WILLIAM CONNOLLY

He is a son of James and Elizabeth (Little) Connolly, and was born in the county Fermanagh, Ireland, May 29, 1832. In November, 1846, with his parents, he left the land of his birth, and sailing for America, landed in New Orleans early in the winter of 1847. Soon after their arrival in New Orleans they started up the Mississippi river, landing at Rock Island on April 4th of the same year.

There soon after purchased land in Sec. 3, T. 15, R. 2 W., in Preemption township, where our subject still lives, and where his parents lived till the time of their death. The father died in September, 1881; aged eighty-two years. He was an enthusiastic Orangeman, and through his instrumentality a lodge of that order was organized at Preemption, in this county, and one at Brooklyn, Iowa.

In the workings of these organizations he used largely of his means, having twice visited Canada in the interest of the order. The mother died in 1869 at the age of seventy-eight years. They were the parents of seven children : Mary (now the wife of Dr. Martin), James, Margaret (now Mrs. William Tye), William (the subject of this notice), Jane (wife of Thomas Burchby), Eliza (wife of Frank Johnston); and Sarah A. (wife of William J. Ransom). William was married February 14, 1861, to Miss Elizabeth A. Moffett, a native of Fermanagh county, Ireland. She died in 1873. Mr. Connolly's second marriage was on November 12, 1874, with Miss Fanny Moffett, who was born in Rock Island county, Illinois, April 24, 1849. He is the father of eight children, whose names in the order of their birth are : James W., William F., Elizabeth, Robert, and Lucinda, by his first wife, and Edward W., Mary A., and Gilbert H., by his present wife, who is an excellent mother to the whole family. Mr. Connolly is taking great interest in the education of his children.

 

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