Joseph Marsh Conkling, son of Pierson and Hannah (Marsh) Conkling was born on 16 February 1813 in Warren County, Pennsylvania. When he was a baby, his parents moved to Butler County, Ohio. Family oral history says that when he and his family were traveling to Ohio by flatboat, he fell into the river. One of the Indian guides traveling with the family dove into the river shouting, "No more Johnny cake! No more baby!" Joseph married Charlotte Maria Ross, daughter of Amos and Lydia (Williams) Ross on 17 February 1835 in Reily Township (Butler County), Ohio. An expense journal which Joseph kept from 1851-1865 shows that the family purchased many goods at the local stores. They were probably comfortably well off economically and produced few goods for their own consumption The journal shows purchases of beef, pork, veal, eggs, butter, and fabrics, as well as shoes, hats and a vest for one of the children. They purchased a lot of molasses and sometimes purchased things in large quantities. Joseph was a farmer. In 1863 the family moved from Butler County to Jerseyville (Jersey County), Illinois. In the mid-1990's one descendant of this family, Marjorie Conklin Tracy still lived in Jersey County on a farm which was in sight of Joseph's farm. At one time, Joseph may have considered moving to Missouri. On 29 April 1880 he was visiting Knobnoster Missouri and sent a telegram to his son, David in Jerseyville. The telegram said, "I have bargained for the Nichols farm. Please send me immediately draft on St. Louis payable to my order for $1,200. Direct to me care of J. Beaty. Can You. Joseph M. Conklin" The Ross family bible says that Joseph's wife, Charlotte Ross was born in Americus, Ohio on 30 December 1816. Her tombstone gives her birth date as 31 January 1816. Charlotte died on 19 July 1896 and Joseph died on 18 October 1891. Both died in Jerseyville and are buried in the Conklin family plot at Oak Grove Cemetery in Jerseyville. At some point, this family changed the spelling of their name from Conkling to Conklin.