Yuma County, Colorado
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Yuma County Pioneer Photographs:

Isaac I. Conner , 1 South 42 West

Isaac Idell "Ike" Connor was born August 20, 1858 in Pennsylvania to 'Pete' and Mary Conner, with nine brothers and one sister. The family settled near Eustis, Nebraska, and Ike married Sarah Alice Morris, daughter of Charles and Rebecca Morris in December 1901. They lived around Grand Island and North Platte.


In 1910 Gosper County, Nebraska, I.I. Conner is 33, born in Pennsylvania, Sarah A. 28 Iowa, with Mabel L. 8, Annie M. 6, Gladys I. 3 and newborn son Lile C.

Two historic sites were recorded during the survey. Site 5YM204 is the first historic site recorded anywhere along the Arikaree River drainage. Interviews with descendents of the original homesteader and a site survey provided the following information. In the spring of 1910, Isaac (Ike) Connor traveled west to claim land in Colorado. Ike selected the site of his homestead in Yuma County, five miles east of Beecher Island on the north side of the Arikaree River. He spent the first summer breaking sod, planting a feed crop of corn and sorghum(i.e., "cane"), and building a small three-room sod house and barn. In August of 1910, Ike's wife Alice and their four children arrived at the homestead. Additional buildings were constructed at the site, including a hen house and granary. For the next thirty years, the homestead remained virtually unchanged. Ike and Alice raised milk cows, chickens, cane and corn for feed, and eight children. After the death of Ike in 1941, Alice remained on the farm alone for nearly two years. In 1943 she abandoned the homestead and moved to Wray, Colorado. After being abandoned, the site progressively deteriorated. By 1961, the granary and what remained of the sod house were the only existing structures. Today, though foundations and debris from the house, barn, and hen house are still evident, the only remaining structure on the site is the granary. Though this building is constructed from wood, a metal siding applied to the exterior walls has contributed to its longevity.

Isaac proved up 320 acres in 6, 2S 42W and 36, 1S 42W in 1918.


In 1917 Ida M. Miles filed for Desert land claim in 2S 42W, section 7, witnesses Goldie M. Whomble, Isaac Conner, Walter Wilson and John T. Whomble, all of Wray, Colorado.

In 1920 Yuma County, "Isse" is 43, Alice 38, with Maud A. 16, Gladys 13, Charles L. 10 - these three born in Nebraska, Merna R. 5 and George I. 3 born in Colorado.

In 1930 Yuma County, Isaac 53, Pennsylvania, Alice S. 48 Iowa, have Lyle C. 20 Nebraska, Merna R. 15 Colorado, Inez I. and Ilna O. both 9 born in Colorado.
In 1937 "Conner, Ike, wife Sarah - 1N 5E Beecher, Wray Star Rt. Owns land, Farmer, (Inez). "

Isaac 1878-1941 # 17087123 is buried in Wray, with Sarah Alice 1882-1954.

MAUD
George E. Busby and "Mandie" Conner, both 22, marreid at Wray July 15, 1925.

In 1930 Maud A. Busby and husband George, 27, married four years, have Alice L. 4.
In 1940 Yuma County, they still have only Alice.
George Edgar Busby 1902-1976 and Maudie Ann (Connor) Busby 1903-1950 are buried in Armel, # 81850816.

MABLE

In 1920 Lansing precinct, Yuma County, James P. Miles is 23, Mable 18, farming.
In 1930 Vernon precinct, Yuma County, James P. Miles is 33, Mable L. 28, both born in Nebraska. Stanley G. 9 was born in Nebraska, Marlin 8, Marvin 5, Melvin 3, and Dwight 1 all born in Colorado.
James Philo Miles 1895-1975 and Mable L. Miles 1902-1985 are buried in Montrose, # 99538645.

Marvin George Miles, son of James Philo Miles and Mabel Conner Miles, born July 17, 1924 at Beecher Island, Colorado, died May 25, 2011
GLADYS

In 1930 Dewey Cox (son of Sharrow Cox of the same area) is farming in Yuma County, 31, married to Gladys I. 23 with seven-month-old Donald.
In 1940, still farming in Yuma County, they have Donna 10, Jean 8, Geraldine 4, and Marilyn 2.
Dewey H. Cox 1898-1988 and Gladys I. Cox 1906-1972 are buried in Montrose # 32002779, married Dec 24, 1923.
The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel of May 23, 1988, page 3B has him marrying Gladys Iva Connor.
Gladys' obituary was in the Sentinel March 24, 1972, page 5A.

