Last rights were held Friday, June 20 1941, for B.H. “Barney” Conner, well known pioneer stockman of Armstrong and Randall counties, who passed away June 18, 1941 after several weeks of illness. The services were held in the old family farm home near Claude, with the Rev. Hitchcock, pastor of the first Methodist Church in Hale Center, officiating, assisted by the Rev. J. W. Belle, pastor of the First Methodist Church in Archer City. Interment was made in the Claude Cemetery.

He was born in Grayson County, near Pottsboro, Texas, on January 4, 1878. The family moved to Archer county when he was a small boy. He came to Plains and Armstrong County in 1898, and knew this country in its early days for he was a real pioneer. He was widely and well know throughout this section of the country. He lived in and around Claude until three years ago when he moved to the ranch home near Unbarger and Buffalo Lake.

He was married to his boy-hood sweetheart, Miss Zibbie Steele, April 11 1901: and brought his bride to Armstrong County. To this happy union was born two children, Ela Veta, who is not Mrs. George Wilmoth, and B. H. Jr. who preceeded his father in death on December 4, 1927.

Barney was a friendly type of man, one the whole world admires. He was open, frank and plain spoken; in actions and deeds he was always fair and true to his friends. He faced life with a smile and always did his duty. He was a lover of God’s great out of doors, of flowers, and of the beautiful things of life; all little children were his friends. Rev. Hitchcock, a former pastor of the Methodist Church in Claude, said of him, “There was a big heart in Barney Conner.” Barney had been a member of the Methodist Church in Claude for more than thirty years and had served as steward at times.848