John A. Connor, Photo on Rowboat, c1900

John A. Connor, third child of James and Anna Colfour Connor, is pictured here in Illinois with his wife, Mary Bowler Connor and many of their daughters. 

Photo courtesy: Nancy Connor Post

Home built by James C. Connor, 1884-85

"The northwest corner of Ridge Avenue and church Street looms large in the lore of Evanston. Alexander McDaniel (1815-1898) purchased the site in 1843 and built a one-and-a-half-story house: it was the house that Philo Judson (1807-1876), the financial agent of Northwestern University, purchased in 1854; it was the house that Julius White (1816-1890) was renting when he entertained Abraham Lincoln on April 5, 1860. When Robert and Jennie Hill bought the property in 1884, they had the house moved in order to build 'another of the beautiful villas for which Evanston is becoming distinguished.' Designed by an unnamed architect from Milwaukee, it was built in 1884-85 by James C. Connor. After Hill accepted the vice-presidency of the Wisconsin National Bank in Milwaukee, he sold the house to Richard Conover Lake (1846-1919) in 1894. His widow sold the house at 1708 Ridge Avenue in 1945 to Ross Twichell, who remodeled it for a rooming house; and in 1969 it became the home of the Young Women's Christian Association. (Photograph from Fireman's Relief Fund Souvenir, courtesy Clara Andersen)"
Buchbinder-Green, Barbara J., Evanston: A Pictorial History, G. Bradley Publishing, Inc., Evanston, Illinois, 1989.

School built by Connor and McCann, c1892

"To replace the old North Ridge School, District 1 commissioned D. H. Burnham to prepare plans for a new building at 927 Noyes Street in 1892. Built of Milwaukee brick by Connor & McCann, the $35,000 Noyes Street School was thought to be 'a much finer building than the Haven building,' which had been designed by Burnham & Root. The two-story school, 60 feet by 136 feet, had large windows to provide ample light for all the young scholars and a combined hot-air heating and ventilation system that seemed to be 'the most efficacious and sanitary yet devised.' In 1949 there was an auditorium and gymnasium addition designed by Perkins & Will. After the District 65 School Board closed the school in 1976, it leased the property to the Noyes Cultural Arts Center. The city bought the building in 1980, and the center continues to provide space for artists, sculptors, actors, musicians, and the Evanston Arts Council. (Photograph by Waterman, courtesy Evanston Historical Society)"
Buchbinder-Green, Barbara J., Evanston: A Pictorial History, G. Bradley Publishing, Inc., Evanston, Illinois, 1989, page 102.

John A. and James C Connor, Contractors - 1891

"John A. Connor is a member of the firm of Connor and McCann, contractors and builders of Evanston, Ill., who established their business in the fall of 1890.  Although they have only been in business a short time, they are already becoming known as responsible and able contractors and builders, and are rapidly building up a large patronage.  They have erected many handsome structures in Evanston, among which may be mentioned a triple residence in South Evanston for W. H. Blake, residence on Judson avenue for Mr. Joy, Mr. Dunham and Mrs. Childs.  Mr. Connor is a native of Ireland, born in County Wexford in 1854.  At the age of two years he was brought by his parents, James and Anastasia Connor, to the United States, their location at Evanston, Ill., taking place soon after, of which place the the father is still a resident. The mother died in 1884.  John A. is the fourth of their six children, four of who are living, and in the town of Evanston he was brought up, receiving a thorough training in the public school of that place, and afterwards clerking in a store.  After the great fire of 1871 he began to learn the carpenter's trade with his brother, James C. Connor, who for many years was the leading builder of Evanston, and constructed many of the best buildings there.  He remained with his brother for several years, finally acting in the capacity of general foreman and superintendent until his brother's death, in November, 1890.  The above mentioned firm was established, with Mr. Connor and Daniel McCann as partners, the latter having also been with James C. Connor for some years.  Mr. Connor belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters, is a democrat politically, and he and his family worship in the Catholic church, of which they are members. He was married in 1877 to Miss Katherine White, a native of Ireland, who died in 1883, leaving three children: Annie, Lillie and Nellie, who is deceased.  In 1885, he married Miss Mary Bowler, a native of Ireland, by whom he has three children: Frank, Loretta, and Theresa (deceased)....

