The Tyler & Marion County Lines
CHAPTER 4
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Thomas Conaway died on his farm in Bean’s Cove, Cumberland Valley Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. His will is dated February 24, 1783, and was probated July 7 of that year. It was witnessed by Issac Dotson, Issac Plummer and Mathias Shiby, and recorded in Will Book 12 at page 486. He devises his land in Cumberland Valley Township, Bedford County, to his sons, Thomas and John; and his land on Joseph Bennett’s Run, south side Sideling Hill Creek on the headwaters of the Great Cacapon of the South Branch of the Potomac River, in Hampshire County, to his wife, Dorothy Fleming Conaway for life, with remainder in fee to his son, Jeremiah. The land in Bedford County was conveyed to him by Samuel Montgomery, Jr., and contained 296 acres, situated between Nicholas Mountain and Green Ridge near the land of Captain Bassett, and being survey number 2476, obtained from Pennsylvania, January 19, 1767. Recorded in Book A at page 496; also tract of 287 ecres, conveyed to him by John Blythe, in Bean’s Cove, on Flintstone Creek, being survey number 2470 of Pennsylvania land office. Both those tracts were sold by said Thomas and John Conaway to John Blythe, November 30, 1784, Deed Book B, page l18 and to Samuel Montgomery, March 3, 1785, Deed Book B, page 116. He was a soldier at Fort Frederick, Maryland, in 1756, and fought under General Forbes in 1758. He lived in and about Winchester, Virginia, as early as 1748. His sons were Thomas, born March 3, 1755, and John Spann, born October 16, 1762, and Jeremiah, who never married, and Joseph, killed by Indians in the Flintstone hills while a youth. These children were born in Hampshire County and soon after, he went to Bedford County, Pennsylvania where he died and is buried at Bean’s Cove. His sons, Thomas and John, were soldiers of the Revolution. John married Rachel Willison, daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah Heath Willison, of Allegheny County, Maryland. John served from 1776, under Higgins of Hampshire County, he went to Beesontown, now Uniontown and from there against the Indians on the Muskingum and Scioto in Ohio. After nine months, he returned to Pittsburgh at Christmas. Later, in 1780, he went as an Indian Spy under McCall.
Thomas married Sarah, daughter of Samuel and Ann Dew of Hampshire County. Still later, both Thomas and John went to Monongalia, now Marion County, West Virginia, then Virginia.
(1) Thomas Conaway, born March 1, 1755, died February 14, 1824, buried in Willey Cemetery, Jamison Mine Number Nine, married Sarah Dew, daughter of Samuel Dew, Hampshire County, West Virginia, January 9, 1783. Their children were Jeremiah; Daniel; Samuel; John; Eli; Charles Harvey; Polly; Sarah; Mary; Elizabeth; and Andrew Dew Conaway.
I (1) Jeremiah married Mary B. Brown, both are buried at Basnettville, West Virginia and their children were: Daniel; William Thomas; John; Susanne; Phoebe; and Hettie. (1) Daniel, born 1810 and died 1887, married Malinda Amos and their children were: William; Henry; Sarah, married a son of Daniel Hibbs; Hettie, married Solomon Westfall, their son, Alfred, married Anna Watkins and their son, Jay married Edith Robinson, daughter of Carl and Ocie (Mason) Robinson, of Prospect
Valley, Harrison County, West Virginia; Mary; Andrew; Eli; Armina, married an Ammons;and Eliza.
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(2) William, born 1811 and died 1890, married Sophia Evans. They lived and died in Ohio; their children were: Elizabeth; Sanford; Henry; George; Julia; Albert; Lee R.; Charles; Anna; Minnie; and Grant; Sanford married Belle Mason and their children were Minnie, married William Koon; Rosalie, married Robert Swiger; Dove, married a Brand.
(3) Thomas went to the Hughes River, he married, 30 March 1838, Phoebe Ann Keck, daughter of John and Catharine. His descendants live in Wood, Wirt and Calhoun Counties. Some live in or near Pullman.
