Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Conrad Ide - Civil War Veteran

This is the third Civil War veteran ancestor of my grandson in law. 

Biography of Conrad J. Ide (1832 – 1900)

Civil War Veteran

 

Conrad Ide was born in Schellbach, Schwalm-Eder-Kreis, Hessen, Germany on Aug 22, 1832, the son of Conrad Ide and Anna Elisabeth Freund.   Conrad, and possibly two sisters, emigrated from Germany on the ship “Elise” out of Bremen and arrived on Apr 25, 1851 at the east side docks on Manhattan Island in New York City.  He applied for naturalization on Oct 5, 1855 and became a naturalized citizen of the United States on Oct 12, 1858 .  Prior to his citizenship, he met and married Anna Elisabeth Zingrabe on Oct 20, 1853.  Anna Elisabeth was also a German immigrant from Kurhessen, Germany. 

 

1851 Passenger List





1855 application for Naturalization



1858 Naturalization document

 

The first census that both Conrad and Elisabeth are found in was the 1860 and they were living in Reserve Twp, Allegheny county, PA.  Conrad was a 27 year old Tailor who had real estate valued at $600 and a personal estate of $50.  By this time, there were 4 children, Elizabeth age 6, Mary age 4, Louisa age 2 and Henrietta age 11 months.  The oldest child Elizabeth is shown as the only child born in New Jersey, so we can assume that Conrad and family did not come to Allegheny county, Pa immediately after arriving in the United States.  4 more children were born before 1870 all born in Pennsylvania .

Conrad may have responded to this broadsheet looking for volunteers for the Civil War.  His Military Service Records show that a bounty total of $100 was due him.

 



14th PA Cavalry Flag

 

Conrad’s Civil War Veteran burial record says that he enlisted on Aug 26, 1864 as a Private.  Conrad’s service with the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry Company F was only 9 months and 4 days long and he mustered out on May 30, 1865 shortly after the end of the war. During his 9 months service, Conrad’s regiment was serving in the Western Virginia theater, with participation in the Battle at Cedar Creek in the Shenandoah Valley on Oct 19, 1864,  where he escaped injury or capture, a fate of many Union men that day, such as my grandson in law's wife's 4th great grandfather (William Harvey Gray) who was captured there..  An account of the 14th in the Battle of Cedar Creek and activities of the 14th found at:  https://civilwarindex.com/armypa/159th_pa_regiment.html

On October 3, a picket post composed of 44 men from the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry were captured near Mount Jackson. The remainder of the regiment was stationed near Cedar Creek. The Battle of Cedar Creek started with a surprise attack for Early's Army in the early morning hours of October 19, 1864. Early struck the Union Army's left flank where the only Union cavalry nearby was the 1st Cavalry Brigade from Powell's Division. The brigade was composed of three cavalry regiments: the 14th and 22nd Pennsylvania, and the 8th Ohio. The 1st Cavalry Brigade was commanded by Colonel Alpheus Moore of the 8th Ohio Cavalry, and Major Gibson commanded the regiment. The 14th Pennsylvania was awakened before daylight when pickets from the 8th Ohio Cavalry galloped into camp with Confederate cavalry following them and screaming the rebel yell. During the morning fighting, the "officer in command of the brigade" (Colonel Moore) refused to dismount his men to support the division of Brigadier General Thomas Devin. The battle appeared to be a defeat for the Union until General Sheridan arrived and rallied his troops for a Union victory. Only one soldier from the 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry was wounded. After the battle, Colonel Moore was placed under arrest, and Major Gibson became commander of the 1st Brigade."

  On April 20, 1865, 11 days  after the war’s end, they were ordered to Washington DC where he was discharged.  His regiment participated in the Grand Review on May 23, 1865 which paraded down Pennsylvania Avenue from the US Capitol to the Presidential Reviewing Stand at the White House.  He was one of 80,000 men marching behind Gen George Meade. 


This is a US Cavalry Unit passing by the reviewing stand during the Grand Review in May 1865, taken by Mathew Brady, held at the Library of Congress, Wash DC - Wikipedia

 

In the 1870 census Conrad is back to his trade as a Tailor with a personal worth of  $15,000, quite the sum for 1870.  They lived in Allegheny City, Allegheny county.  This area is now a part of Pittsburgh and his address is near the Troy Hill & Reserve Twp. neighborhoods.  The additional children were: William age 8, Conrad age 6, Bertha age 3 and Charles age 2.  Their child Henrietta died sometime between 1860 and 1870. 

The 1880 census gives an address for the family as 10 Niggel St in Allegheny City.  And the last two children have been added to the family, Henry John age 7 and John Edward age 2.  The family loses Conrad’s oldest child, Elizabeth in 1885 at age 31. She left a husband and 5 children all under 10 years old.



1862 map of Reserve Twp and Allegheny city along the Allegheny River on the North side of Pittsburgh



10 Niggel St today marked by red pin

The 1890 Veterans schedule of the census lists Conrad and his service information and no disability listed.  He is living at 10 Niggel St.

Various City Directories from the 1880’s  show Conrad as always living at 10 Niggel St and as a Tailor. 


1886 City Directory - Conrad Ide with his son living nextdoor - marked by blue 


Pension File Card



Conrad Ide's Pension Affidavit 1890

Also in 1890, Conrad is approved for a pension and receives $12 a month for a disability of a double hernia and rheumatism. One of his medical exams, in 1891,  describes Conrad as 5’4” tall, and 135 lbs at age 58. He says that the left side hernia was caused by his military service,  but the right side hernia began after lifting in June 1889.  The rheumatism began about 1884.  Later, he reports that his wife died in 1898 and he has the following living children: Mary,  Louisa,  William,  Conrad, Bertha,  Charles,  Harry and Edward.  Henrietta and  Elizabeth had already died.  

Conrad’s  wife passes away at the age of 66 in 1898. 

Conrad himself dies on Mar 25, 1900 in Allegheny City.  He is buried at the Voegtly Cemetery just one block from his home.   Conrad left a will naming each of his children and specific bequests. See below. 

              


                                                                                    Conrad Ide

  



1900 Obituary – Mar 17, 1900 Pittsburgh Daily Post

2nd 1900 Obituary – Mar 26, 1900 The Pittsburgh Press

Veteran Burial Card




Sources:

Ancestry.com
National Archives
Library of Congress
Find A Grave
newspapers.com
Google Earth
pacivilwarflags.org
digital.librarycompany.org



 Please give credit and post a link to my blog if you intend to use any of the information written here. My blog posts are © Ann M Sinton 2025. All rights reserved

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