HENRY M. CONKLIN, one of the most prominent of the agricultural citizens of Morris township, is a native of the same, born April 12, 1835. He is a worthy representative of one of the pioneer families of his native township. John Conklin, his grandfather, was born in New Jersey, and in 1790 moved with his family to Morris township, Washington Co., Penn., locating near the town of Sparta. John Conklin had seven children, of whom one son, Isaac, was born in the State of Pennsylvania in 1805. In 1825 he was married to Lydia Sears, also a native of Pennsylvania, and the following children were born to this union: Sarah Ann (deceased wife of William Rogers, of Iowa), Elizabeth (living in Greene county, Penn., the widow of Morgan Thompson), John (a farmer of the same county), William (a farmer near Van Buren, in Morris township), Henry M., Oliver S. (a resident of Missouri), Margaret (living in the State of Kansas, married to John A. W. Dyer), Samuel A. (a prominent practicing physician of Canton, Ohio), Stephen Munroe (a farmer of Morris township), Warren B. (living near Sparta, this county), and Lydia Viola (wife of I. N. Lucas, a physician in North Dakota). Henry M. Conklin, whose name opens this sketch, received a limited education at the common schools of the home district, and at the age of twenty-one years commenced to learn the trade of painting with his brother John, his financial wealth being, at the start, very limited indeed. After working at his trade for a number of years in the different parts of the county, and in Western Virginia, he returned in 1861 to Washington county. On February 28, 1861, he was united in marriage with Jerusha Jane Blakeway, a native of East Finley township, this county, daughter of Elizabeth and Humphrey Blakeway, both of whom died in that township, and lie buried in the graveyard at Old Concord, Penn. On March 14, 1861, Mr. and Mrs. Conklin moved to their present home, which is now a well-improved farm situated two miles northeast of Prosperity, where he has erected one amongst the finest residences in the township. Mrs. Jerusha Jane Conklin died September 26, 1889, and lies buried in the cemetery at Prosperity. On October 31, 1891, Mr. H. Conklin married Miss Mattie Sampson, daughter of Abraham Sampson, of East Finley township, and one son, Grover Stephenson, was born to them September 6, 1892. Politically Mr. Conklin has been a Democrat, and has served as inspector of elections in his township. In 1853 he became united with the Church of Upper Ten-Mile, at Prosperity, Washington Co., Pennsylvania.

Text taken from page 1220 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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