Descendants of Thomas Conley

The validity of the Conley Lineage relates to the wife of James Heard who married in 1658 one Shuah Conley. There are two lines of thought on who James Heard married. We find noted in C.A.Torrey’s “New England Marriages Prior To 1700" 1985 Pg. 362 that “James Heard married Shuah [Starbuck]; the symbols [&] indicate “maybe or this is a married name”. The Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire by Sybil Noyes et al, 1988 Pg. 321 states that “James Heard married by 1661 Shuah Starbuck(Edward)”. However, in the very worthwhile genealogy “Descendants of Edward Small” by L.A.W. Underhill 1934 Pg. 465, we see that the wife of James Heard was Shuah Conley. Finally, in the NEHGR V70 Pg. 185, we find a brief paragraph relating to Kittery and Berwich, Me. Land Grants wherein “May 6,1702, to John Heard confirmation of all land granted to his grandfather Abraham Conley”. Further “this reveals the much sought parentage of Shuah, wife of Ensign James Heard, who married secondly Richard Otis”. John Heard was a son of Ensign James and Shuah Conley Heard. It is felt that the well researched “Descendants of Edward Small” plus the NEHGR article make a stronger case for “Shuah” being the daughter of Abraham Conley versus being the daughter of Edward Starbuck.

Relative to the Conley ancestry, we find in the extensive lineage of Mrs. J. Malcom Loring, i.e., Chart # 3730-5-153 that there was a Thomas Condlie (Conley) of Biddenden, Kent who had a will dtd 1617 wherein his wife Margaret is mentioned as well as his son John Condlie (Conley). The latter John was married, on 27 May 1599, Dorothy Cliffe who died after 10 Jan. 1601 at Biddenden, Kent, England.

References: F19: Chart # 3730-5-151.

Abraham Conley, the son of John and Dorothy Cliffe Conley, was born 10 Jan 1601, presumably, at Biddenden, Kent; he died, at Kittery, Me. prior to 05 March 1691. Abraham supposedly married first, Ann Lord, on 01 Jan 1634. She is assumed to be the sister of Nathan Lord who came with Abraham Conley to New England in 1638. Ann Lord Conley died prior to 1638 at which time Abrham married his second wife, Elizabeth (–), who died prior to 1664. Elizabeth (–) was the mother of Shuah Conley. Finally, Abraham, married, about 1664, for the third time, Margaret Wathin?? Everett Nash.

Abraham Conley, as previously noted, came to New England in 1638 with Nathan Lord. He was a settler in Kittery, Me. where he purchased a house with six acres on 05 Jan. 1639 from John Ugrave. His house was located on land site #2 on the Piscataqua River. Abraham was a Constable in 1646/47 and a Selectman in 1651. He was a Magistrate for the General Court held at Saco, Me. 21 Oct. 1645. He was on the jury for the General Court at Wells, Me. on 30 June 1647 concerning the accidental death of Warwick Heard, son of John Heard. The Court agreed that Warwick’s death was accidental. Our Shuah Conley, daughter of Abrahm, married James Heard who was a brother of the noted Warwick Heard. Abraham was again Magistrate for the Court on 15 March 1649 held at Georgena,Me. and for the Court held on 04 July held at Yorke,Me. He was on the Grand Jury in 1646, 1650, 1653-1655, and 1660. We find Abrham Conley’s name on numerous lists and petitions as well as recipient of some land grants. Abraham sold 100 acres of land to Nicholas Frost in 1674. Abraham Conley was a farmer and a good citizen who was well respected in his community.

The administration of the “elderly” Abraham Conley was granted on 02 April 1678 to Nathan Lord who had married Abraham’s third wife daughter ,i.e., Martha Everett. Nathan Lord “brot the old man from his Sturgeon Creek farm to his house a year before Abraham died”. Part of the farm at Sturgeon Creek was let out to Francis Small, son of the fore mentioned Edward Small. Abraham’s will, dated 01 March 1674, was proved 05 March 1691. His specific date of death is unknown. He left property to Nathan Lord’s two sons, Nathan and Abraham, to Adrian Frye “with whom I now live “(1674), to John White and to Robert Allen.

References: FH19: Chart #3730-5-151; FH36:4. 4a(Chart), 10,11,13,45,101,122,465; PH7:176; PH13:159; PH86:44;PH214:V1:44;NEHGR:V70:185.

Shuah Conley, sometimes miscalled Susannah, the daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (–) Conley was born 1638+ at Kittery, Me. She died prior to 1685 at Wells, Me. She married, in 1658 at Kittery,Me, James Heard who was born in 1631 at Sturgeon Creek, Me. and died in 1675 at Wells, Me. He was the son of John and Isabel (–) Heard.

References: FH19: Chart #3730-5-15 and #3730-5-153; FH36: 465; PH86:92.