The Connell House: A Window Into Martin County Genealogy

The Connell House, home of the D.J. Connell family from 1902 to 1990, was donated to the Martin County Historical Museum by the late Greta Mae Connell, the home’s final resident. Two rooms of the house—the kitchen and dining room—were originally built in 1881 by Carmelite priests as their residence when they established a colony and mission in Marienfeld (later Stanton). When a larger rectory was built in 1902, D.J. “Charlie” Connell purchased the cottage and brought his bride, Mary Stoeger, here to live. Connell, a carpenter from Missouri, helped construct the Catholic school buildings and built many homes throughout Stanton during his lifetime. Mary Stoeger arrived in Marienfeld in 1883 with her parents, Joseph and Mary Stoeger, from Canals City, Iowa. The Stoeger family had immigrated from Bavaria, Germany, arriving in New York in January 1881. Both families were devout members of St. Joseph Catholic Church and closely connected to the early Catholic community, including Our Lady of Mercy Convent and Academy.

Charlie and Mary Connell had eight children, though only four lived to adulthood: Maurice, Mamie, Greta Mae, and John. As their family grew, additions were made to the house as needed. In the late 1920s, the home was remodeled to include electricity, a kitchen cabinet with running water, and a new bathroom. This late-1920s period is the era to which the house and grounds have been restored. Mary Connell died in 1943 and Charlie Connell passed away in 1949. Maurice married Sonora McIlvanie. Mamie married Herbert Tom in 1929, but he died eight months after their marriage; she later worked for many years at First National Bank and died in 1970. Greta Mae never married and worked for many years at the local telephone office. John married Winnie Deavenport, sister of Bob Deavenport.

The Connell House is owned and operated by the Martin County Historical Museum.