Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 1912


Conrad Family Biography

The Conrads of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, descend from Maximilian Conrad, born in Alsace-Loraine, Germany, who after his marriage in Havre, France, came in 1847 to the United States. He settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he resided until his death. He enlisted in the One Hundred and First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry at the beginning of the civil war, and served until honorably discharged on acocunt of defective hearing. Later he re-enlisted and served until the close of the war. He married Elizabeth Morganstein, and six months after the birth of their first son, Jacob, came to the United States. Children: Jacob, born in France, in 1847; Elizabeth; Peter; Emma; George W., of further mention; John; Ella; Henrietta.

(II) George Willard, son of Maximilian and Elizabeth (Morganstein) Conrad, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 24, 1855. He was educated in the public schools and learned telegraphy, entered the services of the Pennsylvania railroad and was stationed at East Liberty, operating one of the first block signals installed on the system. From 1872 to 1882 he was station agent at West Elizabeth for the Pennsylvania railroad, and in the latter year was appointed station agent at Uniontown for the same company, remaining until 1901. He was then appointed baggage agent and transferred to Union Station, Pittsburgh. In 1910 he was appointed assistant general baggage agent of the Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburgh, a position he now holds after a service with the Pennsylvania railroad of forty-three years. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Masonic fraternity.

George W. Conrad married (first), in 1876, Alice Fife, of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania who only lived six months after her marriage. He married (second), October 23, 1879, Ida Sprague, born September 4, 1862, daughter of Captain William Bradford and Sarah (McQuaide) Sprague. Ida Sprague was educated in the Elizabeth public school, attending from 1867 until 1875, when for business reasons her parents moved to West Elizabeth. In 1875-76 she continued her studies in the old Elizabeth Academy, now defunct. The Spragues of Vermont descend from Edward Sprague, "a fuller" of Dorsetshire, England, whose sons Ralph, Christian and William arrived "at their own expense," at Salem, Massachusetts, 1628-29. William was the youngest of the brothers, and at the time of his arrival was twenty years of age. Descendants settled in Vermont, where Samuel and Hannah (Earley) Sprague, grandparents of Ida Sprague, lived at Maple Grove, North Danville. Their son, Captain William Bradford Sprague, was born in Maple Grove, North Danville, Vermont, March 24, 1822. He learned the trade of tailor in Jacksonville, Pennsylvania, and when a young man settled in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. He married, in 1844, and moved to Saltsburg, Indiana county, Pennsylvania, later to Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the drug business.

After his return from the war he resumed his interrupted drug business at Elizabeth, Allegheny county. In 1875 he established a drug store at West Elizabeth, which he conducted until his death, November 14, 1884. It is through Captain William Bradford Sprague that descent is claimed from Governor William Bradford, "the Puritan." In 1861, being then forty years of age, he began recruiting men in Allegheny county for war service, being then engaged in the drug business in Elizabeth, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. After the company was formed he was elected captain, and assigned to the One Hundred and First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. The strenuous campaign of the regiment on the Peninsula, followed by the Kinston-Goldsboro expedition, impaired the Captain's health, and he was honorably discharged January 20, 1863, on the surgeon's certificate of disability. After his return home he regained his health and soon afterward again enlisted, serving in the quartermaster's department in General Aiken's division of cavalry. On the night of President Lincoln 's murder he was one of the guards stationed at one end of the "Long Bridge" to prevent the escape of the assassin. Captain Sprague was a good soldier and an exemplary citizen. He was a Republican in politics, a consistent member of the Presbyterian church for many years, and held in high esteem in the communities in which he resided. He married, in 1844, Sarah McQuaide. Children; Ronel, deceased; Mary Emily, married John F. Blair, of Elizabeth; James, now living at Pittsburgh, East End; Elizabeth, deceased; Nancy Edith, married John McKee, of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania; Charles Diehl, deceased; Ida (of previous mention), married George W. Conrad, and resides in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. Their only child, James Sprague Conrad is of further mention.

Captain William Bradford Sprague was a descendant of Governor William Bradford, of Plymouth and Mayflower fame, born at Austerfield, England, 1589, married Alice Hauson, came to New England in the "Mayflower," 1620, and was the first governor of Plymouth Colony until his death in 1657. The descent is through James Bradford, a descendant of Governor William, whose fourth son, William Bradford, had a son Joshua, who married Anna Cleveland. In this generation the trace is lost, but the tradition is strongly supported that Captain Sprague gained his name, William Bradford, through family right.

(III) James Sprague, only child of George W. and Ida (Sprague) Conrad, was born in West Elizabeth, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, November 10, 1880. He was educated in the private and public schools; was graduated from Uniontown grammar school, 1895, and high school 1897; prepared for college at Kiskiminetas Springs School, Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, whence he was graduated, 1899; entered Princeton University, whence he was graduated B.A., class of 1903. During his vacation periods while obtaining his education, Mr. Conrad worked with an engineering corps and in various capacities for the Pennsylvania railroad. After graduation from Princeton he entered the employ of the H. C. Frick Coke Company in Pittsburgh as clerk, continuing from July, 1903, until October, 1907. He then entered the services of the National Bank of Fayette County at Uniontown, as individual bookkeeper, which position he now holds. While at Princeton he was a member of the Whig Hall Society, and is a member of the Princeton Charter Club of Princeton and Princeton Alumni Association of Western Pennsylvania. His Uniontown clubs are the Laurel, of which he is secretary and treasurer; and the Country Club, of which he is assistant secretary and treasurer. In religious faith he is a Presbyterian, belonging to the First Church of Uniontown. Politically he is a Republican.


Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1912.





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