Abigail Roark

Not the child of Nellie 'Leaf' Ugalogv Pathkiller & Chief Tai-Ya-Gansi-Ni "Dragging Canoe", Principal Chief, who were not partners to each other; that’s an internet myth.

Biography

Abigail, parents unknown, was born about 1755, "of" Ashe County, North Carolina, and died before 1820 in Ashe County, North Carolina. She was buried in Creston in the Charles and Abigail Roark Cemetery.

Abigail married about 1775 to Charles Roark (died after 1830), his parents unknown.

Their children:

1. Sarah 1775 (m. Stephen Taylor, s/o John Taylor and Mary (? Lewis) d. 1801 Ashe Co., NC),
2. Rebecca 1776 (m. Richard Vanover),
3. Jesse 1778 (m. Ellen "Nellie" Price),
4. Mary "Polly" 1785 (m. Thaddeus Lewis);
5. Kiziah Sosandra 1786 (m. William L. Price),
6. Timothy 1790 (m. Rebecca),
7. Jane 1798 (m. John Pope s/o Nathan Pope b. 1775),
8. Eleanor 1792 (m. Nathan Lewis),
9. Charles B. 29 Nov 1795 (b. NC, m. Letitia Jones);
10. Abigail 1800 (m. Noah Mahala);
11. Martin

Disambiguation

From https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54197476/abigail-roark/flower (also see Document, "Flowers" section")

Abigail Roark is NOT Cherokee per DNA testing of many descendants. Please stop this myth from perpetuating. Here is a write up from a professional Vanover genealogist to help clear up the errors in our tree. Please stick to fact when documenting, after all it IS what happened.
"After 30 years of research, here's my findings, and you are all quite welcome to dig deeper into the records and come to your own conclusions one way or the other. If anyone has documentary proofs that refute what I say here, I would very much welcome the opportunity to review it: Many trees on Ancestry and elsewhere are listed with Abigail Easterd/Eastridge "Raven Canoe" as being married to both Charles Roark and Cornelius Vanover. If one looks at the overlapping dates of the children born to the Charles Roark and Abigail "Raven Canoe" and to the Cornelius Vanover and Abigail Easterd families, you can clearly see that these are two separate families that are unfortunately being combined into one. But that's not all...
1. There are two different Charles Roark's that are being combined into one man. Charles of Grayson Co VA, son of Timothy Roark never left VA. Charles of Grayson was living in VA with wives Polly Reed (md. 1800) and Isabella Hale (md. 1823) when the Charles of Ashe Co NC who married Abigail "Raven Canoe" was in Ashe. There's extensive documentation which would take up several pages that proves they were two different men, but the biggest piece of evidence is the 1811 Will of Charles of Grayson's father Timothy Roark and a subsequent Chancery Court document which clearly shows Timothy's son was a resident of the state of Virginia at the time Charles of Ashe is shown living in North Carolina. County Court Orders for both men in both states covering many, many years also show they were two different men. Charles of Grayson was the soldier.
2. There are two different Abigail's that are being combined into one woman. Abigail "Raven Canoe" was the one who married Charles Roark of Ashe Co NC...she might have been Native American, although mtDNA testing would be needed to prove it. Abigail Easterd was the one who married Cornelius (5th) Vanover...she likely was not Native American based on everything I've seen on the family document-wise and have heard from those who have done mtDNA on this line. Both families were living in Ashe Co NC at the same time. Charles Roark - (1806-1811 Ashe Co NC County Court Orders, 1810-1820-1830 Ashe Co NC Census, 1815 Ashe Co NC Tax List) and Cornelius (5th) Vanover (1790 Rowan Co NC Census, 1806-1807 Ashe Co NC Court Orders, 1834 Ashe Co NC Minutes of NC Superior Court, 1810-1820-1830 Ashe Co NC Census, 1815 Ashe Co NC Tax List). Abigail "Raven Canoe" born about 1755 died about 1820, but Abigail Easterd born about 1766 was still living as late as 1830, maybe later.
3. Cornelius (5th) Vanover's FATHER Cornelius (4th) Vanover was the one who married 2nd wife Abigail Mattox on 20 Jan 1778 in Sussex Co NJ. Cornelius (4th) Vanover's first wife is supposedly Elizabeth Williams, though I have never found proof of that name. I have a copy of the marriage bond for Cornelius (4th) and Abigail Mattox. I have a copy of Cornelius (4th) Vanover's 1818 Will which lists his "beloved wife Abigail" (Ashe Co NC Will Book A, Pg.52). Cornelius Vanover and Abigail Easterd's first child Catherine was born abt 1784, so they likely were married about 1783 in Western North Carolina territory. I believe they probably married somewhere in or near Rowan Co NC since Cornelius was there in 1790 census. I have other reasons for this belief which I won't go into here.
4. Abigail "Raven Canoe" is the one who is buried next to her husband Charles Roark. Nobody knows the exact location of Abigail Easterd-Vanover's burial, but you can bet it was near her husband Cornelius (5th) Vanover.
5. Exactly zero of Abigail Easterd-Vanover's children were ever accepted into the Cherokee Nation. Catherine Vanover-Perry was the ONLY one of Abigail Easterd-Vanover's children to file for admission and neither she nor any of her descendants were ever accepted. All were rejected.6. E-Sut-ee (E-Sut-i-hee) was not Abigail Easterd-Vanover or Abigail "Raven Canoe". E-Sut-ee (E-Sut-i-hee) was listed on the 1835 Henderson Roll for the very first time, some 15 years AFTER Abigail "Raven Canoe" had died in 1820, and if my Abigail Easterd died around 1840, it would be about 5 years AFTER my Abigail Easterd-Vanover was dead. E-Sut-ee was also on the 1848 Mullay Roll (If on the Mullay Roll you should also be on the Chapman Roll). E-Sut-ee was on the 1851 Siler Roll with her daughter and her daughter's two girls. E-Sut-ee is shown on the 1851 Chapman Roll with the same daughter and two granddaughters as were on the Siler Roll. The Chapman roll lists ages...E-Sut-ee was 70 years old (born about 1781), her daughter was 30 (born 1821) and the granddaughters were 6 (born 1845) and 1 (born 1850). Abigail Easterd-Vanover was born about 1766, some 15 years BEFORE E-Sut-tee's birth date of 1781, and Abigail "Raven Canoe" was born about 1755, some 26 years before E!-Sut-tee's birth date of 1781."

