Little is known about Robert McConnell, where he came from and the like. The
following account was gathered from abstracts, wills, grave markers and newspaper
articles.
In 1838 Mr. McConnell arrived in the area and purchased a land development from John
Dennison and John Van Zant. He renamed it McConnell's Grove. In 1843 he married Elizabeth
W. who was born and raised in Jefferson County, Ohio. She was 19 years old. They returned
to McConnell's Grove and had three children. Elizabeth died on April 19, 1849. The two
older children died before Elizabeth. One was a daughter named Adeline who died on
February 11, 1848 at the age of four. The older child's sex, age and resting place are
unknown. The graves of Elizabeth and Adeline are at Silent Hill Cemetery. In McConnell.
The youngest child was a son whose name is believed to be William Wylie Moore McConnell.
After Elizabeth's death Mr. McConnell met and married Laura Hibbard. Laura's
background is unknown. They had two daughters, Ella Hibbard McConnell and an adopted
daughter named Lizzie A. Lizzie died on July 11, 1862 at the age of 18 years and 10
months. Her grave along with Robert McConnell's are located in the northwest section of
the City Cemetery in Freeport, Illinois. The resting place of Laura, Ella and William is
unknown.
August 6, 1838 Robert McConnell, L.W. Streator and John Moore were elected County
Commissioners (known as the County Board of Supervisors).
Robert McConnell served in the Illinois House of Representatives in the years of 1846
through 1848.
(Excerpt from the McConnell Sesquicentennial History Album. Written by
Steven W. Kohn . 1988)
Return to Main Page