History of Henry County Indiana B.F. Bowen 1920 Surnames are: Conn, Clary, Jones, Cook, Foland, Fowler, Baum, CHARLES L. CONN An enumeration of the men of the present day who have won success and recognition for themselves, and at the same time have honored the locality to which they belong, would be incomplete without due notice of the one whose name furnishes the caption of this review. Clearly defined purpose and consecutive effort have been among his more prominent characteristics and his standing today as one of Jefferson township's most enterprising agriculturists and as well as one of the county's truly representative citizens is cheerfully conceded by all who know him. Of Mr. Conn it can be truly said the world is better for his having lived. Identified with every enterprise having for its object the good of the community, taking a lively interest in the public affairs of his township and county, he has sought by every means at his command to promote the country's material prosperity and advance the standard of its citizenship. Charles L. Conn, the son of Adam E. and Mary (Clary) Conn, was born in Jefferson Township, Henry County, Indiana, on the 31st day of October 1838. From the most reliable information obtainable the Conn family in America appears to have had its origin in Virginia. Thence in an early day some of the subject's ancestors migrated to Kentucky and from the latter state to Union county, Indiana, finally, about the year 1832, the immediate antecedents settling in the county of Henry. Adam E. Conn was one of the County's successful farmers in an early day and it was on the old homestead in Jefferson Township that his son, the subject of this sketch, grew to young manhood. Blessed with a sturdy, energetic father and a mother whose loving devotion to her children's welfare was most beautiful and effective, Charles L. s early influence was conducive to whole-some physical and moral development. From the time he was old enough to be of service until attaining his majority he labored diligently as his father's assistant and was able to do a man's work while still a youth in his early teens. Unlike most boys, work to him was not drudgery, as he had a natural taste for farming and took delight in the free, wholesome outdoor life in wood and field. At one time, while a young man, Mr. Conn seriously contemplated entering the legal profession and went so far as to procure a number of standard works on the law, which he studied during his leisure hours. He kept this up for some years until he became remarkably well posted on the principles of the profession, but taking counsel of his better judgment wisely concluded to devote his life to the more independent and less annoying calling of the agriculturist and leave courts and litigation to others. His study, however, has been of great value to him in many ways as it has enabled him to transact all of his own business without the aid of a lawyer and at the same time advise his neighbors upon matters involving legal principles. Mr. Conn was married on the 26th of August. 1860, to Miss Mary Jones, a native of Henry county whose birth occurred in the township of Fall Creek. Mrs. Conn was the daughter of John Jones and in childhood and youth attended the same country school of which her husband was a pupil, the two growing up as playmates and companions. After marriage Mr. Conn moved to an eighty-acre farm given him by his father and has since lived on the same, though adding to its area from time to time until the place now embraces two hundred and forty acres of fine fertile land, nearly all in cultivation and well improved. When his father died in 1868 Mr. Conn was appointed to administer upon the estate, which was valued at thirty thousand dollars and he wound up the business to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. Mr. Conn is a man of excellent judgment, fine business ability and plentifully endowed with that most admirable of all qualities, and good common sense. By the exercise of these and other commendable attributes be has succeeded well in his temporal affairs, owning one of the most desirable rural homes in the- township of Jefferson, besides other valuable property which makes him one of the wealthiest men in his part of the county. He has long been a stalwart Republican, making his presence felt as an aggressive party worker and contributing not a little to the success of the ticket in a number of campaigns. In 1894 he was prevailed upon to run for trustee, but gave the matter little thought, not really desiring the office and not expecting to be elected as the township had long been substantially Democratic by a very large majority. When the votes were counted, however, it was found that he led the ticket, defeating his opponent by seven votes, which shows him to have received about fifty votes in excess of the regular party strength. This fact speaks well for his high personal standing in one of the strongest Democratic townships of the county. He endeavored to conduct the office so as to merit the esteem and confidence in which he was held by his fellow citizens irrespective of party. Mr. Conn found the township in debt, also in especial need of better school facilities than at the time obtained. His first official act was to borrow money with which to put the various school buildings in proper condition, after which he addressed himself to the