My 1st cousin 5 x removed. From Burke County they traveled....James and Polly Conley (aka Connelly) lived in the Indian lands prior to the expansion and division of the North Carolina counties. They were Pioneer Settlers. Charles Town in Swain County occupies the ancient site of the Indian village of Younaahqua or Big Bear. Wesuh, meaning cat, has taken the colloquialism Conleys Creek for its name. Tradition says that James and Polly lived in Soco Creek area before the Indian removal of 1819, that they were friends with the Indians and carried trade with them. Polly helped Indian women with birthing of their babies, the sick, and their dead. She was loved by all and Qualla Town was named for Polly Conley. Quallas Town meant Pollys Town in the Cherokee language. Land deeds in Jackson Swain place the Conleys on Deep Creek and the Tuckaseegee River and also on Wesser, which was later named Conleys Creek. Conley empties into the Tuckaseegee near Whittier NC and some of the descendants still own land on the creek today. There is also a mountain between Whittier and Bryson City Called Conley Mountain. Qualla, a name given a locality where there was a trading post because a woman named Polly lived there. The Indians pronouncing it Qualla being unable to articulate the letter P. (ref: County records of Jackson and Swain county, Mary Bryson granddaughter, Family Bible, Jackie Sherill, and Elain Beck)
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 06:37:12 +0000
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