(4) John (Jack) married his cousin, Dorothy (Dolly), daughter of Daniel and Phoebe See Conaway, and their children were:
(1) Elzena, married Trainer Jenson. Their son, Trainer, married Nellie Wilson and their children were Nellie, Beryl and Buell. Beryl married Romaina Wright.(2) Mary, married Sanford Boggess, then Festus Thompson, Children: Rona Boggess, married Nellie Garrison – son, Ralph; Georgia Boggess, married Thomas Hudson – son, Thomas; Pearl Thompson; May Thompson, married Paul Burnet – sons: John and Paul; Ruth Thompson, married Lynn Straight; Rose Thompson, married Harry Price – son Harry, married Martha – daughter, Mary Caroline.
(5) Susanne married Simson Brock and their children were Agnes; Hettie; and Harvey Brock, who married Olive Basnett on May 28, 1901. Their children were Mary, who married Worley Powell, December 25, 1926; Dorothy, who married Alfred Knisley, November 23, 1923; and Virginia, who married Arthur Brown on February 20, 1937.
(6) Phoebe, born October 24, 1815, married John Chalfant, April 4, 1836. Children: William, married Mary Denham and their children were Arthur; Russell; Doctor Martha; Ellis; May; Anna; and Lloyd married Willa Hoff and their children were Guy, Helen, and Fred; Minerva, married Edward Lucas; Rebecca, died young; Solomon, married Margaret McCoy; Christena, married Melville Bartlett, son of Absalom and Elizabeth Lucas Bartlett, and their children were Homer A., member West Virginia Legislature in 1925-1928, Henry S., married Anna Powell of Columbus, Ohio, Lora Alice, died on October 29, 1908, Netti M., married on July 6, 1910, Stanley Cooper, Cinto, Ohio, Charles L., married Maude Wood, Detroit, Michigan, and their children are James, born in 1928, and Charles Jr., born in 1929, and Howard Robert, married Roberta Tandy, Phoenix, Arizona; Robert, never married; Mary, married Raleigh G. Lucas; Jeremiah, married Nettie Slocum; John born May 2 and died March 3, 1873. All the Chalfants were of Prospect Valley, Harrison County, West Virginia.
Hettie married John Michael Moningar; they lived in or near Washington, Pennsylvania, and their many descendants are now living in Washington County, Pennsylvania. John Michael was a son of John and Catherine Dague Moninger, married September 28, 1814. John Michael Moninger was born October 19, 1818, and died October 14, 1887; Hester Ann Conaway was born June 4, 1820, and died March 13, 1895. They were married in Monongalia County, Virginia, March 19, 1841. Their children were Catherine Ann, Mary, Demas Rush, Sarah Jane, Minerva, Susan, Isabel and Emma.
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II (2) Daniel married Phoebo See, daughter of Adam. Their daughter Dorothy, married John, son of Jeremiah and Mary Brown Conaway. John and Dorothy conveyed an interest in Hardy County land to Sarah Ann King in 1879. The land came to Dorothy from Adam See. Hardy County was formed from Hampshire in 1786. James E. and Louisa Conaway conveyed land to Emily Cleaver. In 1894, John W. King and John H. Hardman conveyed land to James E. Conaway.
III (3) Samuel married Eleanor Ice, April 26, 1808, a descendant of Frederick Ice. The family is old, numerous and prominent in Marion County. The Ice genealogy is as follows: Federick Ice married Eleanor Livingston. Their son Abram married Elizabeth Bayles and their daughter Eleanor married Samuel Conaway. She was born December I 15, 1788, and died November 25, 1823. He was born December 23, 1786, and died May 2, 1823. Their children ware Eliza, Sarah, Abraham, Thomas Franklin, Felix and Andrew. Virginia Conaway wrote story of “Ice’s Ferry”.
