Conley family

The Conley Family, Huntsville, Alabama family of the Reverend Green Conley (1816–1870), is notable for its place in academic, social, political and athletic accomplishments in United States. The family is largely of African and Irish American origin, and came into prominence during the late 19th century and early 20th century. The sons of Green Conley rose to prominence through the acquisition of land in the Madison County, Alabama region, as well as the establishment of C.M.E. Church, A.M.E., Baptist Churches throughout the Tennessee Valley Region which encompasses Northern Alabama and Southern Tennessee. Greater than 100 churches in the region have had Conley family members as a part of their origins.

The diversity in talent of the family members, as well as their extensive and continuing commitment to public service, has led to the unusual track record of achievement during the 20th century. The family's members include Olympian Michael Conley; Sociologist Dalton Conley; Historian Binford Conley; Johns Hopkins Academic Dean William Conley.

The Conley Family

Name and Origin

The name Conley is an Anglicized version of the Irish O'Conghalaighs, meaning "Friendship."^[1] The Conley's origin can be explicitly traced back to the Eoganacht Tribe from Heber, third son of King Melisius of Spain some ten centuries before the birth of Christ. The Eoganacht Tribe migrated to southern Ireland around 550 A.D. In Ireland, O'Connelly is known as a family name.Family records in parish registers reach back to the general area around Galway.

Green Conley was born in 1816 as one of three sons resulting from the union of an Irish slaveholder and one of his Black African servants. The other two brothers disappeared from the census as "property," and are believed to have lived the majority of their lives in anonymity as free citizens, due in large part, to their Caucasian physical appearance. Green Conley was married to Harriet Conley, born in Alabama in 1817, also the result of an Irish and African union in the era of slaveholding. The family is listed in the 1870 US Census as Mullato. The marriage marriage between Green and Harriet produced eight children (six sons and two daughters): Milton (1849); James (1852); William, also known as Bill (1855); Jonas (1857); Alexander (1845); Willie (1868); Sarah (1840); and Hattie (1850).

The Conleys eventually settled near Huntsville, Alabama. It was in Huntsville where the sons of Green and Harriet Conley would amass considerable real estate and establish several churches which would become the foundation for the African-American community in Northern Alabama and Tennessee Valley in the 19th and 20th century. Green and Harriet Conley would be buried at the site where the Conley Chapel stands today, and most of their sons and descendants are buried in the Conley Family Cemetery next to the chapel.^[2] In the generations since, however, the Conley family has largely migrated to a variety of points in the Alabama Region, although many descendants remain in Huntsville or have since spread out across the country beginning in the early 19th century.

Generational Community

The members of the Conley family are noted for their involvement in religious institutions; a study in 1993 documents an incomplete list of 100 church or religious institutions that the family has created and/or endowed up to the present day. Historically, the major focus of their benefactions have been in the educational, religious and sociological areas.

The personal affairs of the family - numbering around 500 blood relatives of Green Conley are managed from the Conley Chapel. It comprises 3 acres (12,000 m²) of the land in Madison County, Alabama; all private family gatherings are handled by the family members in Los Angeles, California. Huntsville is also the base of the current family historian, Binford Conley, who managed the historical archives of The Moorland-Springarn Library ^[3] of Howard University, as well as the historical archives of [ Alabama A&M

To distinguish the generations and facilitate communication, the fifth generation is generically referred to by the name of the Conley Brothers from which they are descended (William, Jonas, Pascal, etc.) and the younger family members are known as the "Conleys" generation. Many of these family members are involved in academic pursuits of some kind. Family links are solidified through the practice of ritualized family meetings - which started with the regular "brothers' meetings" held in their respective private residences, beginning around 1900. Family gatherings are held today in a different major U.S. City each summer in July or August of each year. The family has "state coordinators" in roughly 20 states to coordinate activities.

Legacy

An identifying characteristic of the family throughout its almost 200 years has been its enduring and notable unity, despite its relatively large number of members and geographic dispersion. Unlike other prominent African-American families which sprang forth from the Black Church of the 19th century, the Conleys diversified into a wide variety of new areas of endeavor with each generation, while maintaining remarkable sense of family identity. A primary reason has been the lifelong efforts of William, Jonas, and Pascal to not only promote a sense of connection to religious organizations, but also the encouragement of advanced education, business ownership and political involvement.

