Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2016 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ========================================================================= A History of the Northern Peninsula of Michigan and its People, Vol. III by Alvah L. Sawyer Lewis Pub. Co., Chicago - 1911 [1345-1347] JAMES MUL CONRY, the efficient sheriff of Alger county, has main- tained his home at Munising, the judicial center of the county, for nearly a decade and a half and is one of the well known and popular citizens of this section of the Upper Peninsula, as is evidenced by the fact that he has been called to his present official position. MR. CONRY claims the old Empire state of the Union as the place of his nativity, as he was born in Oneida county, New York, on the 2d of May, 1851. He is a son of PATRICK and SARAH (MILLER) CONRY, the for- mer of whom was born in county Clare, Ireland, and the latter in Westchester county, New York. The father died at the age of sixty- five years and the mother was summoned to the life eternal when forty-three years of age. Of the eleven children the present sheriff of Alger county was the second in order of birth and concerning the other children now living the following brief record is given: DANIEL is a resident of New York city; IRA resides at Ossining, New York; CORNELIUS is a resident of Portland, Oregon; MARY JANE is the wife of GEORGE W. EATON, of Haverhill, Mass achusetts; SARAH ANN is the wife of CHARLES GODFREY, of Ossining, New York. PATRICK CONRY was reared and educated in the Emerald Isle and as a young man he severed the home ties and set forth to seek his fortunes in America, to which land of promise he came as a passenger on a sailing vessel of the type common to that period. He was for some time engaged in farming in Oneida county, New York, and later fol- lowed the same vocation in Westchester county, that state, being thus engaged until a few years prior to his death, when he entered the employ of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad Company. He was a stanch Democrat in his political proclivities and both he and his wife were communicants of the Catholic church. SHERIFF CONRY was reared to adult age on the home farm and was afforded the advantages of parochial and public schools in his native state. At the age of sixteen years he journeyed westward and located in La Salle county, Illinois, where he was employed at farm work for a period of about four years. In the autumn of 1872 he removed to Greenville, Montcalm county, Michigan, where he was employed in a sawmill until 1877, when he took up his residence in Stanton, that county, where he was similarly engaged until the following year, when he established himself in the retail liquor business at Edmore, that county. In 1891 he removed to Ewen, Ontonagon county, where he fol- lowed the same vocation until 1896, which year marked his advent in Munising, where he has since maintained his residence. Here he was engaged in the liquor business until 1908, when he disposed of the same. In November of that year he was elected sheriff of Alger county, and of this office he is still incumbent, his term expiring in January, 1912. He has given a most careful and punctilious admin- istration of the shrievalty and through his services has admirably conserved law and order, the while he has been successful in the apprehension of a number of notoious malfactors. His course has met with popular approval and he has shown himself a faithful and suc- cessful official of his county. In politics MR. CONRY is identified with the Republican party and he has shown a loyal interest in all that touches the welfare of his home city and county. He is affiliated with Marquette Lodge No. 405, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Marquette Council No. 689, Knights of Columbus in the city of Marquette; and Enterprise Tent No. 38, Knights of the Maccabees, at Edmore, this state. On the 12th of March, 1877, was solemnized the marriage of MR. CONRY to MISS MINNIE TOWNSEND, who was born at Hornellsville, Steu- ben county, New York, on the 13th of June, 1863, and who died in a hospital in the city of Marquette after an operation. Her funeral services were held in the Catholic church in Munising, and the floral offerings from friends and from the various fraternal organizations withwhich her husband is identified were of the most elaborate order, testifying to the high esteem in which she was held in the community. The REV. FATHER KRAKER officiated at the funeral and interment was in Maple Grove cemetery. She had been chorister of Sacred Heart church in Munising for eight years prior to her demise and was a woman of culture and most gracious personality. Of her three children the first born died in infancy, and the two who survive her are JAY TOWNSEND and MARION, the latter of whom is the wife of BLAKE THOMPSON, a resident of Duluth. JAY TOWNSEND CONRY received a good education in the public schools and by profession is a practical electrician. He was made chief of the fire department of Munising and served in that capacity for seven years, proving an efficient official. At present he is undersheriff of Alger county. Like his father, he is a Republican and cast his maiden presidential vote for McKINLEY. Fraternally MR. CONRY belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Marquette Lodge No. 405, andto Court No. 672, Catholic Order of Foresters. He is also associated with the theatrical business in Munising. September 23, 1904, he wedded MISS MAUDE E. McCANN, and two daughters have been born to them: MARCELLINE and MINNIE. Both MR. and MRS. CONRY are members of the Sacred Heart church at Munising. On the 22d of January, 1908, SHERIFF CONRY contracted a second mar- riage, being then united to MISS PAULINE RYAN, who was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, and who is a daughter of JOHN and MARY RYAN, both of whom were born in Ireland and both are now deceased, the father having been eighty-two years of age at the time of his death and the mother having passed away at the age of sixty-seven years. Of their eleven children, one son and six daughters are now living. Both MR. and MRS. RYAN came to America when young and their marriage was solemnized in Ontario, Canada. MR. RYAN was identified with railroad work in Ontario throughout his entire active career. MR. RYAN died in Grand Rapids and his wife in Reed City, Michigan. Both were earnest communicants of the Catholic church, as is also their daughter, MRS. CONRY. The latter is a popular factor in the social life of her home city, where she has a wide circle of friends. No children have been born of the second marriage of MR. CONRY. ==========================================================================