BIO: Harry Charles CONNER, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 667 & 668. _____________________________________________________________ HARRY CHARLES CONNER, merchant and assistant postmaster at Burnside, Clearfield county, Pa., was born at Mitchell Mill, Indiana county, Pa., July 7, 1863, and is a son of John C. and Emily V. (McClure) Conner. John C. Conner was born June 30, 1831, in Indiana county, Pa., and died at Burnside, February 13, 1909. For three years after leaving school he was a clerk in a general store in Indiana county, and then moved to Mitchell Mill, where he carried on a general mercantile business for four years. In 1868 he came to Burnside, first as a clerk and later in business for himself, as a member of the firm of Kime & Conner, general merchants, buying his partner's interest two years afterward and continuing under the name of J. C. Conner in a general mercantile and lumber business. In 1885 he admitted his son, Harry Charles Conner, to partnership. He was interested also as a partner in the lumber firm of Hopkins, Irvin & Conner, and as his investments were heavy in lumbering, he lost almost the whole of his fortune during the time of the great flood at Johnstown. It was lost through the Consolidated Lumber Company on the Susquehannah River. He retired then from active life. During his earlier years he had been one of the successful as well as most enterprising business men of this section. He was a leader also in politics and served first as a justice of the peace in Indiana City and later in the same office at Burnside. At the time of his death he was a successful candidate on the Republican ticket for re-election to the office of auditor and many of his friends cast their votes for him on the very day of his decease. He was a member of the Baptist church. John C. Conner was married first to Emily Widowson, who was survived by three children: Nettie, who is the wife of A. K. Long, of Burnside; Jennie, who is the wife of Elwood Henderson, of Burnside; and John B., who is postmaster at Burnside. John C. Conner was married second to Emily V. McClure, a daughter of Stansbury McClure. Her death occurred April 12, 1891, at the age of forty- eight years. Three children were born to this marriage, namely: William M., Harry Charles, and Emma A., the last named being the wife of W. E. Patchin, of Burnside. Harry Charles Conner attended school at Burnside and as soon as old enough became a clerk for his father and subsequently his partner. After the Johnstown flood caused his father to retire, he then entered his brother's employ and with him is interested in merchandising and serves also as assistant postmaster. While interested in the lumber business, before the flood alluded to, he operated the last raft of lumber that went down the river safely. He has been one of the active and progressive men of the borough and has served two terms as burgess. He served also three years as constable and for nine years as president of the school board and was register of statistics for township and borough. He is a stanch Republican and is chairman of the Vigilance Committee of the party for this district. Mr. Conner married Miss Mollie M. Mahaffey, who was born May 30, 1863, at New Washington, Pa., a daughter of Robert and Faith Mahaffey, and they have had three children: Emily Gertrude, aged fourteen years; Helen, aged ten years; and a babe that died. Mr. and Mrs. Conner are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a trustee. He belongs to Lodge No. 679, Odd Fellows, at Burnside, and to Lodge No. 540, Elks, at Clearfield. Mr. Conner is one of the representative men of this section, and bears a name that has been held in high esteem for many years here.