Christian John Mehlenbacher\Catharine Conrad
Christian John Mehlenbacher, son of Charles Mehlenbacher and Dorotha Katherine Christina , was born April 22,1827 in Ottweiler, Prussia. He married Catharine Conrad 1849. He died March 22, 1887 in Wayland, Ny. Catharine Conrad, daughter of Adam Conrad and Wilhelmina Permelia Eichhorn , was born February 05, 1833 in Ottweiler, Saar, Prussia. She died December 19, 1901 in Wayland, Steuben Co, Ny.


Children of Christian John Mehlenbacher and Catharine Conrad are:

1. Elizabeth S. Mehlenbacher, b. May 01, 1853 See Oscar Leroy Robinson & Elizabeth S. Mehlenbacher OR Frank Von Walther & Elizabeth S. Mehlenbacher
2. Christian John Mehlenbacher, b. 1850 See Christian John Mehlenbacher & Sophia Ess
3. George E Mehlenbacher, b. March 21, 1855 See George E Mehlenbacher & Margaret Rau
4. Alice Amelia Mehlenbacher, b. 1857 See Fredrick W Eichorn & Alice Amelia Mehlenbacher
5. Adam Mehlenbacher, b. August 19, 1859 See Adam Mehlenbacher & Julia Walthers
6. Emma Mehlenbacher, b. November 10, 1861 See David Drum & Emma Mehlenbacher
7. Catherine Mehlenbacher, b. August 13, 1863 See Henry G. Young & Catherine Mehlenbacher OR Henry G. Youngs & Catherine Mehlenbacher
8. Charles Philip Mehlenbacher, b. June 12, 1866 See Charles Philip Mehlenbacher & Mary Louise Eichorn
9. Viola Mehlenbacher, b. 1869 See Jacob Mehlenbacher & Viola Mehlenbacher
10. Murray E Mehlenbacher, b. in March, 1875 See Murray E Mehlenbacher & Adelaide J. Harris

Notes for Christian John Mehlenbacher:

This summary of the descendants of Christian Mehlenbacher and
Catherine Conrad was compiled with assistance of many people, including
Brenda Rightmeyer, Julie Blount, Bunny Domm, Dean Mehlenbacher, Emma
Lorree, and Kathryn Zeh, and Nancy Drum. It was posted on the web by
Shawn A. Mehlenbacher who lives in Oregon. Please send additions and
corrections by e-mail to [email protected]
The following summary is based largely on writings in a family bible:
Christian M. Mehlenbacher (4/22/1827-3/22/1887) was the son of
Charles Muehlenbacher (b. 1790) and his wife Dorothy. He was born near
"Upwiler" (probably the hamlet of Ottweiler near Saarbruecken, Germany)
on 4/22/1827. As a boy he learned the trade of shoemaker. His migration
to the U.S. took nearly 3 months by ship. He settled on the Mehlenbacher
Homestead on Bronson Hill Road. The original farm where the house now
stands was 45 acres. In about 1846, he bought 66 acres, the Pierce lot,
which was to the east of the farm.
Catherine Conrad, born 2/5/1833, daughter of Adam Conrad, also came
to this country at the age of 13. She worked for a Dr. Patchin who
resided at Loon Lake. She was quick to learn and soon mastered many
doctoring skills and remedies. In later years this knowledge was very
helpful to her family and neighbors for many miles around.
At 16 years of age, Catherine Conrad married Christian Mehlenbacher
(in 1849). He hand made her wedding shoes. They had ten children:
Christian, Elizabeth, George, Amelia, Adam, Emma, Catherine, Charley,
Viola, and Murry.
To supplement their income, Christian helped build the canal from
Dansville to Avon. He would walk to Avon on Monday morning and not
return home until Saturday night.
In later years, Christian, a tall thin man never weighing over 155
pounds, could be seen in the early morning splitting wood, his white hair
flying in the breeze. He was getting wood so his 5'2" Catherine could
cook breakfast. He succumbed to a stroke on March 22, 1887 at the age of
69.
Catherine, a heavy woman weighing around 265 pounds, stayed on the
farm withthe help of son Charley and his good wife, Mary. Three years
before her death, Catherine suffered a stroke which left her speechless
and unable to walk. Later she developed "dropsy". It was before
wheelchairs so they had to drag her around in a rocking chair.
She went from child to child to be taken care of. She died at
Murry's home on 12/19/1901. The funeral was at her home on Bronson Hill
Road, and she was buried beside her husband in North Loon Lake Cemetery,
south of Wayland, New York.
Comments on the family name and origin:
Christian's last will and testament includes the spelling
Muehlenbacher in parentheses. The naturalization papers of several
family members also spell the name as Muehlenbacher, the English
transliteration of the German Muhlenbacher (with an umlaut on the u).
This original spelling is listed on Conrad's naturalization papers in the
Steuben County (NY) historian's office. A census was taken every five
years in New York State from 1850 to 1880, and these listed all family
members and their ages. The census takers were quite creative in how
they spelled the family name (as well as many first names). The
spelling Mehlenbacher seems to have been adopted by most family memebers
from 1850 on. In the naturalization papers of Lewis and Conrad, they
renounce their allegiance to foreign governments, especially the King of
Prussia, indicating that the family originated in Prussia.
A search of the German phone listings on the web using the spelling
Muehlenbacher showed several listings in Ottweiler and nearby
Saarbruecken, in the Saarland near the French and Luxembourg borders.
The Saarland became part of Prussia when Napoleon was defeated at
Waterloo in 1815. The Mehlenbachers are believed to have emigrated to
the U.S. in the mid 1830s (best guess 1834-1838), at which time the
Saarland was still a part of Prussia.
There were at least three and possibly as many as eight Mehlenbachers
who emigrated to the U.S. at about the same time. Most settled in
Steuben County (NY) in and around Loon Lake, Cohocton, and Wayland. One
such family continued on and settled in Ontario, Canada. Alvin Otto
Mehlenbacher of Fort Erie, Ontario, compiled information on the
descendants of Lewis Mehlenbacher and his first wife Wilhelmine Lint, and
his second wife Catherine Kramp. This information may be found at:
www.familytreemaker.com/users/m/e/h/Alvin-O-Mehlenbacher/GENE3-0001.html
There are several indications that the Canadian and New York
Mehlenbachers were related, including recollections of the Canadian
Mehlenbachers walking on foot to visit relatives in Steuben County.

