Re: unknown father of Edward C Conard b 1851 Phila PA
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In reply to:
Re: unknown father of Edward C Conard b 1851 Phila PA
Tim Gruber 6/28/10
Thank you so much for your response, Tim.
Whew, Pennsylvania is difficult! I have printed out the death certificate forms, but the process itself seems daunting since I realize I will also have to "prove" relationship in order to obtain anything! I have wondered if I will have to include in the letter a copy of my husband's birth certificate, then his mother's death certificate (FL), and her father (Frank Paul Conard)'s Social Security application.
I had known that brother Edward Charles Conard had died Oct 1967 in Bensalem, Bucks Co., and I have wondered if he was buried there. I have wondered if his father and mother moved to that area before they died.
Frank Paul and wife Martha moved to Florida. They're both buried down there.
I don't have their daughter Dorothy Henrietta Conard's birth certificate, that might be helpful too. I guess I could ask for that, too.
It was pure chance that I found the details on the Conard - Waltz marriage certificate in NJ. Frank Paul Conard had listed on his SS app that his mother's maiden name was Walls. It isn't, it's Waltz (or Walz, as I know the indexer or recorder could have made an error). It was looking at pilot.familysearch.org for Walls and Conard that revealed the Waltz-Conard marriage cert extract.
I so wish that I had worked harder seven years ago when I first, lamely, began this journey. I had made contact with Erik P Conard, and he felt confident he could link the elder Edward Conard in with a Conard Branch. Now I understand his papers are at the Germantown Historical Society, and they do not seem to be very 'talkative' or interested in sharing the information they had. They are as protective of information as the rest of ths state of Pennsylvania.
In my case, I have managed to find out a lot about the eldest Edward Conard's mother's side of the family (Henrietta Belling and her family). However, how can I "prove" relationship to the mystery Conard if I have no document? I don't know how to find a record of Henrietta Belling and ???? Conard's marriage (was there even one?). Did they elope? Or did he just tell her to start using his name? Maybe his parents didn't like her (or her family)? Maybe she was "beneath" his family?
Sorry to have gone on here, but the musings in writing sometimes help me find another way to go.
I will send off a request for a death certificate fo Edward C Conard (the elder), b 1851 and died sometime after 1930 (he's in a 1930 census), one for Lizzie Walz Conard, also born some time after 1930 (which will necessitate an extended search, right?). And requests for birth certificates for each. Have you found that there are often errors in each?
I will also send off for a copy of the NJ marriage.
And a letter to Pennsylvania.
We are planning a trip up there next month. I've been tempted to pay for genealogical searching prior to the visit, but have not found anyone who might be able to help.
How are you connected to the Conard family?
Again, thank you for the encouragement and ideas.
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Re: unknown father of Edward C Conard b 1851 Phila PA
Tim Gruber 6/28/10