Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

‘¢ -"5 Is‘.
W
O
(ff-
Conmey Family
submitted by Larry and Kathleen Conmey
and Margaret Conmey
Company in Savannah. Missouri. retaining his interest
in the company for three years after returning to
Anamosa. He then opened a dry goods store in 1895.
Later he purchased the old French and Lull buildings at
the northwest corner of Main and Ford streets and
enlarged the site to a department store. One of his most
competent clerks. so the story is told. was his sister.
Anna. who worked from 1900 to 1904. for the salary of
$4 a week. Anna later man-led August "Gus" Corcoran.
area amateur archeologist. who was instrumental in
the discovery and preservation of bones found in
Horsethief Cave in Wapsipinicon State Park.
Will was a life-long member of St.Patrick's Church
in-
and one of the oldest members of Anamosa Camp.
I
Modern Woodsmen of America. He served on the
Anamosa City Council in 1907. was a senior member of
the Anamosa Public Library Board. and was
instrumental in the construction of the Library. He was
also a board member of Holy Cross Cemetery. He
served for 30 years as an inheritance tax appraiser.
under appointment of the district court.
High school faculty 1867 — Supt. Lusk. Mrs. T.R.
Ercanbrack. unknown. Mary Conmey. second right
back row. Miss Julia Foos.
James William Conmey. a nine-year-old boy. ran
away with another chap from the schoolhouse where
the schoolmaster was a "mean and difficult" person.
These two fellows hid out on a ship until it was out at
sea. and this is how the Conmeys left County Mayo and
entered America. The details of his survival are
unknown. but he later married Jane Kane. an Irish lass.
and they became the parents of seven children. They
lived on a farm in the mountains of Bradford County.
Towanda. Pennsylvania. James. a carpenter. built their
home.
Jane. and two of her children. died of the diptheria
epidemic which swept through the country. At the
time. Mary Jordon. also from Ireland. was visiting her
cousins. neighbors of the Conmeys. Fortunately she
was on hand to help James after he lost his wife and
two children. After a time. James and Mary were
married. John. Maggie and Mary. unhappy with the
marriage of their father. immigrated to Iowa. It is said
when they arrived in Anamosa on the train. the name of
the town was so appealing to them. that they decided to
stay.
All three found teaching positions: John in Wyoming.
and Maggie and Mary taught school in Anamosa. where
they roomed with the Aispaugh family.
James and Mary Jordon became the parents of two
children. J.W. Conmey. called Will. was born in 1864.
and Anna Mary was bom when Will was three years
old. James and Mary. with their two children. moved to
the Anamosa area to be near his three older children.
Will attended Business College in Cedar Rapids and
then taught school for two years. He later became
bookkeeper and quarry manager for Senator J .A.
Green. of Stone City. He also managed quarries for Mr.
Green in Minnesota and helped him organize a Stone
159
nun
A 1917 photo of James M. Conmey. 10: Lawrence
William Conmey. 8: Margaret Mary Conmey, 5; Anna
Teresa Conmey. 2; and parents. J. William Conmey.
born Nov. 1862 and died Sept. 22. 1934. and Mary
McNamara Conmey. born Nov. I871 and died Jan. 22.
193 7. (Submitted by Kathleen Conmey)