| GroveConingham |
GROVE CONINGHAM, deceased,was a native of New York city, born December 27, 1816. His father, GroveConingham, Senior, was born in Londonderry, Ireland, about 1766. He emigratedto New York city at an early age and married Betsy Baldwin, of Putnam county,New York. They had nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch wasthe eighth. The father died in December, 1831, in New York city. His wifesurvived him thirty-eight years.Our subject received hiseducation in New York and at the age of sixteen came to Schuyler county,Illinois. In 1843 he returned to his native city and lived there for threeyears, then returned to Schuyler county in 1851. He made a trip to Californiain 1851 and remained for two years employed in the custom house. This washis business and had been from his youth, as he had been associated withhis father in the same for years. In 1853 he returned to his old home inFrederick and settled there. There he resides until his death in 1891,February 21. Mr. Coningham was a business man for many years as a memberof the firm of Farwell & Company, which lasted from 1855 to 1870. Hewas a stanch Republican in politics and an ardent supporter of the warand a friend of the soldiers. For two years after the dissolution of thefirm of Farwell & Company he served as steamboat agent, and subsequentlyas Tax Collector, and held other positions of trust and responsibility.In 1866 he was appointed Postmaster at Frederick, which position he heldfor over twenty years. Mr. Coningham was a man of sterling worth and integrity.He was of a jovial disposition that made him friends wherever he was. Hewas noted for his firm adherence to the right whatever the cost might be.He was a worthy communicant of the Episcopal Church.
He was married in Frederick,Illinois, to Sarah H. Beal, in 1856. She is the daughter of Jesse O. andSarah (Vail) Beal, born in Coshocton county, Ohio, March 21, 1836. Herfather came of German ancestry, and her mother traces her genealogy backto the Vails who came to Plymouth. Of a family of nine only three are nowliving. Her brother Foster was a soldier in the Mexican war and is buriedon Mexican soil. Samuel now resides in Frederick, a farmer; Julia residesin DeWitt, Iowa, and Mrs. Coningham is the third living one of that oncelarge family.
Mr. and Mrs. Coningham hadseven children, namely: Charlie, married, and lives in St. Louis, a telegraphoperator; Grove, unmarried, located at San Francisco, in the insurancebusiness; Jesse is employed in the registry department of the St. Louispostoffice, a position he has held for eight years; Betsy, now Mrs. Moses,resides in Pueblo, Colorado; Grant, the youngest, named for the noted general,is married, employed in a saw mill and resides with his mother. Mrs. Coninghamis a worthy member of the Christian Church, and has always been respectedand liked by her large circle of friends.
Biographical Review ofCass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review PublishingCo., Chicago, 1892, pages 289-290.
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