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ANDREW CONLEY, a successful farmer of Benton county, residing near Norway, was born in Chester, England, October 31, 1838, a son of Charles Conley. The father, born in 1795, followed the trade of core moulder, and in 1852 came to the United States, locating in Oneida county, New York, where ho spent two years In 1854 Charles Conley came to Florence township, Benton county and bought eighty acres of land, where he carried on farming; he met with fair success, but the last twenty years of his life was a great sufferer from rheumatism. He married Mary Crosby, a native of England, and they had three children, all boys, who grew to maturity and came to the United States. Mr. Conley died in 1893, at the age of ninety-eight years, on his home farm, and his wife died about 1863.
Andrew Conley received his early education in England, and later attended school in New York, also in Benton county, Iowa. He has always kept himself well informed, and is a deep student. He grew to manhood on a farm, and in September, 1861, enlisted in Company A, Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, and was mustered into service at Keokuk, Iowa. He took part in the two days' fighting at Shiloh, was at Corinth, and the engagements of his regiment in western Tennessee, during the fall of 1862. He was present at the Siege of Vicksburg, in the Black River Campaign, at Jackson, and then returned to Vicksburg; later he was at Meridian, and took part in all the battles and expeditions participated in by the regiment. In the summer of 1864 the Fifteenth joined Sherman at Kingston, and made the famous march to the sea, capturing Atlanta. After this campaign they were sent to Chattanooga, and from there Mr. Conley received his discharge November 20, 1864. Returning home, he took up farming and remained with his father, who sold him the farm, until the latter's death. Later he added eighty acres and made many improvements, and is considered a first-class farmer. In politics Mr. Conley is a Republican, and has served nearly thirty years as township trustee.
On December 2, 1870, Mr. Conley married Isabelle, daughter of John and Jane McGregor, well-known farmers of Benton county, who came to the United States from Scotland, in 1852. She received her early education in Scotland and also attended school in Benton county. Mr. and Mrs. Conley had children as follows: Mary, who died at the age of twenty-nine years, a graduate of Norway high school and highly esteemed by all; Jane, wife of Isaac Schinenberger, a farmer of Benton county; Flora, a graduate of Norway high school, and who was a successful teacher in Benton county until she was injured in an automobile accident October 31, 1909, and died from the effect of it January 10, 1910.
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