BENJAMIN AMOS CONLEY, son of THOMAS CONLEY JR. and MAHALA DAVIS, was born October 18, 1856 in Abbott Creek, Floyd County, Kentucky, died September 25, 1931 in Paintsville, Johnson County, Kentucky, and is buried in Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky. He married (1) MARY L. "POLLY" HACKWORTH, daughter of GEORGE JEREMIAH "JERRY" HACKWORTH and AGNES POE, October 13, 1881. She was born June 18, 1863 in Kentucky, and died April 26, 1914. He married (2) NANCY JANE SPRADLIN. Nancy Jane Spradlin married (1) HENRY MARTIN CONLEY.
Notes: Mary Hackworth was the sister of Violet Hackworth, Henry W. Hackworth, and Kenis Franklin Hackworth.
According to "The Conley Clan of Eastern Kentucky," published and sold by The Magoffin County Historical Society (page 353), Benjamin Amos Conley was born October 1, 1856, and died September 25, 1932. He married Mary Ellen Hackworth, daughter of Jerry Hackworth and Aggie Marshall, October 13, 1881 at the home of her parents. She was born June 18, 1863, died April 26, 1914, and was buried in Conley Cemetery "on Abbott (Conley Fork)."
Mary L. "Polly" Hackworth's mother's maiden name is listed as Agnes Marshall on her death certificate. It's listed as Agnes Poe her sister Violet's (1859-1932) birth record, and as Agnes Hanshew on Violet's death certificate. It's found to be Agnes Poe on her brother Jackson's (1876) birth record, and her sister Elizabeth's death certificate (1866-1948). According to "The Conley Clan of Eastern Kentucky," published and sold by The Magoffin County Historical Society (page 353), it was Agnes Marshall.
According to descendant Tony Spencer, "Agnes MARSHALL married Edward "Ned" POE. Ned was a brother to Agness POE who married George Jeremiah "Jerry" HACKWORTH." Tony provided a marriage record for George Hackworth and Agnes Poe, who were married on September 9, 1857 in Floyd County, Kentucky. Tony also provided a death certificate for Jerry Hackworth, who died March 13, 1917 in Bonanza, Floyd County, Kentucky, from "Myalziea." Also on that certificate, his parents are listed as George Hackworth (b. Old Virginia) and Peggy Hanshaw (b. Floyd County), and the informant as Alexander Hackworth of Bonanza, Kentucky.
According to Kentucky birth records, Benjamin Amos Conley was born October 18, 1856 in Abbott Creek, Floyd County, to Thomas Conley and Mahala Davis.
According to his death certificate, Ben A. Conley died September 25, 1931 in Golden Rule Hospital in Paintsville after he fell from his barn at home in Floyd County and broke his thigh and also received a concussion that paralyzed him. Also on this certificate, his birthplace is listed as Kentucky, his birthdate as October 1, 1856, his marital status as married, his wife as Jane Conley, his occupation as farmer, his parents as Thomas Conley (b. Kentucky) and Mahala Davis (b. Kentucky, the informant as John Conley of Bonanza, Kentucky, and the burial place as Ashland, Kentucky.
On page 8 of the 1870 census for Precinct 8 in Floyd County, Kentucky (dated June 25, 1870), Jerry Hackworth is listed as the head of the household for house #50, he's a farmer, born in Kentucky, and he's 31 years old. Also listed are Agnes (born in Kentucky, age 29), Violet [hard to read] (born in Kentucky, age 12), Daniel (born in Kentucky, age 10), Henry (born in Kentucky, age 8), Polly A. [Mary] (born in Kentucky, age 6), Elizabeth (born in Kentucky, age 4), Lydia (born in Kentucky, age 3), Caroline (born in Kentucky, age 2), and Alexander (born in April of 1870 in Kentucky, age 2 months).
On page 19 of the 1880 census for District 37 (Prestonsburg - Abbott And Hager Shoal) in Floyd County, Kentucky (dated June 14, 1880), Jerry Hackworth is listed as the head of the household for house #175, he's a farmer, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, and he's 43 years old. Also listed are Agnis (wife, born in Kentucky, father born in Kentucky, mother born in Tennessee, age 42), Greenville (son, born in Kentucky, age 24), Henry (son, born in Kentucky, age 18), Pollie A. [Mary] (daughter, born in Kentucky, age 16), Betty (daughter, born in Kentucky, age 16), Liddy (daughter, born in Kentucky, age 13), Carry (daughter, born in Kentucky, age 12), Alexander (son, born in Kentucky, age 11), Kincy [Kenis] (son, born in Kentucky, age 6), Jackson (son, born in Kentucky, age 5), Katy (son, born in Kentucky, age 3), and Dora B. (born in October of 1879 in Kentucky, age 9 months).
