John Roach
1813–1891

John Roach was born in Cork, Ireland in 1813, he emigrated to the United States and settled in New York City in about 1833. He is first listed in the New York City directories in the 1833-1834 edition as "philosophical instrument maker".  Trained as a maker of philosophical demonstrational, experimental, and science teaching instruments, he specialized at first in this branch of the trade with a shop at 116 White Street. He offered a wide range of apparatus including cameras, galvanic batteries, thermometers, and achromatic objective lenses.


He joined in partnership with Henry Warner, a brass turner who had previously been in business for himself with a shop located at 293 Broadway. In 1841-42 he is listed as Roach & Warner, instrument makers with Henry Warner as his partner. The firm of Roach & Warner was in business between 1833 and 1843. Advertising in the American Railroad Journal for 1837, Roach & Warner offered to supply "Wholesale Dealers and Country Merchants" with surveying compasses and other instruments "of their own manufacture, warranted accurate and at lower prices than can be had at any other establishment." This advertisement reflects an appreciation of the westward expansion of the country, as well as a concern for price at a time when America was experiencing a severe economic depression.


By 1843 Roach was again in business on his own, offering daguerreotype materials (this photographic technique had been introduced, in Paris, in 1839) as well as other optical and philosophical apparatus. From 1843 to 1855 he is variously listed as an optician and maker of surveying instruments.  He moved to San Francisco, CA in 1855 and is listed in the San Francisco directories from 1858 to 1891; he was soon the leading instrument dealer on the West Coast. From about 1861 Roach employed Joseph Charles Sala in his shop. Following Roach's death in March 1891, the business was continued by Sala until 1916. He died in San Francisco in 1891, at his death he was succeeded by his longtime employee, J. C. Sala. ROACH & WARNER of New York.

Joseph Charles Sala (1841-1916) was born in Italy, moved to San Francisco around 1861, and worked as an instrument maker for John Roach. Following Roach's death in 1891, Sala went into business for himself, advertising as "Successor to John Roach" and boasting of his many awards from the Mechanics' Institute of San Francisco.

Ref: J.C. Sala, Illustrated Catalogue and Manual of Civil Engineers' and Surveyors' Instruments (San Francisco, 1896).