Notes |
- William Jonas CONGER was born on 8 May 1858 in Delta, Randolph Co., AL, died on 14 Dec 1943 in St. George, Washington Co., UT at age 85, and was buried in Dec 1943 in Overton, Clark Co., NV, Overton Cemetery.
General Notes:
William Jonas Conger
PARENTS: Simeon Washington Conger and Eliza Ann McKenney
RESIDENCES: Delta, AL; Shinbone Valley, Buckeye, Clay Co., AL; Spring City, UT; Parawan, Iron Co., UT; Washington Co., UT; Wiser Ranch, Moapa, Clark Co., NV.
CHURCH_AFFILIATION: Apparently became a member of the Latter-day Saints (LDS) sometime after the spring of 1881 at Shinbone Valley, AL. The wife and children were baptized after the family removed to Utah.
BIOGRAPHY:
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Simeon Washington Conger, b. 1820, volunteered for the service, leaving his wife to care for Billy (William Jonas) and his baby sister, Marietta. Though William was very small he remembered vividly how hard his mother worked to keep the home and children. Many times in the snow and sleet of winter she went to the woods for fuel to provide warmth for the children.
Their food was meager, consisting of corn bread and bran coffeee. For a while they had milk, but their faithful old cow ventured too far into the swampland and sank in the mud and died. They were without milk until Simeon drew enough money from the army to buy another cow. Their clothing, bedding, etc. was all made at home from hand woven cloth. Billy often held a pine torch for his mother to see by as she wove far into the night. He also went into the fields to gather Sumac berries, which she mixed with walnut hulls and cooperas, to dye her thread.
When Simeon returned from the war, he leased a farm from a man who owned a grist mill. Simeon worked for as little as 14 pounds of corn per day to provide for his family. He died when Billy was 14 years old. A year later, Eliza married a man named, James Bowers, and William left home shortly thereafter.
William hired out to a man who was to pay him $50.00 cash, a suit of clothes and one month of schooling for a year's work. When time came for settlement the man didn't want to pay him, but finally handed him a note for $25.00, due the next fall.
He first saw his future wife at a music school, but didn't get to meet her until later. He was invited by her brother, Walter Mitchell, to spend the Christmas holidays at their home. While there, William and Walter went to a "house-raising." William's axe slipped and cut a deep gash in his foot. This wound was sewn up with a darning needle and black thread by an elderly man who was working on the house. He was taken back to Walter's home to recover from his wound. Hicksey, his future wife, acted as his nurse for a week and that is when their courtship began. They were married by Calvin Knight, a Baptist minister.
They rented a farm for one year, from Rev. Knight, and their principal crop was cotton and corn. The next year they bought a farm of their own, at Delta, Alabama, and it was there there first two children were born.
In the spring of 1881 they moved to Shinbone Valley, Buckeye, Clay county, Alabama and bought another farm. It was here the William Jonas Conger heard that the Mormon Missionaries were speaking in a schoolhouse not far from his home. He and a friend rode over to see if it was true that Mormons were different. He was quite surprised to find them quite normal. Soon after hearing them speak he was baptized.
In 1890, William left Alabama with is wife and six children and settled in Spring City, Utah. His wife and children were baptized after reaching Utah.
The family stayed there about a year and then returned to Alabama for another ten years.
In 1901, they again moved to Utah and settled in Parawan, Iron county, Utah. About a month after they arrived, the whole family was quarantined with smallpox for 5 weeks. William obtained work with the Stark Brothers Nursery, where he remained six years. From there they moved to Washington county in the southern part of Utah, and then to Wiser Ranch, Moapa, Clark county, Nevada.
(Source: The Conger Family of America, Vol. I, p. 527 - Maxine Crowell Leonard)
William married Hicksey Ann Clementine MITCHELL, daughter of Henry Thomas MITCHELL and Martha Ann L. BEAN, on 2 Dec 1877. Hicksey was born on 20 Dec 1850 in Taladega, Randolph Co., AL, died on 14 Apr 1915 in Overton, Clark Co., NV at age 64, and was buried in Apr 1915 in Overton, Clark Co., NV, Overton Cemetery.
Children from this marriage were:
+ 8242 M i. Elijah Hagens CONGER was born on 22 Oct 1878 in Shiloh, Randolph Co., AL, died 2 DEC 1950-51 in Las Vegas, Clark Co., NV at age 72, and was buried DEC 1950-51 in Overton, Clark Co., NV, Overton Cemetery.
+ 8243 M ii. John Jonas CONGER was born on 27 Dec 1880 in Delta, Randolph Co., AL, died on 20 Oct 1961 in Wedowee, Randolph Co., AL at age 80, and was buried in Oct 1961 in Union Cemetery.
+ 8244 M iii. Simeon David CONGER was born on 12 Feb 1883 in Dempsey, Clay Co., AL, died on 30 Nov 1969 in Las Vegas, Clark Co., NV at age 86, and was buried in Nov 1969 in Overton, Clark Co., NV, Overton Cemetery.
+ 8245 F iv. Ezra Tooele CONGER was born on 28 Mar 1885 in Buckeye, Clay Co., AL, died on 28 Jun 1973 in Rupert, Minidoka Co., ID at age 88, and was buried in Jun 1973 in Burley, Cassia/Minidoka Co., ID, Pleasant View Cemetery.
+ 8246 F v. Agnes Israel CONGER was born on 24 Apr 1887 in Alabama, died on 14 Jun 1956 in Las Vegas, Clark Co., NV at age 69, and was buried in Jun 1956 in Overton, Clark Co., NV.
+ 8247 F vi. Era Lehi CONGER was born on 17 Oct 1889 in Alabama and died on 12 Oct 1972 at age 82.
+ 8248 M vii. William Ezekiel CONGER was born on 4 Jul 1892 in Dempsey, Clay Co., AL, died on 7 Dec 1968 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UT at age 76, and was buried in Dec 1968 in Overton, Clark Co., NV.
William next married Molly GRAFF.
The child from this marriage was:
+ 8249 F i. Molly Wanda CONGER was born on 14 Mar 1922 in Delta, Millard Co., UT.
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