William Henry Conover was also known as Bill Conover. William Henry Conover was born on 17. Jul. 1842 at Adair County, Kentucky. He was the son of
Levi Cownover and
Mary Ann Cravens. William Henry Conover Enlisted as a Private in the Union Army at Green & Taylor Co.'s, KY. On 2. Oct. 1861. He Private - 13th KY Infantry Co. B - Union Army - Civil War. He William was 5' 11'' tall with blue eyes. He was afflicted by measles at Camp Andy Johnson in Taylor Co., KY and was treated by Dr. Hughes and Dr. Moore (the regiment surgeon) and remained in their care for about 3 weeks. C 15. Dec. 1861. He is reported as being present for duty on the rolls. On 31. Dec. 1861. He Mustered into the 13th KY Infantry Co. B on 31. Dec. 1861. He was sent to Camp Hobson and was again treated for measles by Dr. Hughes and Dr. Moore. He remained there about a week. C 1. Jan. 1862. He was sent to Carey Griffin Hospital in Taylor Co., KY and was treated for measles by Dr. Moore, and remained there about 3 or 4 weeks. C 10. Jan. 1862. He went with his regiment to Shiloh, TN and remained there about 6 weeks. In Feb. 1862. He had sores around his mouth, and his lips were swolen, before he was left behind with the wagon train. Lt. Nathan Gaither Butler opened up 3 to 5 of the sores and removed the cores. Pvt. John D. Calhoune carried William's gun to Nashville, TN. In Sep. 1862. He was afflicted with diarrhea during a pursuit of Gen. Bragg's forces and was left in Rockcastle Co., KY. He joined up with a wagon train and was taken to Somerset, KY with Dr. Moore treating him on the way, and remained there in November of 1862. In Sep. 1862. He ejoined with the regiment somewhere around Glasgow, KY. In Nov. 1862. He was afflicted with scurvy while at Munfordville, KY and was treated for that and diarrhea by Dr. Flavius J. Taylor and Dr. Cooper. In Nov. 1862. Levi's sons, William Henry Conover and Hiram J. Conover, sent him a letter from Cave City, KY while serving in the 13th KY Infantry Co. B that was written for them by George W. McElroy of the same company. It contained 20 dollars. On 19. Jul. 1863. [Letter from William Henry Conover and Hiram J. Conover to Levi Conover and Mary Ann "Polly" Conover during the Civil War, from Cave City, KY. This letter was written by George W. McElroy who also wrote his own letter home.]
July the 19 1863
Camp Neair Cave Sity Barne (illegible)
Dair father and Muther Sistar and bruther I take this plesent opartunity to drope you A few linds to lete you no that I am well at this time and I do hope and truste in gode that theas few linds may com to your hands and finde you all injoying the same like blesen fair I Am A gonen to sende sum muney home to you I will send 20 dolars bill 20 dolars fair Dick bouth of us has a bin well evar sence we lefte Cloumbia-the papar sese that the man Aromey has taking 96,000 thusen Rebles scence the first day of July beside sevarel that havyd bin counted in
Wm H Conovar H.J. Conovar
Mr. levi Conovar Paley Conovar
July the 19th, 1863
Camp near Cave City barn (?)
Dear father and mother, sister and brother, I take this pleasant opportunity to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time, and I do hope and trust in God that these few lines may come to your hands and find you all enjoying the same like blessing for I am a going to send some money home to you. I will send 20 dollar bills, 20 dollars, for Dick. Both of us have a been well ever since we left Columbia - The paper says that the main Army has taken 96,000, thousand, Rebels since the first day of July, besides several that haven't been counted in.
From: Wm H Conover H.J. Conover
To: Mr. Levi Conover Polly Conover. He is reported as being present for duty on the rolls. On 31. Aug. 1863. William Henry was with his brother Hiram J. Conover when he was shot and killed. On 14. Nov. 1863. He ended military service on 12. Jan. 1865 at Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky; was mustered out of service. He married
Sarah Elizabeth Stapp, daughter of
William Stapp and
Sarah Ellen Wolford, on 20. Feb. 1868 at Residence of William Stapp, Adair County, Kentucky; by Rev. Morgan Blair.
William Henry Conover was shown in the census on 21. Jul. 1870 as a farmer.
William Henry Conover and
Sarah Elizabeth Stapp appeared on the census of 21. Jul. 1870 at next to her parents, White Oak District, Adair County, Kentucky,
; real estate value 250.00, personal property 400.00. William began seeing Dr. Jacob R. Wolford, his wife's uncle, and Dr. Waitsville Perryman. He had previously been treated by Dr. John Milton Wolford, his wife's grandfather, before his death. Waitsville Perryman was a first cousin of John Milton Wolford. In 1878. William Henry Conover filed for a military pension. He suffered from disease of his back and kidneys, the results of measles, and disease of gums and diarrhea, the results of scurvy. On 9. Apr. 1879. Weight, 150; pulse, 76; respiration, 20; No emaciation; red tongue; tympanetic abdomen; 8-10 evacuations daily with tinges of blood; tenderness in kidneys; frequent urination; missing teeth and gums affected by scurvy; lumbar rheumatism. -Dr. Green Moore in 1880.
