Background
Conn was born in the West Indies in 1814, the son of a businessman and landowner.
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William Conn
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His family emigrated to the United States four years later, settling first in Baltimore, followed by a series of moves that culminated in Conn"s father buying a farm near Chester, Illinois. Two years after the death of his father in 1826, Conn and his family moved to Jacksonville, Illinois. Building a successful career in meat packing and shipping in Illinois, Conn began shipping supplies to San Francisco following the California Gold Rush and moved to the city in 1851.
Conn resold the land to new settlers, actively encouraging settlement of the area.
Conn was elected to the California State Assembly in 1858, serving there for the 1858-1859 sessions and was elected to the California Senate in 1867, serving until 1871.
