Sherman Bennett McCONNELL

  General Notes:

Photo: The attractive, elongated gravestone for Sherman Bennett McConnell, 1869-1947, and his wife, Delilah Jane (Folsom) McConnell, 1872-1956, is in Graceland Cemetery, Burke, Gregory County, South Dakota.

Photo taken for ALLUM in 2009 by Lorraine Leslie Besmer



1869 BIRTH of Sherman Bennett McConnell ("Sherm")

1870 CENSUS, Kansas, Neosho County, Mission Township ("Benjamin," age 4 months, is with his brother "Harrison," age 4, in the household of John McConnell, born 1844 in Ohio)


Shirley Allum Hudlicky:

"Sherman Bennett McConnell was born October 17, 1869 in Neosho County, Kansas. He was seven months old when his mother, Elizabeth Jane Chapman McConnell, died in 1870. He was cared for by a housekeeper until his mother's death and then raised by his mother's parents, Hugh and Julia Chapman. He was ten years old when his grandmother died and he and his brother Harry went to live with his father and second wife in Kansas. Times were hard after the Civil War, Sherman (13) and Harry (16) were not happy, so with their father's blessing, they departed in 1881-1882."


1880 CENSUS, Kansas, Neosho County, Centerville Township ("Bennie S.," age 10, is in the household of his father and stepmother)

1891 MARRIAGE of Sherman Bennett McConnell and Delilah Jane Folsom on July 5 in Prairie City, McDonough County, Illinois

1899 MOVE from Illinois to South Dakota

1900 CENSUS, South Dakota, Gregory County, Township 95 ("Sherman B.," age 30, "Farmer")

1910 CENSUS, South Dakota, Gregory County, Burke (Sherman, age 40, "Farmer, General farm") (transcribed "Herman B." in some census indexes)

1920 CENSUS, South Dakota, Gregory County, Union Township, Herrick ("Sherman B.," age 50, "Hotel Keeper, Hotel")


Shirley:

"From 1917-1920 the McConnells operated the Herrick Hotel situated on the corner at the east end of main street on the north side. It boasted ' gas and electric light and steam heat.' Their residence was directly across the street to the east."


1930 CENSUS, Iowa, Woodbury County, Sioux City ("Sherman B.," age 60, "Operator, Pop Corn Stand (?)")

1947 DEATH, Sherman Bennett McConnell at 77 years 10 months 11 days


Shirley:

"The McConnells were fortunate to celebrate their Golden and 55th wedding anniversaries together. But by 1946 Sherm was not feeling well a good share of the time. On August 28, 1947 he suffered a fatal coronary thrombosis while doing the morning chores. Delilah flagged down a passing motorist who summoned Mr. H. L. Clausen at Burke and notified her daughter Grace and family at Herrick. On October 8th she sold the farm, livestock and machinery at auction and from then on made her home with her children, for she never enjoyed being alone. Nine years later, on September 17, 1956, at the age of 83, she passed away at Ft. Collins, Colorado, where she had been living at the home of her daughter, Edna Genzlinger. My husband Stan went with Mr. Clausen to bring her back to Burke where she was laid to rest beside her husband."


****


1956 DEATH of wife, Delilah Jane (Folsom) McConnell at 83 years 10 months 7 days

Sherman married Delilah Jane FOLSOM, daughter of Nathaniel Harris FOLSOM and Margaret RITCHIE, on July 5, 1891 in Prairie City, Mcdonough County, Illinois. (Delilah Jane FOLSOM was born on November 10, 1872 in Bardolph, Mcdonough County, Illinois, died on September 17, 1956 in Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado and was buried in Graceland Cemetery, Burke, Gregory County, South Dakota.)