The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-01
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Ano - !" VAC ION ne Of New Yorks most prom
u, and has taken aways The narson !, J.r,o.
nent and influential men, in this c,tv IA d,ad l
the well known type founder o. .rv residence IN We
Thursday, the 3oth ult at his coun.
chester county, aged sixty three year. >, r,o,u !,
He leaves widow and seven chiIdreA ~
loss-fve sons and two daughters. 49,, $50,
James Conner was born on the 22d Of A. VIM I've
within few miles Of Hyde Park. Duchess count,
In 1911 he was apprentced to Samuel Brewer, the o.
Of the Public Adsrtiser newspaper then located IL
corner OF Water and Pine streets in this city In this
office young Conner fret learned the mystery Of type
setting he displayed uncommon intuitive knowledge of
the business, and. soon ranked ahead Of many fellow
Craftsman After remaining on the advertiser for few
years, until suspended publication, he attached himself
to the Public Advocate then edited by Major NJ NJ Noah
BE remained several msnths that paper petfecting
himself all the while as compositor. We next find
him with Abraham Paul, then q celebrated book
printer at the corner Of Water street and Bdrlng slip
HIS next engagement was with Ephraim Conrad, well
esteemed printer Of that date at the Of Frankfort
and Chatham streets the precise spot which Frenchs
Hotel stands. While in this position young Conner
made rapid progress IN the completion OF his ambition to
become first class printer. Leaving this establishment
be connected hiuseR with several book and job
houses. BE next employed in the establishment OF
Mr. Watts then located at the corner Of Broome and
Orange streets At this establishment in hts capacity
On ordinary compos,ior, Conner, then not than
eighteen years OF age worked on the first quarto Bible
ever sfereofyped on the western side Of Ataotc
He subsequently engaged with Charles starr and from
there he went into the employ meut OF the American
Bible Society The late Daniel Fanshaw being Mt the
head OF the practical department OF that concern made
tho suggestion that the ling and repairing OF
stereotype plates ought to be distinct branch ITSELF
and entrusted only 10 The most experienced prir ers In
order TO learn ih2uew business Dung Conner entaed
opon himfen temporary loss Of some thee dollars per
wees IN the hope that the enlarged experience he should
gain would more tnsl compensate him In the long run
Soar after this be confined himself exclusively 10 the
ste,eoty ping business, AID engaged by Haum Nd
Wallace somewhre about this date Mir Conner married..
He afterwards removed to Boston, where he took &C
tive charge ot Tueay IL Carers stereotype foundry
large weekly salary. 10 this the addition was sabse
While there Mr.. Connec opato think seriously of en-
barking in business osAGJ - ksxcuaive account with
Of the twenty four Thus he coptnue0 work for
three years and caue away rewarded with three
thousand collars clear profit
He subsequently returned to this city with q view OF
locating himself permanently. He located himself in a
building in Frankfort street. Pearl Here he got to.
