Residence: Wilkes-Barre,Luzerne Co,PA.

Enlistment Age-34. Lawyer

Enlisted: Apr 22,1861 at Wilkes-Barre,PA. 2nd Lt.

Commissioned into Co "C" 8th PA Infantry

Mustered out Jul 29,1861 at Harrisburg,PA.

Sept 28,1861 commissioned into Field & Staff 52nd PA Infantry.

Mustered out Jul 12,1865 at Harrisburg,PA.

POW Jul 3,1864 at Johnson Island,SC.

Paroled,Dec 9,1864 at Camp Asylum, Columbia,SC.

Promotions: Major, Sep 28,1861 (52nd PA Infantry)

Lt.Colonel, Jan 9,1864. Colonel, Jun 3,1865.

Colonel Conyngham was born Wilkes-Barre,Pennsylvania. His father,John N. Conyngham a native of Philadelphia, was President Judge of the Eleventh Judicial District of the State. His mother, Ruth And Butler, was the granddaughter of Captain Zebulon Butler, Revolutionary officer who commanded the patriots in the Battle of Wyoming, on the 3rd of July,1779. John was educated at the Wilkes-Barre Academy,at St. Paul's College, Long Island, and finally at Yale College, New Haven,CT. where he graduated.

He was admitted to the bar of Luzerne County at the August term,1849, afterwards he practiced at St. Louis, Missouri, for a period of five years. Returning to Wilkes-Barre, he resumed his business there, which he did till the opening of the war. He had been connected with the militia, as a member of the Wyoming Light Dragoons, and when the Eight Regiment of the three month's service was formed, he entered it as a Lieutenant.

He served with the 52nd Regiment until it mustered out in July of 1865. He was appointed a Captain in the Thirty-Eight Infantry of the regular Army.

According to Cope (1875, p. 166), the type specimen of Tylosaurus proriger (Harvard MCZ 4374) was discovered near Monument Rocks in Logan County by "Col. Connyngham [sic] and Mr. Minor," and was shipped by Professor Louis Agassiz following his 1868 visit to western Kansas (Cope, 1869, 1870, 1875; Williston, 1898; Russell, 1967; Everhart, 2005). It was the first mosasaur to be described from Kansas and was originally named "Macrosaurus" proriger by Cope.

John Butler Conyngham, discovered the specium of Tylosaurus proriger near Monument Rocks in Logan County, Kansas. During a visit in 1868 to western Kansas, Professor Louis Agassiz shipped the specium. (Cope, 1869, 1870, 1875; Williston, 1898; Russell, 1967; Everhart, 2005). It was the first mosasaur to be described from Kansas and was originally named "Macrosaurus" proriger by Cope.

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John Butler Conyngham, second son of Judge John N. and Ruth A, (Butler) Conyngham, was born in Wilkes Barre, Pa., 29 Sept., 1827.

He studied law for three years in Wilkes Barre, and there began practice, but in Dec, 1851, removed to St. Louis, where he continued in his profession.

On the breaking out of the war he enlisted at the first call for three months' volunteers in the 8th Pa. Infantry, and was chosen 2d Lieut, of his company. At the close of this service he reenlisted as Major of the 5 2d Pa. Infantry, was immediately promoted to be Lieut.-Col., and held the rank of Col. when mustered out in July, 1865. He afterwards went to Montana, and in March, 1867, entered the regular army as Captain of the 38th Infantry. Near the l)eginning of 1871, while stationed at Fort Clark, Texas, he suffered from apoplexy, followed by Bright's disease. He lived to reach Wilkes Barre, where he died 26 May, 1871. He was unmarried,

(Yale Alumni Obituary Manuscript)