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 OHN A. McCONNELL, editor of the Charleston Plaindealer, is a native of Cadiz,
Harrison Co., Ohio, and was born Dec. 26,
1826. His parents, Michael and Susan
(Galligher) McConnell, were natives of Maryland
and Ireland respectively. His grandfather, Alexander McConnell, was a native of Ireland, who
emigrated to America when a young man, settling
in Steubenville, Ohio, afterward removing to Jefferson County, where his death took place on the
homestead. He was married and reared a family
of six children. He possessed much mechanical
genius, and was a very industrious man, and for a
time was Deputy Sheriff of Jefferson County. He
invested his accumulations in a good farm, of which
he took possession and occupied the latter part of
his life. His son, Michael, the father of our subject, learned house-painting and chair-making,
which he followed for several years, and later engaged in the grocery business at Cadiz, Ohio, where
he spent the last years of his life, and passed to his
final rest in the summer of 1872. The mother survived her husband about three years, dying in November, 1875. The subject of this sketch was the eldest of ten children born to his parents, and early in life exhibited unusual brightness, being able to read quite well when but four years of age. At this time he was afflicted with a disease of the eyes, and for four years was not allowed to look into a book, and in the meantime forgot nearly all he had learned, being obliged to begin over again at his letters. He remained at home during his childhood and youth, and for six or seven years was occupied in teaching, remaining under the parental roof until his marriage, in 1861. The lady destined to share his future life was Miss Mary Quest, of Hummelstown, Pa., and their wedding took place in January, 1861. Our subject then engaged in the grocery trade at Cadiz, Ohio, for ten years following, then selling out, engaged in company with Hersey W. Kinsey, in the tannery business. They operated together until 1877, then sold out, and the following year Mr. McConnell came to Charleston and assumed his present position on the Plaindealer. On the 14th of March, 1883, he met with a great affliction in the loss of his estimable wife, who died lamented by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. He was afterward married to Miss Martha A. Kennedy, daughter of M. H. and Catherine (Snider) Kennedy, of Ohio. They occupy a snug home on Washington street, and number among their friends and associates a large proportion of the refined and educated people of Charleston. Mr. McConnell writes and fights for Republican principles, and with his wife, is a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Plaindealer under his excellent management has become a paper much sought for by the people of Coles County, and exerts no small influence in the molding of public opinion. |
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