BIOGRAPHY: Patrick CONNELLY, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 468-9
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PATRICK CONNELLY, a leading merchant and prominent citizen of Johnstown, 
Pennsylvania, is a son of Patrick and Ellen (O'Neil) Connelly, and was born in 
New London, Connecticut, March 13, 1848. His parents were both natives of county 
Limerick, Ireland. They emigrated to Norwich, Connecticut, about the year 1847. 
They soon tired of the "Nutmeg" State, and moved to Brady's Bend, Armstrong 
county, Pennsylvania, where Mr. Connelly was employed at the Great-Western Iron 
works. He continued in the employ of that firm until the works closed in 1853. 
He then came to Johnstown and found employment with the Cambria Iron company, 
making coke. He introduced here a method of coking "slack" coal, and thereby 
effected a saving for the company, as previous coke-makers here used only lump 
coal. He remained at that employment until the company could no longer coke 
their coal at a profit in competition with better coking coal and closed their 
coke works at Johnstown.
     Mr. Connelly was a man of sound judgment, and, considering his limited 
schooling, was a well-informed man. He was a member of the Catholic church, as 
was also his excellent wife, Ellen O'Neil Connelly. He died in January, 1878, at 
the age of seventy-four years. Mrs. Connelly survived until April 13, 1887, when 
she died at the age of seventy-seven years.
     Our subject was but two years of age when his parents moved from 
Connecticut to Brady's Bend, and accompanied them to Johnstown in 1853.
     They and their goods were conveyed to Johnstown by boat on the old 
Pennsylvania canal, mules furnishing the motive power for the boats. Mr. 
Connelly's large store building is now on the street which occupies the bed of 
the "Old canal."
     Mr. Connelly attended the public schools for a time, but went to work in 
the mines at an early age. He worked in the mines of the Cambria Iron company 
for three or four years, then found employment at their coke plant. In 1869 he 
went to Pittston, Luzerne county, where he was employed in the mines until 1877, 
when he returned to Johnstown and was employed by the Cambria company at their 
mills until 1881, when he went into the general mercantile business. He has been 
very successful as a merchant and has built up a large trade.
     In 1882 Mr. Connelly was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ryan, daughter of 
Patrick Ryan, of Johnstown. To this union were born one son, James F., and two 
daughters, Mary E. and Regina.
     Although his own educational advantages were limited, Mr. Connelly has done 
a great deal to advance the educational interests of the community in which he 
lives. He has been a member of the school board for fifteen years. When the city 
of Johnstown was organized in 1890, Mr. Connelly, who had for many years been a 
member of the board of directors for Millville borough; was elected president of 
the Board of School Controllers of the new city, and has the honor to be the 
first to fill that honorable position.
     In religion Mr. Connelly clings to the faith of his parents. In politics he 
is an ardent democrat, and a man of his energy and force of character always 
wields considerable influence in favor of the party of his choice. Mr. Connelly 
has been a member of the council of Millville borough, and in 1884 was chairman 
of the Democratic committee of Cambria county.