Howard County IN Archives Biographies.....Conkle, James B. 1865 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 21, 2006, 4:20 pm

Author: Jackson Morrow

JAMES B. CONKLE.

    Success is only achieved by the exercise of certain distinguishing qualities
and it cannot be retained without effort. Those by whom great epoch changes have
been made in the political and industrial world began early in life to prepare
themselves for their peculiar duties and. responsibilities and it was only by
the most persevering and continuous endeavor that they succeeded in rising
superior to the obstacles in their way and reaching the goal of their ambition.
Such lives are an inspiration to others who are less courageous and more prone
to give up the fight before their ideal is reached or definite success in any
chosen field has been attained. In the life history of the honorable gentleman
whose name forms the caption of this article we find evidence of a peculiar
characteristic that always makes for achievement—persistency, coupled with
fortitude and lofty traits, and as a result of such a life, Mr. Conkle stands
today one of the representative citizens of Howard county and one of the best
known and most highly respected men of Howard township.

    James B. Conkle was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1865, the
son of George and Jennie (Murray) Conkle. Grandfather Samuel Conkle was born in
Pennsylvania and came to Indiana in 1869, settling in Howard county on a farm;
but he moved back to Pennsylvania, where he died at the age of seventy-five
years. He was a Methodist as was his immediate family and ancestors. The father
of the subject was reared in the old Keystone state, and he there received a
limited education in the district schools, remaining there until 1869. When
nineteen years old he enlisted in April, 1861, in the Ninth Pennsylvania
Reserves, in which he served three years, having taken part in both battles of
Bull Run, Gettysburg, Antietam, the seven day's battle around Richmond and all
other minor engagements in which his regiment participated. After the war he
worked in the oil fields for four years. He then came to Indiana and settled in
Howard county. He rented a farm for about fifteen years when he bought a
sixty-acre tract, which he partly cleared and improved. Later he sold out and
bought another farm consisting of the same number of acres. This he improved and
still lives on it, his farm being under a high state of productiveness and
improvement, well fenced and drained and on it stand excellent buildings. Six
children were born to the parents of the subject, five of whom lived to reach
maturity; four of these have families of their own. The subject's mother is also
living. She and her husband were both formerly Methodists, but there being no
denomination of this sect near their home, they now subscribe to the United
Brethren faith. They are people of fine character and exercise considerable
influence for the good of their community.

    Our subject attended the district schools in Howard county until he was
sixteen years of age and he worked with his father on the farm until he was
twenty-two years old. He then married and rented farms for four years. Then he
bought twenty-five acres which he improved; he has since added seventy acres,
making him a farm at present of ninety-five acres, ten acres of which he
cleared, drained the entire place with tile and fenced it with wire. He has
built a modern and substantial dwelling house, a substantial barn and convenient
out buildings. The soil of the place is in excellent productive condition, which
has been kept up to a high state of excellency by proper rotation of crops and
the application of home fertilizers. Mr. Conkle feeds all his com to cattle and
hogs. He handled the Red Duroc full-blooded hogs. Six acres of his land are in
blue grass and woods-pasture. He uses woven wire fencing which he puts up, doing
a contracting business in this line. He also operates the only coal yard in this
district, doing an extensive business.

    Mr. Conkle was united in marriage December 2, 1886, to Katie Markland,
daughter of David and Margaret (Goodwine) Mark-land. Mrs. Markland was born in
Ohio of German parents and Mr. Markland was born in Ohio. They came to Indiana
about 1850. The latter was a farmer and schoolteacher. He died about 1896, at
the age of fifty-nine years. Mrs. Markland is living in 1908, at the age of
sixty-six years. Their six children are all living at this writing, and all have
families of their own.

    Five children have blessed the home of our subject and wife as follows:
Elsie M., born September 30, 1887, is the wife of Everett Smith, of Scott
county, Indiana, who lives on a farm there: Emmett J., born October 4, 1890,
lives at home on his father's farm; George D. was born October 16, 1893; Roscoe
was born April 25, 1897; Margaret R. was born December 8, 1904. This pretty
little girl was unfortunate enough to lose one of her limbs through
tuberculosis, but is now in good health and is a bright and promising child.

   Both Mr. and Mrs. Conkle are members of the United Brethren church, being
active in the same. Mr. Conkle belongs to the Horse Thief Detective Association.
In politics he is an uncompromising Republican and has always taken much
interest in political affairs. He was justice of the peace for a period of eight
years, having made one of the best officials in this capacity that the community
ever had. He has also been supervisor, having held that important office with
much credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of all his constituents.
In 1908 he became the candidate of his party for township trustee and his
nomination was generally conceded to be a most fortunate one, owing to the past
splendid official record of Mr. Conkle and his known upright principles and
pleasing demeanor. In fact he is one of the most popular and public-spirited
citizens of Howard township and he numbers his friends by the scores.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA
BY
JACKSON MORROW, B. A.
ILLUSTRATED
VOL. II
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

(circa 1909)

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