Muhlenberg County KY, ROARK cemeteries

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Greenville Kentucky Cemeteries

The Roark and Ragon families are buried in two seperate cemetaries in Greenville Kentucky. The oldest is just north of town and is called Mt. Nebo Cemetary. This is where William Roark II and John Roark, along with their families, are buried.
I have included some of the pictures of grave sites that I have taken, along with maps to get to them.
The pictures I have are from a trip in August 1997. Most of the graves are still in the same condition from reports from my sister who just visited Greenville in August 2000.

Mount Nebo Cemetary

John and Ariel (Ary) Roark

John is my G-G-G-Grandfather. Both gravestones are in need of repair. My sister recently moved Ary's stone next to John's, but we are uncertain of the actual gravesite locations. I was intrigued by the term "Consort" rather than "Wife" that was used on her gravestone, and I have not seen this used on headstones before Ariel is John's second wife, so I was not sure of the meaning here. Looked up the meaning, and it is kind of "romantic" in today's terms. I like the thought of two ships accompanying each other.

con·sort (knsôrt) n.
             1.A husband or wife, especially the spouse of a monarch.
             2.A companion or partner.
             3.A ship accompanying another in travel.

Martha A. Roark Harris

I may have this one wrong since I do not have the birth date on this stone, but I believe this is the only daughter of John and Ary buried here in the cemetery.

Martin Marshall

Martin is the husband of John's daughter Florinda (Florence). I think they stayed on, farmed the homestead, and took care of Ary from later census records. His stone is at Evergree Cemetery (see below). I did not find any others from John's line at Mt. Nebo.

William (2nd) and Martha Martin Roark

William and Martha are buried right near John on the hillside. I was interested to see that Martha's headstone was in fairly good condition, and had a hook for flowers from some recent time. Most of the Roark descendant's on the William (1st) line in Muhlenberg County descended from Willima and Martha. They had at least 12 children that I have been able to document.

G.W. Richardson and Martha Y. Roark Richardson

Daughter of William and Martha. I had her husband as "Green" Richardson in notes, but the worn section of stone indicates "Wife Of Wm A." Since I can not find a William Richardson, but did find "G.W.", I am going to assume it was Green William as her husband.

Issac son of John R. (Son of William 2nd) and Jane W. Ingram Roark

Issac was the youngest son of who would have been John Roark's nephew.

William D. Martin

William was the husband of Mary E. Roark, daughter of WIlliam (2nd) and Martha. There were other broken illegible stones laying beside this one, so Mary could have been buried here as well. I only have record of one daughter for William and Mary.

If anyone can provide me with a plot layout for Mt. Nebo cemetery, it would be very helpdul, and I would like to include it on this page!

Evergreen Cemetary is where more of the extended family is buried from the late 1800's, along with the Ragon family. This is just to the south east headed out of Greenville.

Evergreen Cemetary

John V. and Amanda B. Ragon

John and Amanda are the parents of my G-Grandmother, Edmonia. Their son Weather has taken it's toll on the two sides, which are hard to read. I need to get a tracing paper rubbing of the sides on my next trip. Lavina (Lou) Ragon is listed on the one side. James J Ragon (editor of the Muhlenberg Echo newspaper) is listed on the other side. See more details on the Ragon web page.

Charles Wickliffe and Eula Lam Roark

Charles is the son of Lt James Roark (Civil War vetran), Gransdson of John R. Roark, and Great Grandson of WIlliam (2nd). I have no records of their children.

James L Roark and Jennie E. Morgan Roark

Cecil E. and Orien are also seen in the background. The Morgan family is further back. From "A History of Muhlenberg County":

HMC: Lieutenant James Louis Roark, son of John R. Roark and grandson of pioneer William Roark, was born in Muhlenberg County April 14, 1840, and died in Greenville on April 5, 1893. In 1861 he enlisted at Calhoun and was elected first lieutenant of Company K, Eleventh Kentucky Infantry (Federal), which office he held until his regiment was mustered out. On account of disabilities received in service he did not reenlist. He was in his day the best-known funeral director in the county. J.L. Roark married Jennie E. Morgan, daughter of Wm. K. Morgan. Their children are: Orien L., Cecil E., and Charles W. Roark of Greenville, and Doctor J. Louis Roark, now of Seattle, Washington.

Martin J and Nannie Davis Roark

This Civil War Vetran's biography gave me some of the best early data into the family history. Here is an excerpt from my notes:

CAPTAIN MARTIN J. ROARK was born June 26, 1833, three miles north of Greenville, KY. He is the ninth of twelve children (four boys and eight girls) born to William and Martha (Martin) Roark, natives of Virginia, and Fayette County, KY, respectively, of Irish and Scotch descent. William Roark was a soldier in the war of 1812; was in the battle in which Tecumseh was killed; he was a son of William Roark, a farmer, and a native of Ireland.William married Mary Everly. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Samuel and Martha McDonald. They were born in Scotland. The father of our subject came from North Carolina to Kentucky about 1800, and settled incentral Kentucky; about 1816 he moved to Muhlenberg County. Capt. Roark was reared on a farm until he was seventeen years old. He received a good education, and attended the State Normal School one year; commenced teachingat seventeen, and taught two years; then engaged as salesman for five years in Greenville; then attended school for one year; taught one year, and then sold goods until the breaking out of the war. In October, 1861, he enlisted in Company K, Eleventh Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, Federal; was elected captain, P.B. Hawkins, colonel commanding, took part in the battle of Shiloh, in which he was wounded three times; was at Stone River, and numerous skirmishes; was offered the lieutenant-colonelcy, of another regiment, but refused to leave his company. He resigned in July, 1863, on account of disability, returned home and taught school one year; was made deputy provost marshal; in 1865, was elected representative of the county; in 1866, was admitted to the bar by Judges Thomas Petree and James A. Stuart, and has practiced ever since. He made the race for state treasurer in 1867, and for congress in the Second District in 1868, on the Republican ticket. he was married May 6, 1858, to Nannie W. Davis, daughter of Capt. Benjamin and Margaret (Hill) Davis, natives of Virginia and Kentucky, respectively. His father was a farmer and slave holder, and also representative of Butler County several terms. Captain andMrs. Roark are members of the Presbyterian Church; he is a member of the F. & A.M. and K. of H. They have one child R.N. Roark.
Roark Martin Everly McDonald Hawkins Petree Stuart Davis Hill
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VA Fayette Scotland NC Butler
®8 LDS film # 09962913, Excerpts from History of Kentucky, Illustrated, 1885, by Battle, Perrin, and Kniffin. Appeared in the Central City Messenger and Times-Argus, Central City, Kentucky, in seven installments during May, June,and July 1959.

Martha Berge Roark and William Edward Roark

I do not know how these two people fit in. They are near each other, but may not be related. They may be from the other Tennesee Roark line that came to the area after 1870. Please let me know if you have any ideas. The dates do not match up with anyone in my database, so far...

J.H. Martin

J.H. is the son of Hugh Martin and Elizabeth Roark. Elizabeth is the daughter of Martin Roark, brother of WIlliam and John. The Martin's and Roark's intermarried in the 1800's throughout all of the lines.

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