William Henry Conover was shown in the census on 19. Jun. 1880 as a farmer.
William Henry Conover and
Sarah Elizabeth Stapp appeared on the census of 19. Jun. 1880 at White Oak Precinct, Adair County, Kentucky.
Pulse, 88; respiration, 18; temp, 98.5; weight, 154; spongy gums; disaligned teeth; thin pointed tongue; feeble pulse; flabby muscles; sunken eyes; yellow skin; lumbago; tumultuous hearbeat; stomach normal; no disease of kidneys. On 21. Oct. 1885. William Henry's pension claim was submitted for admission at a rate of $2 per month commencing 13 Jan 1865, and $4 per month commencing 21 Oct 1885. On 24. Feb. 1887. Pulse, 84; resp., 24; temp, 100; weight, 165; 4 rectum ulcers, inflamed, vessels full; soft, spongy, & very inflamed gums; missing, loose, & disaligned teeth; Tenderness of liver, kidneys, spleen, stomach, & bowels; moderately good nutrition. On 28. Mar. 1888. William Henry recieved an increase in his military pension with a rate of $4 per month commencing 13 Jan 1865, a rate of $6 per month commencing 21 Oct 1885, and a rate of $10 per month commencing 28 Mar 1888. On 28. Feb. 1889. Pulse, 90; respiration, 24; temp, 99.4; weight, 182; chronic diarrhea; large, flabby, foul tongue; red fauces; enlarged stomach; distended bowels; rectum inflammation; liver & spleen tenderness; gum disease; scurvy; rheumatism; all other organs normal. On 24. Nov. 1889. William Henry was rejected for another increase in his military pension. On 27. Mar. 1890. Pulse, 74; respiration, 26; temp, 99; weight, 176; chronic diarrhea; foul, coated, & cracked tongue; red fauces & mouth; tender stomach, spleen, liver, & bowels; 5 internal pile tumors; 3 external pile tumors; disease of gums, result of scurvy; rheumatism. On 1. Oct. 1890. William Henry was admitted for an increase in his military pension at a rate of $14 per month commencing 1 Oct 1890. On 21. Nov. 1890. Pulse, 78-82-100; resp, 20-22-30; [sitting-standing-exercise]; temp, 98; weight, 160; chr. diarrhea; coated tongue; red fauces; stomach tender, tympanetic, and tumified; gums atrophied & red; offensive breath; rheumatism; scurvy; 2 ext. piles; 3 int. piles on 18. Oct. 1899.
William Henry Conover was shown in the census on 22. Jun. 1900 as a farmer.
William Henry Conover and
Sarah Elizabeth Stapp appeared on the census of 22. Jun. 1900 at White Oak Precinct, Adair County, Kentucky,
; 11 children, 10 living. William Henry was rejected for another increase in his military pension. On 20. Aug. 1900. Weight, 187; pulse, 84-90-104; resp, 18-22-26; temp, 98.5; chr. diarrhea; tongue coated; fauces & tonsils congested; distended & tender stomach & bowels; 3 int. piles; 5 remaining teeth w/ cavities; ulcerated & sloughing gums; enlarged prostate gland; on 4. Nov. 1908. William Henry was rejected for another increase in his military pension. On 11. Dec. 1908.
William Henry Conover was shown in the census on 22. Apr. 1910 as a farmer.
William Henry Conover and
Sarah Elizabeth Stapp appeared on the census of 22. Apr. 1910 at White Oak Precinct, Adair County, Kentucky,
; 11 children, 10 living. William Henry recieved an increase in his military pension with a rate of $19 per month commencing 6 Jun 1912, a rate of $25 per month commencing 17 Jul 1912, and a rate of $30 per month commencing 17 Jul 1917. On 9. Apr. 1913. William Henry was admitted for an increase in his military pension at a rate of $40 per month commencing 10 Jun 1918. On 17. Jun. 1918.
William Henry Conover was shown in the census on 2. Jan. 1920 as a farmer.
William Henry Conover and
Sarah Elizabeth Stapp appeared on the census of 2. Jan. 1920 at White Oak Precinct, Adair County, Kentucky.
William Henry Conover died on 11. Apr. 1922 at White Oak, Adair County, Kentucky, at age 79; prostate disease
William Henry died at midnight on April 11th. His death certificate wasn't signed until the next day the 12th. He was buried at Conover Cemetery, Adair County, Kentucky.