Conner, Fred Morton: Bratt Family History

1856 - 1942 (86 years)

Generation: 1

Conner, Fred Morton was born on 2 Jan 1856 in Penobscot, Hancock, Maine; died on 8 Jul 1942 in Castine, Hancock, Maine; was buried in Castine, Hancock, Maine.

Notes:

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Fred grew up on and farmed the homestead where his ancestor John D. Conner was listed in 1766. The homestead buildings are now gone, but the old family cemetery is visible about 1/3 of the way to the shore from the road. Around 1900 Fred broke his
knee and he and Helen moved Castine. They first resided in the building now occupied by the Water Witch store on Main Street where Helen operated a boarding house. Then they moved to their home on Perkins Street (the second house northeast of
Pleasant Street on the northwest side of the street). Fred was a construction worker and a member of the crew which built
the Wilson Museum in 1921. At his death he was the oldest resident of Castine. He died of a fall down his cellar stairs during an air raid drill; he had turned off the house lights and was going to the cellar as prescribed in the drill instructions.
His funeral service was held in his home on Perkins Street with the Rev. Nelson Canfield officiating.

Fred married Peterson, Helen Martha on 20 Aug 1880 in Hancock Co., ME. Helen was born on 2 Aug 1860 in Hancock Co., ME; died in Sep 1948 in Bangor, ME; was buried in Castine, Hancock, Maine. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children:

2. Conner, Everett died in Texas (?).
3. Conner, Edwin Solon was born on 15 Apr 1881 in Penobscot, Hancock, Maine; died on 26 Apr 1960 in Stuart, FL; was buried in Castine, Hancock, Maine.

Generation: 2

Conner, Everett

(1.Fred¹) died in Texas (?).

Notes:

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Everett married Ida Alberta Bailey (b. 14 June 1892 at Caribou, ME to Albert
Weston Bailey [b. 20 April 1861 at Lincoln, ME, d. 8 Aug 1932 at Caribou] and
wife Minnie Amanda Wottrich [b. 1 April 1872 at St. John, NB, d. 23 Jan 1952
at Caribou]).

Conner, Edwin Solon

(1.Fred¹) was born on 15 Apr 1881 in Penobscot, Hancock, Maine; died on 26 Apr 1960 in Stuart, FL; was buried in Castine, Hancock, Maine.

Other Events and Attributes:

Occupation: coach; recreation dir.

Notes:

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Edwin went to sea on fishing schooners as a boy, graduated from Eastern State Normal School (now the Maine Maritime Academy) and in 1906 from Bates College (starring there in baseball, basketball and football and for four years on the all-state

football team [once as an end, once as a tackle and twice as a fullback]), then was principal and coach at Hallowell, Maine, then teacher and coach at Lincoln High School, Cleveland, Ohio (where his life-long nickname "Chief" originated). During his

ten years at Lincoln High School he also operated summer camps for boys in New York's Adirondack Mountains, where he became friends of naturalists Ernest Thompson Seton and Dan Beard, and was in the group with them which worked with General Sir Robert

Baden-Powell to bring Boy Scouting to the United States.

During World War I he was athletic director at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio. His effectiveness there led Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. to induce him to come to Akron to coach its basketball team in the industrial league; he coached at Goodyear from 12

May 1919 until he retired 01 Sept. 1953. [After W.W. I he had a choice of three positions: recreational director for Goodyear, one with the federal Park Service, and an opportunity to go to Bermuda to be in a motion picture with Ann Kellerman, a

famous swimmer.] He started every heat of the Soap Box Derby from its move to Akron in 1935 until the late 1950s, served on the Akron Recreation Commission, 1934-51 (chair, 1941-51) and the Akron Board of Education, originated the father-son banquet

and pioneered the industrial recreation movement; he was in wide demand as an inspirational speaker.

His career at Goodyear was celebrated 20 January 1954 with an open house at the Goodyear Gym in Akron. Sportswriter Jim Schlemmer offered an extensive tribute in the Akron Beacon Journal the previous Sunday. He wrote, "Swimmer, cyclist, skater (he

once skated nonstop from Cleveland to Akron on the frozen canal); Conner might have succeeded Jack Johnson as the heaveyweight fistic champion is his desire for that kind of business had been equal to his ability...

"Instead, even before coming to Akron, he devoted his space time to church work and already had won recognition as the originator and developer of the Father-Son Week idea.

"...Long years spent in Boy Scout work built intimate friendships with General Baden-Powell, Ernest Thompson Seton, Dan Beard and others. They called him Coach or Chief like everybody else...."

