McDonough ILGenWeb

ROARK, Patrick D., a popular and prosperous druggist of Macomb, Ill., was born in McDonough County, in October, 1866. His parents, James and Katherine (McGinnis) Roark, were natives of County Down, Ireland, and his grandfather on the maternal side, Patrick McGinnis, was also a native of County Down. James Roark came to the United States and, in 1858, journeyed from New Jersey to Illinois, where he worked in different places until his marriage, when he bought a farm. He was the father of ten children. Mr. Roark received his education in the public and normal schools, and obtained his professional Instruction in the Chicago College of Pharmacy, which he attended for eight months when he was twenty-one years old, working in that city for a few months thereafter. He gave up his position in Chicago on account of ill health, and returned to Macomb, where he spent a year in the employ of Mr. Stinson. In 1893 he purchased the Delaney drug store, situated at No. 118 north side of the public square, which he has since conducted successfully. He keeps a full line of drugs, and bears an excellent reputation as a careful compounder of prescriptions. His reliability and close attention to business have secured for him a good patronage, which is increasing from year to year.

The subject of this sketch was married in February, 1891, to Helen Olker, who was born in Kenosha, Wis., and received her mental culture in the public schools and the convent at Quincy, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Roark have one child, Mary Katherine, who was born in December, 1902. Politically, Mr. Roark is a Democrat, and fraternally, is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and National Union. He and his wife are consistent members of the Catholic Church.

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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, page 992, extracted 29 May 2020 by Norma Hass.