John Charles Roe was the sixth child born to Daniel B and Margaret Martha Vanderhoof Roe. She was born in Oakridge, Passaic, New Jersey.

On March 1, 1888, John married his first wife, Emma A Davis, daughter of Nelson Dexter and Julia E Baker Davis. John and Emma had six children; Florence, Stanley F, Harry W, Earl, Grace W and Charles Lawrence. On September 4, 1909, John married second, Winifred Rogers, daughter of William Rogers and Helen Linsey Rogers and the couple had seven children; Halsey Horace (1911-1978), Edna Mae (1913-1998), Lena (1915), Ernest (1915-1980), Martha (1919), Francie (1920), and Harold Donald (1923-1989).

John worked a a farmer all of his life.

Some time between February 1913 and late 1914, John and his family moved to Montana, but the relocation seemed short-lived for much of the family.

John died in 1923 and is buried in Caton Center Cemetery in Caton, Steuben, New York.