Among family heritage organizations the Roark-Conner Association is
considered by folks who keep track of such things as one of the most active
mid sized groups.
  Our origins predate the Revolutionary War, with semi-literate Scotch-Irish
farmer immigrants who gradually migrated West and South from eastern
Virginia.   The community of Birchwood, partially  inundated by the
Tennessee River during the TVA dam building era, is considered the "Home
Town" of our Association, and still counts a few local residents with our
Roark and Conner heritage.
   Our national Association today has  over 400 families scattered in 39
States and Canada.  Association activities include publishing an award
winning newsletter,  an active Internet Website; publishing professional
quality full length books, maintaining  historical gravesites and markers;
and each October sponsoring a family reunion in Eastern Tennessee.  We are
chartered as an incorporated non profit   in Tennessee and are  establishing
a Foundation to further our scope of activities in the areas of publishing,
scholarships, and other worthwhile and historical matters.
    In 2008 over 100 attendees gathered for our RCA's 50th Anniversary in
Cleveland, which lies north of Chattanooga.  As usual,  we celebrated in all
the usual family ways, with introductions, games, and plenty of visiting.
Along with that we remembered our roots with family history talks, memorial
services for those no longer with us, and entertainment and presentations.
   We were especially honored to receive favorable front page  coverage in
the local daily newspaper, as well as welcoming proclamations from the Mayor
of Cleveland and the Hamilton County Mayor.
   On our final day of our annual reunion we traveled as always a few  miles
away to Birchwood at the old Salem Church site, where so many of our
ancestors worshiped, for Sunday Services with a guest minister. Following
the Service we had a final lunch, and an afternoon open for visiting local
cemeteries, a pre-Civil War home still owned by a "cousin", as well as other
historic local sites with  family connections. Among them  an  historic old
blacksmith shop and curio and antique store operated by other "cousins" in
the area.
    Our Roark Conner Association is directed by a democratically elected
Board, consisting of Officers and Directors.  The modest annual dues of $5
include the newsletter and access to some of the finest folks from Coast to
Coast.    We welcome new family members and  friends.