eeiher the necessary apparatus for stereotypng for
tunate opportunity commencing presented itself
in the surrenoerng by Mr. Daniel ranshaw-Mr Conner
old friend-of The residue OF bis lease on NO. Murray
street
Mr. Conner all through his life, had been noted FOR his
free and courteous oemeanor, advantage not too
in any class Of men, and which subject found Of
immense benefit to him when he really made
ne on his OWL account AS tradesman nus method Of
acting was most comnendab!e his rule the golden one,
was that selling cheaply, quickly and for returns;
and 70 The end OF making ais business extensively kGown
be advertised freely. By zealousy and consistently
aohering to this principle, Mr. Conners success
in trace was Of quite unexamped character
While in Murray street he made an impor
tent advance in type founding. He next removed
TO Spruce street, near Gold. Here he erected
building for the casting OF pases This he felt bound 10
from the necessities Of business which had become
great In comparatively brief period, aud enarging
every day In addition TO his ordinary custom, that Of
the Episcopal and Methodist societies had recently
crued to hto The occasion, he thought was opporuoe
for the publication OF folio Bible, being the first
stereoty ped in the States or any other country For
this long before he had finished IT, he found customer
ia Slas Andrus, of Hartford Connecticut who readily
agreed to the price inst asked--dve thousand dollars
Elateo he well might be, by his in this
necon and anxious as he ever was to keep good faith
to devote eighteen hours daily to the personal super
vision Of the work. The rapid extension OF his
eligible. building. he therefore purchased the
lot Nassau street. next to and north Of Ann where he
erected five story building expressly for the residence of
to the thorough completion Of this il minated to
Mr. Conner that be might purchase from the city the gore
left on the opening and widening Of Ann street Ac-
knowledgng The importance OF the location he deter
mined to avail himself Of the chance, and he did Civ
ing for the thirty four feet Nassau street and tho
seventy Ann the Of seven thousand i've hundre
dollars further sum Of twelve Thousand FIVE hundred
dcnis wac expended the completion Of the building
afer the iIusrious Franklin It was from this plac
that Mr.. Conner issued his "Ilniature Specimens
specimen of art produced considerable sensation s.
iavorably IL thought or that the introduction Of
reputation as sereotyper Of the highest order soon
overwhelmed him with orders from booksellers, be-
sides. which he executed large amount of work
en- his individual account Among other works
which received his attention was the "rrea
sury Of Knowledge and Library of Reference" GA
Milton OF Facts" "The Poyglot Bible" rhe Cottage
Walter scotts entire Works" On thelaer work alone he
invested from forty to fifty thousand dollars AT this
I'D nc had In
duced 10 dispose Of hg stereotypng establishment and
devote himself entirely to the manufacture of type and
Inc pupraoa OF sceMs mofks IN paris Inc year iS5s
reremen MT from business had been growing Ar. Con-
ner Who in the mmaturity Of his sons recognized tho
sole opportunity Of resgning the charge in its transfer
to sCme partner. He selected such PERSONA most
amiable correct man 1t not from him tina, the blow
came, the true Of which the entaHment of
confidential friend. To be brief Mr. Conner lately
afuent, discovered that he without dollar
the wide world. Indeed, to quote his own emphatic
load Of wood"
But character like his can always invoke wealth,
some way or other. Nobody doubted that Mr. Conner
could at this distressing crisis have raised thousands Of
doars on the strength OF his mere promise to pay on
particular day man Of siTict probty, he soon found
hmst surrounded with true friends, VINO opened credit
for him to the extent OF five thousand dollars With the
fumes thus supplied be purchased new foundry and
once more applied himself to the art which he abored SO
hard to deyelope He found himself surrounded with
customers and his business again rapidly increased At
the maturity OF the period Of his credit he promptly met
In 1874 Mr. Conner was elected to the office Of County
Clerk for three years. and in 1847 general was the
prevail his official conduct that at the expiration Of his
first term he reelected to the office During
the elk years Of his official duties Mr. Conner never lost
sight Of his buenesg-ha business he had brought to
high degree Of excellence and to which, it seemed all
his instincts were directed He continued to make add
tons to his stock Of materials end TO receive increased
patronage. Entering early into the California trade and
veDturng on large speculative Shipments however, some
fifteen thousand dollars Of his money was jeopardzed
his son William consequently despatched to the
then State. He arrived not in time to al but
some seven thousand dollars and to secure every other
demand of magnitude.
During the absence Of bis son. Mr. Conner, impressed
by the formidable location then offered to HIN 10 Beex
man street, purchased the lot and erected thereon Elk
story buildings specially adapted to his business There
he went on in his usual path Of improvement, by de-
tfyg and Strengthening OF the articles he anufac-
ured In his business be displayed wonted originality
ant made many and extensive improvements n the cut
ting cf type, stereoiypug snd eecGoty Ping Aooat one