Albert Lee Connable was born at Bernardston, Massachusetts, on August 10, 1811, a son of Ezra and Abigail (Stevens) Connable, and his family traced its line to John Cunnabell, who came from London to Boston about 1674. He went west to Eaton, Ohio, where he worked in contracting and staging until 1843, then farmed and grew wool at Fairfield in Jefferson County, Iowa. In 1848 he moved to Keokuk, took a $350,000 contract on the Des Moines and Keokuk slack water navigation canal, and went into the wholesale grocery business with George B. Smyth in 1852 and later into pork and beef packing. He married Sarah Hurst Finney of Baltimore on October 9, 1849, and they had three sons: Albert Ezra, a farmer at Hamilton, Illinois; Edwin Hurst, a farmer at Gregory's Landing, Missouri; and Howard L., a Keokuk merchant and officer of the Keokuk Savings Bank. Sarah died in 1885 and Albert in 1894. Every fact below is cited to a public-domain Lee County history.
Where the family starts
Ezra Connable and Abigail (Stevens) Connableborn 1779Most recent in our records
Howard L. Connableborn 1858Tap a name to jump to that person.
Of Bernardston, Massachusetts
Canal contractor, merchant and pork packer, Keokuk
ALBERT LEE CONNABLE.
Albert Lee Connable was a man whose career was closely interwoven with the early history of Keokuk and its present-day prosperity. His birth occurred at Bernardstown, Massachusetts, on the loth of August, 1811. He was of New England parentage, being a son of Ezra and Abigail (Stevens) Connable, and he traced his ancestry in a direct line to John Cunnabell, who came from London, England, and settled in Boston, Massachusetts, about the year 1674. Ensign John Cunnabell served the colonies in their struggle for independence from Great Britain. In several walks of life various members of the family achieved prominence and renown and while the name has been spelled in numerous ways the present generation has generally adopted the spelling Connable.
When twenty-one years of age Albert Lee Connable left his father's home and went west to Eaton, Ohio, where he remained until 1843, when he came to Iowa, settling in Jefferson county. He was a man of more than average intelligence and of superior education and was therefore one of the leaders in that county during its formative period. He was elected a member of the board of county supervisors and his advice was listened to with the greatest respect and as a rule followed. In 1848 Keokuk, which was then attracting considerable attention because of its favorable geographical position, drew his attention and he moved to this city. He was awarded the contract for the construction of the Des Moines and Keokuk slack water navigation canal, the division of the canal which he constructed being a three hundred and fifty thousand dollar proposition. He was also engaged in the wholesale grocery business for a time as well as in pork and beef packing. He was prominently connected with other business enterprises of the city, being an organizer of the Iowa State Insurance Company in 1856 and of the Keokuk Savings Bank in 1868, serving as a director and vice president of the latter. He was likewise one of the founders and a director of the Keokuk Canning Company. His many important business and financial connections proved him to have been a man with the true business instinct, farsighted in recognizing business opportunities and prompt in taking advantage of them.
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Both Mr. and Mrs. Connable were members of the Unitarian church and scrupulously confirmed their lives to its high standard of ethics. Mr. Connable was a republican in politics but was never desirous of holding office. It was only as a matter of public duty that he consented to serve for three years as a member of the board of Lee county supervisors and as a director of the Waterworks Company. His sound business judgment enabled him to accumulate a considerable amount of property and he was always liberal in his support of laudable public enterprises. He passed away April 15, 1894, having survived his wife for a number of years, her death occurring on the 21st of January, 1885. They were among that band of pioneers who laid so firmly the foundation of the city's present prosperity and few left to their descendants a better record or a more honored name.
As printed in the source2. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Farmer at Hamilton, Illinois
Farmer at Gregory's Landing, Missouri
Clothing merchant and banker, Keokuk
HOWARD L. CONNABLE.
Howard L. Connable was born in Keokuk, January 14, 1858, a son of Albert Lee Connable. He has always made this city his home and received his education in its public schools. Since reaching adult years he has engaged in mercantile pursuits, winning prosperity therein. He is a man of business sagacity and this enables him to manage his affairs wisely, while his pleasing personality aids in securing patronage. He is also connected with financial altairs of the city as vice president of the Keokuk Savings Bank.
Mr. Connable was married, October 31, 1898, to Miss Rose McKenzie, by whom he has two children, Madeline H. and Raymond J. In politics he is a republican and he carries on the family tradition of honesty, uprightness and public-spirited interest in municipal affairs.
As printed in the source2. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
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