Montgomery-Labette-Lyon County KS Archives Obituaries.....CONRAD, Henry Wilford October 8, 1928 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bill Boggess billboggess@webtv.net February 19, 2006, 8:10 am Independence Dail Reporter, Monday, October 8, 1928, front page (transcribed, 02/19/06) Copy courtesy of Maryann Johnson, "Kansas Room", Independence Public Library                     ~~~~~~~~~ INDEPENDENT   DAILY   REPORTER Monday   October 8, 1928     front page                ~~~~~~~~~     HENRY CONRAD PIONEER, DIES 7 A.M. TODAY       Was 83 Years of Age, had Been Ill for Some Time; Funeral 2 P.M. Tuesday                  -----------       Henry Wilford Conrad, pioneer resident, public servant and Civil War veteran, is dead. He was 83 years old.       The end came to one of Independence's prominent citizens at his home, 301 South Second street, at seven o'clock this morning after an illness of only ten days. A general breakdown culminated several years of failing health.       The funeral will be conducted from the home tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock. The G A R of which Mr Conrad was a tireless worker, will be in charge, holding a Post service. Burial will be in Mount Hope cemetery. The pal bearers were not announced.       The career of Mr Conrad includes numerous achievements for his city as well as Montgomery county, as he was active in organizing the county and held various state and county offices. Later, he was postmaster here two terms. He was among the early settlers in this territory and helped reclaim it from and unsettled country.       Since his last public office of postmaster, Mr Conrad engaged in real estate business for several years, but retired from active life ten years ago.       In company with his brother Hendrix, Boone Flora [Daniel Rice Boon FLORA] and Lafe Hollingsworth, they came to Kanas (sic) in 1868, following Mr Conrad's discharge from the army. They settled near Liberty and made friends with the Indians, who permitted them to take claims of 160 acres each.           Bought His Land        After farming their land for two years, the government purchased the Indian territory and resold it to the settlers for $1.25 a acre. This was in 1870 ad during the week the government representatives and Indians were making the treaty and drawing the contract, Mr Conrad and his brother furnished beef to the party.     As the country became more settled, Montgomery county was organized[from Wilson county]. Mr Conrad's farm was three miles northwest of Liberty, was destined to become the county seat. Following ten governor's proclamation, "Verdigris City", as it was called was for a brief time county seat. Some forty or fifty inhabitants constituted the heyday of the boomtown's prosperity which vanished when county seat was removed. "It was greater in expectations than in anything else," the county history declared of the lost city.               In   Politics       Being a prominent Republican, Mr Conrad was elected county clerk in 1883, which began his political career that extended for about ten years. He was reelected to this post in 1885 and was rewarded in 1898 by being chosen state representative from the western half of the county. His service as a representative earned him a senator;s post in 1900, being elected with a plurality of 297 votes over H H Wilcox.       He was then appointed postmaster of Independence following the close of his term as state senator in 1903, succeeding Edwin Foster. During his administration, the post office was made first class in 1911, and a year later, the present federal building which houses the post office was built. He retired at end of his second term in 1914. He was succeeded by J O Ferguson.              Born In Indiana       He was born on a farm near Corydon, Indiana, March 15, 1845 and lived there until 1862 when he entered college at Hartsville, Indiana [Harstville University]. The Civil War had begun, but because of parental objection, he did not enlist until 1864, his second year at college.       With a number of other students, he enlisted in Company E, 134th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He served with is outfit until the close of the war. He saw action in several engagements.       He was married in 1875 to Wilma[Wilhelmina Isidora] Flora, daughter of U P Flora [Volney Pulask Flora, older brother of Boon Flora], early settlers.       Mr Conrad was prominent in the Masonic and Elks lodges, the G A R and Sons and Daughters of Justice.       Besides his widow, he is survived by three daughters, Mrs W A Hamilton, Mrs Walter Salathiel and Mrs Guy White. Additional Comments: 1870 Verdigris Twp, Montgomery County census, post office Montgomery City, -- H W Conrad is listed in household of brother Hendrix, who is listed next to John Andrew Flora with family, then next is John's brother, Daniel Rice Boon Flora & wife. I880 census Henry is listed next to Daniel McTaggart. 1883, History by Wm Cutler mentions him as early settler as does the 1912 history by Blackmar, and HANBOOK OF THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE, 1901, Toeka : Crane & Co, 1900, states "Came to Kansas in 1868. He was one of the first four settlers of Montgomery County, Kansas." File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/montgomery/obits/c/conrad39ob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ksfiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb