# Edward James Roye

_First member of Liberia's True Whig Party to serve as President (1815-1872)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/edward-james-roye
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Edward James Roye was an Americo-Liberian merchant and politician who served as the fifth president of Liberia from 1870 until his overthrow in the 1871 Liberian coup d'état and subsequent death. He had previously served as the fourth Chief Justice of Liberia from 1865 until 1868. He was the first member of Liberia's True Whig Party to serve as president.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 3 February 1815 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q879069#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Newark ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q879069#P19))
- **Died:** 12 February 1872 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q879069#P570))
- **Place of death:** Monrovia ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q879069#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Liberia; United States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q879069#P27))
- **Occupation:** judge; politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q879069#P106))
- **Political party:** True Whig Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q879069#P102))
- **Education:** Ohio University ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q879069#P69))
- **Positions held:** President of Liberia (3 January 1870 – 26 October 1871); Chief Justice of Liberia; Member of the House of Representatives of Liberia ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q879069#P39))

## Questions

**When was Edward James Roye born?**  
Edward James Roye was born on 3 February 1815 in Newark.

**What positions has Edward James Roye held?**  
Positions held by Edward James Roye include: President of Liberia (1870–1871); Chief Justice of Liberia; Member of the House of Representatives of Liberia.

**Where did Edward James Roye study?**  
Edward James Roye was educated at Ohio University.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Edward James Roye](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_James_Roye) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q879069](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q879069) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Edward James Roye2.jpg by Unknown photographer (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edward_James_Roye2.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Edward James Roye, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Edward James Roye2.jpg — Unknown photographer, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Edward James Roye". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/edward-james-roye. Retrieved 8 November 2026.