Person:Rebecca Conkling (3)

Rebecca Conkling, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Ross) Conkling was born on 16 September 1803 in Essex County, New Jersey. She married Isaac Conwell, a native of Delaware on 19 September 1822, in Butler County, Ohio. Over several years, beginning in the early 1830's Rebecca and her husband, along with the families of her brothers Felix, Aaron, and Benjamin Conkling and her nephew, Merrick Martin Conkling all moved west from Ohio into Indiana. They first settled in Union and Wayne counties. Isaac Conwell of Butler County, Ohio is listed as an early landowner in Union County, Indiana. He and his family lived in Liberty (Union County), Indiana. For awhile, Isaac worked as a tanner and took in William Houston as an apprentice. He then went into the mercantile business. He became quite prosperous at this. In 1843, Isaac was given a $20.40 corporation tax credit on his Union Street business house for constructing pavement. An Isaac Conwell was an associate judge of Union County, Indiana from 1842-1849. Rebecca is listed as a charter member of the Liberty Presbyterian Church in Liberty, Indiana. The 1860 census shows Isaac, Rebecca, Ann R. and Isaac R. living on their Union County, Indiana farm. Rebecca died on 3 September 1864. Isaac died in Anderson (Madison County), Indiana at the home of his daughter, Mary. Both Isaac and Rebecca are buried at the West Maplewood Cemetery in Anderson. Isaac’s will is dated 3 March 1866 and was filed in Vigo County, Indiana on 11 June 1867 In his will, Isaac refers to himself as having resided in Liberty, Union County, Indiana for many years. He leaves half of his estate to his daughter, “Anna Rebecca who by reason of her lameness and delicate health is incapacitated to provide for herself.” To his daughter, Mary (wife of Thomas N. Jones) he leaves the sum of $10. The remainder of his estate, he states is to be divided equally among his daughter Elizabeth (wife of Oliver H.P. Ash), his son, Isaac Rollin, the children of his son, James Monroe, and the children of his son, William Oliver. He names his son, Isaac and son-in-law Oliver H.P. Ash as executors of his estate.