IV (4) John married Esther Baker and their children were Joshua B., Andrew Jackson and Charles H. Conaway. Joshua B. married Elizabeth Amos, daughter of Peter and Mary A. Amos and their children were: William Howard; Mary Alice; Wickcliffe M.; Olive Edna; Frank Carson; Amos Raymond; Walter Bolton; and Clyde Garfield, who died in infancy. Joshua B. was a doctor of medicine and lived at Cherry Camp, now Bristol, Harrison County; Andrew Jackson was a soldier of the Civil War, 95th Ohio Infantry, and later a lawyer at Silver Cliff. Colorado; C. H. was a Methodist Preacher in Colorado. William Howard lived in Jefferson County, Texas. Mary Alice was a music teacher and Wickcliff M. was a lawyer at Clarksburg. The Bakers came from Denmark. John Conaway’s second wife was Millie Moore.
V (5) Eli was born March 14, 1797; died June 13, 1851; he married Mary Baker of Marion County, died April 11, 1840, and their children were Austin, Evans, Silas, Joshua A., William, Priscilla, Thomas B., Matilda and Andrew. Priscilla married Caleb Wells and they went to California in 1849; Matilda married James Hanthorn. Her second husband was Issac Davis. His second wife was Parthenia Morris of Kanawha County, widow of Absalom Wells, and their children were Charles I. and Eli B.
William B. Conaway married Alcinda Jane Furbee, daughter of James and Mary Ann Lindsay Boggess. James was son of George, son of Caleb. The Furbee family came from Delaware. Lieutenant Caleb was a soldier in the Revolution. William B. Conaway, born November 11, 1821, married Alcinda Jane Furbee, September 25, 1845, and died June 25, 1898. They were married at Basnettville by Joshua Hawkins, Methodist Minister. For a while they lived near Centerville, Tyler County, and in 1849, moved to Mannington, Marion County. Ha built the old Mannington, later known as the Floyd Mill and their nearby residence, where they lived until 1879. They lived for a time in Wetzel County. Thereafter they lived on Washington Street. Children: Susan and Louise died in infancy, Lelia M., married Thornton F. Koon, James R., Chief Clerk of Bartonsville Insane Asylum, Peoria, Illinois. Sarah A. married A. W. Prichard, Frank E., with Colborn Birks and Company, Wholesale Druggists, Peoria, Illinois, and Abbie G., married David Kohler and lived with her mother. Flora Prichard married Harry Blackshire. Matilda, born January 29, 1820, married James Henthorn,
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August 20, 1837, and lived in Monroe County, Ohio. He is buried at Antioch along with his two young daughters, Malissa, born November 9, 1840, and Minerva, born February 10, 1843. She is buried in the Pierpoint Cemetery near Centerville. Their other children were Eli, born August 30, 1838, Captain, United States Army in Civil War, 7th West Virginia Regiment, the Centerville G. A. R. Post being named for him. He took the oath in Middlebourne with Captain William Beagle and Major Shriver Moore. He died October 6, 1864. Matilda’s second husband was Issac Davis. She was postmistress at Centerville and he was delegate to the Wheeling Convention of May 13, 1861. No children of second marriage. Mary Ann, called Sis, born December 19, 1845, married Eli B. Long, their children were Eli Thaddeus and Edith Jane Henthorn; Eli Thaddeus married Helen Jane Riggs, daughter of Wilson and Sarah Margaret Lough Riggs, and their children were Georgia, who married Whitney Estlack, Marshville, Harrison County, West Virginia, June 5, 1926, and their children were Thomas, married Crystalee Traugh, daughter of Reverend Marcus Traugh, Helen Jane, Mary Lynn and Elizabeth Ann. Mary Ann Henthorn was born December 19, 1845.
(2) Mary Margaret married Frank Ash, son of Zadok and Matilda Smith Ash.
(3) Max married Sylvia Welch, daughter of Edward and Grace Black Welch of Pennsboro, West Virginia. Thsy live on a ranch at DuBois, Wyoming. Children: Helen Grace, Edward Thaddeus, Max Welch, Edith Anne and Mary Catherine, twins, died in infancy.
(4) Clint Riggs, married Pearl Ash, daughter of Mansfield and Maude Ayers Ash. Children: Carl Riggs and Patsy Ann.
