Roark (William) Papers, 1832-1862
Description
Born in Tennessee in 1803, William Roark came to Texas in 1834 with his wife Margaret Reed Roark, three children, and other family members. Living in Nacogdoches and Cherokee Counties, Roark worked as a surveyor, business owner, and farmer. He was appointed as a justice of the peace for Nacogdoches County and was elected to the office of county commissioner upon the formation of Cherokee County in 1846. Roark died at his home near the town of Linton in 1862.
Correspondence, land records, legal documents, financial documents, and maps record the business and personal life of William Roark and his family. Many items are associated with Roark's service as justice of the peace. Several of these concern legal actions involving Peter E. Bean. Other names noted in the papers include Kelsey H. Douglass, Alpheus Wickware, and James H. Starr.