THE CONNER FAMILY
In 1820 Willoughby CONNER, his wife, Rachel, his father, Rev. Philip, and
Willoughby's daughters, Alcey (Alice) and Sarah Ann, who were b. in OH, in
1817 and 1818, moved to Jennings Co. Philip was a Rev. War vet, who was b.
in England, 11 July 1754. He was a Methodist Episcopal minister until his
death 13 Feb 1834. His wife's name is unknown. According to DAR records he
also had a son, John Conner.
Willoughby and Rachel had 11 more children, including Eliza C., in 1820,
Philip A, 1822, William A., 1823, Nancy J., 1825, Harriet H., 1827, Mary A.,
1829, John B., 1831, Allen S., 1833, Daniel W., 1835, Samuel P., 1837, and
Richard A., 1839.
Willoughby farmed in the Vernon area. He died 17 Sept 1864, having been hit
by a train. (His obit is on the Jennings Co. website.) The 5 younger sons
served in the Civil War. Several of the boys went into the newspaper
business and at times owned the Vernon Banner and Plain Dealer. They also
owned newspapers in other parts of the state, including in Newton Co.
Alice Conner m. Richard Randall, also a newspaperman, in 1835. Sarah m.
William Anderson Jones, the oldest son of George and Prudence Keith Jones,
in 1834. They left Jennings about 1858 for Jefferson Co., IL. Philip A. d.
in 1836 and William A. in 1846. Nancy m. Isaac Arney, in 1844, Harriet m.
John French, Mary m. Byron Hoyt, and also apparently Jeremiah McNew in 1843.
John B. m. Ann Weidman in 1852. Allen m. Mary Jane Burdge in 1860. Richard
A. m. Louisa Burdge in 1865.
Rachel Johnson Conner, b. 19 July 1797 in Hamilton Co., OH, m. Willoughby
in KY, 30 Oct 1815, d. in Indianapolis, 10 Feb 1882. Willoughby was b. 13
March 1785 in Prince William Co., VA. (Most of these dates are from
Willoughby's family Bible)
Recent researches and contacts with other Conners indicate that Philip's
other son John, settled in Wayne Co., MO, became a blacksmith, was a sheriff
and tax collector, and served in the MO state Legislature during the 1830s
and 1840s.
Anyone with any questions about this family, please E-mail me at
dbruns2(a)tfb.com