Henry Conklin

CONKLIN, PUTNAM, WALTZ, PERSING, BRIGGMAN

Posted By: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs (email)
Date: 3/24/2009 at 15:57:04

HENRY CONKLIN, of the firm of Conklin & Son, Exira, was born in the State of Indiana, near Connersville, Fayette County, June 10, 1836. His grandfather, Henry Conklin, emigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania at the early day when knee breeches were in vogue. For many years after coming to this country he kept a tavern. Josiah Conklin, father of the subject of this notice, was born in New Jersey, April 6, 1804. He was married to Sarah Putnam, a distant relative of General Putnam, who was born in the South, and whose father was a planter. After their marriage they settled in Fayette County, and thence removed to Hamilton County, Indiana, in which place they resided eleven years. In the fall of 1850 they removed to Keokuk County, Iowa, settling on a farm, and there leading a very active life. Mr. Conklin died May 4, 1880, and his wife died in 1854; she was the mother of eleven children, nine of whom lived to maturity. Henry Conklin, Jr., passed his boyhood in Indiana, and there attended the common schools. At the age of fourteen years his parents took him to Iowa, and the following four years he attended the short winter terms of school. His father being a farmer by occupation, he also received some training in agricultural pursuits, and he also had some experience in clerking in a store. In his nineteenth year he was married to Miss Catherine Waltz, of Keokuk County, Iowa, a native of Wayne County, Indiana, and a daughter of Isaac and Rebecca Waltz, of German descent. After his marriage Mr. Conklin settled on a farm in Keokuk County, and resided there until the fall of 1877, when he removed with his family to Audubon County, Iowa. He and his wife are the parents of seven children, five of whom still survive Mary E., wife of John C. Persing; George W., Sarah R., wife of W. H. Briggman; Henrietta (deceased). Eliza J. (deceased), Lucy C. and Mark Pomeroy. In 1880 Mr. Conklin bought a store in Exira, and started in the grocery business, in which he continued until May 10, 1887, when his building and entire stock were consumed by fire. He had a small insurance of $1,000, which he collected, and immediately engaged lumber to erect a new business house. During the erection of the new house Mr. Conklin rented a small building, and put in a stock, and resumed business. Mr. Conklin served as school director and as constable, and four years as deputy sheriff, while a resident of Keokuk County. After removing to Exira he served on the town council, and in a race for the office of mayor he was beaten by one vote. In National and State politics he votes the Democratic ticket. Mr. and Mrs. Conklin are members of the Christian church. Mrs. Waltz's father, Isaac Waltz, died in Keokuk County, Iowa, at the age of sixty three years; her mother is still living, at the age of seventy four years.

1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO

pages 821-822

pages 782-783