Sources for Christian John Mehlenbacher:

  1. Steuben County, New York Will Abstract: Charles Melebacher, !PROBATE-FATHER-SIBLINGS: Charles Melebacher of Wayland died 27 Oct 1859 (age 67), will date 18 Aug 1859. Execs: Francis Smalt & Conrad Newfang; spouse, Dorothea. Heirs: sons Lewis, Christian & Char les Melebacher; daus Catharine Theis (wife of Charles Theis), Sophia Sebold (wife of Nathaniel Sebold), & Maria Graber (wife of Charles Graber). Estate value $326.50.
  2. Steuben County, New York Will Abstract: Christian Mehlenbacher, !PROBATE-SPOUSE-CHILDREN: Christian Mehlenbacher of Dansville died 22 Mar 1887; will date 24 Aug 1886. Spouse & Exec: Catherine Mehlenbacher. Heirs: Christian John Mehlenbacher; Adam Mehlenbacher; E mma Dunn ("Drum?"); Charles Mehlenbacher, Viola M. Mehlenbacher & Murry E. Mehlenbacher (all of Dansville); Elizabeth Robinson & George L. Mehlenbacher of Dansville; Emelia Eichorn (Wayland); & Cather ine Youngs (Dalton, Livingston Co). Special guardian: Reuben R. Lyon.
  3. Steuben County, New York Death Abstract: Adam Mehlenbacher, Adam Mehlenbacher, 1859-1939!DEATH-CHILD-BIRTH: Adam Mehlenbacher born 19 Aug 1859, died 26 Jan 1939 at Wayland, parents Christian Mehlenbacher & Catherine Conrad.
  4. Census 1860 United States Federal Census New York Steuben Dansville page4,
  5. Census 1870 United States Federal Census New York Steuben Dansville page 25,
  6. Census 1880 United States Federal Census New York Steuben Dansville District 172,

Notes for Catharine Conrad:

1 NAME Catherine /Conrad/
2 SOUR S006593
3 DATA
4 TEXT Date of Import: Jan 9, 2000
2 SOUR S006597
3 DATA
4 TEXT Date of Import: Mar 23, 2000
2 SOUR S006604
3 DATA
4 TEXT Date of Import: Apr 21, 2000
2 SOUR S253155
3 DATA
4 TEXT Date of Import: May 16, 2000

Sources for Catharine Conrad:

  1. Steuben County, New York Will Abstract: Adam Conrad,

The most recent update of information contained on this page was on: 17 July 2006