John McConihe was born on 4 September 1834 in Troy, New York. His parents were Isaac and Sarah Strong McConihe. He moved to Omaha in Nebraska Territory in 1857. The following year he became a private secretary to territorial governors William A. Richardson and later, Samuel W. Black. In 1861, McConihe was appointed to the post of Adjutant General of Nebraska Territory. In this position, he led a military expedition against the Pawnee American Indians. At the start of the Civil War, he developed the 1st Nebraska Regiment. During his service, he contracted typhoid fever and was wounded in battle. He became a Lieutenant-Colonel in the 169th New York Regiment after his recovery. McConihe was killed in action on 1 June 1864. Two of his brothers also participated in the Civil War - Colonel Samuel McConihe and Major William McConihe.
From the guide to the John McConihe, Correspondence, 1856-1865
