Charlie married Paralee Fanny CONLEY. Paralee (daughter of James CONLEY and Jane) was born about 1840 in Alabama; died in Jul 1879 in Madison, Madison, Alabama, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Here is a descendant of Paralee Conley at Gedmatch.

Parilee Fanny CONLEY GEDmatch Ref: 3231046 : P883
Born: abt 1840, Alabama
Died: 1880, Madison, Madison, Alabama, United States
Union with: Charles Cotton b. abt 1820
Children:
Jim Cotton (b. 1866)
Irene Cotton (b. abt 1865, d. 10 January 1948)
Fanny Cotton (b. abt 1868, d. 8 Aug 1962)
Virigina Cotton (b. 1858)
Evline Cotton (b. 1857)
Paralee Cotton (b. 1861)
John Cotton (b. abt 1874)
Elias Cotton (b. abt 1864)
Lillie Cotton (b. abt 1867)
Harriet J. Cotton (b. 1878, d. 4 Aug 1947)

James married Fanie COTTON. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

James and Jane were likely mulattoes to account for most of their children being called black or mulatto in census records. I am noting this so I can hopefully find out more about James' family.

James is likely one of the 10 freed males that his father had living on his famous horse ranch in the 1840 census. Perhaps all of the 10 freed males were his children. I do not know. John Oldham Conley's son, James, was raised to be a talented blacksmith. After John Oldham Conley died in 1845, James was able to start a blacksmith business in nearby Limestone County, Alabama. His assets were worth $5000 by 1850, which is significantly higher than many other blacksmiths in the area.

The only records so far after extensive searches that I have of any James Conley is in the 1850 Slave Schedules for Limestone County, Alabama. James owned two slaves in the 1860 Slave Schedules, a male and a female, ages of 60. He is listed as James Conley in the following 1850 slave schedule:

1 female - age 60 1 male - age 18 2 females - age 18 1 female - age 11 1 male - age 17

In an inventory of farms in the 1850 slave schedules is where James is listed as a Blacksmith worth $5000.00. The job of a blacksmith was typically the job of the greatest wealth in communities of the time. There were multiple blacksmiths in District 3 of Limestone. They were: Armstead Burkes, John Riley, Henry Kindle, Joseph G. Fogg, Thomas Gibbs, Jesse Sargeiner, John Swope, and Jacob D. Armstrong on the same page as James Conley. There was also a John Conley (his likely son) who was a wagonmaker on this same page.

In the 1860 slave schedules, a J. Conley owned 2 slaves, a male and female, age 60 and employed 2 other slaves. This might be our James or it more likely refers to his son John b. 1821. This John was in the 1850 census also as a wagon maker who owned slaves. This J. Conley employed a 12-year-old boy who was owned by an Adkinson of Madison County, Alabama. Limestone's capital and Madison County were only 22 miles apart. J. Conley also employed a 30-year-old male who was owned by a Benton (Sanding).

We don't know James and John's motivation, but in both cases, they could have been giving these people a trade and life of protection from the harshness of some other masters. They were and are a respected family whom has carried down memories of them. They had an artist whom has sketched different family oral histories and photographs in some cases of these early generations of freed black ancestors. These sketches are maintained in a Conley Trust.

James married Jane. Jane was born about 1801 in Prince Edward County, Virginia, USA; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Jane was likely described as a Mulatto as was her husband at the time. I know from experience with my own family, that it was possible to straighten hair even in this time period.

Notes:

"Green Bottom Inn, famous old hostelry erected by John Connelly in 1815. The inn had a private race track, where President Andrew Jackson raced his horses without success against Innkeeper Colnnelly's famous Gray Gander, once rated the world's fastest horse and winner of a $20,000 purse. Many notables, including president James Monroe and President James K. Polk, gathered here for rest and diversion. A monument marks the location of the inn, which was destroyed by fire in the winter of 1930." - Alabama Guide

John married Likely Slave. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]