Roan, John

Roan, John, a Presbyterian minister, was born in Ireland about 1716, and was brought up a weaver. He came to the United States in his youth, studied at the New College, and was licensed to preach by the "New Side" Presbytery of Newcastle. As early as 1741 he taught in a grammar school on the Neshaminy, and in 1744 was sent by his presbytery on a missionary tour in Virginia. He inveighed so strongly against the clergy of the Established Church that charges were brought against him, before the grand jury, of proselytism and of blasphemy. Mr. Roan returned to Pennsylvania before the court met; but when the trial came on, Oct. 19, the indictment was dropped. In 1745 Mr. Roan was settled over the united congregations of Paxton, Derry, and Mountjoy, and continued to labor among them until his death, Oct. 3, 1775. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 3, 129.