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Written by Craig B. Adams   
May 30, 2006 at 06:48 PM
John Anthony Conrad (1830 - 1893)

John Anthony Conrad was born on January 3, 1830 in Conewago Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, the son of John George and Mary Ellen (Small) Conrad.

Anthony's father was an American of Irish ancestry, and his mother an American of German ancestry. He was baptized when he was just three days old at Conewago Chapel–the first Catholic Church established west of Philadelphia–where his godparents were Engel and Margaret (Storm) Small, his grandparents.

Anthony had two older brothers Joseph and Henry, and three younger sisters, Agnes, Mary Ann, and Catherine. His father was a shoemaker and a farmer.

When Anthony was a boy, his family travelled by covered wagon to the Catholic settlement near St. Michael's Church in Allegheny Township, Cambria County in Western Pennsylvania, a trip of over 150 miles.

On June 1, 1858 Anthony married Ellen S. Bradley at St. Michael's Catholich Church in Loretto, Cambria County. Ellen was born on May 28, 1840 in Loretto, the daughter of Charles and Catherine (McGuire) Bradley. Her grandfather, Richard McGuire, was a Captain during the War of 1812. Richard and his father, Michael McGuire, himself a Captain during the Revolutionary War, were pioneer settlers of Cambria County. They were largely responsibile for helping Father Demetrius Gallitzin establish St. Michael's Catholic Church in Loretto, the first Catholic parish west of the Allegheny mountains.

Anthony and Ellen were the parents of twelve children: Anna Mary (Conrad) Farabaugh, Charles Bonaventura Conrad, Harriet Jane (Conrad) Scanlan, Magdelene Catherine "Lennie" Conrad, Margaret A. Conrad, Hayden Joseph Conrad, Katherine (Conrad) Bradley, Matilda "Tillie" Conrad, M. Victoria "Sister Annunziata" Conrad, Engelbert "Bert" Conrad, Robert Conrad, Cecelia Conrad.

Anthony and Ellen raised their children on a farm in Allegheny Township, Cambria County and were faithful parishioners of St. Michael's parish.

Anthony was a farmer.

Their daughter Victoria joined the convent and became a Catholic nun. She lived with the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in Greensburg, Westmoreland County for many years, and her new name was Sister Annunziata.

Five of their twelve children never married, and their daugher Harriet and son Bert had no children. However, their first born, Anna, more than picked up the slack in the offspring department. Anna and Joseph Farabaugh were the parents of eleven adult children and at least 62 grandchildren (this figure does not include son Richard's children). Anna and Joseph have an enormous progeny.

Anthony died on June 8, 1893 at home. He was 63. According to his obit, he suffered from a long and painful bout of stomach cancer.

Their three youngest children were minors at the time of his death. As was customary, an an adult male, B. W. Litzinger, was appointed their guardian, although there is no reason not to believe that they were raised by their mother.

Ellen died on October 5, 1907 at home. She was 67.

Anthony and Ellen are buried in St. Michael's Cemetery in Loretto.






Last Updated ( Jul 02, 2006 at 09:21 PM )