The Conlin Families of Dubuque County, Iowa

James L. Conlin, mayor of the village of Cascade, a director in the Cascade bank, retired farmer, stock raiser and real estate dealer, was born at Lexington, Kentucky. John Conlin, his father, was a native of County Leitrim, Ireland, and came to the United States when a young man, making the passage across the ocean in a sailing vessel. At the time of his arrival the South was holding out inducements for the better class of deserving settlers and Mr. Conlin was attracted to the Blue Grass region of Kentucky. He located at Lexington and was there engaged in contracting many years. In 1843 he married Ellen Sherman, and died in 1847 when a comparatively young man. Three children were born to this marriage: Thomas, who died from the effects of gun shot wounds received in the Confederate service; James L., the subject of this sketch, and John, a resident of Dubuque county. Mrs. Conlin subsequently married James Lavin, who died in 1863, and they were the parents of Sarah, Ella, Margaret and Luke. In 1857 the family moved to this county and eventually established a permanent home on section 18, in White Water township. Here the mother passed away in 1905, at eighty-two years of age. James E. Conlin received his early schooling at Lexington, Kentucky, and when a young man learned the saddlery and harness business in Iowa, following this occupation in various localities of this state and in Kentucky and Tennessee. He then returned to Cascade, Iowa, and embarked in the drug trade, and later in general merchandizing. Eventually he retired from mercantile pursuits and engaged extensively in buying and selling land, at which he had been unusually successful. For half a century Mr. Conlin has been identified with the growth, development and prosperity of Cascade and has witnessed the progress of the place from a small hamlet to its present proportions. There have been few public enterprises tending toward the general good that have not had in him a warm supporter. He was one of the original six first directors of the Cascade bank, and since its organization has always been on the directory. In politics he is a Democrat, and in addition to holding various other positions of honor and trust, has served three terms as mayor of the village. Mr. Conlin married Miss Ann Finn, whose family is prominently mentioned elsewhere in this work, and to them have been born these children; Jenemine; John Thomas, cashier of the Farmers and Merchants' Bank, Cascade; Sabina, the wife of William J. O'Brien; Gertrude, now Mrs. John Miller; and Bertha, who married Edward Foley, and resides in Jones county, Iowa. The family are of the Roman Catholic faith in religion.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Thomas J. Conlin, president of the Conlin & Kearns Company, dealers in ice and fuel, was born in Washington township, Dubuque county, Iowa, a son of James and Sarah Conlin. James Conlin was a native of Ireland and came to America in 1840, locating for a short time in Kentucky and then coming to Dubuque county. He was a farmer by occupation, and an honorable man as was attested by his refusal to accept a pension for service during the Mexican war on the grounds that he had not actually participated in any battles and therefore was not entitled to a pension. On September 6, 1899, he died, aged seventy-seven years, and was followed by his wife on September 16, 1910, aged eighty-six years. They are buried in the cemetery at Cascade. Thomas J. Conlin was primarily educated in the district schools and during this time also assisted his father with the work of the home farm. He completed his schooling with a course in Bayless Business College, which he left in his twentieth year, and succeeding this was for eight years employed by the American Express Company. He then bought a livery stable, which he conducted for nine years, and in 1900 was elected sheriff of Dubuque county, serving as such two years. Following this he associated himself with Mr. Kearns in their present ice and fuel business and in 1907, owing to the growth of their business, was forced to incorporate. Aside from these interests Mr. Conlin is a director of the Dubuque Altar Manufacturing Company, is a Democrat in politics and a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Knights of Columbus, Independent Order of Foresters, Modern Woodmen of America and St. Patrick's Roman Catholic church. On October 24, 1895, m Dubuque, he married Miss Mary Theis, who died July 16, 1898. Mr. Conlin resides at 14 Grove terrace, Dubuque.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.