Person:John Conley (23)

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John Conley, Jr. was living away from home in 1830, likely working for another individual. He was first listed in the 1840 Virginia Census with one son at home, Amos Carroll.

John resided on a farm of 60 acres along Lick Run, located 5 miles Southwest of Kingwood in 1850. That year his land wealth totalled $500. In 1868, he was noted to have increased his acreage to 120 acres. (Preston County Land Deeds). In 1860, Sarah Cozad was living with his family as a domestic servant. She was 14 years old at that time. In 1860, his land wealth was: $1500; personal property: $924. (At today's rate of inflation (2005) this would be worth $52,695.65.) Thornton and Marcellus were both living at home in 1880; their ages were 32 and 30 respectfully.

Wm. G. Brown, Thomas Brown, Moses Royce and wife, George Conley and wife, conveyed to John W. King and John Conley, Jr, the old Moses Royce place. This deed was recorded on 2/17/1846. John W. King was the second husband of Anne Welch Bonnifield, Elizabeth Bonnifield Conley's mother. He apparently helped John, Jr. buy the property and moved there with him. (Pat Chatham, Deed Book 221, p. 466)). This property was initially owned by Thomas Brown, then George Conley, then John Conley, Jr. (See scrapbook) It was adjacent to land formally owned by John Conley, Sr. on the "Old Sandy Road." (PC Land Deeds, book 36, pages 28-30) A portion of John Conley, Sr's property had already been deeded over to John Conley, Jr, prior to this date. John Jr. had also acquired land from John Welch on 7/18/1836 which was located nearby. (PC Land Deeds, book 28 pages 74-76) (The original "Old Sandy Road" ran from the current Fullmer property across the ridge above the home of John Conley, Jr., then along the Cullison's bottom and past Rosie Manning's log home. Information from Virginia Zetty)

April 22, 1847: " Rec'd of J. Conley to Geo. Conley and assign to me due 1st on said note. T. Brown" This may relate to above transaction of land in 1846. (Green box belonging to John A. Conley) In 1851, both he and his wife attended the Methodist Episcopal Church. (PC Methodist Church records)

On 11/20/1858, John and Elizabeth sold a portion of their land to Aquila A. Fortney. This was originally acquired by John Jr. on 3/24/1858 at a Commissioner's Sale. (PC Land Deeds, book 28, pages 74-76) Another part was sold to Nathan A. Lower on 2/21/1863. (PC Land Deeds, book 31, page 394) In 1863, John received a letter dated January 12 from Oakland, MD, "William Slicer against A. C. Conley attachment. Matthew Corrigan, Constable." (Green box, property of John A. Conley)

The Conley home was a log dwelling located northeast of Campground, between the two branches of Lick Run. The road runs between Snider and Campground, and was the original road between Kingwood and Campground. This likely was part of the original land tract surveyed for his father, John Conley, in 1833. Thornton and Marcellus later built a home below their father. (Foundations of both homes can still be found.) PC Journal 7/22/1871: "Mr. John Conley, Esq. has erected quite a praiseworthy dwelling house near the old road leading from this place to Tunnelton." Lloyd and Evelyn Metheny later lived in the Conley home after the deaths of Thornton and Marcellus. Their home was destroyed by fire and was thought to be due to arson. (Carnie Williams)

Eileen Conley Peters relates the following story: Most of the Preston County citizens were Union sympathizers during the Civil War. The Federal soldiers must have had some suspicions about the John Conley household because they had surrounded the house to keep watch. It seems they saw a very fat lady come out of the house, enter the barn, and a short time later return, much thinner. That was enough to cause the Federal soldiers to burst into the barn and surprise a party of Confederate soldiers with partly eaten ham, several loaves of bread, and a bucket of milk. John's nephews, George Washington Conley and Martin V. Conley, served as a Confederate soldiers during this time.

John and Elizabeth were buried in the Campground Cemetery along side her parents. No dates are present on their headstones, only "Father" and "Mother."

1. ↑ Oren F. Morton. History of Preston County. (Name: Journal Publishing Company, Kingwood, WV 1914;).