Biography

Also referred to as "Johann Conrad Welshans".

York County gunsmith having been an apprentice under gunsmith Jacob Ledder / Lether.

Deed Book 2N, page 550

Jacob Welshhans, gunsmith, and Magdalena, his wife, sold one acre and thirty perches of land including the attached buildings to Philip Heckert, gunsmith, Conrad Welshhans, gunsmith and Peter Reifsinger, blacksmith for 100 pounds on August 5, 1779. The deed was not recorded until December 11, 1798. The land had orginally been granted to Joseph Welshhans (the Elder) and Jacob Welshhans, both of whom were gunsmiths, on January 2, 1776. Joseph Welshans had died intestate and left issue Jacob Welshhans, Joseph Welshhans & his wife Sabina, Magdalena Welshhans, Catharine intermarried with Peter Roeser, and Elizabeth intermarried with Jacob Koehler. Their interest in said property had been granted to Jacob Welshhans

Married Maria Eva Ledder / Lether on October 9, 1781 at the 1st Reformed Church in York, York County, Pennsylvania.

1800 Census
York, York County, Pennsylvania

1 male 10 (i.e. William)
2 males 10-15 (i.e. George & Daniel)
1 male 16-25 (other son?)
1 male 26-44 (Conrad)

2 females 10-15 (other daughters?)
1 female 16-25 (Catharine)
1 female 24-44 (Eva)
1 female 45 (Conrad's mother?)

Deed Book 2P, page 483
York County, Pennsylvania

Conrad Welshhans and Eve, his wife, of York borough, sold a piece of land in York borough, known under the general plan as #29, to George Spangler, innkeeper, and William Nes, merchant, for 200 pounds on December 23, 1801. The deed was recorded on the same day as the sale.

Deed Book 2P, page 494
York County, Pennsylvania

Conrad Welshhans, of York borough, sold an equal third part of a mill seal and equal third part of the Mills Irons, to Martin Frey for 60 dollars on December 26, 1801. The deed was recorded on the same day as the sale. The property is the former Boring and Grinding Mill conveyed to Philip Heckert, Conrad Welshhans and Peter Reisinger, all of York, by Jacob Welshhans and Magdalena, his wife, by their indenture dated August 5, 1779.

Next appears in the Harrisburg tax lists in 1803, 1804 and 1807. [See LDS film # 21316]

Ketzia Strein, the daughter of Matthias and Catharina Strein, is baptized on April 7, 1803 at Zion's Lutheran Church, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Conrad and Eva Welshans were listed as sponsors for the baptism.

Next listed as gunsmith together with his sons George, Daniel and William, in the tax lists in 1809, 1810, 1812, 1813 and 1816 [See LDS film # 1449349] and in the U.S. census in 1810 and 1820, but not 1830 for Milton, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.

Deed Book AA, pages 439 – 440
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

William Welshans and Margaret, his wife of Lycoming County, sold ½ of Lot #121 and ½ house on South Front Street in Milton to William Morris of Milton for $147.50 on January 1, 1836. Godfrey Ludwig and Elizabeth, his wife, originally sold Lot #121 to Conrad Welshans and George Welshans, as tenants in common on April 2, 1810. Conrad Welshans and Eva, his wife, and George Welshans and Elizabeth, his wife, transferred their interest in Lot #121 to William Welshans on November 12, 1814. Deed recorded January 9, 1839.

Per the Welsahns family bible, Conrad Welshans died in Milton on May 18, 1827, aged 66 years, 1 month and 18 days.

After his death, wife Eva moved to live with son William in the Nippenose Valley in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.

DIED

On the 17th inst. at the house of his son, in Pennsborough, Lycoming County, Capt. Conrad Welshhans, aged 71 years.

The York Gazette,
May 29, 1827, page 3
York County Historical Society, York, PA

Special Note -

The above information is taken exactly from the York Gazette with the errors. Pennsborough is now present day Muncy. The only son living in Lycoming County at the time was William Welshans, Sr., who according to the 1830 census, resided in Fairfield Township in Lycoming County. Fairfield Township is near Muncy. His other two sons, George and Daniel, were still living in Milton.