Descendants of James Roote

James Roote was born in England in 1420 and is the earliest-known member of the Roote/Root family. Many of the Root family members in America descend from his 4th-great grandsons Thomas and John, who emigrated from England in the late-1630's.

One branch of the Root family settled in Monroe County when Orin Root, a fifth great-grandson of Thomas, located in Byron Township in the 1870's. His wife was Alvira Sophia Wood, a descendant of Pardon Arnold Wood, whose descendants are included in another report on this website. (People in this branch of the Root family have "(/)" following their names.)

A branch of the descendants of Thomas' brother John became residents of Monroe County through the line of John's granddaughter Sarah and her marriage to Adijah Dewey in 1687. Their great-great-great grandson, Norman Dewey, homesteaded some land in Wilton Township in 1855 after he served in the Civil War.

Norman and his wife, Minerva Parish, were the parents of Mary Minerva Dewey, who married Ira James Root in 1870 in Adrian Township. Ira's great-grandfather was Josiah Root, who was born in 1756 in Connecticut. So, one branch of the Root family married into another branch in Monroe County. (Josiah's family is included in another report on this website.)

One of Ira James Root's daughters, Eva Jane, married Samuel Hiram Griggs in Monroe County in 1908. (People in this branch of the Root family have "(*)" following their names. Follow the other symbols in the report to trace other descendancy lines from James Roote.)

We are still attempting to make a direct link from Josiah Root to James Roote.