calsfoundation@cals.org
January 8, 1817
John Roane was born into a prominent political family of Lebanon, Tennessee. The fourth governor of Arkansas, Roane is best known for his service in the U.S.-Mexican War and his efforts to deal with the state’s financial crisis following the failure of its banking system. He supported internal improvements, the establishment of a state college (though he was hostile to publicly supported common school education), and the recruitment of immigrants to Arkansas.