Family Trees
The annual reunion of the Roark-Conner families began in 1959, with descendants of James Roark (1740-1792) who settled in the Birchwood, TN area. Over the years, many of families moved away, but the annual reunions continued and expanded to include other family branches.
Today, there are many branches of the Roark-Conner family tree descending from James Roark and Maximilian Conner. We have highlighted some descendants of the branch from the original 1959 reunion below.
We invite you to add your branch of the Roark-Conner family tree to this website. Please send your information to BoD@Roark-Conner.org. Thank you for your interest in the R-CA.
Martha Palmer and Maximilian Conner
James Roark of Tazewell, Virginia
Read More about James Roark
On March 18, 1780, the James Roark Massacre occurred in the Baptist Valley area of Tazewell County, VA. While James Roark, an early settler of this region, and two of his sons went on a hunting trip, Indians attacked his home. The Indians, alleged to be Shawnee, killed and scalped James’ wife and seven of his children. James, and his oldest son John, were later killed in a battle with the Shawnee Indians. Timothy Roark, Sr., who married Sarah Bolen, was the only family member to live to adulthood and raise a family.
Timothy Roark Sr.
Timothy & Sarah Bolen
Roark Roark
b. 1765 b. 1776
d. 1833 d. 1850
Married 1790 in Virginia
They are buried in Lambert Cemetery,
Tazewell, Claiborne County, TN.
Descendants of Timothy Roark, Sr.
Click below to View
Click Here to View First Generation
Information provided courtesy of WebForMatt.com.
Click Here to View Second Generation
Information provided courtesy of WebForMatt.com.
Click Here to View Third Generation
Information provided courtesy of WebForMatt.com.
Click Here to View Fourth Generation
Information provided courtesy of WebForMatt.com.
Timothy Roark Jr.
Timothy Jr. was a first generation descendant of Timothy Sr. who originally settled in the Birchwood, TN area with his three brothers. He later returned to Claiborne County, TN.
Timothy Jr. & Mary Williams
Roark Roark
b. Apr. 7, 1819 b. ???
d. May 23, 1892 d. ???
Married: March 12, 1840
They had 12 children
The three first generation descendants of Timothy Sr. who settled in the Birchwood, TN area:
James P. Roark
James P. & Jerusha Blythe
Roark Roark
b. Oct. 9, 1798 b. Sep 16, 1806
d. Aug 29, 1877 d. May 6, 1876
Joseph Roark
Joseph & Juda Ann Carr
Roark Roark
b. Jul 4, 1813 b. Ca. 1813
d. Feb 15, 1876 d. Aug 28, 1882
John Roark
John & Margaret Gross
Roark Roark
b. May 18, 1800 b. Apr 18, 1806
d. Feb 2, 1870 d. Jun 1868
Many R-CA ancestors belong to both the Roark and Conner family branch. That is because three Roark men married three Conner women:
- John Wesley Roark married Permelia Brittanna Conner Roark on September 8, 1866, at the Salem Church, Hamilton County, TN. Fourteen children were born to this union. Read more . . .
- John Lewis Roark married Victoria Darleska Conner Roark on September 19, 1866, in Hamilton, TN. Fourteen children were born to this union. In 1881, two died of scarlet fever within a week.
- William Marion Roark married Virginia Conner Roark on January 26, 1878, at the Salem Baptist Church, Hamilton County, TN. Eleven children were born to this union. William also had a son with Mary Jane Scott.
Family Trees
You may also be interested in the following family history books available from the R-CA.
A BIOGRAPHY AND FAMILY HISTORY ALBUM
SALEM COMMUNITY ANCESTRY
HAMILTON COUNTY, TENNESSEE
by John J. Roark
Softcover (14 pages)
Complimentary book (request download link by completing the form below)
In the mid to late 1830s, four families settled in the eastern portion of Hamilton County, Tennessee, that lies on the south bank of the Tennessee River. These four families, who were to live as part of the Salem Community south of present-day Birchwood, were headed by Maximilian Haney Conner and the three Roark brothers, James, John, and Joseph. It was from these four families that the majority of the members of the Roark-Conner Association trace their ancestry.
The four families together raised a total of 45 children, 34 of whom lived to maturity. Of the 34, most remained in Hamilton County and raised their families in the Salem Community. Others found it advantageous to locate elsewhere during the era of reconstruction following the Civil War. Even later descendants followed the western migration patterns common to many families during the western expansion of the United States so that by the year 2003, descendants of the four families lived in each of the fifty states of the U.S.
It is the intent of this Album to provide a biography and family history of these 34 descendants and their descending families. It is hoped that this Album, when completed, will provide a comprehensive family narrative relating present-day families to their ancestors. Read more . . .
JOSEPH ROARK: HIS LIFE AND TIMES – 2001
by John J. Roark
$30.00 – Hardcover
This is a historical biography – 1813 to 1876 – providing the ancestry of Joseph Roark in early Virginia, his early life in Claiborne County, TN, his pioneering settlement in the Ocoee District of Hamilton County, and his struggles during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Read more…
All proceeds from the purchase of R-CA books supports the important work of the R-CA such as maintaining family cemeteries, placing historical markers, publishing the Newsletter 3 times per year, and hosting the annual family reunion.