(5) Glen Leslie, born January 19, 1916, died September 20, 1921.
(6) Frederick Berkeley, married Nettie Headley, daughter of Stella Headley Thomas. Children: David Wilson and Michael Eli.
Matilda, born November 19, 1852, married George M. Baker and their only child, James, married Myrtle Ash, daughter of Peter U. and Mariah Conaway Ash. Children: Marie, died young, Mary, married Arthur Ullom, Bernadine, married Kenner Huff, Wooster, Ohio. Paul married Laura Stealey, Ina Clare married Wilford Underwood of Stonehurst. Paul married Audra Reichart of 0regon, and Ernest married Mabel Hamilton. Martha Ann born December 9, 1848, married Lee Have Long and their daughter Bertie married Joshua B. Haught and Essie was their child; she was graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College and taught in Buckhannon High School; she died at Buckhannon; Clarence R. Long married Sophia Baker, daughter of Ralph and Elmina Wilcox Baker. No childran. He died at Independence, Kansas.
Eli Leslie Long married Ruth Tregallis of Grafton, now Mrs. L. T. Mercer of 338 Buckhannon Avenue, Clarksburg, and their daughter Martha Frances married Ward William Repp, son of Dr. and Mrs. Austin C. Repp of Des Moines, Iowa, on December 23, 1950. E. Leslie Long was State Treasurer for two terms.
(4) Parthenia Henthorn, born December 1, 1857, married Frank P. Baker, brother of George M. Baker, July 2, 1881. Their daughter was Mamie. She is buried in Peter Ash Cemetery on Clayton Ash farm on Sancho.
VI (6) Polly never married.
VII (7) Sarah married a Yost and they lived and died in Ohio.
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VIII <8> Mary married John Hoge of Allegheny County, Maryland.
IX (9) Elizabeth married Charles Conaway, son of John and Rachel Willison Conaway, and they went to Little Rock, Arkansas. Elias N. Conaway was Governor of Arkansas.
X (10) Charles Harvey Conaway married Mary Paulson, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Holt) Paulson and their children were Edgar, Harriet, William Harvey, John D., Clark P., Ermina, wife of George W. Davis, Elizabeth, wife of Boreman Smith, and Laura, Sarah E., William, Ida, mother of Alton L. and Mary, mother of Carroll. He was Assessor of Marion County. His second wife was Crigler from Marion County. No children were born to them.
XI (11) Andrew Dew Conaway married Rebecca Luman and their children were: Alphesus, Lewis, Eli, a Colonel in the Civil War, Nancy, wife of James Joseph, mother of Josephine Cobb, whose daughter is the wife of Alfred M. Landon, Mahal, wife of Ulysses Cox, and Theresa, wife of Benjamin Wells, Jr., brother of Mary Ruffner Wells, and grandson of William Wells Stonehurst.
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Basil son of John Span Conaway son of Thomas —who was Thomas’s father–and how does thomas relate to the Spans/or how does John Span get his name—My great Grandmother was Hannah(1839-1914) daughter of Basil and Sarah Crosby) Conaway_ any help will be appreciated!
Thomas, John Spann’s father was the son of John Conaway, who married Frances Sinah Spann, daughter of Captain Richard Spann. John and Frances had sons Thomas, and also John Spann Conaway (our John Spann’s uncle). There is tremendous confusion in many sources about these two, especially as concerns their revolutionary service. The Uncle was a Captain and a Judge, while his nephew and namesake was a scout and later Indian Spy. The Uncle married a Susannah Champlaine/Champline and they had no children. Richard Spann named “John Conaway son of Thomas”, in his will as Frances’ husband. So, there is a will (Richard Spann’s) proving the link to John and naming John’s father as a Thomas Conaway. Then there is the will of Thomas of Bean Cove proving the link to John Spann Conaway. The link between Thomas of Bean Cove and John who married Frances Spann, is circumstantial, though I consider it pretty strong. There are land records in Maryland for Thomas and then at Bean’s Cove, there is the middle name Spann, plus the names of his other children fit the family naming pattern which is strong. So the line looks like:
Thomas > John + France Sinah Spann > Thomas, of Bean Cove > John Spann > your Basil and my John.
