Family Bibles

Imagine the intense feeling of heritage, history, and connection to family that comes from opening a well-loved Bible with its ancient cover and faint musty smell. Inside as you carefully turn the stained, wrinkled pages you read the entries your great-grandmother had carefully written. You see on the pages the date of her wedding to your great grandfather, the name of their son and when he was born, the name of her father and where he is buried, your name and birth date, and the date their granddaughter was christened.

Do you remember a family Bible in your house as you grew up? Were you the recipient of this treasure trove of family history, or have you discovered your family Bible while cleaning out a basement or an attic? Has your Bible been in the family for generations? If you don’t have your family Bible, do you know who has it? Have you asked other family members whether they know of any old Bibles in the family? If you’re fortunate enough to have a copy of your family Bible, have you shared those family history pages with others? Do others know you have the family Bible? Does your family have a plan to ensure it will pass to the next generation for safekeeping? If you don’t have your family Bible, but know it exists somewhere, you can get tips for finding it in a post in Family Tree Magazine entitled, “Ways to Find Family Bibles.”

In the days of our grandparents and before, family Bibles served as a central focal point of family life providing spiritual guidance. They also were places where mothers and grandmothers carefully recorded significant family events including births, christenings, marriages, deaths, and burial information. These Bibles were passed down from one generation to the next to continue documenting important names and dates. Some family Bibles even show Church membership and birthplaces. Many have been in the family for generations and contain information that may not be found at the local court house. These Bibles are very valuable and, when hand written as the events occurred, are most usually very accurate, although the accuracy of the information should still be verified.

In 2010, Chuck Gross (R-CA President, 1992) attempted to locate family Bibles to follow up on our R-CA objective of preserving Roark-Conner family history. He asked R-CA members to identify Bibles and submit copies of selected pages. He then compiled the information in a publication entitled, “Roark-Conner Collection of Family Bibles.”

Bibles included in the collection:

• Jacob. C. Gross (Mary Ellen Roark). Bible – in the possession of Chuck Gross.
• Martha V. Roark Moon Lovell Bible – in the possession Gene Johnson.
• Sim Scott Roark – in the possession of Nell Johnson Roark.
• Curren Buell Johnson and Nelle Ruth Lovell Bible – in the possession of Gene Johnson.
• John Wesley and Permelia B. Conner Roark Bible – location unknown, however some pages were located in the Roark-Conner Collection.
• William Marion and Virginia Conner Roark Bible – is lost, however some pages were located in the Roark-Conner Collection.
• Timothy Roark, Jr. and Mary Williams Roark Bible.

Bibles Chuck could not locate: 

• Joseph and Juda Carr Roark Family Bible

• Grover and Willie Roark Family Bible

If you have knowledge about a Bible to include in the Collection, please e-mail the information to chuckgross33@gmail.com.

Despite our own families efforts to preserve Roark-Conner family bibles, sadly, in recent times the family Bible has become virtually obsolete. A 1911 newspaper article in the Idaho Statesmanquoted a Philadelphia publishing house stating, “the family Bible trade is languishing. The Bible continues to be the best seller, but it is no longer the immense volume that stood on the parlor center table … and had room for all the family records. The thing now is a thin paper student edition with flexible covers…suited to the overcoat pocket.” The article continues, “The passing of the family Bible is significant of an interesting change in the keeping of vital statistics. Records of births, deaths, and marriages have ceased to be a family and become a state function. … That fact need not prevent our dropping a tear at the passing of an old cherished institution.”

Laura Shropshire Roark knew more should be done than “dropping a tear.” Preserving and recording Roark-Conner family history was one of the primary objectives proposed in 1959, when she and her four brothers organized the first R-C family Reunion, with help from other family members.

Within our own families we can continue to maintain the family bibles, and preserve and share other valuable documents and heirlooms. We all have a wonderful opportunity to share our family bibles and other heirlooms with family members at the upcoming R-CA Reunion Reunion on September 25-27, 2020. This Website provides details on the Reunion. We hope you can make it, and don’t forget to bring your family heirlooms and Bibles to share with your cousins.