a native of Kentucky, who survives him, and who still lives at the old homestead in her native State. This worthy couple had a family of six children, as follows: Melissa Ann, who died at the age of twelve years; Joseph L.; Thomas L., who is engaged in farming in Kentucky at the old home place; William P., who died in 1888, at the age of twenty-six years; Rachel, who died at the age of seven months; David F., at this writing a student at Hartford, Kentucky. Dr. Roll's great-grandparents went to Kentucky from Pennsylvania, where his grandfather, Abraham Roll, was born. The latter was a merchant, thrifty and prosperous, but was burned out and met with heavy losses. Abraham Roll's wife was nee Rachel Rhodes, she also being a native of Kentucky. The Doctor's maternal grandparents, Joseph Lewis and Ruth (Reeves) Depoyster, were natives of Kentucky. The former, a prosperous and well-to-do farmer, served in the war of 1812, where he received a wound in the head. The subject of our sketch was born in Kentucky in 1854, and remained at home until he was twenty-six years of age. When he was nineteen he began a course of study at the West Kentucky Normal, and after remaining there two years entered Bethel College, Logan county, Kentucky, where he also remained two years. At the end of that time he began the study of medicine under Dr. Solomon Rhodes at South Carrollton, that State, with whom he continued three years. He then attended the medical college at Louisville two terms, and subsequently, in the winter 1885-'86, took a post graduate course at the same college. He first began the practice of his profession at home, but remained there only a few months; moved to Marysville, Texas, in 1881; and from there to Valley Mills in November of the same year. In November 1885, he sold out and went back to Kentucky. On account of health, however, he returned to Texas, and took up his abode at Wilderville, where he has since resided. Dr. Roll was married, November 13 1883, to Miss Elizabeth Pylant, a daughter of Andrew and Mattie (Letcher) Pylant. To them five children have been born, viz: Lee; William, deceased; twins that died in infancy; and Joseph Foster. Mrs. Pylant is a member of the Baptist Church. Dr. Roll is one of the most popular and successful physicians in this vicinity. His practice runs from $2,000 to $3,000. Politically, he is a Democrat.

Research by Debbie Staples Frank, daughter of Anna Elizabeth Roll Staples
Dr. Joseph Lewis Roll
Dr. Joseph Lewis Roll was born 25 April 1854 to Michael F. Roll and Elizabeth Ann Depoyster in Muhlenberg Co. KY.
After graduation from medical school in Kentucky he moved to Texas in 1881. In November 1885 he came back to Kentucky for an unknown period of time when, due to his health, he moved back to Wilderville, Falls County, Texas, as noted in his bio ("A Memorial and Biographical History of McLennan, Falls, Bell and Coryell Counties,
Texas"). He lived there until his death from consumption (tuberculosis) on 23 January 1904. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Rosebud, Falls County, Texas. (Tombstone on 'Find A Grave') This is also documented on Rootsweb: Falls County, Woodland Cemetery.
He was married 13 Nov 1883 to Mary Elizabeth (Bettie) Pylant in TX. She was born 20 March 1864 in Hanover, Alabama to Andrew H. Pylant and Martha A. Letcher. She died 3 April 1906, reason unknown. She is also buried in Woodland Cemetery.
Children of JL Roll and Mary:
D. Roll: Born 26 August 1885. Died 2 November 1933. She married Charles F. Brown 19 May 1907 in Falls County, Texas. Charles was born 1 November 1881 and died 23 September 1953. Both buried Brown Mausoleum, Woodland Cemetery, Rosebud, Falls County, Texas. No Children. She is listed as Lee in Dr. Roll’s Bio. On her marriage license and on her mausoleum she is only the initial D. Also there is a library in Rosebud, Texas named after her and it is D. Brown Memorial Library. I don’t know the history behind why just an initial or if she had a middle name. She was the US Postmaster of Wilderville, Falls County, Texas on 24 February 1904.
William Pinkney Roll: Born 10 November 1887. Died 20 May 1889. Buried Woodland Cemetery, Rosebud, Falls County, Texas.
Infant Twin Sons: No dates known, buried in Woodland Cemetery in Rosebud, Falls County, Texas. Dr. Roll listed them after William in his Bio so I placed them as third also.
Joseph Foster Roll: Born 15 May 1891 (WWI Registration Card). Died 6 July 1973. He never married and is buried in the Brown Mausoleum in Woodland Cemetery. He lived in TX, NM and AZ. His last resident was Boerne, Kendall Co. TX. He served in the military from 13 May 1918 to 6 February 1919. He was a rancher for 13 yrs in Clovis NM. In a news article from around 1962 he said he never married because “I just didn’t meet the right girl at the right time”.
Infant Son: Born 21 January 1893. Died 15 February 1893. Buried Woodland Cemetery, Rosebud, Falls County, Texas.
Thomas Lycurgus Roll: (Curg) Jr. He was named after his Uncle, Judge T L Roll from Muhlenberg Co. KY. (This is Debbie Staples Frank's lineage.) He was Born 6 June 1894 in Falls County, Texas and died 18 March 1972 in Greenville, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Central City, Kentucky. “Daddy Roll” was a coal miner, company store clerk and a part time farmer. He had Black Lung Disease and lost a lung to the disease.
According to a newspaper article from 1962, when they all reunited for one last time, the story was that all the boys were sent back to Kentucky to live with Uncle Curg and Aunt Nan who had no children of their own. In 1914, they all went back to TX to visit Sister D. “As the years passed they gradually went their separate ways”. I only knew of Daddy Roll and Uncle Mike living with Uncle Curg.
Curg Roll married 6 Sept 1916 in Rockport, Indiana to Mary Louise Heck who was born 17 June 1900 in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky to Henry Theodore Heck and Annie Isadora Smith. She is also buried in Rose Hill Cemetery. They are buried next to her parents. The marriage application has been interpreted as “Curry” on genealogy web sites and Grandmother lied about her birth year (1897) due to her true age of 16 when they eloped. Five know children were born to them and at this writing only one is still alive.

1. Eula Mae 1917-2005, 2) Joseph Theodore 1919-2010, 3) Anna Elizabeth 1922-2002, 4) Living Daughter born 1927, 5) Charles Thomas 1935-2003. All but Eula Mae are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Central City Kentucky. Eula Mae is buried in Owensboro, Daviess Co. Kentucky.
   Clarence Andrew Roll: Born 2 Oct 1896 in Falls County, Texas. He died 19 Oct 1980 in Temple, Bell County, Texas. He married Eleanora Clara Stephan who was born 6 December 1908 and died 20 March 1991 also in Temple, Bell County, Texas. They are buried in Bellwood Memorial Park, Temple Texas. I don’t know when or where they married. They didn’t have any children. I know they lived in El Paso, Del Rio, Laredo and Temple, Texas. He was a foreman for a large cotton plantation near Rosebud for 10 years. For 31 years he worked with the U S Public Health Service, 26 years in Del Rio and 5 years in Laredo.
   Michael Roll: Born 27 September 1897 in Falls County, Texas. Died: 11 November 1974 in Sacramento, McLean County. Kentucky. He married Margaret Ham in 1924 in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. He retired from Standard Oil Company after 17 years of service and was also a coal miner for 21 years. There were eight children born to them. I have lost track of that line of the family and do not have any additional information.
   Debbie Staples Frank, daughter of Anna Elizabeth Roll Staples.