Home > United States of America > Iowa > Keokuk County > Sigourney > Conner Cemetery > Martha McGahey Conner

Martha McGahey Conner

Birth	:	2 Jun 1803 Kentucky, USA
Death	:	15 Aug 1864 Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	Conner Cemetery, Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate	:	41.3050003, -92.2380981
Description	:	Martha McGahey was born on June 2, 1803 in Kentucky and died on September 15, 1864 in Sigourney, Koekuk Co., Iowa and was buried at the Conner Cemetery, Sigourney, Keokuk Co., Iowa. Martha was married on May 24, 1827 in Putnam Co., Indiana to John Hart (son of Ezecal Hart and Jane). John was born on September 3, 1805. Martha's life was hard to trace and all links have not been filled in. Martha was married three times. Her first marriage was a year before her father sold his land in Kentucky to come to Indiana. This may mean she... Read More	Martha McGahey was born on June 2, 1803 in Kentucky and died on September 15, 1864 in Sigourney, Koekuk Co., Iowa and was buried at the Conner Cemetery, Sigourney, Keokuk Co., Iowa. Martha was married on May 24, 1827 in Putnam Co., Indiana to John Hart (son of Ezecal Hart and Jane). John was born on September 3, 1805. Martha's life was hard to trace and all links have not been filled in. Martha was married three times. Her first marriage was a year before her father sold his land in Kentucky to come to Indiana. This may mean she came to Indiana with one of her brothers. The first and second marriage was to John Hart, a Thomas Hart came to Clinton Falls as early as 1822. Martha's third marriage was to John O. Conner in 1838. In 1830, she settled the estate of her father legally, advertised in an Indianapolis, Indiana paper for non-resident heirs and they were "Andrew McGahey, Polly Hendricks, and Patsy." From clues it might be she and her second husband went west, probably Kansas as there seems to be some link with Kansas in the Hart family to this day (1951). After his death she returned to Indiana with her children and two Hart children that are known by this 2nd marriage were raised in Indiana. All three marriages were found in Greencastle, Indiana. The four children listed when the property was sold in Washington Twp., Parke Co., Indiana. John Hart was married to Patsy McGahey; Willis Hart was married to Sibby; Abigale hart was married to William Jenkins; and Nancy Hart was married to Robert Taylor. Martha married again on April 5, 1838 to John O. Conner (son of Jacob Conner and Barbara Furrow). John was born August 11, 1803 (October 11, 1804) and died on September 23, 1873 and was buried in Sigourney, Keokuk Co., Iowa. Before marrying John, Martha was twice widowed. She had at least three children at the time of her marriage to John O. Conner, so with his four this made an immediate family of seven children. They had an additional six children of their own. Most of the children were born in Indiana, however, Louisa was born in Galesburg, Illinois in 1847. Martha and John's marriage was recorded in Putnam Co. Courthouse in Greencastle. They resided in Russell Township, Indiana, near Fincastle. Martha was the younger sister of Frances (McGaughey) Conner, the second wife of John O. Conner's uncle, Zadock Conner. John was married again to Mary: The marriage date of John and Mary (last name unknown) is assumed based on the birth date of their first daughter. No other information on Mary is known at this time. Mary probably died before 1838, the year John married his second wife. On October 19, 1839 John O. Conner mortgaged 40 acres in Linten Township, Putnam Co., Indiana to Daniel Conner, (probably his brother). This transaction is listed in the General Index of Deeds Book in Greencastle, Putnam Co., Indiana. The above property in Lentin Township is adjacent to Russell Township, and near Martha's parents, William and Prepare (Clark) McGaughey's original homestead. In 1847 John O. and Martha went by covered wagon to Keokuk Co., Iowa. Other brothers as well as John O.'s father Jacob had already settled in that area. Martha's cousin, William McGaughey, was among the early settlers of Keokuk County. The 1850 Census of the County lists Wm. McGaughey and Aaron Conner, (John O's brother) as neighbors. Stories of the McGaughey family descendants relate that several families from Putnam Co., Indiana, including the McGaugheys, Harts, and Conners made the initial trip in early spring. They spent the first summer staking their claims by clearing land, planting crops, and building cabins to live in. In late fall they all loaded into 2 or 3 wagons, leaving their belongings behind, and made the long trip back to Putnam Co. to spend the winter with relatives. In early spring of the following year they went back to Iowa to harvest the crops planted the previous year, and improve the land. They continued in this fashion the following year, until they could raise crops and subsist through the winter on the new land. This story was related to B. J. Conner by Mary Jo Johnson of Greencastle, Indiana. She is a local genealogist whose husband was a descendant of William McGaughey. On August 2, 1856, John H. Conner of Keokuk Co., Iowa sold the same property to John O. Conner of Keokuk Co., Iowa. There must have been other transactions before this. John O. had a son named John Hamilton Conner who was listed with his father in the 1850 Census of Keokuk Co., Iowa. In 1853 John O. Conner, his son John Hamilton and several other family members headed west on the Oregon Trail to Portland. It is not certain what their reason was for going other than to help other family members move to a new area. He did keep a diary with a day by day account on their travels. However, he diary did not start until Fort Laramie so nothing is known about the early part of the trip. The trip was difficult and both John O. and his son John Hamilton and some of the others returned to Iowa. Others settled in Oregon, at least for a time. John O. donated the land for the Conner Cemetery south of Sigourney, Iowa where both he and his wife Martha, along with many other family members were buried. By the time of his death in 1873, seven of his children were still living. Martha (Conner) McClure was dead as were Millicent, Mike and Chalane. According to an article written by Dr. Fear, "John O. Conner started the cemetery when his 10 year old son, Michael, died in 1849." In 1863, John Conner and his wife Martha deeded the 10 rod square piece of ground to the people of Keokuk County. This portion is often referred to as the "old" cemetery. Martha married again to John Hart.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Martha McGahey Conner's memorial?
Martha McGahey Conner's memorial is located at: Conner Cemetery, Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA.
When did Martha McGahey Conner death?
Martha McGahey Conner death on 15 Aug 1864 in Sigourney, Keokuk County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Martha McGahey Conner's memorial?
Latitude: 41.3050003
Longitude: -92.2380981

