CONDLEY-RHEA FAMILY
Elisha Thomas CONDLEY and his wife, Elizabeth BECK, are shown in the photo at left.
Wilson's History does not include biographical information on this family. However, The Index published a comprehensive biography of E. T. Condley in it's November 11, 1897 edition (Volume XIII, Number 18, page 2).
· OBITUARY: Died, at Cross-Timbers, Missouri, after an illness of about three months, Elisha T. Condley aged 83 years. Mr. Condley was born in Halifax county, Virginia, Nov. 21st, 1814, and moved with his father Anderson Condley to Giles county, Tennessee, in 1830, where he was married in 1837 to Miss Elizabeth Beck which bond existed until death separated them by claiming his most amiable and loving companion on February 10th, 1897. Mr. Condley came to Missouri to look for a future home for himself and young wife in 1838, and visited the Queen City of the Ozarks when it was but a very small village having only one small general store, a blacksmith shop and a few cabins. After having decided to emigrate to Missouri Mr. Condley returned to his home in Tennessee and made arrangements to move the next spring and in the spring of 1839 he came to what was then Benton county and settled on the ridge about five miles Northeast of Quincy where he resided till the spring of 1847 when he moved to the place which is still known by his name on Turkey creek, in South Benton county, where he resided till the spring of 1873, when he removed to Cross-Timbers, Mo., and engaged in merchandising under the firm names of Heath & Condley, this being the first mercantile venture of his life, he having been engaged at his trade of blacksmithing and farming during his earlier career. Mr. Condley continued to sell goods almost continuously until a few days prior to his demise when he sold his stock to Messrs. Heath & Spickert. Mr. Condley was a past master in the masonic fraternity and a member of the Christian Church, having united with the church in 1853, and lived a consistent and faithful christian life until claimed by death at which time he was an Elder in the Church at Cross-Timbers. Thus we may but briefly chronicle a few of the events of this one among the most eventful lives of our country, and while Mr. Condley whom every one who knew loved and esteemed and who was so familiarly known as Grand Pa. Mr. Condley was never chosen to high official position, he was one among the sturdy citizens of our country who ever stood ready to defend his country and to uphold and enforce her laws and who did not a small part in developing civilization in what was a part of an almost uncivilized country when he arrived here. Mr. Condley was the father of five children, two sons and three daughters. One of his sons, Beverly, died when a child but four years old and Calvin M. died of small pox at St. Louis, Mo., in 1864, while serving as a soldier in the United States army, and who was twenty one years old at the time of his death. The three daughters, Mrs. Ann E. Williams, wife of V. S. Williams, Mrs. Mary Ihrig, widow of Jno. B. Ihrig and Mrs. Martha Rhea, wife of E. T. Rhea, survive to mourn the loss of a kind and loving farther who has gone to rest and to ....
 |
 |
The photos above were submitted by Debbie. Index transcription by Ginny Sharp.
Return to Hickory County Photo Album