My Genealogy Hound

DAVID McCONACHIE, who is successfully engaged in farming in Randolph County, claims Ireland as the land of his birth, which occurred in County Antrim in 1838. His grandparents, David and Jennie (Chestnut) McConachie, were also natives of County Antrim, and there spent their entire lives. The family, however, is of Scotch descent, but on account of religious persecution, its members removed to Ireland. The grandfather, who was a farmer, was a member of the Scotch Seceder Church. He died at the age of ninety-four. His wife was a daughter of Samuel and Anna (Leitrem) Chestnut, the former of whom was an officer in the British army. The latter was a daughter of the Earl of Leitrem.

Robert McConachie, father of our subject, was born in County Antrim in 1810, and in 1830 married Jane, daughter or John and Martha (Steele) McConachie. They became the parents of five children: John, Jane and Robert, deceased, and David and William, of this county. In 1858 the father came with his family to America, and lived in the Sparta Precinct until his death, which occurred in 1879. He was a farmer and stone-mason. In politics he was a Republican. He was a member of the Covenanter Church, and in his native land served as Deacon.

We now take up the personal history of our subject, who was a young man of twenty-one years when he came to the United States. He settled in New York and began working upon a farm. The following spring he joined his parents in this county and continued with them until 1873, when he was married. In 1861 he had purchased eighty acres of land, which he still owns. In 1863 he enlisted in the Union army, becoming a member of Company K, Forty-second Illinois Infantry, in which he served one hundred days. He then re-enlisted as a member of Company K, Fifth Illinois Cavalry, and continued in the service until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged. He took part in the Meridian campaign and also in a number of important engagements.

In August, 1865, Mr. McConachie returned home, and in the year 1873 married Miss Lucinda Steele, a native of Randolph County and a daughter of Rilen and Nancy (Morrison) Steele, the former a native of Ireland, and the latter of Illinois. To our subject and his wife have been born four children, Robert Henry, Emma B., David Rilen and Nancy Jane. The family is one of prominence in the community, and its members hold an enviable position in social circles.

The life of our subject has been a successful one, and his well-directed efforts have received their reward in the comfortable competence which he possesses. He owns two hundred and forty acres of valuable land and has $1,000 in the building and loan association. In politics he is a supporter of the Republican party, and he has been honored with some local offices of public trust. He served for twelve years as School Director, was Township Trustee four terms, and since 1865 has been School Trustee. He has filled these positions with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents, for he is ever true and faithful to confidence and trust reposed in him. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, of which he is Senior Vice-Commander, and both he and his wife hold membership with the United Presbyterian Church.