Roach, John
shipbuilder, was born Dec. 25, 1813, in Ireland. In 1840 he went to Illinois to buy land, but he returned to New York, and worked as a machinist for several years, and then established a foundry with three fellow-workmen. The explosion of a boiler nearly ruined him financially, but he rebuilt his works, which were known as the Ætna Iron works. Here he constructed the largest engines that had been built in the United States at that time, and also the first compound engines. In 1868 he bought the Morgan Iron works in New York city, and also the Neptune, Franklin Forge, and Allaire works, and in 1871 the ship yards in Chester, Pa., that were owned by Rainer and Sons. He died Jan. 10, 1887, in New York city.