It is commonly believed that Abner Wilson McConnell was the son of Thomas H McConnell and an unknown woman with the last name of Wilson. This is according to "The McConnell Families of Davidson's Creek" by Joel McConnell. However, on the license for Abner's marriage to his second wife, Susan Wingate Stowe, Robert Wilson and Ruth McConnell are listed as his parents. Presumably he would have been the one that provided this information.
Abner earned the following citation in the "Biographical Sketch of the Kerns Family of Mecklenburg County North Carolina" by T.N. Griffin: "There are a few deeds of valor that have been enacted by this family that the author of this sketch deems worth a place in any history, among them, one enacted by Abner McConnell. While not a descendant of the Kerns family, he is the father of the grandmother of the major part of that family now living, therefore, the writer deems it not amidst to here record his deed of daring. This man had his home on the banks of the Catawba river. He owned and operated in connection with his large farm, a ferry, the only means of crossing the river in those days. Among his stock he possessed a very fine team of horses. He found it necessary on one occasion to operate his ferry and take this team heavily loaded with corn, across the river, unaccompanied. In so doing, the team became frightened and lost no time in jumping out of the flat in mid-stream. Being heavily loaded, the weight prevented their being able to swim or even stay afloat but took them right to the bottom. This man, then well advanced in years, displayed great courage when he lost not a moment in plunging into the twenty feet of icy water with his pocket knife open and did not appear in the open again until he had cut all harnesses loose, relieving them of their load in order that they might swim ashore, he bravely following. Such an act today no doubt would be awarded with a Carnegie medal." The "grandmother" referenced here is Margaret Rebecca McConnell who married Robert Valorius Kerns.
Abner earned the following citation in the "Biographical Sketch of the Kerns Family of Mecklenburg County North Carolina" by T.N. Griffin: "There are a few deeds of valor that have been enacted by this family that the author of this sketch deems worth a place in any history, among them, one enacted by Abner McConnell. While not a descendant of the Kerns family, he is the father of the grandmother of the major part of that family now living, therefore, the writer deems it not amidst to here record his deed of daring. This man had his home on the banks of the Catawba river. He owned and operated in connection with his large farm, a ferry, the only means of crossing the river in those days. Among his stock he possessed a very fine team of horses. He found it necessary on one occasion to operate his ferry and take this team heavily loaded with corn, across the river, unaccompanied. In so doing, the team became frightened and lost no time in jumping out of the flat in mid-stream. Being heavily loaded, the weight prevented their being able to swim or even stay afloat but took them right to the bottom. This man, then well advanced in years, displayed great courage when he lost not a moment in plunging into the twenty feet of icy water with his pocket knife open and did not appear in the open again until he had cut all harnesses loose, relieving them of their load in order that they might swim ashore, he bravely following. Such an act today no doubt would be awarded with a Carnegie medal." The "grandmother" referenced here is Margaret Rebecca McConnell who married Robert Valorius Kerns.
It is commonly believed that Abner Wilson McConnell was the son of Thomas H McConnell and an unknown woman with the last name of Wilson. This is according to "The McConnell Families of Davidson's Creek" by Joel McConnell. However, on the license for Abner's marriage to his second wife, Susan Wingate Stowe, Robert Wilson and Ruth McConnell are listed as his parents. Presumably he would have been the one that provided this information.
Abner earned the following citation in the "Biographical Sketch of the Kerns Family of Mecklenburg County North Carolina" by T.N. Griffin: "There are a few deeds of valor that have been enacted by this family that the author of this sketch deems worth a place in any history, among them, one enacted by Abner McConnell. While not a descendant of the Kerns family, he is the father of the grandmother of the major part of that family now living, therefore, the writer deems it not amidst to here record his deed of daring. This man had his home on the banks of the Catawba river. He owned and operated in connection with his large farm, a ferry, the only means of crossing the river in those days. Among his stock he possessed a very fine team of horses. He found it necessary on one occasion to operate his ferry and take this team heavily loaded with corn, across the river, unaccompanied. In so doing, the team became frightened and lost no time in jumping out of the flat in mid-stream. Being heavily loaded, the weight prevented their being able to swim or even stay afloat but took them right to the bottom. This man, then well advanced in years, displayed great courage when he lost not a moment in plunging into the twenty feet of icy water with his pocket knife open and did not appear in the open again until he had cut all harnesses loose, relieving them of their load in order that they might swim ashore, he bravely following. Such an act today no doubt would be awarded with a Carnegie medal." The "grandmother" referenced here is Margaret Rebecca McConnell who married Robert Valorius Kerns.
Abner earned the following citation in the "Biographical Sketch of the Kerns Family of Mecklenburg County North Carolina" by T.N. Griffin: "There are a few deeds of valor that have been enacted by this family that the author of this sketch deems worth a place in any history, among them, one enacted by Abner McConnell. While not a descendant of the Kerns family, he is the father of the grandmother of the major part of that family now living, therefore, the writer deems it not amidst to here record his deed of daring. This man had his home on the banks of the Catawba river. He owned and operated in connection with his large farm, a ferry, the only means of crossing the river in those days. Among his stock he possessed a very fine team of horses. He found it necessary on one occasion to operate his ferry and take this team heavily loaded with corn, across the river, unaccompanied. In so doing, the team became frightened and lost no time in jumping out of the flat in mid-stream. Being heavily loaded, the weight prevented their being able to swim or even stay afloat but took them right to the bottom. This man, then well advanced in years, displayed great courage when he lost not a moment in plunging into the twenty feet of icy water with his pocket knife open and did not appear in the open again until he had cut all harnesses loose, relieving them of their load in order that they might swim ashore, he bravely following. Such an act today no doubt would be awarded with a Carnegie medal." The "grandmother" referenced here is Margaret Rebecca McConnell who married Robert Valorius Kerns.
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