Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Conrad, John 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 14, 2008, 1:24 am

Author: Past & Present Will County IL 1907

No one seeing John Conrad, now seventy-seven years of age, would imagine that 
his life record contains exciting and startling incidents that verify the old 
adage that truth is stranger than fiction. A pleasant manner and calm exterior 
indicate nothing of the fact that he has twice narrowly escaped assassination 
and that on a half-dozen other occasions he has been very near to death 
through different accidents. Such, however, is the case, and the life record 
of Mr. Conrad, if written in detail, would constitute a most thrilling 
history, containing many dramatic situations. He first opened his eyes to the 
light of day in Odenbach, Rheinpfalz, Canton Lauterecken, Germany, on the 15th 
of April, 1830. He was one of the nine children of Peter and Dorothea (Reisz) 
Conrad and was the third in order of birth. His father, a native of Odenbach, 
was born January 1, 1796. The grandfather, a native of France, died in Germany 
when his son Peter was fifteen years of age. The latter learned the 
shoemaker's trade in youth and followed that pursuit in connection with 
farming. He died January 20, 1848, at the age of fifty-two years, while his 
wife, who was born in Odenbach, May 26, 1803, emigrated to America in 1855 and 
made her home with her children until her death on the 28th of April, 1890, 
when she was eighty-seven years of age. John Conrad of this review learned the 
trade of boot and shoemaking under the direction of his father. The first 
intensely dramatic incident in his history came in 1849, when under command of 
Hecker the people of Bavaria rebelled against monarchical abuses. Mr. Conrad, 
who was wearing a Hecker hat, was taken off the streets of Neustadt by the 
soldiers and terribly mangled and misused. The commander of the regiment with 
his sword left a long deep cut on Mr. Conrad's right arm directly above the 
elbow. The blow was directed for the head but a citizen officer, noticing what 
was going on, ran forward and took hold of the general's arm just as he was 
striking the blow, thereby breaking its force. However, the thrust cut to the 
bone and Mr. Conrad nearly bled to death. He received unmerciful treatment 
during the night and was condemned to be shot at eleven o'clock the following 
morning. While on his way to the place of execution the king sent a message by 
wire to "release the young man and to let him free." Although fifty-eight 
years have since passed Mr. Conrad still bears the scars of that encounter. In 
the same year, 1849, he was closely watched by two men, who were opposed to 
his religious faith, he being a Protestant. One evening after he had retired 
they followed him to his bedroom, each armed with a butcher knife. They were 
both somewhat under the influence of liquor. There was no light in the room 
but the moon shone bright. Mr. Conrad heard them, aproaching and their 
remarks, saying, "He is in; there are his boots," whereupon Mr. Conrad 
silently slipped out of the rear of his bed and gradually made his way to the 
door, unnoticed by them, while they were in the act of striking their butcher 
knives down through the bed-quilts. Examination afterward showed fourteen 
holes in the bedding. On other occasions Mr. Conrad has narrowly escaped death 
through railroad wrecks; by a fall of twenty feet to a stone floor; twice in 
burning houses in New York city when he was fireman; and once between two 
canal boats in the water, when the only way to save himself was to sink to the 
ground. This he did, both boats passing over him. On another occasion when his 
horses ran away one of his feet became tangled in the lines and he was dragged 
a quarter of a mile. On the 23d of May, 1850, John Conrad left home for the 
United States and on the 30th of that month was a passenger on a sailing 
vessel, William Sturges, which on the 19th of July, 1850, droped anchor in the 
harbor of Philadelphia. The following day he went to New York city and for 
four years worked at his trade, receiving a salary of four dollars per month 
for the first six months. During three years and a half of the time spent in 
New York he was a member of the New York volunteer fire department. In 
September, 1854, he arrived at Elmhurst, Dupage county, Illinois, where he 
opened a shoe shop, which he conducted until the day that Lincoln was 
assassinated. Later he established a general mercantile business, which he 
carried on until January 20, 1869, when he removed to Peotone. For a year and 
a half thereafter he conducted the New York House and on selling out 
established a general mercantile enterprise, but retired from that business 
two years later on being elected police magistrate. For eight years he devoted 
his entire attention to the duties of his office. In 1875, with his son-in-
law, August Schugman, as a partner, he established a general hardware and 
stove business, the relation continuing until 1890, when Mr. Schugman was 
succeeded by John P. F. Conrad, the business being then conducted under the 
firm style of John Conrad & Son for two years, when two other sons, Frank H. 
and Fred P., became members of the firm. The father then retired to private 
life and the business is still continued under the name of John Conrad's Sons. 
For about eighteen years the father has lived in the enjoyment of a well 
earned rest, having by his active business life and careful management in 
former years gained a competence that supplies him with the necessities and 
comforts of life. On the 29th of July, 1855, occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Conrad and Miss Caroline Schaubel, who was born in Grombach, Baden, Germany, 
January 23, 1837, and was brought to America by her parents in 1850. In 1854 
the family removed from Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, to Elmhurst, Illinois, where 
Mr. Schauber carried on a shoe business, although in Germany he had been a 
forester and gardener. In 1855 he retired from business and removed to Oak 
Park, Illinois. He was the builder of the first church there—a house of 
worship for the Baptist denomination—and he was the founder of the first 
Sunday-school of Oak Park, also acting as local preacher on various occasions. 
He died in 1894 at the age of eighty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Conrad became 
the parents of twelve children, of whom nine are living: Charlotte, the wife 
of Rev. William Gross, a minister of the Evangelical church; John P. F., Frank 
H. and Fred P., who constitute the firm of John Conrad's Sons; Harry F., a 
member of the dry-goods firm of Conrad & Carson, of Peotone; Hattie, the wife 
of Frank A. Schlauder, a blacksmith and carriage-maker of Peotone; Jennie, the 
wife of Harry C. Reser; and Charles J. and William R., who are employed in the 
hardware store owned by their brothers. John Conrad, Sr., has long been 
recognized as one of the prominent and influential residents of Peotone and 
his labors have been an element in its material, intellectual and moral 
progress. For about a third of a century he has been notary public and for 
eight years was police magistrate. While in Dupage county he served for 
fourteen years as constable and for two years as tax collector. For nine years 
he was village trustee of Peotone and for eighteen years served as school 
director. During the Civil war he acted as secretary of the Union League at 
Elmhurst for two years and he has held various official positions in 
connection with fraternal organizations, having for four years been president 
of the Sons of Herman lodge at Elmhurst and one year as its representative to 
the grand lodge in Chicago. Acting as trustee of the village cemetery for a 
long period, he has done much for its improvement. For more than a third of a 
century he has been an active worker in the temperance cause and in the church 
and during much of this time has been a trustee of the Evangelical church, 
acting also as secretary and treasurer of the board. He served for three 
decades as choir leader and has done everything in his power to promote the 
growth of the church and extend its influence. He has long stood for ail that 
is honorable and upright in man's relations with his fellowmen and is rich in 
those qualities which command honor and respect. His success is attributable 
to his own efforts, while his honor and integrity have won for him the esteem 
and friendship of his fellowmen. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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