Carroll County IAGenWeb

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY IOWA

A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement

VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912

Transcribed by Sharon Elijah July 15, 2020

The agricultural interests of Carroll county find a worthy representative in Emanuel Connor, who is the owner of over three hundred acres of rich and productive land within its borders and makes his home on section 7, Union township. His birth occurred in Monroe county, Ohio, on the 4th of June, 1854, his parents being George and Melissa (Sigler) Conner, who were likewise natives of the Buckeye state. His paternal grandfather was also born in Ohio and reared a family of four children, namely: David, George, Lucy and Felix. John Sigler, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was a native of Ohio and a farmer by occupation. Both he and his wife, who bore the maiden name of Rachel Hoskins, lived to attain a ripe old age and were buried in Carrollton cemetery of Union township. Unto them were born ten children, namely: Martin, Jack, Melissa, Jane, Jerry, Emanuel, Narcissus, George, Francis M. and John W.

George Conner the father of Emanuel Conner, was reared in Ohio and followed steamboating on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. In 1852 he removed to Lee county, Iowa, and turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits. In 1844 he and his brother John walked from Lee county to Panora in Guthrie county and entered a tract of land east of old Carroll. They believed the locality unfit for habitation at that time and did not settle here until 1862, George Conner taking up his abode in Richland township, Carroll county, in October of that year. He first came into possession of a farm of eighty acres and augmented his holdings by additional purchase as his financial resources increased until at the time of his death he owned between twelve and thirteen hundred acres. When he passed away in 1900, at the age of seventy-one years, the community mourned the loss of one of its most substantial and respected citizens. His widow still survives him and has attained the age of about seventy-six. Both Mr. and Mrs. George Conner were Methodist in religious faith. Unto them were born ten children, eight sons and two daughters, as follows: Emanuel, of this review; Luther, who is a resident of Watertown, South Dakota; John, who is deceased; Buchanan, living in the state of Washington; Clarinda, the wife of William Foxworthy, of Glidden, Iowa; Frank, of Union township; Ezeriah; Narcissus, the wife of Harry Piper, of Union township; Oliver, who makes his home in Richland township; and Loxie.

Emanuel Conner was but an infant when his parents first came to this state. The period between his tenth and twenty-first years was spent on his father’s farm in Carroll county. In the acquirement of an education he attended the district schools. During the first year following his marriage he cultivated rented land and then purchased a tract of eighty acres on section 5, Union township, partially improving the property. After disposing of the place he bought twenty acres on section 7, which he later sold, again purchasing his previous farm. Subsequently he bought forty acres of his present farm and later came into possession of a tract of about eighty acres, which he received as his share of his father’s estate. He also owns one hundred and twenty acres in Newton township and another farm of sixty-eight acres in Union and Newton townships, so that his landed holdings aggregate over three hundred acres. His undertakings as an agriculturist have been attended with a gratifying measure of success and have won him a place among the prosperous and representative residents of the community.

On the 22nd of July, 1876, Mr. Conner was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Grace, who was born in Scott county, Iowa, on the 5th of January, 1858, her parents being John and Jennie (Monroe) Grace, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. Her paternal grandfather was a native of Pennsylvania and a farmer by occupation. Unto him and his wife were born fourteen children, namely: Eunice, Catharine, John, Nelson, Mary, Eliza, Sarah, Jackson, Hannah, Michael, Daniel, Lois and two others. Mrs. Conner was one of two children who lived to maturity, her brother being George. Her father, John Grace, was twice married, his first union being with Miss Phila Pearsall, by whom he had four children: Emily, Sarah, Phoebe and William. Mrs. Jennie (Monroe) Grace was also twice married and by her first husband had three children: Harriet, Frank and John. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Conner has been blessed with four children. Effie, who gave her hand in marriage to Richard Tuel, is now the mother of six children: Hazel, Gladys, Bonnie, Iris, John and Marjorie. Belle, the wife of E. O. Sigler, now has four children: Inez, Velma, Ralph and Floyd. Ethel is the wife of Zen Bradley, by whom she has one child, Duane. Alma is at home.

Mr. Conner is a republican in politics and has held the offices of school director and township trustee for a number of years. He is a worthy exemplar of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Charity Lodge, A.F. & A.M., of Coon Rapids. Both he and his wife have accepted the faith of the United Brethren church. Mr. Conner is a typical western man, possessing the spirit of enterprise which has been the dominant factor in upbuilding this section of the country, and in Carroll county he has made an excellent record, gaining for him the trust and confidence of all with whom he has come in contact or who know aught of his history.

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