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Thomas McConnell Sr.
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THOMAS McCONNELL, SR., grandfather of Oliver W. Gilpin,
attorney, of Kittanning, died Monday, March 12, 1888. The following account of
his life and work was written by his personal friend, Col. J. B. Findley.On the 31st of January, 1813, Thomas McConnell, Sr., was born near
Blairsville, Indiana Co., Pa., and he spent his earlier years on a farm. Early
he had been sent to the native village school, where he acquired the elements
of such an education as was then to be obtained, for the teacher�s knowledge
was limited to but a few common principles. These he soon had pressed upon his
susceptible mind, and their lessons he subsequently largely improved by the
acquisition of a cultivated taste for conversation, reading, study and
reflection. Few men were ever as happily endowed in conversation. Nature
fitted him in appearance, grace, intelligence, manners, deportment, culture
and congenial conversational powers for that which he was—the exemplar of a
true Christian gentleman. He had a wide circle of friends and admirers. Few
men ever passed through so long a life with so few opponents. If he ever had
an enemy it was never known.In his early life his business training was under his father. In later
years he was engaged in several enterprises. He was one of the firm of Brown,
McConnell & Patterson, a member of Brown, Phillips & Co., the senior
member of McConnell & Reed, and of McConnell & Co., also a member of
Campbell, McConnell & Son, and other firms whose styles and titles cannot
at present be recalled. When the oil fever broke out at Parkers Landing, he
became interested in many of its large business projects, and was largely
concerned and successful therein.From the organization of the Kittanning Bank, in 1857, until its
successors, the First National Bank and Kittanning National Bank of
Kittanning, were dissolved, he was one of the directors. In the council of the
borough his influence as a member, interested in behalf of prudent
administration, was exercised on many an occasion where wise counsel was
needed.His marriage with Miss Olive Robinson, daughter of Elisha Robinson, Esq.,
of Parkers Landing, was a source of domestic happiness, of which two
daughters, Mrs. John Gilpin and Miss Elizabeth R., and three sons, Thomas,
Elisha R. and William H. McConnell, now deceased, were the fruits.When a young man he connected himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church
of this place, but subsequently transferred his relations to the First
Presbyterian Church of Kittanning, with whose Sabbath school, either as a
teacher or a member of the Bible class, he was connected until about two years
before his death, when declining age caused him most regretfully to withdraw.
As a Bible student he was indefatigable in the investigation of the lesson. He
never came unprepared. He had independent opinions of his own, which he never
was either at a loss to express or afraid to disclose; while his uniform
urbanity of manner and gentlemanly like deportment, as well as his well known
courteous treatment of and deference to the opinions of others, gained for him
an influence and a respect which will still continue to grow green in the
memory of all his former associates and fellow members of the community to
whom he was so well and so favorably known, and by whom so universally honored
in every relation of his long and useful life.Source: Page(s) PAGE 344
Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers &
Co., 1914Transcribed July 1998 by Pat Godeskyt for the Armstrong
County Beers Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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