The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-03-19
Monday. March 10. 1877,
No. 6.
(Continued.)
pERsHING & CONNOLLY.


publishers of the Rock Islander, and they
united the two papers, under the name of
The Islander and Argus, publishing the
paper until the 10th of September, 1859,
when l repurchased their interest two
thirds) retaining Mr. Jones, who had pre-
viously become partner, and thus l con-
tinued until the spring of 1863, when l
sold a ore-half interest to Robert L. Nc
Neal, ESQ, and one-sixth interest to Mr..
Jones, and they, as equal partners, contin-
ued the paper. A more particular notice
of Messrs. Pershing & Connolly will appear
in connection with their paper-the Rock
Islander.
On the ODD of September, 1858, Milton
Jones purchased Shurly's interest in the
establishment, becoming a partner with
Pershing Il Connolly, and one-third owner
of the establishment. Jones was born
June 18th, 1886, in Muskingum county,
Ohio,-commenced to learn the printers
trade in the job printing Office of +. &.
Church, GAINESVILLE, Ohio, as ''roller boy, "
learned to be very good ROLLER boy"
in two months; then learned to set type in
the office of the GAINESVILLE aurora, remain
ing in that Office less than two years.
after which he went to school one year at
the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware,
Ohio. He came to Rock Island in the fall
Of IQEE-vck runrI- Gov rraak in Tho
Rock Islander Office, -PershiDg Il Con-
nelly, proprietors,- in this Office
where he has been ever since.
MCNEAL
Robert I. McNeal was born in Edmon-
son county, KY, April 81, 1886. When
about eight years old his father removed
to Bowling Green where he was brought
up and educated in an academy, and by
private lessons in Latin and some of the
natural sciences. January LIST, 1855, then
in his nineteenth year. he bought the Ken
lucky Standard, which had been one of
the aiding Wing papers 10 that state, and
edited and published it till the summer
Of 1856 when he sold it, and, in September
Of that year, established the Bowling
Green Gazette in the advocacy of Willard
Fillmoros candidacy for the presidency.
In January, 1860 he sold the Gdzette with
the view of establishing an Independent
daily in Louisville During the year 1860 he
made arrangements with Hon. f. K Zolli-
Golfer Of Tennessee, afterwards general
in the confederate army and killed at the
battle Of Mill Spring, KY to join him in
the enterprise; but on account OF apprehen.
sions of serious complications growing out
the exciting campaign of 1850, it wa'
deemed prudent TO wait till the result o
and when Tennessee seeded Mr.. Zolli
Golfer felt constrained by sense OF duty, al
he said although he had heroicalIy opposed
the act ct secession, to 90 with his state
Losing his chosen chief in so important al
Undertaking and seeeing war impending
Mr.. McNeal,in the early spring Of 1861 witt
no purpose of engaging in practice, com
menced the study flaw with Geo. G. Rogers
of Bowling Green, brother to the presen
judge by that name in Chicago, and he wa
so engaged when,in September 1861, Ger
Buckner captured the town with his arm
Of 10000 men who came unannOunced int
the place in force on five trains of cars owe
the Louisville 4 Nashville r. K. Soon a
ter this he sought permission TO pas
Nhrc,,uL 81 1,,., 10Th nj 4
pursuing his studies in a law school, but wa
refused. Soon after the evacuation Of tn
place, in the spring of 1862, by the conteC
crate forces, he went to Philadelphia fc
the purpose of entering the fall term of til
law department of the university of Penn
sylvania and pursued his studies in the o
fee of one the professors of that institution
Il, Spencer Miller. till about the first {
September, when growing impatient ;
delay he went to Albany, n Y. and entel
ed the law department of the universit
opened at Philadelphia. He graduate
there in the following year 1883 and wer
to New York city, with the view of acqui
ing practical Office experience, which tn
law school could not give, and was success
lively engaged in the offices of Hirai
Ketchum, David Dudley Field and Cor
duit Bros, in the latter as managing CLERK
and was also engaged in practice there, Of
fcing with Jno. Sedgwick. Esq, now judg
of the supreme court of New York.
In the summer Of 1865. after the clos
of the war; he came west and made an al
rangement to enter into co-partnershi
with Geo. II. Parker, of Davenport, anC
after visit to Kentucky, ente ed int
business September /, 1865. He we
elected city attorney of Davenport by tn
Independent or Peoples party in the sprin
election Of 1867, for the term of one yea
and continued in practice there till Marc
l, 1869, when, yielding to his old love-th
newspaper hte-he purchased an intere'
in The ARGUS, of Rock Island, and b.
came its editor. His health weakening
FROM the close application required by tn
business, he sold his interest in the pape
to his partner, Milton Jones, Jan. l, 1876
and on the lst of February following Ell
tered again the practice of law IN co-par
nership with Maj. H. G. Connolly, in Roc
Island. The same year he was chose
county attorney for one year, and has bee
in practice in the same connection to dat