A Fine Job Herding Sheep

My great-great-grandfather, Adolphus Vianatus Conaway, wrote this letter to his sister Phytama "Tamey" Conaway, after leaving his home in Knox Co., Ohio, at the age of 21. The letter is on two sheets of paper; both sides of each sheet are filled with writing. 

Note: Spelling has been corrected in the transcription below. 

The letter was addressed to:

Miss Tamey Conaway

Circleville, Ohio

In care of Reve. Mr. Calhoun

Envelope, torn open at the right edge

Ashgrove, Iroquois Co., Ill.

September 29, [18]62

Dear Sister,

I take my pen in hand to drop a line to let you know that I am well and have been ever since we started. I never felt better in my life. I have gained about fifteen pounds since I left Ohio. We reached here about the sixth of September. I got a letter from father yesterday. He said they was all well and says he is coming out to see me as soon as he gets his corn husked. I like this part of Illinois very well. They have such good water here and good land too. It is only a half mile to timber from my boarding place. I am boarding with Mr. McCray. We are going to move the sheep up to an area this week about fifteen miles from here. I have wrote to you twice since I have started I wrote to New Guilford. And to Utica. Oh Tama I was awful homesick but I have got over it. The frost killed the corn here in August. And we have had the hard frost since we got here. I have not got my clothes yet. I wrote about a week after before we got here and twice since we got here. Mr. Long got a letter from Mr. Connard. He said he had not heard from any of us since we started. And I have wrote four or five times since we started. I don't know what is the reason he does not get my letters. I do not know where to write to you but I will write to Circleville to Mr. Calhoun. You may write to Ashgrove post And I will have the letter forwarded on to wherever we go to. I have written about fifteen letters since I got here and have only got two. And you do not know how glad I was to hear from the old Buckeye state. Now Fanny I want you to write as soon as you get this letter. I would like to hear from you. I want you to tell me how Grandpop Horn’s folks are. I have wrote twice to grandpop, you three times and have got no answer. I wrote to Wash Houck and to Uncle Addam and to Mr. Connards folks and have not got any answer. I have a fine time herding sheep as it is easy work. I have a very good dog to help me. I will be glad if you sent them socks. I will pay for them. Do write soon. This is wrote in a hurry and so much noise. 

A. Conaway

First page of the letter

Seeking Parents of Benjamin Conaway

My third great-grandfather Benjamin Conaway was born in 1817. He was probably raised in Coshocton Co., Ohio and is believed to be related to John and/or Charles Conaway who both lived in Coshocton County from about the 1820s to about the mid-1830s, when they all moved to Knox County, Ohio.

Benjamin married Nancy Horn (daughter of Hartman and Hannah Horn) on Oct 1, 1837 in Knox Co., Ohio. He is found on the census for Miller Township, Knox Co., in 1840.

1840 Census Miller Township, Knox Co. OH, page 271

Benjamin Conaway

1 male age 20-30

1 female under 5

1 female age 20-30

In 1841, on August 13, Benjamin took on an apprentice. Joshua Conaway (son of John) “placed and bound his ward named Joseph M. Riggs as an apprentice to the said B. D. Conaway to learn the art trade mystery or occupation of carpenter and hande joiner which he the said B.D. Conaway now follows . . . the said Joseph M. Riggs shall well and faithfully dwell with a serve the said B. D. Conaway as an apprentice . . . until he shall arrive at the age of twenty one years.” This was recorded at Knox County court on Nov. 6 1841.

Curiously, Charles Conaway owed a debt of $200 to Benjamin Conaway. The dates June 1, 1843; July 3, 1844; June 1, 1846 were on the note. What is the cause of this debt? There is no evidence that Benjamin owned any land that he could have sold to Charles, and his inventory of possessions at his death was fairly meager, so I can't imagine that he loaned Charles $200. The debt was unpaid at the time of Benjamin's death in 1846.

In 1844, Benjamin Conaway paid $280 for 114 acres in Wells Co., Indiana. He didn't move to Wells County, although perhaps he intended to do so eventually. I wonder where Benjamin got the money for this purchase. 

