Person:Harrison Conley (1)

_DCAUSE: Self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head

_PHOTO:

In 1852, Harrison was paid $395 for right-of-way for the Kingwood and West Union Turnpike. This section connected Kingwood to Morgantown. (Annual Report of the Board of Public Works to the General Assembly of Virginia) Harrison was listed in the 1860 US Census living near St. Clair, Illinois, in Township 1, range 9, employed as a farm laborer. He was living at the home of John J. Scott.

At the time of Maria and Harrison's marriage in 1861, D. K. Kiser, his stepson, was sixteen months old. Their home, between Reedsville and Kanes Creek, burned within six months of their marriage, losing all their documents and belongings. This home was 3/4 mile from Daniel R. Field in Reedsville and 1/2 mile from Guy A. Smith. (Maria Conley Deposition Files)

Harrison served in the Federal Service during the Civil War. He enlisted at Independence, VA, as a Private in Company B, 4th Regiment, West Virginia Calvary on June 13,1863, at the age of 41, for an initial term of six months, under the leadership of Captain B. B. Brown. (West Virginia Union Militia in the Civil War) Maria moved in with her sister, Mrs. Jacob Born, in Reedsville at that time. He was discharged on March 7, 1864, but re-enlisted March 26 at Baltimore, MD, in Company I, 3rd Maryland Regiment, Potomac Home Brigade (PHB) Infantry as Sergeant. This regiment was involved in operations against General Jubal A. Early's attempted invasion of Washington, D.C. During the summer of 1864, he was involved in action in the Shenandoah Valley at Snicker's Gap, Bolivar Heights, Halltown, Charlestown, and Berryville. (Dorothy Bonafield Snyder)

He was listed as sick on April 16, 1865 at Martinsburg, as a result of having his foot smashed by a train when he was crossing train tracks to bring a supply of water to his regiment. This was at Tabb's Station on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. At that time, he was listed as a private in the 4th Regiment, West Virginia Cavalry, Company C, which was stationed at Clarksburg/New Creek for a time. (Wiley, page 305) He was discharged at Harper's Ferry on June 25, 1865 and moved west with his family. They moved several times over the next 15 years: Fort DesMoines, Iowa (1 1/2 years); Cameron, DeKalb County, Missouri (3-4 years) ; Hebron, Nebraska (2 years); Rising Sun, Iowa (18 months); Baxter Springs, Kansas (2 months); Pleasanton, Kansas (1 month); Burlington, Kansas (1 year); and finally, Lebo, Coffey County, Kansas. While at Pleasanton, Harrison left Maria, and for about 6 months stayed with his brother, George, at Garnett, KS. He was upset with Maria because he wanted George to move in with them and Maria objected. (Maria Conley Deposition)

He earned an Honorable Discharge medal during his time of Federal service, under the name of "Hireson" Conley. (SLC, #15699, Book 5Y, Page 686) This medal currently is in the possession of Fred Conley.

Harrison separated from Maria in 1880 and briefly moved in with his brother, Joseph, in Arvonia, Osage County, Kansas. (Arvonia was about 4 miles from Lebo) He also was living with his other brother, Hiram, in Coffey County, California Township, on June 7, 1880, the time of the 1880 Census. He then went for over a year to Durango, Colorado, and stayed with Joseph's daughter, Anna Rose. Maria said he left her because she was getting older and she could not work as hard as before. Harrison said it was because of a dispute over his stepson. He returned to West Virginia at the home of his sister and brother-in-law, Ann and Samuel Poland Squires, near Independence, and in November committed suicide by shooting himself in their barn. On 7/16/1884, just 4 months prior to his death, Harrison applied for Civil War pension benefits for his service-connected disability from 1865. (Maria Conley Deposition)

On 10/26/1909, Lucian Squires, nephew of Harrison, was living at his father Samuel Poland Squires' home, where Harrison committed suicide. He stated that his Uncle Harrison had no funds or land at the time of his death, and his father and Harrison's brother had to pay Harrison's funeral expenses. (Maria Conley Deposition Files)

Note: Morton lists Harrison's birth date as c. 1814, but his enlistment papers show his age as 41 in 1863, making his birth c. 1822. His age was listed as 56 in 1880 while living at the home of his brother, Hiram, in Coffey County, Kansas. (1880 US Census)

1. ↑ Eileen (Conley) Peters.
2. ↑ Dorothy Bonafield Snyder.
3. ↑ Harrison Conley Application Files.