Joseph B. Conley
CONLEY, FINNEY, KENNY
Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 1/22/2010 at 04:43:48
JOSEPH B. CONLEY
Joseph B. Conley, of Lake Mills, has been identified with a number of business interests and in all he has undertaken has met with a large measure of success. He is now active in the real estate field as a member of the Haugo-Conley Land Agency and he held the office of postmaster for several years, resigning that position in February, 1917. His birth occurred in Rock county, Wisconsin, on the 1st of July, 1852, and he is a son of Stephen and Sarah (Finney) Conley, natives respectively of Ireland and Vermont. When the father was eleven months old he was brought by his parents to America and in early manhood he began farming on his own account in Rock county, Wisconsin. About 1880, however, he retired from active life and removed to Chicago, where he lived until his death in March, 1914. He had survived his wife for a decade, as her demise occurred in March, 1904.
Joseph B. Conley was reared in Rock county, Wisconsin, and remained with his parents until he became of age. He then rented land which he operated for about five years, but in 1877 he removed to Sumner, Bremer county, Iowa. There he gave his attention to the well drilling business for two years and for one year after his removal to Lake Mills, Winnebago county, continued to engage in that occupation. He next became connected with a flour mill which he operated until March, 1917. In 1895 he extended his business interests, establishing an electric light plant which he operated continuously until September, 1916, when he sold it. He owns farm land in North Dakota and is engaged in the real estate business as a member of the Haugo-Conley Land Agency. This firm has a large clientage of representative men and in the course of a year handles a great deal of valuable property. This year (1917) he is farming a half section of land in the Red river valley in North Dakota. On the 20th of July, 1913, Mr. Conley was appointed postmaster of Lake Mills, filling that office until he resigned on the 13th of February, 1917. His official record was in harmony with his successful and honorable career as a business man and he was a popular postmaster.
On the 28th of December, 1881, Mr. Conley was married to Miss Sarah Kenny and they have two children, namely: Vera, who is a Sister of Charity at Dubuque, Iowa, and has taken the name of Sister Bernard Ella; and Wilfred E., an electrical engineer residing at Cleveland, Ohio.
Mr. Conley is a strong democrat in politics and in addition to being postmaster has held the offices of mayor, councilman and school director. He is a communicant of the Catholic church, belongs to the Knights of Columbus and is also a member of the Brotherhood of American Yeomen and the Mystic Toilers. He has a wide acquaintance in Lake Mills and indeed throughout the county and the high respect in which he is held is richly deserved.
Source: History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol. II. Pioneer Publishing Company (Chicago), 1917. pp. 176-179.
Winnebago Biographies maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen