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John George Conrad (1796 - 1874)
John George Conrad was born about October 1, 1796 in Funkstown, Washington County, Maryland, the son of John and Catherine Conrad. His parents were Irish Catholic.
It is thought that John's mother died when he was a baby. His father died around April 1814, and John became an orphan at age 17. it is not known whether John had any brothers or sisters.
John first appears on the tax rolls of Conewago Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania in December 1817 and remained on the rolls there until 1834.
John was a shoemaker and a farmer.
On August 8, 1824 John married Mary Ellen Small at Conewago Chapel, Conewago Township, Adams County. Mary Ellen was born on January 24, 1802 in Conewago Township, the daughter of John Englehard “Engel” and Margaret Mary (Storm) Small. The witnesses to their marriage were Daniel and Sarah (Conrad) Melhorn. In May of the same year John and Mary had been witnesses to the marriage of Daniel and Sarah. It is thought that John and Sarah were cousins.
Mary Ellen was the oldest of about twelve children. Her parents were German Catholics.
John and Mary Ellen had the following children: Joseph M. Conrad, Henry Jerome Conrad, John Anthony Conrad, Agnes Mary (Conrad) Skelly, Mary Ann Magdalen (Conrad) Gibbons, and Catherine Matilda (Conrad) McMullen.
On April 11, 1825, their son Joseph M. was born. He was baptized at Conewago Chapel on September 12th; his godparents being Joseph Small and Sarah Melhorn.
On August 7, 1827 Henry was born. He was baptized at Conewago Chapel three days later; his godparents were Joseph and Catherine Conrad.
On January 3, 1830 John Anthony was born. He was baptized at Conewago Chapel four days later; his godparents were Engel Small and Margaret Storm.
John found it difficult to support his family; his children were listed on the tax roles as “poor". So, in the early 1830s, John and his family headed west and settled in the Allegheny Mountains of Cambria County in Western Pennsylvania.
Agnes was born about 1833, followed by Mary Ann Magdalen on July 22, 1835, and finally Catherine Matilda on October 2, 1842. it is thought that they were all born in Alleghen Township, Cambria County and baptized at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Loretto, Allegheny Township; however, Agnes may have been born just before they departed Adams Townshp.
On August 2, 1846 Joseph married Mary Ann Long at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Loretto. They were the parents of eleven children.
On June 26, 1850 Henry married Mary "Polly" Settlemyer at St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church in Wilmore. Polly converted from the Lutheran faith and was baptized a Catholic on her wedding day. Their son, John William, was born 4 months later. Henry and Polly raised eleven children.
At the time of the 1850 US Census, John and Mary resided on a farm in Allegheny Township with their three daughters, Agnes, Mary Ann, and Catherine.
On September 15, 1853 Agnes married Daniel Augustine Skelly at St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church in Wilmore. They had five children.
On June 28, 1854 Mary Ellen died at their home at the age of 52.
On Jun 1, 1857 Mary Ann married John Gibbons at St. Augustine Catholic Church in St. Augustine. She gave birth to eleven children.
On June 1, 1858 son Anthony married Ellen S. Bradley at St. Michael’s Catholic Church. They had twelve children.
At the time of the 1860 US Census, John resided with Anthony and his young family in Loretto, Allegheny Township.
In 1864 both Henry and Joseph left their families and farms and enlisted to fight in the Civil War. Tragically, Joseph did not return home. He died about January 7, 1865 at Point of Rocks Hospital in City Point, Virginia at the age of 39. His wife had been pregnant with their 11th child at the time of his death. It would be some time before she could secure a widow's pension to support her family. Immediately after Joseph's death, she relied heavily on her eldest son, Simon, to work the farm, and sent at least two of her sons to live with other families and help out on their farms.
On October 15, 1865 Catherine married Charles Vincent McMullen at St. Augustine Catholic Church. They had eight children.
At the time of the 1870 US Census, John resided with his daughter Mary Ann and her husband John Gibbons and their large family in Clearfield Township, not far from where his son Henry resided.
John died on December 18, 1874, and is buried with his wife in St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, Loretto, Cambria County, PA. There is no stone to mak their graves.
John and Mary Ellen's six children produced about 58 grandchildren, and their descendants today (2006) number in the thousands.
Sources
1850 US Census, Allegheny Township, Cambria County, PA (Sheet 53). John, 54 Farmer, born in Maryland, value of real estate $500; wife Mary, 48; daughter Agnes, 17; daughter Mary A, 15; daughter Catherine, 8.
1860 US Census, Loretto, Allegheny Township, Cambria County, PA. John Conrad (widower), age 65, born in Maryland, residing with son Anthony J. Conrad, age 30 and Anthony's wife, Ellen, and their family.
1870 US Census, Clearfield Twp, Cambria County, PA. John Conrad, age 74, residing with John Gibbons and Mary Ann (Conrad) Gibbons, 43, and their family. Note: Last name erroneously spelled "Givens" by the census taker.
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