Some claim the earliest Thomas is from the Baron John and Mahala Conaway line of Antrim, Ireland and I think it’s possible but the dates don’t align and I’ve seen not a single shred of actual proof that Thomas was part of this family. For now I just consider this earliest Thomas the brick wall point. Other researchers have his father as Dennis Conaway of Northumberland County, Virginia. I know nothing about him at all, other than that name and estimates of his probable birth range.
Thanks for the input–it clears things up for me!!! The Span name for our John Span otherwise does/did not make sense
do you have the dates of Thomas father of John Span –I have 1719 to 1783 Thomas’s father —-John who married Francis Span do you have the dates on both–looking to put my last pieces together If Thomas was born in 1719 was tahat birth in Maryland or—-Chester England?
You’re getting into very confusing territory in the Conaway line. You’ll find all kinds of different dates, ancestors and connections for Thomas and his father. The 1719 date is too early. I think a researcher somewhere got Thomas of Bean Cove mixed up with a different Thomas. The date I use because there is simply no other evidence, I know of anyway, is circa 1730. The 1783 date is correct because his will was written 24 Feb and proved soon after. His father, John was born circa 1702 and married Francina (Frances Sinah is commonly used but probably incorrect because middle names are extremely rare before the beginning of the 1800s. I think Frances Sinah may be a later corruption from pronouncing Francina as 2 syllables)who was born in 1706 according to baptismal records at St. Stephens parish in N.Umberland county. You can see why a 1719 birthdate for Thomas is then problematical.
Forgive me for what may be a silly question, but after reading through everything here, I can’t find a connection to the Delaware Conways, (Conaways). Caleb, for whom you have an abstract naming his wife, Nancy Davis, daughter of John Davis from Delaware, is not mentioned again. I believe his family was in Murderkill Hundred, Sussex, Del., but I’ve not found more. Do you have any connection to Deleware. Supposedly the Davis, and Conway families came together from Deleware. Another wrinkle is that supposedly, there are Conway ties to Wharton Twp, Fayette Co., Pa. Any info will be appreciated. To my knowledge no one has made a tie from Caleb to the Marion Co. Conways. LHC
That’s not a silly question at all – its a very good question and I cannot answer it. The WV Conaways of John Spann were already in Hampshire County Va when Caleb was born in Delaware so the connection would have to be much earlier. That Caleb had some kind of connection to Fayette County is likely since one of his daughters married a Cushman there but again, the link to the branch of Conaways in Fayette County to the WV Conaways I cannot find. I am pretty sure there are connections between these families because they remain tantalizingly close through several generations, moved in the same direction along the same general routes. I’m sure you’ve found as I have that the Conaway lines dissolve into a quagmire of suppositions, unfounded pedigrees and documents and facts are very hard to come by from about the time of Caleb’s birth back.
If you find anything let me know! Good luck,
Chuck
Charles Harvey Conaway Born October 15 1801, I am most interested in Charles Conaways wife. Mary Hoult Poleston, Polston Polson Poulson. Her father John Poleston etc….. Born abt 1793 married Elizabeth Hoult. Any data on that would most helpful.
Thank You Cynthia
Charles moved to Tyler County with his brother Andrew, both sons of Thomas and Sarah Dew, land records make the connection with Thomas and Sarah and Charles and Andrew pretty strong. I have 1808 as the year but the same day and month. CH died 29 May 1895 and is buried in the Spring Hill Cemetery at Joseph’s Mill. As for John and Elizabeth, the fact they are Mary’s parents is all the data I have – they aren’t in my line so I haven’t researched them. I made a quick survey of the documents I have and can’t find them mentioned in any of them. Sorry I couldn’t help you more.