Family Members:

Parent

Spouse

John O Conner

(1804 - 1873)

Siblings

Andrew McGahey

(1793 - unknow)

Children

Michael “Mike” Conner

(1839 - unknow)

Martha Frances “Fanny” Conner Miles

(1841 - 1920)

Louisa Conner Fear

(1847 - 1914)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Conner Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3050003, -92.2380981

2. Pennington Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2769012, -92.2050018

3. Pleasant Grove Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3405991, -92.2200012

4. Sigourney East Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3418999, -92.1992035

5. County Home Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3380013, -92.1770020

6. Bethel Cemetery
Delta, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2794000, -92.3107000

7. Clary Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3589080, -92.2000090

8. Kensler Cemetery
Delta, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2994003, -92.3246994

9. Garrett Cemetery
Delta, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3368988, -92.3277969

10. Johnson Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3824997, -92.2485962

11. Trueblood Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2583462, -92.1501798

12. Stoermer Cemetery
Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3333449, -92.1335126

13. Doggett Cemetery
Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2799988, -92.1306000

14. Sunny Ridge Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3367004, -92.1311035

15. Van Orsdall Cemetery
Ollie, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2355995, -92.1564026

16. Springfield Cemetery
Delta, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3386002, -92.3531036

17. Skinner Cemetery
Martinsburg, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2139024, -92.2085143

18. Walton Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3583445, -92.1335126

19. Garabaldi Cemetery
Sigourney, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3027800, -92.1111100

20. Mount Zion Cemetery
Martinsburg, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1988983, -92.2275009

21. Jones Cemetery
Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.1984190, -92.2238730

22. Hewitt Cemetery
Delta, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.3277874, -92.3807409

23. Harris Gravesite
Lancaster, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.2420030, -92.1182100

24. Humes Cemetery
Thornburg, Keokuk County, USA
Coordinate: 41.4085999, -92.2968979