Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/751

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CONNOR
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York city, entered the regular army during the Florida war, at the age of nineteen, engaged in mercantile business in New York city after his dis- charge in 1844, and in 1846 settled in Texas. Upon the breaking out of the Mexican war in that year he was mustered in as captain of Texas volunteers, in the regiment of Albert Sidney Johnston, fought at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and was severely wounded at Buena Vista. Shortly after the close of the war he emigrated to California, and there engaged in business. In 1861 he raised a regiment of volunteers in California, and was ordered to Utah, to prevent a revolt of the Mormons and rid the overland routes of plundering Indians. On 29 Jan., 1863, his force, numbering 200, after a rapid march of 140 miles, made in four nights through deep snow, in weather so cold that the feet of seventy-six soldiers were frozen, encountered 300 warriors in their fortified camp on Bear river, Washington territory. The troops enfiladed the position, and after a fight of four hours destroyed the entire band. Col. Connor was commissioned brigadier-general, 30 March, 1863, and was long in command of the Utah district, where he effective- ly established the authority of the government. He received the brevet of major-general at the close of the civil war, and having been appointed, on the petition of the legislatures of Colorado and Nebraska, to the district of the plains, organized an expedition of 2,000 cavalry to chastise the Sioux and Arapahoes for depredations on the Overland mail route, and in August, 1865, defeated the latter at Tongue River. He was mustered out of the ser- vice on 30 April, 1866„ Gen. Connor was the leader in building up a Gentile community in Utah. His volunteer force numbered 16,000. Soon after he established Camp Douglas, near Salt Lake City, he founded there the " Union Vedette," which was the first daily newspaper printed in the territory. He located the first silver mine in Utah, wrote the first mining law, introduced navigation on the Great Salt Lake, built the first silver-lead smelting-works, and founded the town of Stockton. After the war he declined a colonelcy in the regular army in order to attend to his large mining and commercial in- terests in Utah.


CONNOR, Selden, soldier, b. in Fairfield, Me., 25 Jan., 1839. He was graduated at Tufts college, Massachusetts, in 1859, and studied law in Wood- stock, Vt, When the war began he enlisted for three months in the 1st regiment of Vermont vol- imteers, and after being mustered out was chosen major, and afterward lieutenant-colonel of the 7th Maine regiment. He commanded the regiment for some time, took part in the peninsular campaign, was in temporary command of the 77th New York regiment after the battle of Antietam, participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, receiving a slight wound, and was present at the battle of Gettys- burg. In January, 1864, he was commissioned colonel of the 19th Maine volunteers, and, as rank- ing officer, commanded the brigade. In the battle of the Wilderness his thigh-bone was shattered by a bullet, 6 May, 1864. He was commissioned brigadier-general in June, 1864, but was incapaci- tated for active service after receiving his wound. In April. 1866, his leg was again fractured by a fall, confining him to his house for two years. He was a member of Gov. Chamberlain's staff, and in 1868 was appointed assessor of internal revenue. In 1874 he was appointed collector for the Augusta district, and held that office till he was nominated by the republicans for the governorship of Maine, in 1875. He was elected by 3,872 majority over Charles W. Roberts, the democratic candidate, and re-elected for the two following terms, serving from January, 1876, till January, 1879. From 1882 till 1886 he was U. S. pension-agent.


CONNOR, Skeffington, jurist, b. in Dublin, Ireland, in 1810 ; d. in Toronto in 1863. He was graduated at Trinity college, Dublin, in 1830, and soon afterward he emigrated to Canada, settling in the township of Orillia, then a wilderness, where he lived for two years. He then returned to Ireland, whence, after a short stay, he went to the continent and resided for a few years. During his absence Mr. Connor was called to the Irish bar in 1833, and, on his return to Canada, was admitted to the bar at Osgood hall, Toronto, in 1842. He entered into partnership with ex-Chancellor Blake and Justice Morrison, and for many years had a lucrative prac- tice. In 1846 he again visited Ireland, and the degree of LL. D, was conferred upon him by the University of Dublin. In 1858 he was solicitor- general for Upper Canada. At the general elec- tion of 1856 he was elected for South Oxford, a constituency that he continued to represent until his elevation, on 1 Feb., 1863, to the Queen's bench as puisne judge. During the whole of his parlia- mentary career he adhered to the liberal party. He had been appointed chancellor of the Univer- sity of Toronto not long before his death.


CONOVER, Simon Barclay, senator, b. in Cranbury, Middlesex co., N. J., 23 Sept., 1840. He was graduated M. D. in the University of Nashville, Tenn., in 1864, appointed an assistant surgeon in the Army of the Cumberland, and stationed at Nashville, Tenn., resigned, but was afterward re- appointed, and ordered to Lake City, Fla., in 1866, He was a member of the State constitutional con- vention in 1868, and was appointed state treasurer by Gov. Reed, resigning his commission in the army to accept the office. He was a member of the Republican national convention at Chicago in 1868, and became a member of the Republican national committee. After the expiration of his term of office as treasurer, in 1873, he was elected a mem- ber of the state house of representatives, and chosen speaker. He was elected U. S. senator in 1872, and served from 4 March, 1873, till 3 March, 1879. He was the Republican candidate for governor in 1880. After the expiration of his term in the senate he resumed the practice of medicine.


CONOVER, Thomas Anderson, b. in Monmouth, N. J., 17 April, 1791; d. in South Amboy, N. J., 25 Sept., 1864. He entered the navy as midshipman, 1 Jan., 1812, his first cruise being on the " Essex," commanded by Capt. David Porter, during the war with England. His next service was under Com. McDonough on Lake Champlain. He was promoted to a lieutenancy, 5 March, 1817, and served on board the " Guerriere " in the Mediterranean, and other vessels in various portions of the world until his promotion to commander, 28 Feb., 1838, in which capacity he commanded the sloop-of-war " John Adams " some years. He was pro- moted to the rank of captain, 2 Oct., 1848, and in 1857-8 commanded the squadron on the coast of Africa, the " Constitution " being his flag-ship. On 16 July, 1862, on the creation of the grade of com- modore in the navy, he was promoted to that rank, and later was placed on the retired list, after hav- ing been in the service more than half a century.


CONRAD, Charles Magill, statesman, b. in Winchester, Va., in 1804; d. in New Orleans, La., 11 Feb., 1878. He went with his father to Mississippi, and thence to Louisiana while an infant, received a liberal education, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1828, and practised in New Orleans. He served several years in the state legislature, was