Sources

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 30 March 2018), memorial page for Abigail Roark (1755 to 1820), Find A Grave Memorial no. 54197476, citing Charles and Abigail Roark Family Cemetery, Creston, Ashe County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by C. Roark (contributor 46855518) .

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Reported to be Cherokee

Family Members
Spouse

Charles Roark 1750 - 1830 Children

Martin Roark* unknown - 1835

Charles B Roark* 1795 - 1876

Abigail Roark Mahala* 1800 -

Abigial (unknown maiden name) was not a Maddox, Easterd, Et-suh-tee, or RavenCanoe. She was NOT a Cherokee and we need to stop perpetuating this myth just because so many wish it were true. There are ZERO facts or documentation supporting the myth and many refuting it including the DNA testing of multiple descendants that have zero NA markers. I've included a write up from a professional Vanover/Roark genealogist on this issue. She, very modestly, states she is not a professional, but after over 30 years of in depth, very meticulous documentation I consider her one. She is not alone in this research disavowing the Cherokee myth. It's also worth noting the "photo" on her FindAGrave page is a generic photo found all over family trees with different names on it so very likely NOT our Abigail (my 5th Great Grandma). I also show zero NA DNA and was also told the myth all my life. If anyone uncovers her parentage please email me. - LisaAnn Howland Young.

After 30 years of research, here's my findings, and you are all quite welcome to dig deeper into the records and come to your own conclusions one way or the other. If anyone has documentary proofs that refute what I say here, I would very much welcome the opportunity to review it:

Many trees on Ancestry and elsewhere are listed with Abigail Easterd/Eastridge "Raven Canoe" as being married to both Charles Roark and Cornelius Vanover. If one looks at the overlapping dates of the children born to the Charles Roark and Abigail "Raven Canoe" and to the Cornelius Vanover and Abigail Easterd families, you can clearly see that these are two separate families that are unfortunately being combined into one. But that's not all...

