Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Conant, Andrew E 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 9, 2007, 11:55 pm

Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County

ANDREW E. CONANT, whose homestead "The Pines," is one of Plainfield Township's 
most desirable properties, has been a resident of Will County since the spring 
of 1854. He was born in Alfred, York County, Me., December 9, 1815, being a 
son of Andrew and Sarah (Emerson) Conant. His paternal grandfather, Nathaniel 
Conant, was one of the first settlers of York County, and also one of the 
first mill owners there, a leading man in its public affairs and a large land 
owner. He had five sons, of whom Andrew, a native of Maine and a farmer in 
York County, served as a member of the Maine legislature, then sitting at 
Portland, and ably represented his shire town of Alfred. His wife was a 
daughter of Squire Joseph Emerson, one of the pioneers of Alfred. Of their 
five children, Hannah and Eliza died in girlhood; Lucinda and Sarah attained 
maturity; and Andrew is now the sole surviving member of the family. The 
parents both died in Maine. Until he was twenty years of age the subject of 
this sketch remained at home. On starting out in life for himself he began to 
cultivate a farm at Kennebunk Port, York County, where he remained for twelve 
years. On selling his farm he moved to Dexter, Penobscot County, where he made 
his home for six years. While there he built a factory in partnership with the 
husband of his sister Lucinda, and on the completion of the same he engaged in 
the manufacture of woolens, remaining in the mill for six years, when it was 
sold. With his share of the proceeds, amounting to about $2,500, he came to 
Illinois, making the trip via Dexter to Portland in a stage, from Portland to 
Boston by railroad, thence to Buffalo by railroad, and from there to Chicago 
on the great lakes, taking the canal from Chicago to Fox river, and thence 
traveling with a team through Illinois and Iowa. He finally concluded that no 
location was as desirable as Will County. Accordingly he came here, bought one 
hundred and sixty acres of partly improved land and began to raise farm 
products. On this place he has since remained. The majority of the 
improvements have been made under his personal supervision, as when he came 
there was not even a barn on the farm, and only a portion of the land had been 
fenced. From time to time he added to his holdings until at one time he owned 
four hundred and sixty-three acres. He devoted his land principally to the 
raising of grain, which he marketed in Joliet. While he was not active in 
politics and never sought office, yet he has always been a man of firm 
convictions on political questions, and votes with the Republican party. In 
religion he is connected with the Congregational Church. Mr. Conant's 
experience furnishes a splendid illustration of the increase in price of farm 
land in Will County. For the first land that he bought (in 1854) he paid $20 
an acre. His next purchase was in 1866, the price being $60 an acre. Fourteen 
years afterward he bought one hundred acres at $60 an acre. In 1891 he bought 
farm land at $90 an acre. In 1846 occurred the marriage of Andrew E. Conant to 
Adeline, daughter of Capt. Robert Smith; she died two years after their 
marriage. In the summer of 1853 he was united with Elizabeth, daughter of 
Samuel Philbrook, a shoe manufacturer in Maine. They became the parents of 
five children, namely: Adeline, who died September 24, 1881, at the age of 
twenty-three years; Hattie, who died October 1, 1864, when an infant; Joseph, 
Lewis and Otis K. The oldest of these sons, Joseph, was born April 29, 1861, 
and grew to manhood on the old homestead. June 28, 1896, he married Effie, 
daughter of Samuel Mottinger, and since then he has made his home on a farm of 
one hundred and eighty acres southeast of the home place. He is a Republican 
in politics, and is now holding the office of road commissioner. Fraternally 
he is connected with the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America. 
The second son, Lewis, was born on the homestead May 19, 1865, and received 
his education in the Joliet schools. For a number of years he has had the 
management of the home place, his father having retired from active cares and 
responsibilities. He is in charge of one hundred and sixty acres, on which he 
engages in raising farm produce and in stock-raising. Much of his attention is 
given to the stock business, which he has found a profitable adjunct to 
general farming. He has Shorthorn cattle and a fine grade of hogs on his farm, 
which he raises for the market. To some extent he has also carried on a dairy 
business. October 8, 1896, he married Miss Helen Parr, a daughter of Alexander 
and Matilda (Richards) Parr, natives of England, but for some years residents 
of Chicago. Mrs. Lewis Conant is a graduate of St. Luke's, Chicago, and is an 
accomplished and amiable lady, with the ability to successfully manage large 
responsibilities in the household. One son, Lewis Philip, has been born to 
them. The youngest son of our subject, Otis K. Conant, was born January 15, 
1868. His life, like those of his brothers, was passed uneventfully on the 
homestead during the years of childhood and youth. On establishing a home of 
his own, he and his wife, Bessie, daughter of William Flagg, settled on a farm 
northwest of the homestead, where in 1899 he erected a comfortable residence 
and a substantial barn.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

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