"They do the largest contracting of any firm in their line in Evanston, and keep constantly employed a large and skilled force of workman.  they have done important work for W. B. Phillips, for J. M. Larimer, for T. C. Hoag, for Daniel H. Burnham, for Theodore Price, W. H. Blake, F. S. Joy, George B. Dunham, Mrs. George Watson and many others throughout the city....

"In 1889 Mr. McCann, accompanied by Mr. James C. Connor, enjoyed a European trip, visiting the Mediterranean, Rome, Naples, Alexandria and Cairo, passing through the Suez canal to the Holy Land, where they spent some time visiting the principal historical spots.  They were with a party of tourists known as the First American Catholic Pilgrimage, and were gone six months.  On his return he visited his native land, passing also through England and Scotland."

Industrial Chicago: The Building Interests, Chicago: The Goodspeed Publishing Company, Vol. 1, 1891, page 746-747.

Note: Upon James C. Connor's return to the US there were short items in the Evanston Index noting James C. Connor's was of ill health.  Even though this book was published in 1891, James C. Connor died in 1890.

James C. Connor, Biography, 1884

"JAMES C. CONNOR, hardware dealer, was born in the county of Wexford, Ireland, April 6, 1846.  When eight years of age his parents, James and Anastasia, came to Evanston and were among the early settlers.  His father carried on farming, but is now living retired.  The subject of this sketch was one of six children.  He learned his trade with Miles Russell and finished with John Wesley.  In 1869 he bought real estate and commenced building houses upon it, selling the same and continuing such, with contracting, up to 1879, when he bought out the interest of Samuel Reynolds, of the firm of Wightman and Reynolds, hardware dealers, when the firm became Wrightman & Connor.  In 1883 Mr. Connor bought out Mr. Wightman and has carried on the business to the present time.  In 1876 he was one of the Trustees of the village of Evanston.  He married Miss Hannah Doyle, of Chicago, February 1, 1875.  They have four children -- Charles J., Willie T., Mary I., and Annie B."

Andreas, A. T.  History of Cook County Illinois: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time.  Chicago: A. T. Andreas, Publisher, 1884, page 442.

No Senior Connor Death Certificates Available

In doing research on the Connor family it has been disappointing there are no death certificates for the senior Connors.  Requests have been made (sometimes twice because I didn't keep a research log!) for death certificates from Cook County and I have only received a "Certification that Record Was Not Found" document.  The following have officially been requested:

Anastasia Colfour Connor, died April 15, 1884
Thomas Connor, died September 28, 1888
James C. Connor, died November 25, 1890
Katherine Connor, died May 1, 1897
James Connor, died October 2, 1897

In Illinois we are lucky that the State has created an online index for deaths however the above five individuals are not listed in the Illinois State index nor through FamilySearch.

My guess is that it has something to do with the city of Evanston records prior to 1900.  Connors who died in Chicago, prior to 1900, do have death certificates.  On a positive note, very lengthy obituaries are available for almost all of the above and where I have located them, I have posted them on this Blog.

Calvary Cemetery Map, Evanston, Illinois

"Calvary is the oldest existing cemetery that had been established by the Archdiocese of Chicago, although it is not the oldest Catholic cemetery in the area - there are churchyards that predate it.  Catholic cemeteries had previously existed closed to Chicago, but health concerns and the value of the land prompted city officials to reinter bodies in more remote locations.  Calvary, Rosehill, Graceland and Oak Woods all saw their first burials in 1859.

At the border between Chicago and Evanston, Calvary sits on the lakefront behind Sheridan road.  Between Sheridan and the lake is a breakwater consisting of piled up white limestone boulders.  The main entrance is on Chicago Avenue, with the rear entrance directly across on Sheridan.  A wide road connects the two gates. Originally, a small lagoon lay in between, roughly two-thirds of the way from the east end, but it was filled in to create shrine sections.  This dramatically changed the appearance of the cemetery, as did the loss of many trees to Dutch Elm disease in the 1960s.

The west entrance of Calvary is beneath a large stone gate with three arches.  The center arch is surmounted by a triangle in the Gothic style.  Designed by James Egan (who is buried in Calvary), this represents the Greek letters Alpha and Omega, which are Catholic symbols of God as the beginning and the end.

I have included the Section numbers for each of the gravesites I have included in this blog.  By using this map, you will have some idea where many of the Connors are buried.
 
The Calvary Cemetery is located at 301 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, Illinois, 60202.