Mrs. Ramey's grandmother, Mrs. Bettie Perkins Conoly, was born in Charlottesville, VA, a member of a family with four children. She had an older sister and two younger brothers, John and George. When Bettie Perkins was 6 or 7 years old her mother died. The four children lived with a maiden maternal aunt, Annie Perkins in Charlottesville. Annie Perkins died when Bettie was 13 years old. The four children were moved to Pulaski, Giles County, Middle Tennessee to live with another maternal aunt, Mrs. Sally Perkens Matthews (apparently not related to Mrs. Ramey's Matthews Branch). Bettie lived here until she married James Larkin Conoly at the age of 20. At the time, James Larkin Conoly (usually called Larkin) was working for his father, Archibald Conoly, in a merchandise store in Elkton, Tenn. He was the eldest child of Archibald and Mary Conoly. After their marrige Larkin Conoly and his bride Bettie travelled by river boat (Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi) to New Orleans, thence by coastal boat to Houston by way of Galveston Bay. Here they bought a buggy and drove to Montgomery (near Navasota) to visit his uncle, Dr. Price, who practiced medicine there. Thence they drove to Marlin and settled. Larkin Conoly acquired land in the Brazos bottom and prospered, eventually owning many slaves. When their daughter Clara was about 14 years old the family moved to Tehuacana (Texarkana?) in order that Clara might attend Trinity University (college or school?). Mrs. Conoly kept a large house and accomodated other girls who lived in Marlin and attended the school.

Several years after Larkin Conoly settled in Marlin, his father, Archibald Conoly, moved to Marlin.