Markley, Conrad bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 320 & 323; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Conrad Markley. Among the early settlers of this county was the Markley family, and its present representative, the subject of this biography, is now one of its wealthy and most prosperous farmers. He was an important factor in the pioneer labors that laid the solid foundation of the present prosperity of this section of the country, and having accumulated a handsome property is enabled to spend his declining years free from the hard work and cares of his early life, in one of the most comfortable homes of Deerfield Township, of which he has been a prominent resident many years.
The paternal great-grandfather of our subject was born in Germany, while his maternal great-grandfather was a native of France. His grandfather on his father's side was born in Somerset County, Pa., and his grandfather on his mother's side was born in the Mohawk River Valley, in New York. The parents of our subject, Jonathan and Elizabeth (Cline) Markley, were natives of Pennsylvania. They migrated to this county in 1834, arriving at Canton on the 1st of October. They located on section 31, Fairview Township, and remained until the fall of 1841. They then removed to Ellisville, where the father died in 1842. After her husband's death the mother of our subject returned to the old homestead in Fairview Township and thence went to Kansas, where her death occurred in 1874.
Conrad Markley was born October 10, 1817, in an humble pioneer home in Ashland County, Ohio. His education was conducted in a primitive log schoolhouse of the early times. He was a stalwart youth of seventeen years when he accompanied his parents to their new home in this county. He remained with them until he married, March 31, 1842, Ruth, daughter of Benjamin and Amanda (Cone) Foster, becoming his wife on that date. Mrs. Markley is also a native of Ohio and was born in Madison County, July 15, 1823. Her marriage with our subject has been blessed by ten children, of whom the first two were twins and died very young. The others are as follows: Amanda, wife of John Walick, of Montgomery County, Kan.; Louie, wife of George W. Lippy, also of Montgomery County, Kan.; Lewis Cass, who married Laura Aldridge and lives in Sumner County, Kan.; Margaret A. is the wife of Josiah Cattron, of Hickory Township; John A., who is a bachelor residing on a farm in Kansas and does his own housework; Thomas F., who married Josephine Turner and lives in Hickory Township; Andrew Jackson, a bachelor living in Kansas; Josiah V., who lives with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Markley reared their children carefully, giving them good educational advantages, and he has given them a good start in life. He gave each of his boys, at the age of twenty-two, eighty acres of land in Kansas, a good team, wagon and harness and $1000, and did equally well by his daughters. One boy sold his eighty acres to his brother for $3,000. The younger son, who resides at home, receives a good income from the rental of his eighty acres of land.
Mr. Markley resided on his mother's farm for four years after he was married. When he first began his career as an independent farmer he had nothing but his wife, to whose capable and devoted assistance he owed much of his after prosperity, and all his personal property was vested in a cow. He had besides about $600 security debt to pay. In the spring of 1848, having worked hard and accomplished much, he came out even with the world and with a team, wagon and harness, the latter being a contrivance made by himself, with chain tugs and an old strap for back band. The wagon was also a primitive affair, manufactured partly in Canton and partly by himself and his friends. With this outfit he started to build up a home, locating on section 2, Deerfield Township, where he now resides. He has met with more than ordinary success in the prosecution of his calling, and has now a finely improved homestead of two hundred acres, eighty acres on section 2, and one hundred and twenty acres on section 31, Fairview Township. He is now taking the world easy, making occasional visits to his children in Kansas. He still has his farm under his management, though he does but little work himself, he and his good wife living in peace and contentment and enjoying the fruits of their united labors.
Mr. Markley is one of the old settlers here, and the only man now living in this township who was here when he came, is Charles B. Edmonson, whose sketch will be found on another page of this work. He has so conducted himself both in public and in private life as to honor the citizenship of this place and has borne an important part in its civic life. He has held the office of Supervisor for many years, was Assessor for a number of years, and Road Commissioner and School Director. He cast his first vote for Martin Van Buren, and has always stood staunchly by the Democratic party.