Henry Conway
The following are from my research at the National Archives in Philadelphia:
According to the Rev War widow’s pension application of his wife in Washington Co., TN; W6719, (National Archives Microfilm Series M804, Roll 632): Capt. (later in TN, Col. and Gen.) Henry Conway, married wife Sarah Hundley on 25 July 1769 in Pittsylvania Co., VA. Therefore, he was probably b ca 1749 or before. Henry Conway died 10 Sep 1812. Mistakenly thinking his bees all dead, he kicked over a hive, and was stung to death.
Henry Conway served as Capt. in the 6th VA Regiment, and also in the 14th VA Regiment, under Col. Lewis, from 10 Mar 1777 through 12 Mar 1779, when he resigned. According to Sarah, and also testimonials of Rev. Elbert Sevier and James Sevier, they had children: Thomas, Nancy (wife of James Sevier), Elizabeth (wife of Maj. John Sevier), Susanah. All were b. before 1779, when Thomas was about 11. Thomas was therefore b. about 1769, and would therefore probably have been “in the oven” when Henry & Sarah married that same year. Given these dates, this Thomas Conway would have been only 31 in 1801 when Amos Goodman m. Sarah Conway, so it is unlikely that this Thomas was the father of Sarah, unless he married very young, and Sarah also married very young.
According to various records (National Archives Microfilm series M881 / M246 / M853) of the 14th VA Regiment, as of 28 April 1777, Col. Charles Lewis was in command. The general payroll of that date also lists Capt. Henry Conway £431.8, Lt. (later Capt.) John Overton £242.17, Lt Drury Oliver £100.16. Henry Conway appears on various payrolls and musters until October, 1778. The Regiment was at the Battle of Brandywine, 11 Sep 1777, and the Battle of Germantown, 4 Oct 1777. Capt. Henry Conway appears on the list (return) of wounded & killed, dated 29 Oct 1777. Other Regimental references of interest include: Pvt. James Conway, enlisted 2 Mar 1777, discharged 8 Feb 1778 and Ens./Lt. Joseph Conway.
The following is an excerpt from “The Lost State of Franklin”, 1927 by Samuel Cole Williams (former Justice of the Supreme Court of Tennessee). Chapter: The Franklinites, p.310-311
“HENRY CONWAY
Henry Conway was born in Virginia, and removed to the lower part of the Nolachucky settlement before 1783, in August of which year he was appointed one of the tax-assessors of Greene county, and at the November term of court was on the grand jury.
He served as treasurer of the State of Franklin (1787); as one of the commissioners who signed the treaty of Coytoy (1786) and as speaker of the senate of 1786.
Two of the sons of Governor Sevier married his daughters. James Sevier’s wife was Nancy Conway; Major John Sevier’s first wife was Elizabeth Conway. A third daughter married John Sevier, son of Colonel Valentine Sevier, II, and became the mother of Senator Ambrose Hundley Sevier, of Arkansas. The wife of Henry Conway was Sarah Hundley of Virginia.
Through his son, Thomas, Henry Conway was progenitor of other grandsons who rose to eminence in the State of Arkansas. Henry W. Conway served with distinction under General Jackson in the War of 1812, and was member of Congress from Arkansas, from 1823 to 1827, when he was killed in a duel with Robert Crittenden. James Sevier Conway was founder of the city of Little Rock, Arkansas, and first governor of that State, 1836-1840. Elias Nelson Conway was the fifth governor of Arkansas.
George Conway, a brother of Henry Conway, was of the commission that laid out the town of Greeneville. He served as colonel on the Cherokee expedition of 1793, and was first major-general of the State of Tennessee. [Editor Note: Mr. Williams is reported by some to be incorrect, in that George Conway, Maj. Gen., was actually George, son of Henry Conway’s brother, William] Joseph Conway, another brother, served the State of Franklin.
Without doubt, the Conway family produced more men of ability than any other Greene county family.
Henry Conway remained throughout all vicissitudes firmly attached to the State of Franklin. Not until the February term, 1789, of the Greene county court did he take the oath of allegiance to the State of North Carolina.
There is more than a hint of record that Henry Conway was a man of full habits. He lived well, and extended a gracious hospitality. Bishop Ashury was his guest on one of his visits to Tennessee, and Governor Sevier made the Conway home a stopping place in his frequent journeying between Washington county and Knoxville.”
This family line appears to have the same basic naming pattern as the known lines of Thomas Conway b. 1704 and Elizabeth Mauzey of Faquier, VA, parents of Col. Henry Conway. Given the dates above, and the known dates and names in the Faquier VA Conway line, the closest match for the Thomas Conway, “the famous Indian fighter” mentioned above, appears to be the Thomas, son of Henry Conway’s brother, William, who also went to Greene Co., TN.