History of the Conard Reunion

As the family grew and began to travel to other parts of the country many family members felt the need for a permanent family reunion. Not only to visit with each other and “keep our acquaintance in tune,” but also, many wanted to preserve the material gathered and printed by Henry C. Conard of Wilmington Delaware, and to update this valuable data with the more recent births, deaths and marriages so the descendants of John and Sarah Conard would always have a current genealogy.

And so it was that the descendants of John and Sarah Child Conard held the first Conard Reunion on August 4th , 1904 at Willow Grove Park in Montgomery County PA with over 100 relatives present. At this meeting the following resolutions were made and adopted: It was moved and supported that H. Fassett Conard (33) act as temporary chairman and Ella S. Park (153) act as temporary secretary. Upon assuming their duties, the following motions were made and adopted:

First: That this be made a permanent organization.

Second: That the following act as officers.
President: Isacac Conard (11)
Vice-President: Lewis Conard (10)
Secretary: Ella S. Park (153)

It was also moved and supported that the “Conard Reunion” met annually and that an Executive Committee be appointed,

We have held a reunion every year since, with the only exception being 1943 when gas was rationed and pleasure driving was not allowed.

Many family traditions were started at the Reunion. One such tradition is the entertainment that comes at the end of the business meeting. In 1935 Samuel C. Walker, Jr. made his debut with his harmonica, playing the Gypsy Love Song and the World is Waiting for the Sunrise. As a matter of fact we are still enjoying his performances.

We sing our family song, “The Conard Clan” at each reunion to show family pride and solidarity.

In 1939 the Conard genealogy was published due to the efforts of Martha Van Doren, Emma Wilson, Carroll Morris and Albert Mammel. The sale price was $3.00.

In 1949 a block and gavel was presented to the Reunion that was made from an Ash tree from the Plymouth Meeting where many a reunion was held and many family members worshiped.

In 1953 nearly 200 descendants of John and Sarah Conard met at Gwynedd Meeting House in Montgomery County PA to celebrate our Golden Anniversary. Many traveled to Plymouth Meeting to visit the spot where John and Sarah Conard and many other relatives are buried. Almost 100 people stopped at the stone homestead in Whitpain Township where John and Sarah lived with their family lived.

The highlight of our 50th Anniversary was a mock Quaker wedding, complete with authentic Quaker costumes.

After the meeting adjourned, a group picture of the whole group of 200 “Conards” was taken by a local photographer.

1983 marked the 300th Anniversary of Conards in America. A commemorative stamp was issued by the US Post Office honoring the occasion.

2003 marked our 100th Conard Family Reunion. It was celebrated at the Gwynedd Friends Meeting with close to 100 families present. Since then we have been holding our reunion at the Horsham Meeting House in Horsham PA.

2006 we launched our website www.conardfamilyhistory.com

In 2013 the 4th Conard book was published. The genealogy in this book starts with Thones Kunders and connects us to the three generations before John and Sarah Conard. We continue with the genealogy and the branches of our family that follow John and Sarah Conard.

IN CONCLUSION

John and Sarah Conard and their twelve children never lived very far from southeastern Pennsylvania and the Quaker settlements they helped to build. They were plain hard working people with simple Quaker values and education. With scanty means, thrift and industry they kept pace with the growth of the country, were good citizens and left us a legacy to be proud of.

Our family came to Pennsylvania when it was a frontier and built farms out of wilderness, produced food for themselves and others, and were an important part of community life.

As the family grew many migrated to other states and started homesteads in Iowa and other Midwestern states. Now their descendants are scattered from Maine to California and from the Northern border to Florida and Texas. Relatives can be found in Canada, Thailand, New Zealand and sailing in the South Pacific on a 40 foot sailboat.

When the ban on “Marrying out of Meeting” was removed other religious faiths came into the family and World War I and World War II brought many different nationalities to enrich our family.

We hope this book has honored our forefathers and inspired the generations who come after us to continue the work done by so many of our Grandparents and Great Grandparents. Just think of all that work done before the age of computers, the Internet, email and spell check!

Our ancestors left us a rich heritage — one to be proud of and it is our hope that the dependents of Thones Kunders and John and Sarah Conard will always hold successful Conard Reunions, keep accurate records and publish an up-to date Conard Book.


“We Conard’s pledge to meet in June, throughout the years to come.
Our aquauitships to keep in tune, for all the years to come.
Our Conard Clan we hold most dear, and great them everyone
And we will met in reunion here for all the years to come.”

Last verse of “The Conard Clan” written by Emma J. Wilson

Keep Us Updated! Fill out the Genealogy Information Form:
CR Genealogy Form

Kunders, an humble wool dyer from the banks of the Rhine, who, settling in the untrodden wilds of America, and pursuing the even tenor of a modest and uneventful life, “builded better than he knew.”

Robert Proud, in his history of Pennsylvania says, “Among the first Germantown settlers was Dennis Conrad. The first religious meeting of the Quakers, in that place, was held at his house in 1683. He was a hospitable, well-disposed man, of an inoffensive life and good character.”