Last Updated on September 18, 2011 by
John A. McConnell, editor of the Charleston Plaindealer, Charleston; was born in Cadiz, Ohio, Dec. 26, 1826; he began, at 12 years of age, to learn his father’s business of chairmaking; his inclinations were, however, toward literary or professional pursuits, but he was prevented from carrying out his intentions in that direction by a weakness of the eyes; at the age of 17, he began teaching school, and taught during the winters for four years; in 1859, he engaged in the grocery business in Cadiz, in which he continued until 1871, when he embarked in the tanning business, and followed this until the spring of 1878; he then came to Charleston and assumed editorial charge of the Charleston Plaindealer, a Republican newspaper, the oldest in the county. He was married Jan. 3, 18(31, to Miss Mary Quest, of Cadiz, Ohio, a native of Indiana Co., Penn.