On page 16 of the 1900 census for District 37 (Abbott) in Floyd County, Kentucky (dated June 19, 1900), Benjamin Conley is listed as the head of the household for house #126, he's a farmer, born in October of 1856 in Kentucky, father born in North Carolina, mother born in Kentucky, married for 19 years, and he's 43 years old. Also listed are Mary L. (wife, born in June of 1863 in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, married for 19 years, she's given birth to 9 children and 8 are still living, age 36), Josie (daughter, born in August of 1882 in Kentucky, age 17), Ada (daughter, born in April of 1885 in Kentucky, age 15), Amma (daughter, born in March of 1887 in Kentucky, age 13), Mahala (daughter, born in March of 1889 in Kentucky, age 11), Julia (daughter, born in January of 1891 in Kentucky, age 9), Katie (daughter, born in August of 1893 in Kentucky, age 6), Lydia C. (daughter, born in December of 1896 in Kentucky, age 3), Winnie (daughter, born in September of 1898 in Kentucky, age 1), and Bennie Conley (nephew, servant, born in June of 1879 in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 20). Mary's parents are in house #77.
On page 1 of the 1910 census for District 63 (Abbott) in Floyd County, Kentucky (dated April 15, 1930), Ben A. Conley is listed as the head of the household for house #2, he's a farmer, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, 1st marriage, married for 28 years, and he's 53 years old. Also listed are Mary L. (wife, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, 1st marriage, she's given birth to 11 children and 10 are still living, age 46), Mahala (daughter, single, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, she's given birth to 1 child and that child is still living, age 21), Julia (daughter, school teacher, born in Kentucky, age 19), Katia (daughter, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, age 16), Dollie (daughter, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, age 14), Winnie (daughter, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, age 11), Johnny (son, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, age 9), Ottis (son, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, age 3), Iuka Marie Conley (granddaughter, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, 11 months), and Bennie Click (hired man, single, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 21).
On page 14 of the 1920 census for District 40 (Riceville) in Johnson County, Kentucky (dated January 30, 1920), Nancy [Jane] is found living in the home of her son. Luther J. Conley is listed as the head of the household for house #115, he's a farmer, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, and he's 21 years old. Also listed are Elbert (brother, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 19), Kermit (brother, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 13), Juanita (sister, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 10), Virginia (sister, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 10), Jane Conley (mother, married, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 53), and Ben A. Conley (step-father, farm laborer, married, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 63).
On page 25 of the 1930 census for District 36-28 (Magisterial District No. 8) in Floyd County, Kentucky (dated April 24, 1930), B.A. Conley is listed as the head of the household for house #230, he's a farmer, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, first married at 25, and he's 73 years old. Also listed are Jane (wife, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, first married at 17, age 63), and Kermit (son, single, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 23).
The children of BEN CONLEY and MARY HACKWORTH are:
- JOSIE CONLEY, b. August 2, 1882, Kentucky.
- LEONARD CONLEY, b. February 14, 1884, d. April 21, 1884.
- ADA CONLEY, b. April 21, 1885, Floyd County, Kentucky, d. October 3, 1957, Swamp Branch, Johnson County, Kentucky, buried in Swamp Branch, Johnson County, Kentucky, m. JOSEPH CLICK.
- ANNA CONLEY, b. March 31, 1887, Kentucky, m. (unknown first name) CAUDILL.
- MAHALA A. CONLEY, b. March 21, 1889, Kentucky, d. November 9, 1932, m. (unknown first name) HACKWORTH.
- JULIA CONLEY, b. January 27, 1891, Kentucky, m. (unknown first name) STEVENS.
Notes: Julia Conley's name is listed as Julia Stevens in her sister Ada's obitury.
- LYDIA CAROLINE "DOLLY" CONLEY, b. December 11, 1895, Kentucky, d. 1972, m. (unknown first name) CAUDILL.
- WINNIE D. CONLEY, b. September 30, 1898, Kentucky, m. BILL MERRITT, son of ED MERRITT and BIDDY DOTSON, July 7, 1915.
Notes: Bill Merritt was the brother of Lewis Merritt.
- JOHN CONLEY, b. December 4, 1900, Kentucky.
- OTTIS CONLEY, b. December 8, 1906, Kentucky, d. March 27, 1947.