1. There are two different Charles Roark's that are being combined into one man. Charles of Grayson Co VA, son of Timothy Roark never left VA. Charles of Grayson was living in VA with wives Polly Reed (md. 1800) and Isabella Hale (md. 1823) when the Charles of Ashe Co NC who married Abigail "Raven Canoe" was in Ashe. There's extensive documentation which would take up several pages that proves they were two different men, but the biggest piece of evidence is the 1811 Will of Charles of Grayson's father Timothy Roark and a subsequent Chancery Court document which clearly shows Timothy's son was a resident of the state of Virginia at the time Charles of Ashe is shown living in North Carolina. County Court Orders for both men in both states covering many, many years also show they were two different men. Charles of Grayson was the soldier.

2. There are two different Abigail's that are being combined into one woman. Abigail "Raven Canoe" was the one who married Charles Roark of Ashe Co NC...she might have been Native American, although mtDNA testing would be needed to prove it. Thus far many testers are showing negative on this. Abigail Easterd was the one who married Cornelius (5th) Vanover...she likely was not Native American based on everything I've seen on the family document-wise and have heard from those who have done mtDNA on this line. Both families were living in Ashe Co NC at the same time. Charles Roark - (1806-1811 Ashe Co NC County Court Orders, 1810-1820-1830 Ashe Co NC Census, 1815 Ashe Co NC Tax List) and Cornelius (5th) Vanover (1790 Rowan Co NC Census, 1806-1807 Ashe Co NC Court Orders, 1834 Ashe Co NC Minutes of NC Superior Court, 1810-1820-1830 Ashe Co NC Census, 1815 Ashe Co NC Tax List). Abigail "Raven Canoe" born about 1755 died about 1820, but Abigail Easterd born about 1766 was still living as late as 1830, maybe later.

3. Cornelius (5th) Vanover's FATHER Cornelius (4th) Vanover was the one who married 2nd wife Abigail Mattox on 20 Jan 1778 in Sussex Co NJ. Cornelius (4th) Vanover's first wife is supposedly Elizabeth Williams, though I have never found proof of that name. I have a copy of the marriage bond for Cornelius (4th) and Abigail Mattox. I have a copy of Cornelius (4th) Vanover's 1818 Will which lists his "beloved wife Abigail" (Ashe Co NC Will Book A, Pg.52). Cornelius Vanover and Abigail Easterd's first child Catherine was born abt 1784, so they likely were married about 1783 in Western North Carolina territory. I believe they probably married somewhere in or near Rowan Co NC since Cornelius was there in 1790 census. I have other reasons for this belief which I won't go into here.

4. Abigail "Raven Canoe" is the one who is buried next to her husband Charles Roark. Nobody knows the exact location of Abigail Easterd-Vanover's burial, but you can bet it was near her husband Cornelius (5th) Vanover.

5. Exactly zero of Abigail Easterd-Vanover's children were ever accepted into the Cherokee Nation. Catherine Vanover-Perry was the ONLY one of Abigail Easterd-Vanover's children to file for admission and neither she nor any of her descendants were ever accepted. All were rejected.

6. E-Sut-ee (E-Sut-i-hee) was not Abigail Easterd-Vanover or Abigail "Raven Canoe". E-Sut-ee (E-Sut-i-hee) was listed on the 1835 Henderson Roll for the very first time, some 15 years AFTER Abigail "Raven Canoe" had died in 1820, and if my Abigail Easterd died around 1840, it would be about 5 years AFTER my Abigail Easterd-Vanover was dead. E-Sut-ee was also on the 1848 Mullay Roll (If on the Mullay Roll you should also be on the Chapman Roll). E-Sut-ee was on the 1851 Siler Roll with her daughter and her daughter's two girls. E-Sut-ee is shown on the 1851 Chapman Roll with the same daughter and two granddaughters as were on the Siler Roll. The Chapman roll lists ages...E-Sut-ee was 70 years old (born about 1781), her daughter was 30 (born 1821) and the granddaughters were 6 (born 1845) and 1 (born 1850). Abigail Easterd-Vanover was born about 1766, some 15 years BEFORE E-Sut-tee's birth date of 1781, and Abigail "Raven Canoe" was born about 1755, some 26 years before E! -Sut-tee's birth date of 1781. HE was also misidentified as a woman until 2017 when the actual roll was evaluated and it is clear he was a MAN.