My Genealogy Hound

REV. C. J. CONRAD, rector of St. John’s Roman Catholic Church at Welte, was born in Nashville, Tenn., November 19, 1855. To his parents, Bernard and Scholastica (Keller) Conrad, a family of five children were born, whose names are Joseph (deceased), Clement J., Francis, Mary and Charles (deceased). These parents were natives respectively of Baden and Hesse-Darmstadt, in Germany, and immigrated separately to this country and were married at the birth-place of our subject. They now reside at North Madison, Ind., where Mr. Conrad is employed as a mechanic. Father Conrad received every advantage for an education in youth that was furnished by the Catholic schools, and at the age of fourteen years entered St. Joseph’s College at Bardstown, Ky., completing the classical course of that institution. He completed the philosophical course at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Indianapolis, and the theological course at St. Meinrad’s Abbey, in Spencer County, this State, completing the entire course in nine years. After receiving the lower orders in the church he was ordained a priest by the Rt. Rev. Francis S. Chatard, Bishop of Vincennes, on the 22d of September, 1878, and October 13 of the same year took charge of St. John’s parish and the missions there with. Beginning under adverse circumstances with debts overshadowing his charges, he has proven superior to the occasion. Besides liquidating all outstanding claims he has erected St. Clement’s Church at Boonville, and established the parochial school at St. John’s. Father Conrad is admired and respected by Protestants and Catholics alike.