In particular, Jonas Conley, the fourth child of Green and Harriet, maintained his tireless efforts to forge family unity until his death. In large part, Jonas solidified the family's group identity through the establishment of the Conley Chapel and the subsequent yearly family gatherings the he began.

Even as Jonas allowed his ten children to operated independently, he insisted on regular family meetings in which he placed a high value on family cohesiveness. This emphasis was then continued by first his son Benjamin Harrison Conley, and Daughter Clara Conley Garner.

Today

In recent times, the branches of the family have spread far beyond the historical endeavors in religion and academia. The family now counts several professional athletes, journalists, entertainers, and technologists among its members.

Members of the Conley family

Ancestors

   * Green Conley (1816–1900?) (m.1855) Harriet (1817–1900?)
         o Sarah Conley (1840 - ?)
         o Alexander Conley (1845- ?) m. Louisana Conley (1850-?) (Had 4 Children)
               + Green Conley II (passed)
               + Alexander Conley II (1881–1964) m. Leilah (Had three children)
               + Milton Conley II m. Lula
               + Frank Conley (passed)
         o Milton Conley (1849-?) no children
         o William (Bill) Conley (1847 - ?) (m.1875) Rachel (Had four children)
               + Pascal (Pony) Conley (1865–1986) m. Melinda Powell Conley (Had 11 children)
               + James (Jim) Conley (1888–1964) m. Mollie Hammond (Had nine children)
               + Josie Conley Wilburn (1890–1981) m. Al Wilburn (Had two children)
               + Pearl Conley (1892 - ?) m. Walker (Had 4 children)
         o Hattie Conley (1850 - ?) passed
         o James Conley (1852 -?) no children
         o Jonas (Papa) Conley (1857-) (m. circa 1877) Judy (1860-?)
               + Edward (Eddie) Conley (1885–1955) m. Sue Della / Arrie (Had nine children)
               + Benjamin Harrison Conley (1888–1948) m. Effie Fowlkes (1892–1946) (13 children)
               + Emma Conley Townsend (1890–1946) m. George Townsend
               + Nancy Conley Moore (1892–1993) m. Dillard Moore
               + Clara Conley Garner (1894–1925) m. Walter Garner
               + Annie Conley Darwin (1896–1955) m. Jimmie Darwin
               + Louella Conley Partrick (1899–1994) m. Ransom Patrick
               + Harriet Conley Moore (1900–1962) m. Luther Moore
               + Mary Conley Moore Grady (1902–1934) m. Morris Moore
         o Willie Conley (1868-?) passed

To the sixth-generation, with 21 still living in the fourth (the Conleys). The total number of blood relative descendants as of 2006 is about 150.

See also

• Reverend Jonas Conley - Founder of Conley Chapel Methodist Church
• Paschall Conley - Sergeant Major 10th United States Calvary 1898
• Dr. Houston Conley - Professor of Education, Virginia Tech University
• Michael Alex Conley - Olympic Athlete and Gold Medalist, 1992 Olympics, Barcelona Spain
• Lawrence Elder - Noted Journalist, Los Angeles
• Dr. Hubert Pulley - Professor of Education, Middle Tennessee University
• Regina Morris - former CFO, New York Health & Hospitals Corporation
• Dr. Binford Conley - former head Librarian and official historian of Howard University
• Earl Thomas Conley - Noted musician
• Maurice Cheeks - Former National Basketball Assoc. athlete and NBA coach
• Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers - Former National Basketball Assoc. player and current NBA coach of NBA Champion Boston Celtics
• Melinda Wilson - Professor of Theater, California State University at Sacramento
• William Conley - Academic Dean, Johns Hopkins University
• Michael Alex Conley, Jr. - Current National Basketball Assoc. athlete, Memphis Grizzlies
• Donald Steven Conley - Former National Football League athlete
• Craig C. Conley - Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
• Darlene Conley - American actress from "The Bold and the Beautiful"
• Benjamin Conley
• Dalton Conley - Academic
• Frances Conley - Medical Doctor
• Jason Conley - Professional athlete
• Lockard Conley - Pioneer Medical Scientist

References

1. ^ http://www.clanconnelly.com/
2. ^ http://www.histopolis.com/Place/US/AL/Madison_County/Conley_Cemetery/693639689/
3. ^ http://www.howard.edu/msrc/about/history.htm

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