His obituary in the Akron Beacon Journal calls him "big in body, in voice, in mind and in ideals." He was an avid, serious fisherman, tying his own flies. He died fishing from a boat in the Indian River. He is buried beside his wife in Castine,

Maine. He was a mesomorph in body type. Historian Phil Perkins told A. E. Myers in August, 1995 that Ed Conner had been touted as a contender for the national boxing championship, but that his wife (Vivian) protested strenuously, and he therefore did

not fight. He was member 73083 of Lafayette Chapter of the Ohio Society of the Sons of the American Revolution as a descendant of Capt. David Dunbar, Jr. of Massachusetts.

Edwin married Kenniston, Vivian Inez on 6 Dec 1901 in Amherst, ME. Vivian was born on 27 Sep 1881 in Amherst, ME; died on 21 Jun 1960 in Castine, Hancock, Maine; was buried in Castine, Hancock, Maine. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children:

4. Conner, Edwin Kenniston was born on 11 Oct 1904 in Amherst, ME; died on 17 Feb 1958 in Akron, OH.
5. Conner, Marian Helen was born on 23 Sep 1906 in Amherst, ME; died on 23 Jan 1985 in Ormond Beach, FL; was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Uniontown, OH.
6. Conner, Virginia Montez was born on 27 Jan 1910 in Cleveland, OH; died on 9 May 1985 in New York, New York, USA.

Generation: 3

Conner, Edwin Kenniston

(3.Edwin², 1.Fred¹) was born on 11 Oct 1904 in Amherst, ME; died on 17 Feb 1958 in Akron, OH.

Notes:

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"Ted" also married (2) Violet Smallwood (who by a previous marriage had a
daughter, Joan Yonkers). Elma is his third wife.

Edwin married Hooper, E.M. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children:

7. Conner, J.E.

Edwin married Neimi, Elma on 3 Jul 1943 in Miami, FL. Elma was born on 1 Dec 1907 in Telluride, Colorado; died on 11 Dec 1994. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children:

8. Conner, M.V.E.

Conner, Marian Helen

(3.Edwin², 1.Fred¹) was born on 23 Sep 1906 in Amherst, ME; died on 23 Jan 1985 in Ormond Beach, FL; was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Uniontown, OH.

Other Events and Attributes:

Occupation: homemaker

Notes:

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Marian graduated BA from The University of Akron (Ohio)and was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority there. She was an
active Christian Scientist, and an avid student and reader. She was the first May Queen at Central High School, Akron, and was considered a very beautiful woman throughout her life. She loved music, taught piano and supported musical programs (such
as the Tuesday Musical Club) in the Akron area. Her death resulted from an automobile accident. She was a member of the Society of Mayflower Sescendants (National 16262, Ohio 746).

Marian married Myers, Forrest Donald on 15 Aug 1930 in Trinity Lutheran Church, Akron, OH. Forrest was born on 14 May 1906 in Akron, OH; died on 15 Jul 1993 in Akron, OH; was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Uniontown, OH. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children:

Conner, Virginia Montez

(3.Edwin², 1.Fred¹) was born on 27 Jan 1910 in Cleveland, OH; died on 9 May 1985 in New York, New York, USA.

Notes:

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Virginia married (1) Willoughby Francis Brazeau, (2) William Karl Dick and (3)Frederick Strong Moseley (as his 2nd wife).  She was a prominent interior designer who also designed furniture for Frank Lloyd Wright and Henredon, among others.  She

graduated from the Paris (France) School of Fine and Applied Arts in 1931, and also attended The University of Akron (where she was a Kappa Kappa Gamma) and the Cleveland School of Art.

In 1939 she did a house for Wannamaker's at the New York World's Fair, and in 1940 exhibited a room of her own company at the same fair.  In May, 1940, GO, a magazine for New York visitors, profiled her and reported that "Ginni" is 5'6", slim,

blue-eyed and attractive.  And that she loves "golf, opera, philharmonic, fishing, swimming and walking her Keeshund, Meisje, through the park."  She was often featured in "House and Garden" - the August, 1936 issue shows photos of her own apartment

(p. 74), the June, 1938 issue contains a multi-page layout and article about her work, the March, 1943 shows her dining room at One Beekman Place and the May, 1944 shows her bedroom at Allen Winden Farm, Islip, NY.

Virginia married Dick, William Karl on 24 Dec 1941 in Akron, OH. William was born on 28 May 1888 in Brooklyn, NY; died on 5 Sep 1953 in Islip, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children:

13. Dick, D.V.
14. Dick, W.K.

Virginia married Moseley, Frederick Strong Jr. on 28 Dec 1958 in New York, New York, USA. Frederick was born on 23 Nov 1903 in Boston, MA; died on 1 Feb 1972 in New York, New York, USA; was buried in Newburyport, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Generation: 4

Conner, J.E.

(4.Edwin³, 3.Edwin², 1.Fred¹)

J.E. married Weiss, R.G. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children: