Person:Jeremiah Conkling (1)

Jeremiah C. Conkling, son of David and Freelove (Martin) Conkling was born on 20 August 1836 in Cincinnati (Hamilton County), Ohio. His wife Agatha--was born around 1838 in New York State. A Hamilton County, Ohio deed from 1858 identifies Jeremiah and his wife, Agatha as residents of Davenport (Scott County), Iowa. The deed involves selling land from his father’s estate. The land was located on the south east corner of Fifth and Home Streets in Cincinnati. The land was sold to Jeremiah’s cousin, James M. Conwell and his business partner, Isaac Holmes. James had lived in Cambridge City, but lived in Cincinnati for a few years in the late 1850’s. The Davenport Iowa city directory lists Jeremiah as a resident from 1860-72. In 1868 Jeremiah was a cashier at Citizens National Bank in Davenport. The 1870 Iowa census reports that he owned $60,000 in real estate. Around 1870 Jeremiah and his brother, Henry of Chicago operated a distillery. This business suffered heavy financial losses in the Chicago fire. Overland train passenger lists show him on a train leaving Ogden, Utah for Oakland California in August, 1871. He may have had business interests our there as his brother, Henry had lived in San Francisco in the late 1860’s. The 1873 Davenport city directory lists him as Jerry Conklin and identifies that he lived across the Mississippi River in Rock Island, Illinois at that time. Jeremiah was usually engaged in selling liquors and wines. Civil War pension records for the widow of his brother, Merrick Conkling show that Jeremiah testified that Merrick was “broken down in health” from 1863 to 1870 and was unable to support his family. During that time period Jeremiah states that he made several contributions to the family’s support, the largest amount being $500. The censuses of 1900 and 1920 show the family living in San Jose, (Santa Clara County), California. Jeremiah, his wife and daughters are buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in San Jose. Jeremiah was buried on 24 November 1922 and his wife was buried on 2 January 1909. Cemetery records suggest that they are buried as Conklin rather than Conkling.