Rueben S. Conlee

CONLEE

Posted By: John Clemons (email)
Date: 11/11/2003 at 19:26:33

Reuban and Nancy spent the early years of their marriage in Kentucky, then moved to Illinois and finally settled in Iowa about 1840. Reuban purchased 60 acres in Jefferson Township and lived there as a farmer.

Reuban died on December 23, 1846 at the age of 56 while in Iowa City, Iowa as he was attending the session of the first legislature of the State of Iowa. He was buried in the Wilson Cemetery, Jefferson, Lee County, Iowa. Nancy died nearly ten years later in April 1856.

In addition to being a member of the lower house of the state legislature, he served as a justice of the peace in Lee County for many years.

Parents & Birth: Rueben is on the list from the Conlee Family Bible with his birth date. While his cemetery records speak of him as a native of Greene Co., TN, the family is not known to be there until eight years after his birth. His middle initial was found in IA State records. A grandson of Samuel D. Conlee (Walter Conlee, s/o James) told Mary Lozier that Reuben's son Samuel was named after Rueben's middle name.

Military: He was a veteran of the 1832 Blackhawk War (private 2nd Reg., 3rd Brig., mounted volunteer). On a list covering the Black Hawk Campaign of 1832, it shows, "#16, Conlee, Rheuben, Private, Greene Co., IL, Ordered 22nd June on special duty." Walter Reed found the records in records for him in the National Archives. Reuben was in the Company of Captain Aaron Barrow. His muster-in date was June 19, 1832, his muster-out, August 16, 1832." His widow received a Bounty Land Grant in San Benito Co., CA for his services. Walter Reed notes that it seems she never optioned the grant to actually receive the 40 acres in CA. "A few years later a better deal came along and she was entitled to 160 acres...Those apparently are the 160 acres mentioned in the probate."

Children: With the help of the William Conlee Family Bible we have a complete list of the children and birthplaces. We also know that Emley died when she was less than a month old, on 3 Dec 1817. This helps us understand why she was forgotten on all other records.

Land: On 5 Aug 1846 Reuben bought two quarter sections on Chimney Creek about a mile above the Mississippi River. He paid $40 to the Sac and Fox half-breeds for this reservation land containing 320 acres (the SE quarter of Sec. 15 and the adjacent SW quarter of Sec. 14, Twp. 67n Range 5w. Now in Jefferson Twp.

Politics: In addition to several years as Justice of Peace in Lee County, Reuben had a brief but distinctive political career as a representative from Lee Co. to the first Iowa State Legislature. The legislature convened at Iowa City on 30 Nov 1846. He died less than a month later.