various internal improvements of the township. During his incumbency, which covered a period of five years, his course met the unqualified approval of the public and he left the office with not a cent of indebtedness for his successor to assume. As stated above, he gave especial attention to the schools within his jurisdiction, erected one fine building at a cost of thirteen hundred dollars, besides remodeling the houses in the other districts and supplying them with the latest educational appliances. All in all, his administration was one of' the ablest and most satisfactory in the history of the township and when he retired from the office he did so with the unanimous plaudit of well done, good and faithful servant Mr. Conn is an earnest believer in revealed religion and from his youth up has had a profound regard for the Bible and its teachings. Accepting the sacred volume as his only rule of faith and practice, he united with the Christian (or Disciple) church and by a life consecrated to the service of God and the up building of humanity has demonstrated to the world the beauty as well as the truthfulness of the faith which he professes. At the present time he is an elder of the congregation to which he belongs, an office only yielding to the ministry in the dignity and importance of its duties. On the 19th day of November 1899, Mr. Conn was compelled to part with his faithful and loving wife who had borne him two manly sons, Luther M. and Ulysses S. Subsequently, January 8, 1902, he chose a second companion in the person of Mrs. Jennie Cook (nee Foland), widow of the late Rev. Jeremiah Cook, a well-known minister of the United Brethren church. Mrs. Conn is a native of Ohio and came to Henry County with her parents in the year 1871. Luther M. Conn. the older son of the subject, was born July 29, 1861. At a very early age he manifested a decided taste for books and study and when a pupil in the country schools invariably stood first in all of his classes. At the age of nineteen he began teaching in the schools of Jefferson Township and was thus engaged for two years; meantime devoting his vacations to study. Realizing the necessity of more thorough preparation for educational work, he attended the National Normal College at Lebanon, Ohio, two Years, after which he entered the Northern Indiana Normal University at Valparaiso. In 1889 he was graduated from the scientific department of the latter institution and in 1890 received the degree of Master of Arts. Being well prepared for advanced professional work, Mr. Conn went to Texas, where for five years he had the position of superintendent of schools, also teaching private classes in ornamental penmanship and drawing during his vacations. He achieved an enviable reputation as an educator and doubtless would have become one of the country's most distinguished teachers had he seen fit to continue in the educational field. He married Miss Ida M. Fowler, a lady of scholarly attainments and varied culture, and at the present time is living on a farm in Jefferson Township. He is one of the country's most intelligent young men and a leader of thought in the community where he resides. U. S. Conn. the younger of the two Sons first saw the light of day on the 16th of March 1865. Like his brother, he also manifested a tendency to reading, and study while quite young and when a lad was considered one of the brightest as well as one of the most original pupils of the schools, which he attended. The training received in the public schools was supplemented by a full course in the Northern Indiana University, from which he was graduated in the scientific and classical departments in the years 1889 and 1890 respectively. While attending college he became acquainted with an accomplished young lady of Valparaiso by the name of Cannie Baum, an acquaintance, which developed into a tender attachment, finally leading to marriage. Mrs. Conn was a fellow student with her husband and graduated with the same class of which he was a member. Some time after their marriage Mr. And Mrs. Conn went to Wayne, Nebraska, where they engaged in educational work, he as superintendent of the public schools and she as teacher in the high school. Previous to accepting the above position, however, Mr. Conn held a professorship for three years in the Nebraska State Normal School and earned much more than local repute as a scholarly and successful educator. After being connected with educational work in various capacities for twelve years, he resigned his position and in removed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, thence a little later to Fargo, North Dakota, where he is now the head of a large wholesale hardware house. In the year 1900 Prof. Conn was elected president of the Nebraska State Teachers Association, a position with which only eminent and distinguished educators are honored. He presided over the sessions of that body with ability and becoming dignity and while filling the office became widely known to the leading teachers throughout the entire country. The subject of this review feels deservedly proud of his sons and rejoices in the success they have achieved. The compliment is fully returned, the sons attributing their rise and progress in the world and much of the honor which has come to them to the father's guidance, correct advice and wise counsel during the formative period of their lives.