WILLIAM CONROY

(information researched by Karri Samson, PCHS historian)

Wm. C. Conroy was born in Sacramento on March 2, 1857 and came to Auburn with his parents at the age of nine. After reaching adulthood he was employed with the railroad as a baggage master and freight agent for 13 years. In 1890, he was elected sheriff of Placer County and served as sheriff for eight years. After leaving office he purchased the Putnam Hotel on Railroad St. (now Lincoln Way) in Auburn on May 10, 1899 for about $18,000. It became known as the Conroy Hotel. In later years, after being rebuilt in 1913, it was called the Auburn Hotel and today is known as the Auburn Promenade. The Conroy Hotel contained “42 sleeping rooms, a fine large office, a beautiful parlor and a commodious dining-room which is supplied with all the delicacies of the season, rendering it a first class hotel”, it was reported. Conroy also built on an additional 20 x 42 feet for a card and billiard room. After running the hotel for ten years, Mr. Conroy sold it in February 1909, to Albert Ford, J. D. Meridith, J. B. Landis, and Fred Landis of Auburn. They called it the New Conroy Hotel.

Conroy married Ella Peacock of El Dorado Co. In 1880. They were the parents of Walter, Grover and William.

Conroy also had mining interests in Placer County. After selling the hotel he served as watchman at the Clipper Gap Powder Works, Mt. Quarries (limestone quarry) and for the City of Auburn. 

Conroy died, according to his obituary, on August 4, 1923, at the age of 66, shortly after recovering from pneumonia. He had been in Auburn that day and had expressed that he would be ready to resume his duties as night watchman the next week.