Christian Conrad, died 1896
CONRAD, COONRAD, COONROD
Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 2/19/2012 at 06:50:57
Christian Conrad, the oldest man in Iowa, died the other day at Coffin's Grove, near Manchester, aged 116. he was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, September 23, 1780.
~Des Moines Daily News, March 6, 1896----- ----- -----
Christian Conrad, of Delaware county, died at his home in Coffin's Grove, on the 5th of March at the great age of one hundred and sixteen years. '*He was the oldest man in the United States. He was born in Pennsylvania in September, 1780, and was thirty-two years old and living on a homestead when the war of 1812 broke out. He enlisted in the war and saw Colonel Miller's charge on Queenstown Heights. He was in the battle of Fort Erie and saw Commodore Perry's victory on the lake. After the war he operated boats on the Erie canal till 1845, when he removed to McHenry county, Illinois. In 1860 he removed to his present farm, where he has lived in a two-room log house -ever since. His wife aged eighty, is left after sixty years of married life. She had eleven children.
~Annals of Iowa, 1897 (Notable Deaths section)----- ----- -----
~Researcher Alert! Census records do not appear to support Mr. Conrad's age claims. In the 45 years from the 1850 US census to the 1895 Iowa State census, he "aged" 66 years:
1850 US Census, Grant co. WI, he is age 50 & his wife Elizabeth is 38.
1860 US Census, Delaware co. IA, he is age 68 & Elizabeth is 45.
1870 US Census, Delaware co. IA, he is age 80 & Elizabeth is 56
1880 US Census, Delaware co. IA, he is age 94 & Elizabeth is 67
1885 Iowa State census, Delaware co. IA, he is age 104
1895 Iowa State census, Delaware co. IA, he is age 116
Delaware Obituaries maintained by Constance Diamond.
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