I am looking for info on Conklin, MI. Researching for family tree anything would help.?

Question

I am the Great Granddaughter of John Conkiln, the founder of the town, but there are no living members who know anymore about the town than I do. All we know is that he opened the first business there, a hardware store. Any information would be helpful.

Answer 1

Hey Sarabear,

That is a shame! I am happy to see you take the interest in his work. Do you have a town hall? Town Records? Where do you file Propery ownerships? They will have some records. That will not be stories though. Perhaps the local paper on microfilm will help too. Is the hardware store still in existance? Can you get probate, or Will information for him?

Did you spell the name right? Conkiln in the text, Conklin in the questions. I am assuming Conklin is right. There are 163 entries in the LDS Family Search site for John Conklin(s).

Entry number 19.
John CONKLIN - Ancestral File
Gender: M Birth/Christening: 18 Nov 1847 Livingston Co., Michigan
This entry shows parents from Ireland. Are you from Livingston Co.?
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Husband's Name
Patrick H. CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-65) Pedigree

Born: 1820 Place: Ireland
Married: Abt 1846 Place: Of, Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

Father:
Mother:

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Wife's Name
Mary MCKEON (AFN:QXGZ-XX) Pedigree

Born: Abt 1829 Place: Ireland
Married: Abt 1846 Place: Of, Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

Father: Charles MCKEON (AFN:QXGZ-VL) Family
Mother: Mrs. Charles MCKEON (AFN:QXGZ-WR)

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Children

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1. Sex Name
M James CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-9N) Pedigree

Born: 1849 Place:
Christened: 20 May 1849 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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2. Sex Name
M Thomas CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-BT) Pedigree

Born: 1850 Place:
Christened: May 1850 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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3. Sex Name
U Michael CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-C1) Pedigree

Born: 1850 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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4. Sex Name
F Mary CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-FC) Pedigree

Born: 1855 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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5. Sex Name
M Matthew CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-GJ) Pedigree

Born: 1857 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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6. Sex Name
F Ann CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-HP) Pedigree

Born: 1861 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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7. Sex Name
F Ellen CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-JV) Pedigree

Born: 1863 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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8. Sex Name
M Thomas CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-K2) Pedigree

Born: 1869 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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9. Sex Name
M James CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-L7) Pedigree

Born: 1871 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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10. Sex Name
F Anna S. CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-MD) Pedigree

Born: 1875 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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11. Sex Name
M Eugene CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-D6) Pedigree

Born: Jun 1855 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan
Died: 12 Apr 1926 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

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12. Sex Name
M John CONKLIN (AFN:QXGZ-8H) Pedigree

Born: 18 Nov 1847 Place: Livingston Co., Michigan
Christened: 12 Dec 1847 Place: Deerfield, Livingston, Michigan

Answer 2

Conklin is in Ottowa County. You might want to post on a real genealogy site.

http://genforum.genealogy.com/mi/ottawa/
is devoted to genealogy in that county - everything there is about it. The same mega-site has other forums - one for every county in every state in the USA, and roughly 10,000 or so devoted to specific surnames.

Their standards of spelling and punctuation are higher than most of the people here, but, from the looks of your post, you will do fine.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~miottawa/
is also devoted to the county. The site has a search engine. I got 45 hits for "Conklin".


http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=census/search_census.asp

has 20 hits for Conklin in Ottowa County, including

Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
John CONKLIN Self M Male W 28 NY Farmer VT IN
Margret CONKLIN Wife M Female W 23 IL Keeping House ENG ENG
Clara CONKLIN Dau S Female W 6 MI NY IL
Myron CONKLIN Son S Male W 4 MI NY IL
Elsie CONKLIN Dau S Female W 3 MI NY IL
Jennie CONKLIN Dau S Female W 1 MI NY IL
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Source Information:
Census Place Blendon, Ottawa, Michigan




Finally, if you write to the public library there, enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope and a small ($10 - $20, depending on how close it is to pay day) donation, they may be able to send you some copies of things.