Conrad DeRoss

page 105

Conrad DeRoss, who is living on section 15, Mantua township, Monroe county, has resided here since 1867. Pennsylvania is the state of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Meadville, Crawford county, July 20, 1836. His father, Alexander DeRoss, was born in Germantown, near Philadelphia, and comes of French ancestry, his father having crossed the Atlantic to America with General LaFayette, and aided the colonies in their struggle to secure independence at the time of the Revolutionary war. He was pleased with the new world and after the cessation of hostilities returned to his native country and brought his family to Philadelphia.

Alexander DeRoss served a seven years’ apprenticeship at the shoemaker’s trade, and in Meadville, Pennsylvania, was married to Susan Cole, a native of that state and a daughter of Conrad Cole, who was also born in Pennsylvania and represented an old Pennsylvania Dutch family. Conrad Cole served as a soldier in the war of 1812 and was present when Commodore Perry achieved his famous victory on the lakes. His wife bore the maiden name of Mary Magdalena Deeter, and among their children was Mrs. Alexander DeRoss, who by her marriage became the mother of seven sons and a daughter: Helen, a resident of Meadville, Pennsylvania; Henry, also of that state; and six sons who were in the Civil war as defenders of the Union cause. William was a member of the Forty-fifth Missouri and is now living in Louisiana.

Alexander H. belonged to the One Hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania Infantry and went with Sherman on the celebrated march to the sea, and died in 1900. Conrad was a member of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Pennsylvania Regiment, known as the Bucktails. Jonathan G. belonged to the same company and regiment and after being four times wounded in battle was killed at Hatches Run, south of Petersburg. Hiram C. was a member of the One Hundred and Eleventh Pennsylvania Infantry and afterward a lieutenant of the Third Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery, and at Fortress Monroe he had charge of the guards over Jefferson Davis, who was confined there after the close of hostilities. Eli was a member of the Third Missouri Light Artillery, Battery L, and was afterward an Indian agent who became well known in the west and is now a physician in Wichita, Kansas. The father of this family passed away at the age of sixty-four years. In politics he was a Republican and he belonged to the English Lutheran church. His wife, who also held membership with that denomination, died at the age of eighty-four years.

Conrad DeRoss is indebted to the public school system of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, for the educational privileges he enjoyed. He learned the mason’s trade in early life and followed that pursuit until after the beginning of the Civil war, when, in August, 1862, he responded to the country’s call for three hundred thousand and joined Company H, of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, known as the Bucktails, under the command of Captain James W. H. Reisinger and Colonel Langhorn Wister. The first lieutenant was C. T. Shaw, a veteran of the Mexican war and the second lieutenant with George D.V. Sheldon. The subject of this review was in the service for three years and was then discharged on account of disability.

In the fall of 1867 Mr. DeRoss came to Iowa and afterward went to the territory of Nebraska, where Indians were numerous, both of the Sioux and Cheyenne tribes. These went upon the warpath against each other, and there were exciting times in that section of the country. On account of poor health Mr. DeRoss removed to White Sulphur Springs, Missouri, and later to Monroe county, Iowa. Here he has an excellent farm of fifty-five acres, supplied with all modern equipments and underlaid with a rich vein of voal [coal]. There is a good orchard upon his place, and substantial buildings, and the whole is enclosed with well kept fences.

On April 17, 1861, five days after Fort Sumter was fired upon, Mr. DeRoss was married at Meadville, Pennsylvania, to Sarah E. Prall, who has been to him a good wife. She was born in Meadville and is a daughter of John and Phebe ( Smith ) Prall; the latter was a daughter of one of the soldiers of the war of 1812 and she died in Pennsylvania; Mr. Prall, however, is now living in Nemaha, Nebraska. His children are: Mrs. Rosetta Seid, of Nebraska, Mrs. DeRoss and John H., who is living in Oregon. To our subject and his wife have been born eleven children: Mrs. Laura E. Green, Belle Prall, Frank, of Louisiana; George, who is one of the successful carpenters and photographers of Oklahoma; Henry, a carpenter and photographer; Mrs. Phebe Rhodes, Mrs. Orpha Lukey, Mrs. Myrtle Kirkendall, Frederick, Magretta E., who died at the age of eleven years; and John Alexander, who died at the age of eighteen months. Mr. DeRoss has provided his children with good educational privileges, realizing how important this is a preparation for life’s work.

An earnest Republican in his political views, Mr. DeRoss has never wavered in his support of the principles of the party and has been honored with a number of township offices, in which he has served with capability and fidelity. He belongs to the Grand Army Post at Avery, and three times has served as its commander, a fact which indicates his popularity with his old army comrades. For twenty-eight years he has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and his wife has taken the Rebekah degree. He is a man of intelligence, a progressive farmer and an honored old soldier, and as one of the worth citizens of Monroe county we gladly present the record of his life to our readers.