J. P. CONYERS, farmer, P. O. Villa Ridge, was born in Pulaski County, Ill., October 10, 1827. He is the son of John Conyers, who was born in Tennessee, 1792, but who was one of the earliest settlers in Pulaski County, coming when there were but about four families in what is now Alexander and Pulaski Counties. The Conyers family settled about four miles above the mouth of Cache River. John Conyers was one of a family of five girls and three boys; only one of the family now living, Bartlett Conyers, who was born April 14, 1795, and lives now near Springfield, Ill. John Conyers was married in this county to Catherine Atherton. She was born near Green River, Ky., and her parents came to this State in 1816, settling one and a half miles west of Villa Ridge. Mr. Conyers died, 1844, in Missouri. She died about two years previous. They were the parents of eight children; but by a previous marriage he had three children; his first wife died in Tennessee, previous to his removal to Illinois. His occupation was that of farming and stock-raising. When our subject was about eighteen months old he moved to Missouri, and it was there he died. In his seventeenth year, our subject returned to this county. September 12, 1850, he was married to Diana L. Atherton. She was born in this county, 1825, to John and Eunice Atherton, both of whom are dead. Mrs. C. is the only one of a family of ten children who are now living. When first married they settled near Goose Island, Alexander County, but in 1863 came to his present farm, which contains 170 acres. He has besides this two other farms, containing respectively 80 and 160 acres. About 240 acres are in cultivation; general farming receives his attention. Mr. and Mrs. Conyers have five children dead; and only one son, Francis Marion, living. In politics, he is Democratic.
Extracted 02 Nov 2014 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V - Biographical Sketches, page 283.
| Union | Johnson | |
| Alexander |
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Massac McCracken KY |
| Ballard KY |
