Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Elerding, Conrad 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 13, 2006, 5:49 pm

Author: History of Grundy County, 1914

Elerding, Conrad, one of the retired business men of Morris, was born at 
Northville, La Salle County, Ill., December 15, 1844, a son of Henry and Mary 
Ann (Hollenback) Elerding, natives of Westphalia, Germany, and Muskingum 
County, Ohio, respectively.  The father came to the United States in 1830, 
bringing with him a vivid recollection of the Napoleonic wars, and for some 
time worked as a millwright until he built a saw and grist mill at Sheridan, 
Ill.  He also constructed the bridge across the Fox river that was later taken 
away by the floods.  In 1858, he came to Morris, and built the Grundy County 
grist-mill.  He and his wife were married near Newark, Ill., Mrs. Elerding 
being a daughter of Clark and Anne (Blizzard) Hollenback, who were born on the 
south fork of the Potomac river in Virginia.  They were early settlers of 
Kendall County, locating on the present site of Newark during 1832.  Owing to 
the disturbances occasioned by the Black Hawk War, these hardy pioneers walked 
to Port Ottawa for protection.  Becoming anxious with regard to conditions at 
his little homestead, Mr. Hollenback decided to return.  As he neared his 
farm, two Indians on horseback pursued him, but with a cunning equal to their 
own, he made them think by calling upon an imaginary party, that he was not 
alone, and finally they turned off and rode in another direction, much to the 
excellent man's relief.  As soon as it was safe, Mr. Hollenback brought his 
family back to their home, and there they lived until he died.  Mrs. 
Hollenback was a large woman of powerful build, and her heart was in 
proportion, many of the early settlers owing much to her for her kindly 
offices.  She lived to the advanced age of ninety years, and was beloved by a 
wide circle of friends.  Mr. Elerding died at South Haven, Mich., in 1900, as 
after the death of his wife, at Morris, in 1883, he lived about with his 
children.  They were as follows:  Malissa, William and Sarah, who are 
deceased; Conrad; Louise, who is Mrs. Joseph Trout, of Grand Rapids, Mich.; 
Annie, who was Mrs. Frank Bartlet, died in 1878, leaving two children, Guy and 
Aribel; George B., who is at Bellingham, Wash.; Charles, of Maxville, Kans.; 
Edward, who is of Charleston, Ill.; and Westley, who died in infancy.

Conrad Elerding attended the common schools of his district, and remained with 
his father until his marriage, when he bought the old grist-mill from his 
father, and in 1888 changed it into an oat mill, and conducted it as such very 
successfully until 1900, when it was burned.  In 1901 he replaced his plant, 
erecting it at Morris, and conducted it as the Morris Oatmeal factory until 
1905, when he rented it to the Quaker Oatmeal Company, since which time he has 
lived retired.

On December 21, 1876, Mr. Elerding married Mrs. Eliza J. (Ridings) Elerding, 
widow of his brother William, by whom she had one son, G. William who resides 
at Bitter Root, Mont.  He married Elva A. Lloyd, and they have three 
children:  Frank, born July 28, 1897; Adelaide, born April 23, 1902; and 
Wayne, born April 10, 1904.  Mrs. Conrad Elerding was born at Hillsboro, O., 
October 15, 1845, a daughter of John P. and Rebecca (Stone) Ridings, born at 
Winchester, Va., in 1803, and Middletown, Va., in 1810, respectively.  The 
grandparents, Peter and Mary (Brotherington) Ridings, were born at Liverpool, 
England, while the maternal grandparents, Philip and Christina (Crum) Stone 
were natives of Virginia.  Mr. and Mrs. Ridings married in Virginia, and in 
1832 emigrated to Ohio, where he first worked for fifty cents per day, but 
owing to the cheapness of foodstuffs, lived comfortably.  In 1858, Mr. and 
Mrs. Ridings moved to Wauponsee Township, Grundy County, where they lived 
until death claimed them, the father dying March 4, 1885, and the mother on 
March 12, 1892.  Mrs. Elerding attended the public schools and Hillsboro 
Female College.  She has been a life long Methodist.  In politics Mr. Elerding 
is a Republican, but has not sought office.

page 807

Additional Comments:
Source:  History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. 
Publishers; 1914

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