Rootbound in the Hills #32: 3 May 1988

by Rocky Macy

The mail poured in this week from coast to coast. It's great to know that so many Americans are rooted in the Ozarks!

Audrey SOLL (12817 Acheson Dr., Whittier, CA 90601) is seeking information about Benjamin BARNHILL and his wife, Frances DUNLAP, both of Tennessee. He died in 1894 in Benton County, AR. She would also like to know the names of the parents of Lydia Ellen SANDHAM. Lydia married John HERMAN in 1865 in IL, and she died in 1907 in Benton County, AR. If any of our readers can be of assistance, please write to Ms. SOLL at the above address.

Also from the West Coast, Betty BROWN (P.O. Box 881, Idyllwild, CA 92349) has written a nice letter regarding her lines in the Southwest City area. Ms. BROWN is a granddaughter of Nathan GANN and Ervin Lonzo DRAKE. She has done extensive research on the GANNs and DRAKEs and has lots of information which she will share. Mrs. BROWN mentioned in her letter that she has a complete list of DRAKE marriages from the mid-1800's to 1975 for McDonald and Delaware Counties which she will send to anyone who supplies a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). Betty BROWN would like to hear from those who are researching the same lines.

And from Colorado: Mrs. Marianne WEST (604 E. Cedar, Lamar, CO 81052) is trying to find the location of Elk City, MO. Her husband's grandmother, Minnie Byrl WYLIE, was born in Elk City on 1 Sep 1885, a daughter to James Martin WYLIE and Rosetta YEAGER. James supposedly deserted his family when Minnie was about twelve-years-old.

A friend has told Mrs. WEST that Elk City was located in McDonald County. I brought the inquiry to the attention of Zella Mae COLLIE of the McDonald County Library. Mrs. COLLIE could find no record of Elk City, but she did find a reference to Elk Mills which was located on the Elk River close to the border of the Indian Nation. Her source stated that Elk Mills was near the valleys of Patterson and Buffalo Creeks. The village mill was burned during the Civil War, and the town gradually fell into decay.

If any of our readers have information about Elk City or Elk Mills, please share it with Rootbound.

Good friend and former Southwest City resident Al DIXON sent a few sun-drenched notes from Florida. He noticed the query a couple of weeks ago about the WANN and DENTON families in Southwest City. Al reports that John DENTON was his great-grandfather. I have forwarded his letter on the the lady who made the inquiry. I know that she will appreciate Al's assistance.

Rylen RUDY (143 S. High St., Neosho, MO 64850) sent a packet of information about several families. One item that quickly caught my attention was a note on the ROARK family. Rylen had this to say:

"You published a picture of the Nathan ROARK family in a recent issue of your newspaper. I took it over to Mrs. Perry BLISS and she was thrilled to see a picture of her grandfather."

Mrs. BLISS (Hughla Lillian ROARK) is the daughter of Nathan's son, Henry Curtice ROARK (born 27 Mar 1874; died 6 Feb 1967) and Lillian Jay McNATT (born 28 May 1876; died 5 June 1943).

The photo that Rylen mentioned was supplied to Rootbound by Dean ROARK of Anderson, MO. I have recently acquired a photo of Comfort POE ROARK and eight of her children and their spouses. The treasure was loaned by cousins Dale ROARK MORRIS (Mrs. Carl "Big Dog" MORRIS) and Sam NUNN. We'll try to run it in this newspaper soon so tht it may be enjoyed by the numerous descendants who still reside in our area.

Special thanks to Sam NUNN of Neosho for giving me a beautiful photograph of my grandmother, Nancy Jane ROARK SREAVES, and her three sisters, Lucinda Comfort ROARK WILSON, Martha Carol ROARK NUNN, and Mary M. ROARK TUCKER. They were four lovely girls!

Happy trails!