Madison County IL Archives Photo Person.....Connors, Mathew Sylvester Lavey 1940 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 April 4, 2020, 1:27 pm Source: Alton Evening Telegraph (Alton, IL) Fri May 3, 1940 Pg 1 Name: Mathew Sylvester Lavey Connors Date Of Photograph: 1940 Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/madison/photos/connors1317nph.jpg Image file size: 114.3 Kb M. S Connors Dies; Former Police Judge Succumbs to Pneumonia in Hospital at St. Louis Railroad Man 33 Years Funeral Services Saturday Morning at the Old Cathedral Matthew Sylvester Connors, who topped off 33 years of active railroad work with a term as a police magistrate and six years as a justice of the peace at Alton township, died at 5:20 p.m. Thursday at the age of 71. Because of failing health, he had entered a St. Louis hospital, about two months ago. A heavy cold developed into pneumonia and the ilness left him with a weakened heart condition which was the immediate cause of death, which which occurred at the hospital. Connors had been a resident of Alton for little more than 30 years, the family home being at 115 East Sixth street. In the period he made his home here he became widely acquainted, and is remembered by all acquaintances for his witty sallies and a never-failing fund of humer- ous stories. He had a gift at making friends, and for one and all was always ready with a genial greeting or a merry quip on some timely topic. Came Here in 1910 Connors came to Alton in February of 1910 as a yard foreman for the C. A. and with a back- ground of almost 20 years as a railroad man in positions from brakeman to yardmaster. He retired from railroading in 1923 at which time he was elected police magistrate. After a term in that office, he was elected a justice of the peace, but resigned in the midst of his second term in that office in 1935, when he made an extended stay in the west in interest of his health which had become a matter of concern to himself and his family. Mr. Connors began his term as magistrate when the police court was in the old City Hall, and when that building was destroyed by fire he moved to the temporary quartet in the Spalding buildings on Belle street. A widely read man, and possessed of a natural gift of eloquene, he frequently delivered brief addresses from the police court bench. Active in the Knights of Columbus, he was a frequent speaker at meetings. Although of Irish ancestry, Judge Connors was a native of Scotland, and when a boy of 10 Connors was brought to this country with his grandmother, who setted in Franklin county, Kan. There Connors was reared to manhood, and just before becoming 21 became a brakeman on the Missouri Pacific. Later he went to the D. &. R. G. and lived for some time in Colorado Springs, also in Florence Colo. Next he wored for the Rock Island, and then seven years on the Santa Fe. Yardmaster for 'Alton' It was after a short venture in the real business, with mining interests near Burlingame, Kan., Connors returned to railroading, taking a position as yardmaster for the 'Alton' at Roodhouse. His return to railroading had an unfortunate aftermath. Shortly after locating at Roodhouse in 1908, he jumped in to help a yard crew in a tie-up of switch trains, and lost part of his right leg in a fall under the cars. On recovering a few months later, he secured an artificial limb, and was assigned by the Alton as night yardmaster at Roodhouse. The following year, 1910, ye was transferred to the local yards, moving his family to Alton to make the city his permanent home. Typical of Connors sunny outlook on life, well known to aquaintances, was the manner in which he triumped over the disability of the loss of his leg to carry on the vigorous occupation of switching foreman. His mishap was first of an unusual sequence to aflict his family circle. Connors' eldest son, Leo, lost his foot when working as a call boy for the Rock Island railroad; another son, Charles, met with an injury that cost loss of his foot; and a third son, Thomas, lost his left arm while employed with the C. & A. All the sons met their disabilities with the same courage as their father, each finding a lifework in which to carry on successfully despite their handicaps from physical accidents. An incident which found echo in Matt Connors' sense of humor was a mishap in 1913 in which he again got his "foot" under a wheel when making a "cut" of cars in the C. & A. yards here. This time, it was his cork foot that met the mishap. He had just bought the artificial leg the day before, but Matt did not complain. He was thankful it was not his good foot that had been injured, and was the first to see the humorous angle in his escape from injury. Funeral Saturday As a railroad man, he had been a member of the B. of R. T., and in Alton 25 years ago he became a member of the Knights of Columbus later being elevated to fourth degree rank of that order. His earliest lodge connection, one