Chuck
Yes, there is quite a web here between the Davis, Conway, Cushman, and Everly line. Actually, I’m a direct product of all four. Mary Wing Conway, daughter of Nancy Davis Conway and Caleb, married D. H. Squier Cushman. They all lived in the Maidsville area of Monongalia Co. Squier’s father Isaac lived in Wharton Twp.Pa. Squier was a stonemason and the house he built in 1830-40 time frame still stands. It once had a beautiful curved stone staircase to the second floor. It’s been torn out, but somewhere in my picture stash, there is one of it. Now, my question after all of this….have you come across the name “Wing” in your mysteries? I know there is a connection to a family. Why names a girl Mary Wing unless there is that family connection. Once, there were members of that family who passed through here to Ohio, but no further info.
I don’t know about Mary Wing Conway except for a couple hints that you probably already know. First, it would probably be a connection through her Davis line, I’ve never run across a Wing connection in the Conway lines. Second, the Wing family was very prominent and early to arrive in the New England region. It’s a really common surname in New England. Since middle names are so very rare in this time period (and I am going to assume this really is a case where she had a middle name and it isn’t something added on later by family)that I think you’re right – why name her that unless there is a connection to that family? Does the Davis line hook up further back with the Wing family? I think it must somewhere.
I found this – I am related to the family (many generations later.)
I have just found your comment on the blog. Do you have any information re the Conway, Conaway line that is in Monongalia, Co., WV Please contact me. Linda
I’m directly descended from Wm. S James, through his daughter Mary Molly James, who married Elias T. Bennett, my paternal grandma Iona Gaye Bennett Kells’ parents–who all hail from Grass Run, Marshville (Tenmile) Harrison County, West Virginia. My grandma was born there, and they are all buried in the Marshville Cemetery there at Grass Run Road, including my grandfather alongside her-Francis Kells. We are also descended from the Estlacks, all the way back to Frances Estlack (Quaker) of Devon, England b.1635, to Ella Anne Estlack James, wife of Wm. S James of Tenmile on Grass Run.
I am decsendant of Minnie Conaway, daughter of Eli and Harriet Conaway, Eli son of John Conaway who was born 02141805.
Any chance you have this in tree form? I am interested in the following:
Matilda, born November 19, 1852, married George M. Baker and their only child, James, married Myrtle Ash, daughter of Peter U. and Mariah Conaway Ash. Children: Marie, died young, Mary, married Arthur Ullom, Bernadine, married Kenner Huff, Wooster, Ohio. Paul married Laura Stealey, Ina Clare married Wilford Underwood of Stonehurst. Paul married Audra Reichart of 0regon, and Ernest married Mabel Hamilton. Martha Ann born December 9, 1848, married Lee Have Long and their daughter Bertie married Joshua B. Haught and Essie was their child; she was graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College and taught in Buckhannon High School; she died at Buckhannon; Clarence R. Long married Sophia Baker, daughter of Ralph and Elmina Wilcox Baker. No childran. He died at Independence, Kansas.
Arthur and Mary Ullom are my Paternal Grandparents from Wooster, Ohio. I remember Bernadin and Ken Huff and Ernest and Mabel from my childhood. Was under a much different thought process from a family origin but can’t wuite tie in all the connections and how far they may go back.
I have some information to ssend to chuck–had email address of chelledge@magiccablepc.com but was returned with no such address–How can I send –info on Conways/Conaways
Please contact me if possible at Crazyrabbit39@aol.com. Linda
(3) Max married Sylvia Welch, daughter of Edward and Grace Black Welch of Pennsboro, West Virginia. Thsy live on a ranch at DuBois, Wyoming. Children: Helen Grace, Edward Thaddeus, Max Welch, Edith Anne and Mary Catherine, twins, died in infancy.
I am writing to clarify that only one twin died at infancy who was Mary Catherine. When Mary Catherine passed Edith was named Edith Catherine and lived until March,18,2008. I am her granddaughter.
i am trying to find info on my 2 times great grandmother Sarah conaway who married 2 times great grandfather Milton worral/worls
in 1837 Belmont county ohio. children;
Benjamin, George, Dorcaus, Samuel, Milton jr,
Edward and my Great grandfather John H. Worls/worral Thank you