Person:Martin Conley (1)

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Martin V. Conley was first noted in the 1850 Virginia Census, listed under both his father's household and later under his uncle William's home. Martin was next listed in the 1860 Virginia Census working as a day laborer for William Potter who lived near his father George's home in Kingwood. According to Morton, page 522, Martin served in the Civil War as a Confederate soldier with his brother, George Washington Conley. His other brothers, Benjamin Franklin and Elisha, and his uncle, Harrison, served in the Federal service.

At age nineteen, Martin V. enlisted at Morgantown, VA, on 4/28/1863. He joined the soldiers of the Jones-Imboden forces that had swept through Preston County the day before. He was paid $24 for the use of his horse, and began his enlistment into Company E of the 1st Maryland Cavalry under Captain Raisin. On 4/27, General W. E. "Grumble" Jones and his troups had marched through Kingwood and Rowlesburg, with their primary target the railroad bridge across the Cheat River. Their attack was repelled by Company F of the 6th West Virginia Infantry. They did, however, capture several soldiers of Company O that had been surprised and trapped between Oakland, MD, and Terra Alta, VA. Later that night, they destroyed a two-span railroad bridge at Independence. After Martin joined, the troups marched on Fairmont, capturing 260 soldiers, and securing and destroying the railroad bridge across the river there. During these raids, they destroyed nine railroad bridges, captured two trains, one piece of artillery, over 500 prisoners, and secured over 1,200 horses and nearly 1,000 cattle. (Dorothy Bonafield Snyder)

Martin likely did not surrender at Appomattox, but left with Captain Raisin, escaping south to join the remnants of the Southern army in the Carolinas. Prior to this, he served in skirmishes at Gettysburg, Monterey, Hagerstown, and Williamsport. Martin signed for an issue of clothing on March 30, 1864, and again on September 30, 1864. Since he was given $73 for the "hire of a horse" at the same time, it appears he lost both his horse and clothing sometime before September 30. (Dorothy Bonafield Snyder)

Martin was listed as residing at Arrow Rock, Saline County, Jefferson Township, Missouri in 1870. His father, George, sister Julia, and brother, George Washington, were also there at that time. (1870 US Census)

Later, Martin was living in Cambridge, Saline County, Missouri, in 1873, when he attested to the signature of his brother, Elisha, on a pension application. His father, George, brothers Elisha, and probably John, were also living nearby.