Idaho - AHGP/Canyon County/bio-Benjamin McConnel

Benjamin Casner McConnel and Elizabeth Hall McConnel

by Sharon A. McConnel

Benjamin and Elizabeth McConnel, 1876

The early years

Benjamin Casner McConnel was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, the fourth son of William McConnel and Nancy Graham McConnel. He was named after his mother's sister Margaret's husband Benjamin Casner and in 1893 he would inherit $300 from his aunt's estate, as the result of being a namesake. (research courtesy of Carol Bryant, Graham researcher)

When Benjamin was about two years old the family migrated from Ohio to Birmingham, Van Buren County, in SE Iowa. Also making the move were his maternal grandfather Joseph Graham, Joseph's second wife Letitia, and teenage sons Joseph Jr and Simon. The Casners may have also made the move at the same time. At any rate, by the time of the 1850 census, they too were counted in Van Buren County. Less than ten years later the McConnels moved further west to Wayne County, Iowa.

In June of 1867 Benjamin C. married Elizabeth Hall, of "Sheridan, Lucas County," Iowa, so reads the Bible page. She was the third child of Nathan and Permelia Hall. Her older sister, Sarah Hall Dey, and her husband John acted as witnesses to the marriage.

The Dixie, or "Lower Boise," Homestead

In April of 1869 Benjamin, Elizabeth, their three-month old son William Nathan, and Benjamin's brother John Wesley traveled to the newly formed Idaho Territory. A biography of their son Walter in the 1920 "History of Idaho, The Gem of the Mountains" says:

They traveled by rail from Iowa to Green River, Wyoming, then by stage to Boise, Idaho, where they met their brother, David K., who had migrated to Idaho some seven years earlier in 1862. Benjamin C. located on about 160 acres of raw land in what is now Canyon County, where he raised cattle and cut wild hay.

(see W. H. biography )

In the 1870 census Benjamin, Elizabeth, young Will, and brothers David K. and John W. were all counted in the same household, with David K. listed as "head." David listed his occupation as farmer; Benjamin, as "stock raising," and John W., as "works on farm;" Elizabeth as "keeping house."

The agriculture census shows a more complete picture - the household produced 2500 pounds of butter, which was undoubtedly made by Elizabeth. Boise City, roughly twenty miles up-stream, probably was the closest and most likely market. Possibly the men occasionally made the forty-some mile trek into Silver City. Mildretta Adams in "Historic Silver City/the story of the Owyhees," writes:

Ranch families made butter from cream cooled in a clear, cold spring, 'salted it down' in crocks, and hauled it quantities to the mining camps. . . (In the) year of 1867, butter sold 1.35 per lb.

David reported that the household owned four horses, 44 head of milch cows, 80 head of "other cattle," and 11 head of swine.

The ranch site was located on the south bank of the Boise River, approximately six miles downstream from Caldwell and two miles upstream from present-day Notus, the location of "Lower Boise" post office which was established in 1869 by James Tucker. (see 1876 homestead map) Benjamin received his homestead patent on this property in March of 1876.

Harry McConnel wrote:

My grandmother told me when I was about seven years old a story I remember well. During Indian scares or reported Indian troubles in the vicinity, all the men would be assembled, for possible combat, to go to the area where trouble was reported. This would leave the women and children alone and, therefore, they would be in danger and unprotected. During such times she would take the children, some blankets, and cold roast beef, which she tried to keep on hand, down into the brush along the river. There they would stay until the men returned. She would gather up prepared food to take as, obviously, they could not have a fire.

The other story to survive from that time period is the story of brother John's romance with neighbor, Hester Bowman, as re-told by his granddaughter, Lorena Estlow Hyde:

One day, in the spring of 1875 a party of neighbors living in the vicinity of Caldwell were gathering wild geese eggs on the Dixie slough about three miles west of Caldwell. Among the party was Capt. Bowman, a Confederate officer, and John W. McConnel, a fiery Republican, whose elder brother fought for the Union, and who was in love with Hester, the fifteen year old daughter of Capt. Bowman.

Realizing that her father's consent could never be obtained, the young couple decided to take advantage of the opportunity to elope which the day's sport afforded. With the knowledge of the girl's mother and an uncle plans were made very carefully. Two fast saddle horses were in readiness, the side saddle of one being camouflaged with a pack. When the time for the departure arrived the girl slipped into her riding skirt, the pack removed quickly from the side saddle, and they were off. Capt. Bowman and his sons ran for their guns, which Mrs. Bowman and the uncle had taken the precaution to hide, and by the time pursuit was organized the young couple had too long a start to make capture possible.

There were no bridges crossing the Boise at the time, but the ferry which was near the present highway bridge was operated by Mr. Fouch, a minister, who married the couple as they crossed the river on the ferry boat. . . Mr. and Mrs. McConnel went immediately to the Shaffer Creek Ranch (east of Horseshoe Bend, Boise County) owned by the McConnel brothers, where they established their home. Their romance, however, was of short duration, for the following November the girl-bride died of what was then termed quick consumption.

By the time of the 1880 census, Benjamin and David were counted next door to each other in Ada County's "Lower Boise Valley" and brother John was counted in "Dixie Valley."

On the agriculture schedule, Benjamin listed a livestock inventory for the previous year of 7 horses; 3 milch cows, 210 "other;" with 120 calves dropped listed under meat cattle. Presumably the 210 head of "other" were beef cattle.

"McConnel Island" at the mouth of the Boise River

In the fall of 1882 Benjamin sold his original homestead and moved close to the mouth of the river, south of old Fort Boise. He received a "sale - cash entry" homestead on 166 acres approximately one mile upstream from the old fort and ferry. (see McConnel Island map) The following spring he added an adjacent 166 acres to his holdings, giving him a total of 332 acres. His brother David also bought properties in the area totaling 500 acres. Two years after that younger brother George joined them and a couple years later brother Charles also joined them on an adjacent tract. By the time Idaho became a state in July 1890 the four brothers had homesteaded over 700 acres in the area, including the 80 acres "desert entry" homestead of Mary Ellen McConnell McConnel, wife of George W. The total McConnel holdings, including properties purchased from adjacent homesteaders, was over 1400 acres.

High Valley

In 1891 Benjamin and Elizabeth moved to High Valley, in what was then southwest Boise County. Possibly they had been using the area as summer range. Their youngest child Mabel "Mae" was born there July 1891.

Ben, Elizabeth and most of the family were back in High Valley in June of 1900, at the time of the census. Thier eldest son Will, his wife Zeulo and son Arthur were in Boise.

The Later Years

In October 1906 Ben and Elizabeth moved to Boise, to a tract at Overland and Latah, next door to brother David. About 1915 they moved to Twin Falls. He died December of 1927 and Elizabeth died March of 1932.

Ben's obituary Elizabeth's obituary

American History and Genealogy Project