Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 904 - 907

JAMES CONNER resides on section 32, Minneha Township, post-office, Wichita, Kan. He owns a good farm, and is prosperously engaged in the management of it, and in rearing live stock. He is active, intelligent and honest, well deserving the good fortune which has come to him in tilling his fertile acres, and reaping his abundant harvests. He was born Oct. 7, 1847, in Clarion County, Pa., and is the son of Samuel and Mary (Short) Conner, natives of Westmoreland County, Pa. His father has always been a resident of that State. He is a well-educated man, of more than ordinary capability. In his younger days he was occupied in the mercantile business. He afterward engaged in farming. He is a competent civil engineer, and for thirty years was County Surveyor for Clarion County. He is a devoted Catholic, and politically is a stanch Democrat. On the 3d of February, 1887, he was bereft of his amiable wife, who had ever been devoted to his and their children's interests. She was born in 1812. Their union had been blessed by the birth of nine children, as follows: Margaret, Dennis, John, James, Mary, Sylvester, Samuel, Charles (deceased), Julia Ann. Margaret married Henry Smith, and lives in Jefferson County, Pa.; Dennis married Mary Aaron, and lives in Pennsylvania; John married Sadie Aaron, a sister to Dennis's wife; they live in Pennsylvania. Mary is a nun, and a teacher in St. Mary's School, in Pennsylvania; Sylvester married Retta Aaron, a cousin of the wives of John and Dennis; they live on the old homestead. Samuel lives on the homestead; Julia Ann is married, and lives in Pennsylvania.

            Our subject grew to manhood in the home of his birth, in the meantime acquiring a substantial education in the public schools. He staid on the farm with his father, assisting him in the management of it, until he was twenty-three. He then learned the carpenter's trade, and continued actively engaged in that pursuit for the succeeding five years. During that time he heard much of the wonderful fertility of the soil of the Arkansas River Valley, of its beautiful location, and of its fine climate. In the year 1875 he came here to find out for himself the truth of the reports. In a few months, being satisfied from observation that the many superior advantages of this county as a great agricultural region had not been over-stated, he purchased the farm he now occupies. It contains 160 acres of land, well fenced with hedge and wire, and with a plentiful supply of good water. He has erected a comfortable dwelling, good stables, barns and sheds, and has an orchard already in bearing, which yields him a good income. As a stock-grower no man in the township has had more satisfactory success than he, as his well-graded, fine looking animals will attest. He has been very fortunate since coming to Kansas; his years of constant and energetic toil have early brought their reward.

            Our subject was married, Jan. 30, 1877, in Clarion County, Pa., to Miss Katie Meisinger. She has been an invaluable assistant to him in his work of building up a home. She was born Jan. 7, 1855, in the city of Buffalo, N. Y. She is the daughter of Martin and Anna Meisinger, natives of Germany, who came to America in their early lives. They were the parents of the following children: Elizabeth, Margaret, Catherine, Anna, Barbara, Celia, Minnie, George and John. Margaret died Nov. 28, 1885; John married Miss Mary Rissler, and lives in Bethlehem, Pa.; George married Kittie Molaney, and lives in Lincoln, Neb.; Mary married W. E. Hess, and lives in Wichita.

            To our subject and his wife have been born seven children, namely: Mattie, Lottie, Rachel, Sammy, Celia, Charlie and Eddie; four of them are in attendance at school. Mr. and Mrs. Conner are communicants of the Catholic Church, to the support of which they contribute liberally, and heartily cooperate in its good works. They are well worthy of the respect and esteem in which they are held. Politically, Mr. Conner works with the Democratic party, but he is independent in his views, and votes for those measures which he considers will be the most beneficial to the community without regard to the party favoring them. A view of Mr. Conner's place is given in this work.

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