This Connally family originally had 6 sons. One died in 1853, before the Civil War began. The remaining 5 brothers all died while serving in the Confederate Army.

This information remained unknown in Murray County until 2007 because the various records spelled the family name differently: Conley, Connolly, Connelly, Connally, etc. It was only by checking all of these against every similarly sounding name in Murray County in the 1860 Census that it became apparent that, despite the different spellings of their family name, these men were all brothers who lived in the Rock Creek area of Murray County.

Some of the older siblings had married and moved into homes of their own by the time the 1860 Census was taken. However, the 1850 Census listing confirmed that the 5 men were in, in fact, brothers.

That 1850 listing: Samuel W. Connally, age 50, head of household; Parrena Connally, age 43; Thomas C. Connally, age 21; Drewey Connally, age 18; David Connally, age 15; Francis M. Connally, age 12; John W. Connally, age 6; and Samuel P. Connally, age 3. The family used the post office at Rock Creek.

The 1860 Census listed Thomas C. Connally as head of his own household, living near his parents. His age was given as 32. His wife was Mary E. Connally, age 20, and they had a daughter, Pyrean O. Connally, age 5 months.

Thomas C. Connally enlisted as a Private in Company B, 3rd Georgia Infantry, June 13, 1861. He was transferred to Co. A, 37th Georgia Infantry Regiment, May 6, 1863. He was captured in fighting at Philadelphia, Tennessee, that lasted from October 15-25, 1863. He died at Philadelphia, Tennessee, in July 1864.

David Connally enlisted as a Junior 2nd Lieutenant, Company A, 39th Ga. Cummings Volunteers, February 25, 1862. He was promoted to Full 2nd Lieutenant, December 3, 1862. Wounded 1863 (no details in record). Died of wounds at Raleigh, Mississippi, July 27, 1863.

Francis M. Connally enlisted as First Sergeant, September 3, 1861. Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in January 1862. Promoted First Lieutenant June 13, 1862. Promoted to Captain, June 13, 1862. (Yes, military records show both promotion dates the same.) Confederate Army records indicate that he was wounded in fighting at Malvern Hill, Virginia, (near Petersburg). They also state that he died of fever at Petersburg, August 6, 1862.

John W. Connally enlisted as a Private in Company B, 37th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Documents in the Murray County courthouse report that he was "killed by Woody Scouts" but contain no details.

Samuel P. Connally enlisted as a Private in Company B, 37th Georgia Infantry, in June 1861. Died in 1863 but no other details were found in the Confederate Army records or the Murray County courthouse.

The family cemetery plat in Mt. Zion Methodist Church Cemetery, Murray County Georgia, contains the marked graves of the father, mother, and Drewry B. Connally. Several adjacent, unused grave sites have been enclosed with fieldstones, probably marking grave sites that had been intended for their five sons who never came home from the war.

Murray County Families