Spencer Roane (April 4, 1762–September 4, 1822) was a Virginia lawyer and politician who served in the Virginia House of Delegates and as a judge of the state's highest court.
Roane was born in Essex County, Virginia, on April 4, 1762. His father was William Roane, a Scotsman's son who had emigrated from Ireland in 1741 and served in the House of Burgesses before the American Revolutionary War.[1][2]
He attended private schools and entered the College of William and Mary about 1777. In 1780, Roane studied law under Chancellor George Wythe. After several years of practicing law, he entered the House of Delegates. In 1789, he was made a judge of the general court where he continued until 1794 when he was appointed a judge of the Court of Appeals. He remained a judge on the high court until his death on September 4, 1822. Twice in his lifetime Judge Roane was one of the people appointed to revise the laws of the state. There is a record of correspondence between former president Thomas Jefferson and Judge Roane.[3]
Spencer Roane was named for Col. Nicholas Spencer, acting Governor of the state of Virginia in 1683-1684, although Roane wasn't descended from Spencer, who was a family relation. (Col. John Mottrom, first member of the Virginia House of Burgesses for Northumberland County, had a son John Mottrom, who in turn had a son named Spencer Mottrom, named for Gov. Nicholas Spencer, who was married to John Mottrom Jr.'s sister. Capt. Spencer Mottrom's daughter Mary, in turn, was married to Joseph Ball, whose son Spencer Ball had a son Spencer Mottrom Ball, whose daughter married William Roane, father of Justice Spencer Roane.)[4]
Spencer Roane was married to Anne Henry, the daughter of Patrick Henry, Virginia governor and patriot.[5] His son, William H. Roane, was a U.S. Senator from Virginia.
Roane County, West Virginia and Spencer, the county seat, are both named for Judge Roane. (Roane County, Tennessee, is named for a cousin, Archibald Roane.[2])