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Reprinted from the Roark-Conner Family News issue number 7, June 1994
Based on the TVA Survey of Families for the Chickamauga Reservoir Project, the following information is recorded in TVA file now available to the public at the National Archives, Southeast Region, East Point, GA.
Date range from 6 Apr 1937 to 6 Jul 1938
William Harrison Roark, age 49, and his wife, Mary Hunt Roark, age 40, had been married 10 years. They had no children. He was born in Hamilton County TN and she was born in LaFayette, Walker County GA. She had a Masters degree from college and he had 2 years of college and was a farmer.
Location: Follow Highway 58 through the town of Harrison to intersection with Birchwood Pike. Turn left on Birchwood Pike and follow it to the town of Birchwood. Turn left in the town of Birchwood on first road after passing school. Follow this road for approximately three miles. Mr. Roark occupies a white house at bend of road near the river.
The Post Office address was Birchwood, Route 1 (River Road). They lived 4 miles south of the Birchwood community, in the Birchwood Elementary and High School districts. They shopped at the local store and attended the Baptist Church in Birchwood. The Trade Center they used was Chattanooga, 34 miles southwest.
He had lived at the site all of his life. They owned their place, which had an 80 year old, 7 room frame house, which was painted and in good condition. The house had 3 sleeping rooms and was heated with wood. Coal oil lamps were used for light. They did not have a telephone and the water source was a cistern at the house. They had a sewing machine and a radio. Their furniture was valued at approximately $500.00. They had a $1,000.00 life insurance policy. They had an outdoor toilet.
They had a total of 110 acres, 36 in crops, 10 cleared and 64 wooded. In 1936 he raised 18 acres of corn and 18 acres of hay. in 1937 he had 32 acres of corn and 12 acres of hay. The place had been owned by his father, John L. Roark.
They had two heads of work stock (horses or mules) valued at $600.00; 2 milk cows valued at $200.00 and one other (probably a calf) valued at $15.00, one hog valued at $50.00 and 50 chickens plus 200 chicks valued at $25.00 for a total value of $890.00.
Farm Machinery included two wagons worth $80.00, two turning plows worth $17.00, one cultivator worth $40.00, one drag disc harrow worth $2.00, one planter worth $25.00, one mower worth $75.00, one hay rake worth $50.00, one stalk cutter worth $40.00, one hay baler worth $40.00, 7 small tools worth $30.00, 2 sets of harness worth $15.00, and one mill worth $100.00. The total value of farm machinery was $514.00
The family owned two cars, they had owned both cars for 2 years. A 15 year old 1922 Dodge and a 2 year old 1935 Chevrolet.
The expenditures in 1936 was; $50.00 for seeds, $6.80 machinery repair, and $80.00 taxes. The income was $450.00 from the sale of corn, $82.00 for the sale of poultry and poultry products.
Total farm income in 1936 was $532.00
Produced and consumed by the family in 1936: 150 pounds of butter at .30 per pound, 360 gallons of milk at .40 per gallon, 50 chickens at .50 each, 80 dozens eggs at 20 cents a dozen, 450 pounds of dressed pork at 12 1/2 cents per pound, 24 bushels of corn at $1.00 per bushel, 6 bushels of Irish potatoes at $2.00 a bushel, and 9 bushels of sweet potatoes at $1.45 a bushel.
The TVA interviewer recorded that his attitude toward TVA was critical because Government men destroyed part of his crop by running a car thru his field. The interviewer recorded that the family was able to take care of themselves and added that they may go to Oregon.
Total net income for 1936 was reported as $1,020.00 from the wife teaching school and 395.20 from farm receipts.
Mary taught English at Birchwood High School.
($7933.68) Register's Receipt for deed of tract CR-411 states that on the 30th day of December 1937 at 3:09 pm a general warrant deed bearing date of 30th day of December, 1937 executed by W.H. Roark and wife, Mary Hunt Roark and conveying to the United States of America a certain tract of land in the fourth Civil District of Hamilton County, Tennessee, containing 73.5 acres ($107.94 per acre) , was duly filed and noted for record in my office at Hamilton County, Tennessee.
signed by Wiles T. Thrasher A.P., County Register
The TVA case worker, Mr. Arrants, reported on 13 Jan 1938, that Mr. Roark does not plan to remain at this location until the end of the possession period granted him but expects to move his equipment and improvements from this tract as soon as he locates another farm, which he expects to do within the year.
The provision of the contract by which the land was acquired was explained,
particularly as they applied to his right of possession until December 31,1939,
removal of improvements and cultivation of land.
On July 6, 1938 Mr. Arrants reported that the family had bought the George
Thorogood farm in Franklin County, Tennessee. 110 acres for $7,500 ($68.18
per acre) on June 22, 1938
Mr. Arrant's closing entry was, "Mr. Roark has purchased and moved to a farm
in Franklin County. Immediately after vacating this tract he began wrecking the
buildings. He plans to rent the farm land to farmers in the immediate community for the 1939 season.”   This was the home of John & Maragaret Roark, John L. & Victoria Roark, and W. Harrison & Mary Roark. Harrison had the house moved to Winchester, Franklin County, TN in 1938 when the Chickamauga Reservoir was built.  He was born 15 Feb 1888, the son of John L. and Victoria Roark they lived on the eastern bank of the Tennessee River known as Roark Landing. He attended Rutherford School and Carson-Newman College. He taught his first school in 1907 at Mayflower Elementary School in Sale Creek.
He served as the James County School Superintendent 1915 until he resigned to enter the Army in WWI in 1917. After the Army he returned to farming at Birchwood and married Mary Hunt a teacher at Birchwood High School. They lived in the house that his grandfather and grandmother John and Margaret Gross Roark built in 1846.
Not wanting to leave their home to be destroyed by the Chickamauga Reservoir, they made the decision to move it to their new location. A local builder, Sim Scott, helped raze the house which was rebuilt at Winchester, Tennessee.
He died 17 Jan 1971 and was buried in the East Armuchee Cemetery, LaFayette, Georgia | Return Home | Great Links | Calendar | History Page | |
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