he maintained to his death, was with the A. O. U. W. which he joined as a young man at Topeka, Kan. On June 14, 1888, Connors was united in marriage at Scranton, Kan., with Miss Theresa Maude Edwards of Burlingame, Kan., who survives him, and they had celebrated their golden wedding anniversary a year ago last June. Also surviving him are three sons, Leo of New York City, Charles of St. Louis, and Thomas Connors of Shipman; and two daughters Mrs. C. E. Salter of Washington, Mo. and Miss Jane Connors of this city. He also leaves 14 grandchildren, two great- grandchildren; three sisters and a brother, all at distant points. Funeral rites will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in Old Cathedral and the body will be taken by the family into Burlingame, Kan., his early home, for interment. Friends may call at the Klunk funeral home after 3 p.m. today, and the rosary will be recited there at 8 o'clock tonight. Members of the Knights of Columbus will meet at 8 o'clock tonight at Klunk funeral home to recite the rosary. Mr. Connors was a member of Alton Council of th K. of C. Additional Comments: US Findagrave Matthew Sylvester Connors Name: Matthew Sylvester Connors Birth Date: 1 Feb 1869 Birth Place: Scotland Death Date: 2 May 1940 Death Place: Manchester, St. Louis County, Missouri Cemetery: Burlingame City Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Burlingame, Osage County, Kansas Spouse: Theresa Maude Connors Children: Leo Henry Connors 1940 Bonhomme, St Louis, Missouri Manchester Nursing Home Mathew Connors 71 Scotland inmate home in 1935 Alton, Madison, IL 1930 Alton, Madison, Illinois Mathew Conners 61 Scot Irel Scot Justice of Peace Tresa Conners 57 IA Eng Eng 1920 Alton, Madison, Illinois M S Conners 50 Scot Ire Scot railroad conductor Maud Conners 47 IA Eng Eng Edna Conners 18 Co Scot IA Jane Conners 13 TX Scot IA 1910 Alton, Madison, IL conductor steam railroad Mathew S Conners 41 Scot Irel Scot Maude T Conners 38 IA Wales Eng Charles W Conners 16 KS Scot IA Edna T Conners 8 CO Scot IA Lillian J Conners 4 TX Scot IA The Osage County Chronicle Mon Oct 28, 1901 pg 3 Matt Connors left for his home in Colorado Springs last Thursday. His son Thomas will remain here with the family of Peter McFarlane until he regains his health. 1900 Florence, Fremont, Colorado M S Connors 31 Feb 1869 Scot Scot Scot ***** Maud Connors 28 Apr 1872 IA Wales Eng Leo Connors 10 Jul 1889 KS Scot IA Thomas Connors 8 Oct 1891 KS Scot IA Charles Connors 6 Nov 1893 KS Scot IA The Osage County Chronicle Thur Jun 21, 1888 pg 5 Matrimonial Married in Scranton, Kansas, on Thursday evening, June 14th, 1888, by Father Kelley, Mr. Matt Connors to Miss Maud Edwards, both of Burlingame. Kansas, County Marriage Records, 1811-1911 Name: Mathew Conner Gender: Male Age: 21 Birth Date: abt 1867 Marriage Date: 9 Jun 1888 Marriage Place: Osage, Kansas, USA Spouse: Maud Edwards Film Number: 002315536 1885 Kansas State Census Burlingame, Osage, KS Thos Edwards 39 Wales Wm Edwards 11 OH Craddve Edwards 6 IA Isaac Edwards 3 KS Maud Edwards 13 IA Emma Edwards 2 KS Annie Edwards 30 Eng. 1881 Fauldhouse, Whitburn, West Lothian Sarah Connor 55 Ireland Patrick Connor 20 Whitburn, Linlithgowshire,Ironstone Miner, Matthew Lavy 13 Shotts, Lanarkshire grandson *** 1881 Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland William Leavery 35 Susan Leavery 31 Thomas Leavery 12 William Leavery 9 Helen Leavery 7 Patrick Leavery 4 Whitburn, Linlithgowshire Mary Ann Leavery 3 Susan Leavery 9 Mos John McCartney 19 William McCartney 15 1880 Peterton, Osage, KS Thomas Edwards 34 Wales Wales Wales Coal Miner Anna Edwards 25 England Engand England Maud Edwards 8 IA Wales England William Edwards 6 IA Wales England Caradoc Edwards 2 IA Wales England 1871 West Calder, Midlothian Muldron Row Name Age Born occupation William Lairy 26 Ireland Ironstone miner Susan Laivy 21 Airdrie, Lanarkshire Thomas Laivy 2 Whitburn, Linlithgowshire 1871 Fauldhouse, Whitburn, West Lothian Sarah Connon 42 Ireland Henry Connon 16 Airdrie, Lanark miner Patrick Connon 10 Airdrie, Lanark Malth Levy 3 Shotts, lanarkshire **** John Swaney 18 Ireland lodger miner Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 Name: Matthew Lavey Gender: Male Birth Date: 10 Feb 1868 Birth Place: Calderhead,Lanark,Scotland Father: William Lavey Mother: Susan Connor FHL Film Number: 6035516 Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 Name: Matthew Lavey at Benshur Row, Shotts Event Type: Birth Event Date: 10 Feb 1868 Event Place: Calderhead, Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom Event Place (Original): Calderhead, Lanark, Scotland Gender: Male Father's Name: William Lavey Mother's Name: Susan Connor witness: Sarah Connor grandmother submitter is not related and has no further information File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/madison/photos/connors1317nph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 10.5 Kb