Canyon-Ada County ID Archives Obituaries.....McConnel, David K. September 15, 1923
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Mervin McConnel mervmc@west-point.org July 27, 2008, 5:30 pm

Idaho Daily Statesman Sept 29, 1923
David McConnel, Pioneer of 1862, At Trail's End

Veteran Indian Scout, Farmer and Stockman Dies at
Home on Mesa.

One of the earliest settlers of the Boise Valley, David  K. McConnel,
who came through Boise in 1862 and back to remain in 1863, died in
Boise September 15. His life was close associated with that of the
development of this valley. He was born near Dayton, O., August 12, 1838.
His parents were William McConnel and Nancy Graham McConnel, both natives of
Ohio. In 1849 he moved with his parents to Corydon, Ia., where he grew
to manhood. A defect in his ankle led to his being refused as a volunteer
at the beginning of the Civil war, and being discontented at home he
decided to come west. He left Corydon in May, 1861, by ox team, traveling
with one of the largest immigrant trains crossing the plains. Leaving
Omaha, the train traveled by way of the old Oregon Trail through Ft. Laramie,
Ft. Steele and Ft. Hall, reaching Boise Valley in August, 1862. This
train disbanded where Baker City, Ore., now stands, Mr. McConnel going
with that part of the train that went to Walla Walla, where he spent
the winter of 1862-63, coming back to Boise valley the following summer,
where he and Nathan Samms, another pioneer, formed a partnership, establishing
a stock ranch on the north side of the Payette river near Emmett, which they
occupied until 1865. During this time Mr. McConnel engaged in stock raising and
hauling freight from the Umatilla landing on the Columbia River to Boise Basin
mines. In 1866 their interests were moved to the Boise Valley, the partnership
terminating soon after.

A little later he located three miles west of Caldwell where he lived, un-
til 1879, when he moved his stock ranch to a point near old Fort Boise, at the
mouth of the Boise river, on what is now known as McConnel Island, where he
lived until the latter part of 1903, moving from here to his present home on
the mesa, near Boise.

Indian Scout.

Mr. McConnel served in the capacity of scout during the Indian outbreaks in
the early days in Idaho, always taking an active part in the political and
public  affairs of the country. He was an inhabitant of Boise Valley and
vicinity for 61 years, watching the country grow from barren sage brush plains
to its present state of civilization.

In 1871 Mr. McConnel went back to Iowa where he was married to Mary M. Rogers,
September 28, 1871, with whom he lived for a period of 52 years, and who
survives him. To this union seven children were born, five of whom survive.
They are Mrs. John L. Isenberg, Fred H., and Mervin G., of Caldwell;
Mrs. J. L. Watkins of Parma, and  Margaret McConnel of Boise. Mr. McConnel
was a  member of a family of 11 brothers and one sister, five of the brothers
and the sister surviving. They are as follows: Ben of Twin Falls, Frank of
Pueblo, Colo, George of Milton, Ore, and Sam and Elmer of Boise, and and
Mrs. Mary Lawson  of Los Angeles, Cal. The brothers were all identified
with the pioneer life of Idaho,

Mr. McConnel died September 15, 1923, at his home on the Mesa near Boise, at
the age of 85 years and was buried September 18 in the Canyon Hill Cemetery at 
Caldwell, Idaho


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