IONE
In 1940 Wray, Carl E. Glenn is 21, a salesman in a lumber yard, married to Ione A. 19, and Carolyne 2 - all three born in Colorado..
(They're on the same page as my aunt Lillie McGinnis.)
In 1951 Grand Junction, Colorado, Carl E. (Iona A.) Glenn live at 427 Lawrence -. He's a driver.
In 1960 he's a gas station attendant, and they live at 760 Teller Avenue.. S Iona A. is a maid at Mesa Memorial Hospital.
Carl Edward Glenn, born Oct 18, 1918, died in Las Vegas, Nevada June 9, 1997, per Nevada death records.
Carl and Iona -Nov 13, 1920-Mar 13, 1972 and Carl E. "Ted" Oct 18, 1918 - April 24, 1937 are buried in Orchard Mesa cemetery, Grand Junction, per the Mesa County Genealogical Society.

Carolyene JoAnne Hicken, 68, Meeker, CO. passed away May 25, 2006 at Pioneer Hospital after a long illness, she was a homemaker. Carolyene was born January 22, 1938 in Wray, Colorado from the union of Carl and Iona Conner Glen. She moved to Grand Junction, Colorado with her parents and attended school and spent her childhood there.
Carolyene married James Keith Hicken on November 13, 1982 in Las Vegas, NV. He preceded her in death on February 19, 2000. Carolyene was a Meeker, Colorado resident for more than twenty years and consider Meeker and Grand Junction her home. She enjoyed traveling, taking an occasional cruise, crocheting, and knitting. A favorite past time was spending time playing marbles and cribbage and being with the grandkids.
Her family will deeply miss her. Survivors include a legacy of three children; a son; Terry (Natalie) Ethington of Meeker, CO. and two daughters; Bonnie (Joel) Wood of Fallon, NV and Sherri (Charles) Yates of Seattle, WA. Other survivors include a sister Marla (Frank) Genovese of Los Angeles, CA, ten grand children and twenty great-grandchildren. Carolyene was preceded in death by her parents, her husband James, a sister Barbara, one great grandson, Chase Wood and great-granddaughter Wendy Lane.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at Martin Mortuary with burial next to her husband to take place at a later date.



MERNA

The East Yuma history says Merna married Maurice Lorimer in 1932.
In 1940 Leadville, Colorado, Maurice E. is 29, Merna R. 25, with Opal J. 5 and Phyllis M. seven months.
In 1960 Grand Junction, Colorado, Maurice E.(Merna) is a carpenter, living at 2625 Texas Avenue. Albert E. (Myrtle) live at 403 Chuluota.

Merna R. Lorimer 1914-1989 # 50565055 and Maurice E. Lorimer 1911-1986 # 50565077 are buried in Vancouver, Washington.
INEZ
Inez Conner, 17, married Leon Brown, 25 in Wray on Dec 20, 1937.
The East Yuma History says Inez married Howard Thomas in 1939.
Mrs. Inez Thomas of Pool's Tourist camp, Montrose, Colorado, who since last August has been making her home in Montrose, was advised Monday afternoon of the death in action of her husband, Pvt. Howard W. Thomas, who was killed Christmas day 1944 in Belgium.
Besides his wife, the young soldier, who was about 24 years of age, leaves two small daughters, Janet, 4, and Sharon, 2. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Thomas of Holyoke, Colo., also survive. Two brothers, both in service, are George Thomas, merchant marine, and Morgan Thomas, who is in the army and understood to be still in this country. A sister is Mrs. Opal Cramer of Holyoke.
Pvt. Thomas went into the army about a year ago from Salida, in Chaffee county. He was sent overseas last August and after landing in England had served in the campaigns in France, Holland, Germany and then back into Belgium. The last letter received from him stated that he had been in Germany but was back in Belgium. It was dated Dec. 23 and was received here recently.
Pvt. Thomas was working for a construction company at Pando when called into service. He had planned when he returned from the war to make his home at Montrose.
Sisters-in-law who live here are Mrs. James Miles and Mrs. Dewey Cox while Lyle Conner is a brother. Mrs. Alice Conner, mother of Mrs. Thomas, is here on a visit.
Pvt. Thomas and the former Inez Conner were married at Sidney, Neb., five years ago.

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