Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Conkling, Charles H ************************************************ 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: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 4:03 am Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County CHARLES H. CONKLING, secretary of the Mutual Loan and Building Association, at No. 222 Jefferson street, Joliet, is a member of a family that has been long and prominently connected with American history. His great-grandfather came to this country accompanied by a brother, whose grandson, Roscoe Conkling, gained national fame as a legislator and states-man. Henry M., father of Charles H., was born in Ohio, but while still a young man he moved to Indiana, and became interested in milling and in the hardware business. On the Whig ticket he was a candidate for county treasurer and ran ahead of his ticket, but was defeated by a small majority. As a Mason he was active and attained a high rank. In religion he was a Presbyterian. After he settled in Indiana he returned to Ohio and there married Harriet N. Martin, who was one of the two direct heirs of the old Trinity Church property in the heart of New York City. This matter was in the hands of Roscoe Conkling at the time of his death, with fair prospects of success, but since then nothing has been done. After some years in Indiana Henry M. Conkling removed to Chicago and became a member of the firm of Conkling Bros. & Co. At the time of the fire the firm suffered a heavy loss. In 1873 he moved to Morris, where he conducted a distillery for three years. From 1876 to 1879 he was proprietor of the Robertson house in Joliet. He then went to California and spent three years in San Francisco, hoping that the change might restore him to health. His hope was realized and he returned to Illinois hale and hearty, but shortly after died of pneumonia in Chicago, the date of his death being December 1, 1881. His remains were interred in the Joliet cemetery, and by his side rests his wife, who passed away in January, 1894. They were the parents of six children, three now living: Ella F., Mrs. Pinney, of Chicago; Charles H., and Mrs. Grace N. Spritzman, of Holland, Mich. While his parents were living in Cambridge City, Wayne County, Ind., November 1, 1853, the subject of this article was born. He was a student in school from six to seventeen years of age. After removing to Chicago he assisted his father in business until the time of the great fire, and then he became shipping clerk for Field & Leiter. He accompanied the family to Morris and assisted his father as bookkeeper there, later coming with him to Joliet. In 1880 he entered the Will County National Bank as teller, remaining there for three years, when he went to Chicago to take charge of an office for some friends who had started a commission business in the stockyards. When Colonel Shurts assumed the control of what is now known as the Duncan hotel he appointed Mr. Conkling its manager, a position that he filled until he was solicited by the directors of the Mutual Loan and Building Association to assume its secretaryship. At that time (1886) the company was eighteen months old and its loans amounted to about $19,000. At the time of the panic they had loans to the amount of $1,000,000, and, in spite of the heavy drain upon them, were able to go through that trying period safely. Their loans now amount to about $800,000. Since accepting the position of secretary Mr. Conkling has given his time to the office, and it is largely due to his conservative yet shrewd management that the company's affairs have been so prosperous. He is also a member of the executive committee of the state league. For some years he engaged in the fire insurance business, and he is now interested as a stockholder in the Union steam laundry. He has built two residences, the first one of which he sold, and he now owns and occupies a modern and beautiful house at No. 119 South Center street. While Mr. Conkling cannot be called a partisan nor a politician, yet he is active in politics and a warm advocate of the Democratic party; inheriting from his ancestors qualities that fit him for public service he nevertheless has no desire to become an official, and aside from the position of township collector has never been a candidate for office. He held the position of collector for two terms and rendered satisfaction to all concerned while filling the place. Often he has been a delegate to conventions. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and a number of fraternal insurance associations. At Morris in 1874 he married Jennie A. Hynds, daughter of Judge Patrick Hynds, a well-known jurist and attorney of Morris. Mr. and Mrs. Conkling have two daughters, Mary E. and Pink, both graduates of Notre Dame, and accomplished musicians. 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 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/conkling1825nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.4 Kb