Tom Connor: Joplin's Millionaire Zinc King by Chad Stebbins

Born in Ireland, Tom Connor lived the classic American rags-to-riches story. He witnessed several of the Civil War's major battles as a newsboy with the 8th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, then spent a decade wandering around the U.S. working various odd jobs before ending up in southwest Missouri. Connor soon developed a knack for knowing which tracts of land had rich zinc deposits beneath. He bought thousands of acres of land containing the ore and was a millionaire by the time he turned 31. He also "grubstaked" countless other miners, furnishing picks, drills, and other supplies in exchange for a percentage of royalties if a strike resulted. Unlike Joplin's other mining kings, Connor never built a mansion for himself, preferring to spend his money on others. He gave thousands of dollars to churches and charities in Joplin land his hometown of Tiffin, Ohio, but his greatest gift was "the finest hotel property in this part of the country." Tom Connor: Joplin's Millionaire Zinc King is a companion to Joplin's Connor Hotel, also written by Chad Stebbins and published by The History Press in 2021.

About the Author

Except for time away pursuing graduate degrees, Chad Stebbins has lived in Joplin, Missouri, since the age of 9. Even though he serves as Missouri Southern State University's international director, he is a local history buff. He is a member of the Joplin Celebration Commission, which is helping to plan the city's 150th birthday celebration in 2022-23. Stebbins has traveled to France, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Ireland, England, Croatia, Turkey, Nepal, Russia, China, Taiwan, Senegal, Ivory Coast, the British Virgin Islands, Cuba, and Australia speaking at international conferences and negotiating agreements and partnerships for MSSU. Stebbins is also a professor of journalism and advised MSSU's weekly student newspaper, The Chart, for 15 years.

Product Specifications

Published by Publisher name, 2021. Paperback, 83 pages.