William Roark's parents were Nedan Roark, who was born September 23, 1832,
     in Tennessee, died January 10, 1886, and was buried at McPherson, Kansas.
     He was wounded in the Civil War. His mother, Elizabeth Reggens, was born
     March 30, 1843, in Tennessee, died February 12, 1910, at Waynoka, Oklahoma.
     William Asa Roark was born in Lafayette, Tennessee. Harriet Burgin was born
     May 18, 1876, at Fenton, Lincolnshire, England. She came with her parents,
     Robert and Sarah Burgin, to America in April, 1877. The family moved to
     Barber County in 1885, where they settled on a claim southwest of Coats,
     Kansas.
       William A. Roark and Harriet were married December 21, 1892. William
     made the "Run" into Oklahoma September 16, 1893. He staked out a claim 
     near Dane, Oklahoma. Life in the new state was very rough, with outlaws,
     Indians, and rattlesnakes. The house was made of sod and the roof was made
     of foot boards, stripped with narrow boards. This let the rain in. The 
     family lived at Dane for three years. The land was sandy and very poor.
     William sold the land for $300.00 and moved back to Coats.
       Harriet's two sisters and their families went to Houston, Texas. William
     and his family joined them. They had not lived there long before yellow
     fever broke out. The family returned to Kansas before they were quarantined.
       The Roarks had three children. James was born at Sawyer, Kansas, Nellie,
     at Dane, Oklahoma, and Mabel was born at Coats, Kansas.
       In 1898, William and Harriet bought 160 acres of land 1 1/2 miles west of
     Lake City. This farm was their home until 1929, when they decided to retire.
     They bought a house in Lake City, and lived there until William died July 1,
     1954. Harriet sold the farm in 1960. Her son had farmed the land for several
     years, but, because of poor health, was forced to give up farming. Harriet
     continued to live at her home, until she had a sick spell and went to live
     with her daughters in Kiowa, Kansas. She died February 1, 1972, at the age
     of 95 years, 8 months and 13 days.
       The Roark children went to elementary school in Lake City and graduated
     from high school at Medicine Lodge, Kansas. Nellie attended Emporia State
     Teachrers College at Emporia, where she received a B.S. degree. She taught
     school for several years. James attended Business College in Kansas City. 
     He did carpenter work and farmed. Mable married and settled on a farm near
     Kiowa, Kansas.
       The Roark children enjoyed many sports. One special sport was horse racing
     with neighbor children. They enjoyed the farm animals. Farm life was never
     dull for the children.
       Saturday afternoons were spent at Lake City. The children went to Bible
     study at the church, then joined their parents for baseball or horse racing.
     
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 387 
     Submitted by: Nellie Roark Sherrod