DAN McCONNELL was born in Pennsylvania around 1873. He married around 1891. His wife Teresa bore at least four children, Daniel P. McConnell, May, Bertha, and Henry F. "Harry" McConnell. Henry, the youngest, was born in Camden around 1900. The older children were born in Philadelphia, the youngest of the three, Bertha, coming around 1897.

Soon afterwards, Daniel McConnell brought his family to Camden, and by the time the 1897 Camden City Directory was published, the McConnells were living at 211 Milton Street in the Poet's Row section of North Camden. He worked a variety of jobs, the 1897 directory lists him as a printer, the 1898 directory as a "bag cutter". 

The 1901 Camden City Directory shows that Daniel D. McConnell had moved his family to 125 Main Street, also in North Camden, not far from the Vine Street Ferry, where he operated a restaurant specializing in oysters, which were plentiful in Delaware Bay in those times. 

Dan McConnell was in his day on of the best South Jersey boxers. He was managed and promoted by Camden businessman Oscar Adams Eastlack. Dan McConnell is 

known to have had at least 69 professional fights in Philadelphia, Camden, Baltimore, and elsewhere from 1896 to 1902. To date his documented record is 41 wins, 21 losses, 7 draws, a 9 fights where the outcome is not presently known.

Local newspaper reports from 1909 mention Dan McConnell as being a formerly top rated South Jersey lightweight boxer who was training for a comeback. Daniel D. McConnell would have been in his mid to late 30s, which makes this a possibility.  

Dan McConnell's end is a bit of a mystery. The Camden Daily Courier reported in March of 1914 that he had sold the business on Main Street, and was planning to move to Angelsea, in Cape May County, New Jersey where he planned to work as a fisherman. Whether he made the move or passed away prior to completing it is unknown. His widow and children remained in Camden. Oldest son, Daniel P. McConnell, went on to become quite well known as a journalist with the Camden Post-Telegram and later with the Camden Courier-Post. Youngest son Harry McConnell worked as a projectionist in Camden movie theaters for several years before moving to Philadelphia. Bertha McConnell married and moved to Philadelphia, where she lived out her years, by 1940 both Harry and Teresa McConnell were living with her. May McConnell married Russell T. Lodge, they appear to have parted ways by 1940.