Frederick Roeder

When going around to historic sites, the thing that really brings home what occurred at these sites are the human interest stories. I hate that term. This isn't a "human interest" story....this is history....the kind of history that happened to a real person.....at a real time. Harper's Ferry isn't any different. There are stories all over town about things that happened to real people. One of the homes that you can go into (well....you can go inside the door but that's about it) was the home of Frederick Roeder. He was a baker. I'm going to put here what the marker says about him. The marker can explain his life far better than I can.

CASUALTY OF WAR

German immigrant Frederick Roeder was a prosperous baker, the father of seven children, and recent widower. Roeder was also about to die. The Fourth of July was normally a day of celebration , but not this year - not 1861. In March Roeder had buried his wife, Anna Maria; the following month the Civil War erupted, Virginia seceded, and Harpers Ferry became a war zone - businesses collapsed and the local economy collapsed.

A Union sympathizer, Roeder longed to catch a glimpse of the United States flag flying on the Maryland shore. Venturing out to the Potomac River, he gazed across to the Stars and Stripes , only to be struck down by a ricocheting bullet fired by a Union soldier. He crawled back to his building, his home, where he died.

Roeder was the first towns person to die during the war. His home, business and other property were confiscated by the Union army for use as a military bakery, post office and headquarters.

His orphaned children abandoned their home, but returned a year later and lived here until 1881. They filed claims with the government for extensive wartime damage to this house and other family property. They were finally approved for $504.00 in 1906.