CONLEE, George Perry - 1912 Bio (1840-1911)

CONLEE, DOYLE, MASTERSON, GRAVES, HARVEY, STEVENS, MOXLEY, SNYDER, DAVIS, PALMER, KELLER

Posted By: Debbie Nash - Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/11/2005 at 17:40:39

From the “History of Jefferson County, Iowa” – 1912, Volume II
Pages 290-292

GEORGE PERRY CONLEE

“George Perry CONLEE, who passed away on his farm on section 33, Cedar township, on the 17th of August, 1911, came to Jefferson county in 1882 and devoted about two decades to general agricultural pursuits here. He was the second white child born in Burlington, Iowa, his birth occurring on the 3d of June, 1840, when that city boasted only two houses. His parents were Reuben and Nancy (DOYLE) CONLEE, both of Scotch-Irish (sic) descent. They owned and lived near the famous Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. In 1839 they came to Iowa, locating in Burlington, while subsequently they purchased a section of land near Sand Prairie, west of Fort Madison, where Reuben CONLEE followed farming. He was one of the first representatives in the state legislature from Lee county, Iowa – Mr. Bullard being the other – and died suddenly while attending a session of the general assembly at Iowa City. This was in 1847. The demise of his wife occurred nine years later, on the farm near Fort Madison, Iowa. The only surviving member of the family, which numbered thirteen children, is James CONLEE, a resident of Oregon.

George P. CONLEE attended the district school in Jefferson township, Lee county, Iowa, and after the death of his parents remained at home until the outbreak of the Civil war. In 1861, at Keokuk, Iowa, he joined Company A, Thirteenth Iowa United States Regular Infantry, remaining with that command for three years. He went with Sherman on his march to the sea and participated in the following battles: Birds Point, Memphis, Jackson, Vicksburg, Clayton, Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, Nashville, Cairo, Shiloh, Natchez, Bowling Green and Collierville. He also took part in numerous skirmishes and made a most creditable military record, never faltering in the performance of any task assigned him. When hostilities had ceased he returned home and the same year was married. In 1882 he came to Jefferson county, locating on the farm where his widow and son, Charles C., now reside. In 1901 he retired from the active work of the fields, spending the remainder of his life in well earned rest. He became ill in August, 1910, and on the 17th of August, 1911, passed away.

Mr. CONLEE was twice married. In 1865 he wedded Miss Jane MASTERSON, of Van Buren county, Iowa, who died in 1866 and by whom he had one child, who passed away in infancy. On the 25th of November, 1873, Mr. Conlee was again married, his second union being with Miss Mary A. GRAVES, who was born in Ohio, on the 20th of May, 1849. Her parents were Aaron and Sarah (HARVEY) GRAVES, the former a native of Jackson county, Ohio, and the latter of Frederick county, Virginia. They were married in Ohio in 1844, and came west in 1856, locating at Hillsboro, Henry county, Iowa, where Mr. GRAVES maintained his residence while he farmed in the vicinity. In March, 1871, he passed away on his farm about two miles north of Hillsboro. His widow afterward sold the place and took up her abode in Hillsboro, where she purchased property and is now living at the ripe old age of ninety years. To them were born nine children, six of whom still survive, as follows: Jacob, a blacksmith living in Oregon; Mrs. CONLEE; Frances, who is the wife of Charles A. STEVENS, the postmaster at Salem, Iowa; Robert, a banker of Hillsboro, Iowa; Carlton, who follows blacksmithing in the city of Oklahoma, Oklahoma; and Naomi, the wife of Jerry MOXLEY, a farmer of Hillsboro, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. George P. CONLEE were the parents of six children. Fred T., a bridge carpenter on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, lives at Mount Pleasant, Iowa and wedded Miss Maude SNYDER, of Birmingham, Iowa, having one child, Otelia. Jessie M. is the wife of A. W. DAVIS, a bridge carpenter on the Rock Island Railroad at Fairfield and they have five children: George, who died at the age of two years and Charles, Daisy, Ada and Clair. George P. is master mechanic of the Pekin branch of the Santa Fe Railroad and resides at Pekin, Illinois. He married Miss Florella PALMER, of Fort Madison, Iowa, by whom he has three children: Ruth, Ethel and Beulah. Lillian, the next in order of birth, died when but eight weeks old. Mary is the wife of Sylvester KELLER, a farmer of Cedar township, this county, by whom she has two children, George and Clarence. Charles C., who lives with his mother, operates the home farm of one hundred and five acres.

In politics Mr. CONLEE was a stanch democrat and held the office of school director for ten years. He also served as justice of the peace for two terms and for several terms acted as constable. Fraternally he was identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodge at Montrose, Iowa. Prior to the Civil war he was a member of the Missionary Baptist church. His widow is a devoted and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. She is well known and highly esteemed throughout the community, her many commendable traits of character having endeared her to all with whom she has come in contact.”

I am copying this for genealogical purposes and am not related to said individuals.