William E. Conly

By James A. Strain © 2004

The first son of George Conly and Elizabeth Wells, William E. Conly, was born in SC about 1806, and migrated with the family through AL and TN, before he purchases a land patent in Yalobusha Co., MS in 1836. In addition to the patents in his name, he appears on a joint patent with his brother, George W. Conly.  His plantation is located both south and east of his father's land, immediately adjacent to him.

William Conly married Elizabeth L., but it’s not known what her maiden name was. It appears that one of their children was William Edward Conly, Jr., so it’s likely that his middle name is Edward. Edward was the name of Elizabeth Wells’s brother. After settling in Yalobusha County, William E. Conly often appears in the records of the county, and was elected as a Justice of the Peace, and as a member of the Board of Police. As a Justice of the Peace, William E. Conly often appears as a signatory to many legal documents in the county, and as being present at the Board of Police meetings.

He appears several times in the records of Yalobusha Co. as a supervisor of road construction to either lay out roads, or have his hands construct them, and is appointed as head of the county’s Pauper Fund. William E. Conly appears in the 1840 Census for Yalobusha Co., MS with 2 males and 2 females under 5, 1 male 30-39 and 1 female 20-29. He also appears in the 1841 and 1845 State Censuses. During the year 1849, William E. Conly sells most of his land in Yalobusha County to either family members or neighbors.

Just prior to 1850, William E. Conly removes to Drew County, AR, where he obtains a land patent, along with Fredrick Wells, prior to 1856. It’s not known what prompted his move, especially as it precedes the death of his father in 1856. He appears with his wife and children in the 1850 Census in Drew County, AR, and by 1860 has moved to Bowie Co., TX. Apparently, two of his daughters come of age and are married in Drew County, as there appears in records there the marriages of James A. Rodgers to Miss E. S. Conly, and Samuel F. Arnett to Mary Conley. These seem likely to be two of the known daughters, based on the location, names, and age.

After the death of William’s mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Conly, in 1860, his brother, George W. Conly, states that he is in TX, and there is a legal document that surrenders his rights to the estate for a specified fee by assigning his inheritance to an attorney there in Yalobusha Co. named Nunnally. This document is signed and witnessed in Red River Co., TX, providing proof that this is the correct William E. Conly in TX, and allowing some of his children to be traced in that county during later years.

It’s not known when or where exactly that William E. Conly died, nor where his wife Elizabeth L. Conly died. A courthouse fire in Bowie Co., TX in 1912? destroyed all possible documents that might relate to this family, including deeds, marriage, and death records. Of interest is that there is a William E. Conley in a Civil War Company from Drew County, AR.

The 1850 Census in Drew County, AR provides the most accurate list of William E. and Elizabeth L. Conly’s children as follows:

Wm E. Conley 44 m farmer SC

Elizabeth L. 35 f KY

George F. 14 m MS

Andrew B. 14 m MS

Mary E. 12 f MS

Elizabeth 11 f MS

William 9 m MS

Martha 6 f MS

Susan J. 3 f MS

Jane 6/12 f MS

Two sons, William Edward Conly, Jr., and George F. Conly, are found in later documents and census enumerations in Red River Co., TX.