Rev. M'Conkey Is Dead

Succumbed at 7:30 o'Clock Yesterday morning - Had Been Resident of Lewiston Since 1881 - The Funeral Be Held Tuesday Morning.

Rev. John D. McConkey died at 7:30 o'clock yesterday morning at his home in University addition. While he had not been in good health for a long period, the sickness carrying him away developed only about 24 hours before his death. As a resident of Lewiston since 1881, the deceased had formed a wide acquaintance and many close friends. He is survived by wife and two daughters, Hattie and Isabel. The funeral will be held at 9:30 o'clock Tuesday morning from the Vassar chapel and will be conducted by the Masonic lodge.

Rev. McConkey was born Feb. 29, 1848, at Comber, County Down, Ireland, and secured his primary education in the national school, before attaining his fifteenth year being an assistant instructor in that school. He came to the United States when still a young man, and until 1871 taught in the schools of Connecticut and New York. In that year he entered St. Stephens' college, Annandale, N. Y., and graduated in 1874 with the degree of A. B., later receiving the A. M. degree also. He entered the Episcopal Theological school at Cambridge, Mass., and graduated in 1876 with the B. D. degree. A short time later he was ordained to the Diaconite and some months later entered the priesthood of the church. His first charge was St. John's church, Millville, Mass., where he directed the work for a year and where he was united in marriage to Anna May Joslin. He then came to the west to Portland and later to Walla Walla, where for a year he was pastor at St. Paul's Episcopal church, resigning from the pastorate to establish a boys' school and engage in missionary work in the district. He was at Walla Walla for five years, when he came to Lewiston in 1881 and was placed in charge of the Episcopal mission, which had then just been organized as the Church of Nativity. He held this charge for many years, the church edifice on Eleventh street being built during his pastorate, and for a long period he conducted a private school. He was prominent and active those days in educational matters. For a period he was president of the Lewiston public school board of trustees. Upon retiring from active work in the ministry he had acted as record keeper for a number of lodges and served as justice of the peace, being also at one period city magistrate. A man of broad sympathies, during the period of his active years he exerted a large influence in the community and many had been consoled in trouble and distress through his kindness, his sympathy and advice.