From the photo and research files of 

Darla Marbut

Roaring River School

From the photo and research files of 

Darla Marbut

Darla Marbut said that her mother and her mother's brother went to school here at Roaring River. They lived on Roaring River near where Milo and Nicey (Haddock) Russell's homestead was. Their home was located across the river from where the present day horse stables are on the Roaring River Park. It was a mile or so to the school house. They got to ride "Old Billy", their saddle horse, to school. Darla said that her mother said that on icy cold days, the teacher let him put "Old Billy" in the wood shed. She indicated it was at the back of the school on the right where there is an addition. The park uses that area for a laundry house now days.  

Darla said, "My Mother Faye Maloney Ball was responsible for starting what turned out to be the Our Easleys a book that we did back in the 1970's. She had worked on it for 3 years and got me to type it up. I got interested and worked another 3 years gathering documents for her. Her Grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Russell Easley, was the daughter of Milo and Nicey Haddock Russell. Grandma Mary told her daughter, Mary Elizabeth Easley Maloney, who told Faye Maloney Ball, who told me stories about the family that are in the book including the one about 'Grandma Nicey riding the calf part way to the cave to take Grandpa Milo food and water during the Civil War. She also told of Grandma Mary and her sisters trying to plow the ground to plant a garden and having to hide their horse as they heard horses coming. They knew bushwhackers would take their horse from them."

1902 Roaring River School, submitted by Donna Cooper

Pictured are Augie Critchfield, Lula Ash, Joe Took, Ola Legg - teacher, Alta Critchfield, Pearl Ash, Cleo Preston, Esther Ash, Nettie Dunbar

Second Row: Edna Kirk, Myrtle Gebhart, Charlie Kirk, Virgil Bryan, Florence Bryan, Clyde Pruitt, Dove Ash, Maud Dunbar, Gusta Pruitt, Howard Critchfield, Chester Preston, Delbert Gebhart

Third Row: Lon Critchfield, Pearl Baze, Nealie Bryan

Fourth Row: Sitting on the ground William A. Justis, George Justis, Bud Ash, Glen Critchfield.  

Tinker Wilson's daughter, Flossie, married Charlie Kirk. Charlie was born Dec 9, 1891 and died 1978. He was about 9 years old here in this photo.