Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/370

This page needs to be proofread.

CONNER


CONNOLLY


I9th-26th congresses. 1821-41. In 1848-49 he served in the state senate. He died at SlierriU's Ford, Catawba county, N.C., Jan. 15, 1866.

CONNER, James, typefounder, was born in Hyde Park on-theHudson, N.Y., April 22, 1798. He learneii tlie printer's trade in New York city, becoming an expert compositor, pressman and stereotyper. He spent three years as superin- tendent of a stereotype foundry in Boston and then established himself in New York as a printer and stereotyper. He used old stereotype plates in making poster type to take the place of wood type, and soon had for it a large sale. He manu- factured the ordinary- type used in his office. He printed the first folio Bible made in the United States, selling the plates for §5000. He also stereotyped and printed from plates Shakes- peare's works, a polyglot Bible, and set in agate type, which he designed and cast, the works of Scott and other standard authors. He was the first to use an electrotyped matrix and chemical precipitation in casting tj'pe and became one of the most extensive typefounders in America. He was county clerk for New York county, 1844- 52. He died in New York city in May, 1861.

CONNER, James, lawyer, was born in Charles- ton, S.C, Sept. 1, 1829. He was graduated at South Carolina college in 1849 and was admitted to the bar in 1852. He was United States district attorney for the state, 1856-60, resigning in the latter year, and on the formation of tlie Confed- erate government he was appointed to a similar office. He entered the Confederate army as cap- tain, and was afterward made acting major-gen- eral. He resumed the practice of his profession after the close of the war and in 1876 was chair- man of the Democratic state executive com- mittee. He was elected attorney-general on the ticket with Wade Hampton for governor in 1876, but resigned after serving a few months. He died in Charleston, S.C, June 26, 1883.

CONNER, Samuel Shepard, representative, was born in New Hampshire about 1783. He was graduated at Yale in 1806 and in 1812 served in the U.S. army as major in the 18th infantry, as lieutenant-colonel of the 13th infantry, and afterward on the staff of Gen. Henry Dearborn. He was a representative from Massachusetts in the 14th congress, 1815-17, and afterward removed to the Western Eeserve where he served as sur- geon-general of the Ohio land district in 1819. He died at Covington, Ky., Dec. 17, 1820.

CONNESS, John, senator, was born in County Galway, Ireland, Sept. 20, 1821; son of Walter and Mary Conness. In 1886 he was brought to the United States; was educated in the public schools of New York city ; learned the trade of a piano maker, and in 1849 went to California, where he engaged in mining and merchandising.


He served in the California legislature, 1853-54 and again, 1860-61. He was an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant-governor in 1859 and for governor of the state in 1861. In 1863 he was elected by the Union Republicans U.S. senator as successor to Milton S. Latham, Democrat, and served throughout the 38th, 39th and 40th con- gresses, being a member of the committees oa finance, post-office and post-roads. Pacific rail- road, and chairman of the committee on mines- and mining. After the close of his senatorial term in 1869, he settled in Mattapan district, Boston, ]\Iass.

CONNOLLY, Daniel Ward, representative, was born in Cohocton, N.Y., April 24, 1847; son of John and Ann Adelia (Allj-n) Connolly;

grandson of Deacon David and (Tj-ler)

AUyn, and a descendant of Robert AUyn of Allyns Point, Conn. He removed to Scranton, Pa., in 1849 and was admitted to the bar in 1870. He was elected president judge of Lackawanna county in 1878 but was not seated, as the courts- decided that no vacancy existed. He was the defeated candidate for election to the 47th con- gress, was elected as a Democrat to the 48th con- gress in 1882, and was again defeated for the 49th. In May, 1885, he was appointed by Presi- dent Cleveland postmaster of Scranton. He was> married to Ahna Price. He died at Scranton, Pa., Dec. 4, 1894.

CONNOLLY, James Austin, representative, was born in Newark, N.J., March 8, 1843; ."on of William and Margaret (Maguire) Connolly. In 1850 he removed to Ohio where he was assistant clerk of the state senate, 1858-59. He was ad- mitted to the Ohio bar in 1861 and the same year removed to Springfield, 111. In 1862 he enlisted as a private in the 123d Illinois volunteers, and was afterward cajatain, major and brevet lieu- tenant-colonel. He was a representative in the Illinois legislature 1872-76; was U.S. attorney for the southern district of Illinois 1876-85, and again 1889-93 ; and was appointed and confirmed solicitor of the treasury in 1886, but declined to serve. He was a Republican representative from the 17th Illinois district in the 54th and 55th con- gresses, 1895-99, serving as a member of the judiciary committee, and declined to be a candi date for the 56th congress.

CONNOLLY, Jolin, R.C. bishop, was born in Monknewtown, Slane, County Meath, Ireland, probably in 1750. He studied in Monknewtown and Drogheda, joined the Dominicans and com- pleted his studies at Liege. He went to Rome for ordination but there is no record at Liege of the date on which it was received. He was ap- pointed sub-prior at O.P. convent of SS. Sixtus and Clement, Rome, July 2, 1778; regent of the schools in 1785; prior, July 8, 1787, reappointed