Martinus Conaway (1785-1832)
-- Janelle's 4th great grandparents were Martinus (Martin) Conaway and Mary Sprenkel.
-- Janelle Aileen Taylor-Graham’s paternal Taylor-Hengst 3rd great grandparents: Joseph Hengst (1814-1899) and Sarah Conaway (1818-1890).
-- The patriarch of the Conaway family were early members of the Saint Patrick Catholic Church on York Pennsylvania. It was here they were said to be buried.
-- The Conaway family directory where you'll find all the data supporting my research papers.
Martinus (Martin) Conaway was born about 1785 in Drumcliff, Sligo County, Ireland. On July 4th 1807 Martin landed in Philadelphia.
-- Martin would have to be at least 18 years old to immigrate to Philadelphia without a parent or guardian.
Shortly after he arrived, by 1810, Martin was living in York Township, York County, Pennsylvania. He married Mary Sprenkel about the year 1808. Mary also went by the name Polly, and she was born between 1785 and 1794, possibly to Peter Sprenkel (1744-1789) and Maragret E. Fisher (1748-1776)
Then on April 5th 1814 Martin Conaway, late of the County Sligo in the Kingdom of Ireland, petitioned the York County Court of Common Pleas of his intention to become a citizen of the United States. Later, on April 5th 1817, appeared in open court and took the oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the United Sates.
-- There are some genealogists who identify their marriage date of March 3rd 1805. It's unclear where that date came from, but it is at odds with the established timeline of when he arrived in Pennsylvania.
As early as 1822 the young couple were members of St. Patricks Catholic Parish in York. Since the spring of 1821, Matin and Mary were living on a tract of land, which was first improved in 1774, in York Township, York County.
By December 29th 1821 Martin and Mary purchased 80 acres for 10 pounds (about $50.00) per hundred acres in York Township adjoining lands of George M. Liter on the North, Adam Stump on the East, Philip Fredrick on the South, and Philip Day, Michael Seitz and Others on the West, including an actual settlement and improvements situated in said Township.
In 1830 the whole family, including a female under five years old, were still living in the York area of York Township. Then on April 17th 1832 Martin made out his will, and Martin’s son John was made the executor.
Martin died April 20th 1832 in the York area of York Township, York County, Pennsylvania. He was laid to rest at the St. Patrick Catholic Church Cemetery in York, York County. The grave was then relocated to St. Mary's-St. Patrick's Cemetery in Violet Hill. FAG#:279636464
-- According to the St. Patrick’s Records of Death, Martin was 102 years old when he died April 20th 1832. This age would be inconsistent with all the Federal census records.
-- The original cemetery has been converted to a parking lot, and the bodies were moved to a different location. His remains have not been found in the new cemetery.
Then on April 26th 1832 Martin’s son John began conducting an inventory of Martin’s estate. By 1840 Mary was living with her son Henry, her daughter Catherine, and another female who I would have been born between 1825 and 1830.
Mary died July 3rd 1841 in the York area of York Township, York County, Pennsylvania. She was laid to rest at the St. Patrick Catholic Church Cemetery in York, York County. The grave was then relocated to St. Mary's-St. Patrick's Cemetery in Violet Hill in York. FAG#:279636560
Martin and Mary had eight children:
i. Maria Coneway (Canaway) was born in May 1810 in York Township, York County, Pennsylvania. She was baptized on June 24th 1810 at the Sacred Heart Basilica Catholic Church in Hanover, Conewago Township, Adams County. Her sponsors were Johnas and Elizabeth Koch.
-- Hanover would have been about 25 miles from where the Conaway family lived in York Township, York County.
Maria was identified in the August 6th 1810 census for York Township. Martin’s 1832 will mention a Mary, but no Maria. Maria would have been 22 years old in 1832. I could account for her age in the 1810 and the 1820 census record, but I could not account for her age in the 1830 census.
Maria was not identified by name in Martin’s 1832 will, and may have died.
ii. John Conaway (1812-1896) married Susanna.
iii. Daniel Conaway (1814-1891) married Magdalena Anstine.
iv. Gulielmus (William) Conaway (1815-1886) married Elizabeth then Dorathy.
v. Sarah Conaway (1818-1890) She married Jospeh Hengst.
vi. Catharine Conaway (1820-1889) married George Husan.
vii. Michael Conaway (1822-1899) In the 1830 census.
viii. Henry Conaway (1823-1905) married Rebecca Geiselman.
ix. Mary Conway (1828-1881)married Henry Ramble.
More On This Family Is Coming.