Spanish - American Soldiers - Private Edward L. Conway

 

L to R -ALBERT B. VOLTRIE, JAMES J. HARPER, EDWARD L. CONWAY

#29  PRIVATE EDWARD LAWRENCE CONWAY

Private Edward L Conway, a resident of Defiance, mustered into the Army when he was 21 years old. A son of Margaret (Corrigan) Conway (2nd Crane) and Mr. Conway, he lived in Defiance during his early years, sometimes with his aunt, his mother's sister, Mary Corrigan.  Census records show that both of Pvt. Conway's parents were born in Ireland.

Born on March 12, 1877, Edward mustered into duty with the rest of Company M, 6th Regiment. By September 2, he was in the Division Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was given a sick furlough on October 6, and that was then extended until November 8, 1898. Again, it was expanded to December 6, 1898. Eventually, he must have joined his company as he was mustered out with the rest on May 24, 1899.

On December 24, 1900, a notice in the local newspaper announced that Edward Conley had left Defiance to open up a grocery store in Youngstown, Ohio, in partnership with his brother-in-law, Charles E. Riley. Charles was the husband of Edward's sister, Molly Conway, who ran a milliner shop in Defiance with her aunt, Mary Corrigan.

Edward's mother died in March 1905, and her obituary gave further details on her origin in Ireland and the rest of her children.

The Defiance Weekly Express, March 3, 1905:  

"Mrs. Margaret Crane, wife of Charles Crane, died Sunday afternoon at her home on Summit street, in this city. She was born Margaret Corrigan in King's county, Ireland, in 1845. When five years of age, with the parents, she moved to the United States, going immediately to Lebanon, Warren county, where she resided for many years.

In 1862, she was married to Mr. Conway by whom she had four children, all now living. They are Mrs. Charles Riley and Edward Conway, of Youngstown, George Conway, of Ashland, Wis., and Miss Margaret Conway of Chicago. A sister, Miss Mary Corrigan, of this city, also survives her.

She was married to Mr. Crane eighteen years ago at Lebanon, but for fifteen years they resided in this city. Her death occurred after four months of suffering from a complication of diseases."

On Thanksgiving Day in 1913, Edward married Loretta Ruth Ruht (Ruff) at St. Columbus Church in Youngstown, where they were both living. He was 34 and Loretta was 28. After the grocery store, Edward worked first as a produce salesman and by 1930, as a coffee salesman, employed by a coffee company. They owned a house in Youngstown worth $10,000. He and Loretta had no children.  

It was 1930 before Pvt Conway applied for a pension for his service. The requirement was 90 days of service or more. The Pension Act of May 1, 1926, finally gave reimbursement to those Spanish-American War soldiers.

Private Edward Conway died in Youngstown, Ohio, on November 14, 1948, and is buried in Section 5 of Calvary Cemetery there. A tombstone exists for his wife, who died later, but none was found for Edward, nor was an obituary located.

An extra note -

An obituary for his sister, Molly, was printed in the Crescent-News on October, 21, 1935, on the front page:

'FORMER MILLINER OF DEFIANCE DIES

Mrs. Charles E. Riley of Youngstown, a sister-in-law of Mrs. Martin Miller and Mrs. Frank Kusian of Defiance, died in St. Elizabeth hospital, Youngstown, at 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Mrs. Riley, the former Molly Conway, who made her girlhood home here with her aunt, Mrs. Mary Corrigan, has been in the Youngstown hospital for observation about three weeks. Saturday evening, she underwent an operation for gall bladder trouble and had rallied from the operation when a relapse occurred.

During her life in Defiance, Mrs. Riley was affiliated with her aunt in the millinery business. She came to Defiance from Springfield while yet a small girl and left here about thirty years ago.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday from St. Patrick's church in Youngstown. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery there.

Mrs. Riley is survived by her husband; a daughter D'Nelle Riley, at home; and two brothers, Edward Conway of Youngstown and George Conway of South Bend, both of whom are known here."