Birchwood History

Please visit the 64th Virtual Reunion, (sign in at Roark-Conner.org homepage), for the complete collection of Birchwood History being presented.  Below are examples of the information provided in the Reunion. 

Since 1993, a number of articles have been written about Birchwood, Tennessee and published in the R-CA Newsletter. A few of them include: 

• “A Tribute to Marleita Roark Carmichael” – by Johanna Eggers Roark
• “Ken and Margaret Gamble’s Blacksmith Shop” – by Margaret Gamble, Gayle Gamble, and Johanna Roark – May 2021
• “Birchwood, Tennessee”—1850 to 1920 – by Chuck Gross – January 2021
• “R-CA Historical Markers” – by Terry L. Roark – May 2019
• “Dr. L. L. Friddell and Historical Marker Project” – by David C. Roark – August 2004
• “Dr. Luther Lee Friddell November 13, 1877” – July 20, 1950 – by Darwin Lane – August 2004
• “The 1834/35 Trip Down the Tennessee River to Birchwood – Letter from Charles Palmer of Newport, TN” – January 1999
• “The Candies Creek Baptist Church” – by Reba Wilson – January 1999
• “The Lost Cemetery” – by Chuck Gross – January 1998
• “John Lewis Roark and Salem Baptist Church” – by Edgar Roark – June 1995
• “William Harrison Roark Farm Life in 1936” – June 1994 

We encourage family members to write and submit articles for the  Newsletter.

Visit the Virtual Reunion to review these articles.

You can also read a letter about Birchwood prepared by Peggy Defries McCallie (along with a tribute to her), view the video on Birchwood produced by Connie Roark Perrin and Carlene Delashmitt, and link to other related documents.