On Feb 16, 1846 in Knox Co., Benjamin died (possibly of typhoid fever) leaving his wife Nancy and their four children - Malana, Adolphus, Phytama and Alexander. Another curiousity - Benjamin's father-in-law Hartman Horn was the administrator of Benjamin's estate.

For many years, I thought that John Conaway was Benjamin's father, but John's will lists his children and makes no mention of Benjamin or Benjamin's children. Also, there is no mention of John in any of the probate documents for Benjamin's estate. The only Conaway mentioned in those documents is Charles. He purchased a few items from the estate, owed (and paid) the debt of $200 plus $21 interest to the estate, and was owed by the estate  $2.51 1/2 cents for sugar and corn Nancy "bought" from him shortly after Benjamin died.  

Three Brothers Came Over From Ireland . . .

"Three brothers came over from Ireland," my grandmother said to explain the origins of her mother, Ruth Conaway. "Your Aunt Malana had the family history but she gave it to her nephews, Charles and Clair Conaway, and they lost it." With this bit of information, I began my research into the Conaways. I found three brothers who immigrated from Ireland, but thus far have not been able to conclusively tie our Conaways to them.

Adolphus V. Conaway, my great-great-grandfather,

 was the son of Benjamin and Nancy (Horn) Conaway

Here's what I do know. Ruth's dad, Adolphus Conaway was the oldest son of Benjamin D. Conaway and Nancy (Horn) Conaway. Benjamin and Nancy lived in Knox County, Ohio, an area so remote and undeveloped that even today, the Amish move there from Lancaster, PA, to get away from the crowds. Benjamin and Nancy were married in 1837 and had Malana (1839), Adolphus (1841), Phytama (1844), and Alexander (1845). About two months after Alexander was born, Benjamin died, possibly of typhoid. He was buried in the Dennis Cemetery, a small cemetery next to Dennis Chapel in Knox Co.

Dennis Cemetery, Knox County, Ohio

In 1840, Benjamin and Nancy were living in Miller Township, Knox Co. Nearby were John Conaway and his son Joshua Conaway. I believe John Conaway was Benjamin's father, uncle, or another relation with whom Benjamin had cast his lot. John and Benjamin were both carpenters, and in 1841, Joshua Conaway apprenticed his ward to Benjamin. He “placed and bound his ward named Joseph M. Riggs as an apprentice to the said B. D. Conaway to learn the art trade mystery or occupation of carpenter and hande joiner which he the said B. D. Conaway now follows . . . the said Joseph M. Riggs shall well and faithfully dwell with a serve the said B. D. Conaway as an apprentice . . . until he shall arrive at the age of twenty one years.” 

Benjamin Conaway agreed to teach his apprentice the 
"art trade mystery or occupation of carpenter."

John Conaway had been born in Maryland, but was raised in Brooke County, Virginia (now West Virginia). Evidence indicates that his parents were John Conaway, who was from Maryland and died about 1806 in Brooke County, and his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth remained in Brooke County until between 1816 and 1820, when she moved to Ohio along with her son John. We find them in Coshocton County, Ohio (which borders Knox County) in 1820. 

On May 2, 1815, John Conaway bought 160 acres, range 9, twp 5, sect. 7, NE 1/4. He paid this off by 1825 and promptly began to divide the land into lots and establish a town, offering to assist purchasers in erecting their homes. Between March 8, 1828 and May 9, 1843, John sold lots of land to at least 29 different men for a total amount of $1,250. Some lots (numbered 1, 4, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22) were never sold. Presumably this was land John kept for family use or sold in parcels larger than a lot. A thorough search of the land records reveals no land purchases by either Benjamin or Joshua - it seems very likely that they lived on land provided by John. Click the link below to see the land owned by John Conaway - little is left of the small town that was once there.

John Conaway Land Patent

However, in the mid-1830s, John appears to have moved to Miller Township, Knox County where he built a saw mill on Vance's Creek. Here we find John, Joshua and Benjamin living in their own households when the U.S. census was taken in 1840. Benjamin would die only six years later leaving his wife, Nancy, with four young children.