| Notes |
- We have found no record of a marriage between Alpheus Conaway and Matilda Rhodenbeck, nor is there evidence that they ever lived together. But her death record, daughter Ada's death record, and records pertaining to her other children all point to Alpheus Conaway being the father of most or all of her children. A newspaper article detailing the provisions of Alpheus Conaway's will confirmed the circumstantial evidence.
1860 Census, Tyler Co, Virginia (now West Virginia), North Bend Post Office, enumerated on Jul 24 1870:
Alpheus Conoway, 34, farmer, value of real estate $7,000, value of personal estate $2,145. No other household members.
1870 Census, Tyler Co, WV (Centerville District, Middlebourne Post Office), enumerated on Jul 28 1870:
Alpheus Conaway, 44, retail merchant, value of real estate $15,000, value of personal estate $9,000; Rebecca Conaway, 71; William McCardle, 24, clerk in store, value of real estate $300, value of personal estate (blank); Andrew Wells, 18; Alpheus Wells, 16; Catharine Lewis, 18; Mary Wells, 39. All born in Virginia.
NOTE: A nearby family was that of Robert Hudson Ramsey and his family. He was a witness at the wedding of Matilda Rhodenbeck's sister Cornelia in 1912.
1880 Census, Tyler Co, WV (Centerville District), enumerated on Jun 22 1880:
Alf Conaway, 54, single, merchant; Mary R. Wells, 50, single, keeping house; nephew Alpheus Wells, 25, single, farm worker; nephew Emery Wells, 24, single, clerk in store; servant Catharine Vancicle, 27, single, housekeeper; servant Mary Herrington, 21, housekeeper; dau Ada, 10, b. WVa (father b. WVa, mother b. Ohio); servant Festus Rogers, 25, farm laborer.
NOTE: The space on the census form for Mary Wells' relationship to the head of household was left blank. The surname of daughter Ada was implied by a form of ditto mark as being Herrington, the surname of the person on the preceding line. But other records, including her marriage record, show her surname as Conaway. Her death record shows her parents' surnames as Conaway and Radenbeck (sic).
1880 Census, Tyler Co, WV (Centerville District), enumerated on Jun 21 1880:
Matilda Rhodenbeck, 28, b. Ohio (both parents b. Germany), single, occupation keeping house; son William, 6, b. WVa; son Alpheus, 4, b. WVa; son Austin, 2, b. WVa; dau Alice M, 1 month, b. WVa.
NOTE: With the exception of Alice, for whom no other record has been found, all the children in this household were later known by their father's surname, Conaway.
News item in a column titled "State Topics - Our Weekly List of Live News Paragraphs," in the "Wheeling Register," Monday, Oct 12 1891, in its entirety:
"Alf Conaway, a wealthy citizen of Tyler county, was indicted two or three times by the recent grand jury of that county for unlawful cohabitation with a woman name Till Rosenbeck [sic], with whom he has lived for several years and who has borne him several children. Some say they are married, and others say they are not. It has produced an exciting sensation. -- Sentinel"
1900 Census, Tyler Co, WV (Centerville District), enumerated on Jun 30 1900:
Matilda J. Rhodenbeck, 48, b. Jan 1852 in Ohio (both parents b. Germany), widowed (corrected from something else), occupation raising bastards, mother of 3 (sic) children (all still living); son Benjamin Conaway, 18, b. May 1882, single, teamster; dau Elsie Conaway, 15, b. Feb 1885; dau Chelsie Conaway, 15, b. Feb 1885.
Though labeled as a separate household, it appeared that Matilda's son William and his family shared the same domicile with her:
William E. Conaway, 26, b. Sep 1873 in WVa (father b. WVa, mother b. Ohio), day laborer, married 5 yrs; wife Stella F. (?), 25, b. May 1875, married 5 yrs, mother of 2 children (1 still living); dau Orma, 2, b. Aug 1897.
1900 Census, Doddridge Co, WV (Central District), enumerated on Jun 20 1900:
William L. Netzer, 37, b. Aug 1862, farmer, married 13 yrs; wife Ada L, 28, b. May 1872, mother of 3 children (all still living); son Sherman A, 12, b. Apr 1888; son William L, 9, b. Jan 1891; son Franklin V, 5, b. Dec 1894; father-in-law Alpheus Conoway, 74, b. Feb 1826, single. All born in West Virginia except the elder William, born in Pennsylvania.
News item in a column titled "Circuit Court - New Suits," in the "Sistersville Daily Oil Review," Saturday, Oct 17 1903, in its entirety:
"Matilda J. Rodenbeick [sic] vs. Alf Wells, Ex. of the estate of Alf Conaway deceased.
"Injunction granted without bond to prohibit sale of tract of land near Josephs Mill."
1910 Census, Wood Co, WV (City of Parkersburg), enumerated on Apr 25 1910 at 1132 Swann Street:
Matilda Conaway, 58, b. Ohio (both parents b. Germany), widowed, keeper of private boarding house, mother of 10 children (8 still living); son William E, 36, widowed, school teacher; son Roy, 23, single, traveling hardware salesman; dau Elsie, 25, single, school teacher; dau Chelsie, 25, single, school teacher.
1920 Census, Wood Co, WV (City of Parkersburg), enumerated on Jan 5 1920 at 1312 Lynn Street:
Roy Conaway, 31, single, dry goods salesman; sister Elsie, 34, single, office clerk; sister Chelsie, 34, single, billing clerk at tool company; mother Matilda, 68, widowed.
1930 Census, Wood Co, WV (Citry of Parkersburg), enumerated on A[r 7 1930 at 1114 Market Street:
Roy Conaway, 42, manager of barber shop; wife Helen, 33; dau Charlotte, 4y 3m; boarder Chelsea Conaway, 40, single, stenographer for wholesale dry goods; boarder, Paul Elliott, 34, single, clerk in grocery store. All born in West Virginia except for Paul Elliott, born in Pennsylvania.
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Father | Male
Mother | Female