Samuel Conrad (1810-1853) is known as a Somerset County, Pennsylvania gunsmith from tax and census records.
L. Dietle
Chronology
Correspondent Jean Woods reports that Samuel Conrad’s parents were Johannes Conrad (1776-1814) and his wife Sarah (c1783-1859) of Hagerstown, Maryland, and Samuel Conrad’s grandfather was Wilhelm Conrad, who was a cabinetmaker in Hagerstown. Jean also reports that they were members of Zion Reformed Church.
Jean Woods reports that after the death of Johannes Conrad, Johannes’ widow Sarah moved to Berlin, Pennsylvania with her young children to be near her mother Margaret, who became the second wife of the Rev. Henry Giese of the Reformed Church at Berlin in 1801, after Henry Giese’s first wife died. Jean reports that Rev. Henry Giese was a Hessian Soldier, who was captured and sent to Frederick Maryland, where he married a local woman and taught school. Jean also reports that after Henry Giese became a minister of the Reformed Church in Loudoun County, Virginia, he settled in Berlin, Pennsylvania in 1795, where he served for many years as a minister of the Reformed Church.
1832: In the transcript of the 1832 Brothersvalley Township tax list that is published in the April 1982 issue of the "Somerset Past" publication, Samuel Conrad is listed as being an unmarried gunsmith.
1832-1853: According to Kauffman's 1960 book "The Pennsylvania - Kentucky Rifle", Samuel Conrad is identified as a gunsmith in the 1832-1834 tax rolls of Brothersvalley Township, the 1837 and 1840 tax rolls of "Berlin Township " (sic), and the 1843, 1850, an 1853 tax rolls of Berlin Borough.
1833: The 1850 census suggests that Samuel Conrad had a son named William H. Conrad who was born circa 1833. Correspondent Jean Woods reports that William H. Conrad was born on February 28, 1833, was baptized by Rev. Giese on June 23 1833, and is buried in the IOOF Cemetery in the town of Berlin, in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
Circa 1835: The 1850 census suggests that Samuel Conrad had a son named Jacob Conrad who was born circa 1835.
1837: The following image is from page 476 of the book "History of Bedford, Somerset, and Fulton Counties, Pennsylvania", which was published by Waterman, Watkins & Co. in 1884. It indicates that Samuel Conrad was listed as a gunsmith in the 1837 tax list for Berlin, Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
1837: The 1983 booklet "Gunsmiths and Gunmakers of Bedford and Somerset Counties Pennsylvania 1770-1900" includes T. Conrad in its list of Somerset County gunsmiths, indicates he is the son of Samuel, puts him in Berlin, and cryptically includes the date 1837. A son of Samuel would have been a child in 1837, and I don't know what the date is supposed to mean. The authors of the 1983 booklet do not include T. Conrad in their 1991 book "Gunsmiths of Bedford, Somerset and Fulton Counties".
Circa 1838: The 1850 census and an 1854 marriage registration that is described below indicate that Samuel Conrad had a daughter named Maria Louisa Conrad who was born circa 1838.
1840: In the Borough of Berlin section of the manuscript 1840 census records of Somerset County, Pennsylvania, Samuel Conrad's household has one male in the 20 to 30 age group, two males in the 5 to 10 age group, one female in the 20 to 30 age group, and one female in the zero to five age group. Of these, there is one individual engaged in manufacturing.
Circa 1841: The 1850 census suggests that Samuel Conrad had a daughter named Ann M. Conrad who was born circa 1841.
1846: Click here to see Samuel Conrad's 1846 cooking stove patent.
1850: In the 1850 federal census, Samuel Conrad is enumerated as a 38-year-old Maryland-born gunsmith. Also enumerated in his household are 35-year-old Pennsylvania-born Rosanna Conrad, 17-year-old Pennsylvania-born William H. Conrad, 15-year-old Pennsylvania-born Jacob J. Conrad, 13-year-old Pennsylvania-born Maria L. Conrad, and 9-year-old Pennsylvania-born Ann M. Conrad.
1852: Click here to see Samuel Conrad's 1852 plow patent.
1853: Samuel Conrad died on August 31, 1853 is buried in the IOOF Cemetery (39.91823289, -78.95147125) in Berlin, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. His tombstone indicates that he died at the age of 42 years, 9 months, and one day. This means he was born in 1810.
1854: According to the September 30, 1854 marriage registration of William Helfey and Maria Lousia Conrad, Maria was the daughter of Samuel and Rose Anne Conrad, and the marriage took place at the German Reformed Church in Berlin, Pennsylvania on September 14, 1854. Correspondent Jean Woods reports that the marriage ceremony was performed in the German Reformed Church at Berlin by Mary Louisa Conrad's uncle, the the Rev. Wilhelm Conrad (1808-1865).
1870: Correspondent Jean Woods reports that Samuel Conrad’s widow was listed as living with her son Jacob J. Conrad in the 1870 census records.
1875: There is a badly weathered tombstone at the IOOF cemetery for "Rose Anne wife of Samuel Conrad". I can't read the date on the tombstone, but a 1930s cemetery survey records that she died on September 16, 1875 at the age of 61 years, 6 months, and 27 days. This means she was born in 1814.
Work product:
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1810: Calculating from the information on his tombstone, Samuel Conrad was born on November 30, 1810.
