Site of R. E. McConnell Property
Crockett, Houston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
John McConnell (1818-98) came to Crockett from Ireland in 1847 and opened a blacksmith shop at this site. Later, with his sons, he moved to another location and started a hardware business. An active civic leader, McConnell served as County Treasurer and as City Alderman. His son Robert Emmett McConnell (1867-1918), who built a home at this site in 1901, continued his father's business and also served prominently in local government. As a member of the City Council in the early 1900s, he was an effective leader during a period of dramatic growth and change for Crockett. (1981)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
John McConnell emigrated from Ireland to Crockett in 1847 and opened a blacksmith shop on this spot before expanding, with his sons, into the hardware business. An active civic leader, he served as county treasurer and city alderman. His son Robert Emmett McConnell built a home here in 1901 and carried on both the family enterprise and its public service, leading on the city council during a period of rapid growth for Crockett.
Why it matters
Two generations of an immigrant family turning a blacksmith's forge into a hardware business and civic leadership capture the enterprising rise that built countless American county-seat towns.
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Related people
- · John McConnell
- · Robert Emmett McConnell
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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