Newspaper Articles
The following Newspaper articles have been published:
Roarks Survived Ambush, Helped Settle Birchwood
The following article was published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on July 11, 1993:
![R-CA Newspaper Article 7/11/93](https://roark-conner.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/R-CA-Newspaper-Article-71193.jpg)
50th Reunion To Be Held in Cleveland, TN
The following article was published in the Chattanooga.com on October 5th, 2008:
https://www.chattanoogan.com/2008/10/5/136517/Roark-Conner-Association-50th-Reunion.aspx
Family Members Collect, Preserve Ancestral
The following article was published in the Times Free Press on June 8, 2011:
Cleaning Up the Family Past
The following article was published in the Cleveland Banner on June 14, 2016:
Long-neglected Clinton cemetery gets needed facelift and a new roadside sign
http://clevelandbanner.com/stories/cleaning-up-the-family-past,36368
Please Note: You must subscribe to the Cleveland Banner to access this article.
1959-2019: A Family Reunion Of Local Significance
As a result of the 2019 Press Release, about the Family Reunion, the following article was published:
Sixty years ago, in the summer of 1959, the Roark-Conner family held its first reunion in Birchwood, Hamilton County. On Sept. 27-29, the Roark-Conner Association (R-CA) will hold its 61st annual family reunion in two locations (Cleveland and Charleston) in Hamilton County. The R-CA Reunion is an important gathering of Roark and Conner descendants and relatives of local pioneer families who settled, during the mid to late 1830s, in the eastern portion of Hamilton County, TN.
A brief summary of reunion events follows.
As a result of the 2020 Press Release, about the Family Reunion, the following article was published:
The R-CA Annual Reunion Is Meeting Virtually To Preserve A 62-Year Tradition
![](https://roark-conner.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/The-R-CA-Annual-Reunion-Is-Meeting-Virtually-To-Preserve-A-62-Year-Tradition-653x1024.png)
Here is the link to the article that was published in the Chattanoogan.com on September 16, 2020:
https://www.chattanoogan.com/2021/9/17/434981/Roark-Conner-Family-Is-Preserving-A.aspx
Roark-Conner Family Is Preserving A 63-Year Hamilton County Tradition Virtually
The following article was published in the Chattanooga.com on September 17, 2021:
https://www.chattanoogan.com/2021/9/17/434981/Roark-Conner-Family-Is-Preserving-A.aspx
Roark-Conner Association: Preserving A 64-Year Hamilton County Tradition Virtually
The following article was published in the Chattanooga.com on January 18, 2023:
https://www.chattanoogan.com//2023/1/18/462625/Preserving-A-64-Year-Hamilton-County.aspx
Roark-Conner Association: ETHS Honors Hamilton County Initiative with Award of Excellence
![ETHS Award 2023](https://roark-conner.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ETHS-Award-2023-2.jpg)
Roark-Conner Association: Local Family Celebrates 65-Years Together
![Article 9-2-23 Chattanoogan.com](https://roark-conner.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Article-9-2-23-Chattanoogan.com-2-791x1024.jpg)
Hamilton County's Roark-Conner family takes history, genealogy to the next level
As a result of the 65th Family Reunion, the following article was published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on October 1, 2023:
Click here to read the article.
R-CA Newsletter Articles
Still In The Family
This article was published in the May 2019 R-CA Newsletter:
Details the interesting history of furniture once owned by Reba Shropshire Wilson.
Click to read: Still In The Family article written by Johanna Roark and Jere Glover
Roark-Conner Family News Stories - 1992-2014
Select articles taken from the R-CA Newsletters published between 1992-2014, and compiled by Chuck Gross.
This softcover book is available for sale in the R-CA Bookstore for $12. On the website, go to “Documents” then “Books.”
Click to read information on: Roark-Conner Family News Stores
Birchwood, Tennessee - R-CA Newsletter Articles
Click to read select: Newsletter articles featuring Birchwood, Tennessee – published from June 1994 – January 2022
Articles included are:
- Tribute to Marleita Carmichael (Roark Homestead) – by Johanna Roark – January 22
- “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