Person:Henry Conklin (3)

Henry M. Conklin, son of David and Freelove (Martin) Conkling was born on 26 January 1826 in Cincinnati, Ohio. On 27 February 1850 he married Harriet N. Martin in Butler County, Ohio. Henry and Harriet were the parents of six children, two dying in childhood. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Cambridge City (Wayne County), Indiana where several of Henry’s Conklin uncles and cousins lived. In Cambridge City, he was first involved in milling, perhaps with his uncle, Benjamin Conklin. Henry soon became owner of the town hardware store which he later sold to his uncle, Felix Conklin.  Several Hamilton County Ohio deeds identify Henry as a son of David Conklin and state that Henry and his wife, Harriet N. were residents of Cambridge City. In 1858 Henry acted as attorney in fact for Benj. C. and Eveline Horn, George B. and Jerusha H. Sieg, and Eben and Anna R. Weeks. The deed identifies these people (or their spouses) as heirs of David Conklin. The family lived in San Francisco for about three years, but moved to Chicago perhaps, around 1870. In Chicago, Henry was involved in the distillery business. He and his brother J.C. (Jeremiah) Conklin of Davenport, Iowa operated a firm called Conklin Bros. They were located at 79 Wabash in Chicago. Their brother, William H. Conklin of Cincinnati also operated a distillery. Conklin Bros. suffered heavy losses in the Chicago fire. The family then moved to Morris (Grundy County), Illinois where Henry again ran a distillery, this time with his son, Charles. From 1876-79 Henry was proprietor of the Robertson House a large hotel in Joliet. Working with him in the hotel were son Charles and Thomas Conklin, assistant cook. The 1880 Chicago city directory shows Henry working with a company called Mason and Conklin. Henry lived at 374 West Jackson Street in Chicago where he died of pneumonia on 1 December 1881. His obituary appeared in the Chicago Tribune and the Richmond Democrat (Indiana). Henry is buried in Joliet, Illinois. Harriet was born around 1829 in Ohio. She is said to have been one of two direct heirs to the Trinity Church property in New York City. She died in Joliet, Illinois in January, 1894.