David Conkey Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 784-785

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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DAVID CONKEY. Few agriculturists would have fought against reverses and 
made a success of their vocation with the same determination as the 
subject of this personal history. Six times his crops have been 
destroyed by hail, but each time the difficulty was surmounted, and 
with renewed energy he went about the work of again establishing 
himself in prosperous circumstances. He is one of the pioneer settlers 
of York township and his home is located on section 13, near St. 
Lawrence. 

Our subject was born in Ontario, Canada, February 29, 1848, and was one 
of fourteen children, nine sons and five daughters, born to Robert and 
Jane (Wiley) Conkey. His parents were natives of County Down, Ireland, 
and emigrated to Canada in an early day, where the father engaged in 
farming, and where they still reside. Our subject is the only one of 
the family who resides in Hand county. He was reared and educated in 
his native country, where he followed farming until 1884, when he went 
to Hand county, arriving there April 3 of that year. He took a claim on 
section 14 in York township, where he has been engaged in farming and 
stock raising. His farm comprises one half-section, and is well 
improved, and bears evidence of good management. He has all of the land 
under cultivation, and is one of the successful grain farmers of that 
locality, despite the failure, by hail. 

Our subject was married September 26, 1877, to Miss Nancy Hall, a 
native of Canada, and a daughter of Robert and Eliza (Forger) Hall, 
natives respectively of Scotland and Canada. The family circle is 
completed by Mr. and Mrs. Conkey's six children, named as follows: 
Andrew, Robert D., Gordon D., Henry H., Susan L. and Clarence A. The 
family worship at the Congregational church, of which Mrs. Conkey is a 
member. Mr. Conkey is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, 
and a popular citizen in his community, having served in various 
township offices in an able manner and always looking to the interests 
of his township and county. In political views he is a Populist.