Person:Maria Apke (1)

Maria was born in Germany, and moved to Preston County, VA with her parents when she was 7 years old. She was 18 years old when she married Henry Kiser, also from Germany, and had two children. Henry was murdered in 1860, and the following year she married Harrison Conley. Their home burned soon thereafter, and Harrison joined the Union Army and Maria was left to board with friends and family until his discharge in 1865. (According to Elizabeth C. Reese from Manown, she stayed at her home as a boarder) They later moved west that year, and lived for a short time in Iowa, Missouri, and finally settled near Lebo, Coffey County, Kansas. \ While at Pleasanton, KS, Harrison left her for about 6 months and stayed with his brother, George, at Garnett, KS. The cause of this separation was that Harrison wanted George to move in with them and Maria objected. (Maria Conley Deposition)

According to her son, Dedery Kiser, Harrison and Maria separated again in 1880, and never lived together after that time. (D. K. Kiser Deposition) In November 1884, Harrison committed suicide. Her brother-in-law, George, informed her of his death.

After his death, Maria moved to Colorado, and lived for about 4 years with Joseph Conley's daughter, Anna Rose, Harrison's niece. While there, she worked at an Indian Agency at Ignacio. On 4/27/1888, she filed a complaint that her brother-in-law, George Conley, and the postmaster, J. Humphrey, both of Arvonia, KS, were attempting to block her pension application, and trying to get it for themselves. She then returned to Lebo, Coffey County, KS for the remainder of her life. She stayed with her son, Dedery Kiser. After applying for Harrison's Civil War pension several times, she was successful, receiving $1790 on 11/12/1909. (Maria Conley Deposition Files)

1. ↑ Preston County Marriages, Courthouse, Kingwood, WV.

   _FOOT: Preston County Marriages, Courthouse, 1853-1859