Person:George Conley (5)

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George was first listed in the 1840 Census of Preston County with 8 children at home. He was living with another family in 1830, since he was already married and not living with his father.

George, along with William G. Brown, Thomas Brown, and Moses Royce on 2/17/1846, sold a portion of his land 4 miles southwest of Kingwood to John W. King and John Conley, Jr., his brother. (Land Deeds Book 36, page 28.) This land was known as "the old Moses Royce place." In 1850, according to the Census of that year, his son, George Washington Conley, was a laborer, and was living on the farm of James Carroll, Sr.

PC Journal article: Commissioner's Note: "Israel Schaeffer vs. George Conley, Elias Conley, and Thomas Brown." Regarding survey of tract of land called "Kelso" or "Owl Roost." This land was apparently surveyed on March 29, 1858.

George was employed as a house carpenter and owned 209 acres of land along Morgan's Run in Preston County in 1860 (1860 PC Land Records): 136 acres on Morgan's Run (Mill Tract) worth $681.25; 65 acres on Morgan's Run (Hall Tract) worth $455; 7 acres on West end of Baldwin Tract worth $14; and 1 acre (Steam Mill Tract) in Kingwood. This 1 acre plot was worth $2000 at that time. This mill was built about 1857. (Wiley) The first 3 plots of land were located 2 miles Southwest of the Courthouse, likely above the present water filtration plant for the City of Kingwood, where Morgan's Run empties into Cheat River. George's share of the Mill Tract on Morgan's Run was sold to Thomas Brown in 1861 for $681.25 (1861 Land Records)

In 1860, all of George's children, except John, were living at the farm of William F. Potter, who resided in Kingwood District, Preston County. (U.S. Census records) William Potter had been a neighbor to them 10 years earlier. The 1860 Census was the last VA Census recording George as a resident. His wealth was listed as: $1000, real estate; $500, personal property.

In 1866, George deeded over his 1 acre steam mill plot of land to his son, Benjamin Franklin Conley. (1866 Land Records) This likely was the period when he went West, initially to Missouri, then Kansas. His land holdings showed tax payment delinquencies after that time. PC Journal article: 9/14/1867; "Delinquent taxes: George Conley on 7 acres, West end of Baldwin farm: 1866: 7 cents, 1 cent interest." It appears that George had two wives; Nancy Haskins (Hoskins) in Preston County, and later married Nancy Bosworth in Missouri, who died in 1868 in Saline County. Nancy Haskins is listed as the mother of Rebecca on Rebecca's death certificate in Preston County.

George was living in Saline County, Missouri, in 1868, when his wife, Nancy, died. (Dorothy Bonafield Snyder) He is listed in the 1870 Federal Census, living at Arrow Rock, Jefferson Township, Saline County, Missouri. George's children, Martin V., Julia, and George Washington were living with him at that time. He was employed as a "waggon maker." It is possible that George's first son, John, was living near him in Cambridge, Saline County, Missouri, in 1873, when he served as "attorney" for his brother, Elisha, on a pension application. Elisha was living with his father in 1871, due to his disability from medical treatment he received for typhoid fever. (Dorothy Bonafield Snyder) Martin V. Conley, Elisha's brother, also was listed as living in Saline County, Missouri, in 1873 when he attested to his brother's "X" on applying for an increase in his Federal pension.

In the 1880 Census of Kansas, Morris County, City of Council Grove, George is living with a (?) third wife named Emma, aged 25, who was born in Kansas. He is listed as a carpenter. (Morris County is one county away from Osage County where he later lived.)

Harrison Conley, George's brother, apparently lived briefly with him in 1884, in Kansas, before Harrison returned home to Preston County and committed suicide in November of that year. (Dorothy Bonafield Snyder) In the 1885 Census of Arvonia Township, Osage County, KS, George was living at the home of J. A. Lawes and wife. He was listed as being 77 years old and employed as a wagonmaker.

George was listed on a Civil War pension application for his deceased son, Elisha, on December 16, 1890, while living at Arvonia, Osage County, Kansas. (Dorothy Bonafield Snyder) At the time of his death in 1895, George was living at the County Farm in Osage County, KS. His estate at that time consisted of bedding, cooking utensils, a pile of coal, a shanty, and two stoves. The total worth of these items was $14.50. His affadavit of death listed only the following children: Benjamin F., Julia, and Rebecca.

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

   7/16/1895