Conder Family


First Generation

An article published in The Charlotte Observer in 1928 stated that the Conder family of the Mecklenburg county NC area were of Huguenot descent, and that the name was originally Condé. It seems more likely however that they are descendants of a German immigrant, Hans Georg Konder (ca. 1706-1780), who came to Pennsylvania in 1737 on the Virtuous Grace and settled in the area of Mecklenburg Co. NC about 1760. The earliest ancestor I can identify for certain in my line is Lewis Conder, who died in 1811, leaving several young children. Some sources say he was the son of Hans Georg Konder. This is possible, but I think it is more likely that he was a grandson, based on the dates of birth of his children. The names George, Lewis, Peter and John recur in this family and it wouldn't be difficult to confuse individuals with the same name based on the existing records. Lewis married Elizabeth Muller or Miller, daughter of Phillip Muller of Woodstock VA.

Note that some treatments of this family say that Lewis died between 1813 and 1820, based on a deed recorded 12 Jan 1813 and the fact that he isn't listed in the 1820 census. However, the NC State Archives has estate settlement papers dating from January 1811. Either this deed was a delayed transaction completed after his death, or there was another Lewis Conder.


Second Generation

Children of Lewis Conder and Elizabeth Muller
Philip Conder (1793-1861) m. Sophia Byram in 1820
Catherine Conder (1794-1874) m. Martin Luther Harkey about 1812, moved to Texas
Elizabeth Conder (1797-1863) m. John Tye in 1818.
George Conder (1799-?) m. Mary Griffith
Lewis Conder (ca. 1803-?) m. Rebecca Crowell (d. before 1844), 2) Dorcas Hemby
Mary Conder m. William Dawson Byram in 1825.
John Conder (1806-1862) m. 1) Emily Houston in 1832, 2) Electa Ann Smart in 1849; moved to Georgia. Did he also m. Eliza Abernathy in 1836?
Peter Conder (1809-1888) m. Caroline Thompson (1809-1892)

A baptismal record gives Elizabeth's name as Marta Elisabeth Kante, d/o Ludwig and Elisabeth. Later records refer to her as Elizabeth.

Some web sites also name a daughter Ida, but most web sites citing this give her birth as 1812, inconsistent with Lewis Conder's death prior to January 28, 1811. Ida would be an unusual name for this time; it didn't become popular until considerably later. Could this possibly be a misreading of "John" in the original papers?

In May 1812, Azariah Coburn or Colburn was named guardian of Philip and Elizabeth Conder, and Sugar Dulin was named guardian of George, Lewis, Mary, John and Peter Conder. Philip in turn was named as guardian of Lewis, Mary, John and Peter in 1822.


Third Generation

Children of Philip Conder and Sophia Byram
Mary Conder (1822-1904) m. Cyrus Stinson (1809-?)
Elizabeth Conder (1824-1871) m. John Michael Crowell
Catherine Conder (1827-1882) m. Thomas Hemby
Clarinda Conder (1830-1910) m. James Russell Cuthbertson
James Irenius Conder (1832-1928) m. Susan Conrad
Eliza Conder (1836-?) m. George Stinson
Sarah Caroline (or Carlina?) Conder (1838-?) m. William Mortez
William Conder (1840-1864) died of disease at Point Lookout prison camp, Maryland

Other possible children named in some genealogies are Edmond, John and Louisa. None of these appear with Philip and Sophia in the 1850 census, so if theirs, must have been among the oldest children and already away from home by then. (Sophia is too old to have had additional children after 1850). Could they be a confusion with Lewis Conder's children?

Births of Catherine, Clarinda (as Clarendy), (James) Irenius, Eliza, Sarah, and William are recorded at Morning Star Lutheran Church.

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Children of Lewis Conder and Rebecca Crowell
Wylie Conder (ca. 1831-1863; d. Chancellorsville VA) m. Lydia Starnes
William Conder (ca. 1833-?-1884) m. Isabella Van Pelt
Caroline Conder (ca. 1835-?) m. Cyrus Stevens
Elias Conder (ca. 1837-1861; d. Yorktown VA)
John Conder (ca. 1840?-1875?) m. Nancy Wentz
Drucilla Conder (1842-?) m. Salathiel Helms
Edmond Conder(ca. 1843-?) m. Amanda Wentz

Children of Lewis Conder and Dorcas Hemby
Eli Conder(ca. 1847-1897)
Mary E. Conder (ca. 1849-?) m. James H. Helms
Lewis M. Conder (ca. 1851-?) m. Emmaline Secrest
Franklin M. Conder (1853-?)
Thomas P. Conder (1853-1922) m. 1) Mary M. Gordon, 2) Emma Harkness

Lewis and Dorcas married in July 1843. I suspect therefore that Edmond, who is 7 years old in the 1850 census, is Rebecca's last child rather than the oldest of Dorcas.

John is age 10 in the 1850 census, which would make him Rebecca's son, but listed in cemetery records as born 1845, in which case he would be from the second marriage.

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Children of Peter Conder and Caroline Thompson
Elizabeth Catherine Conder (1837-1873) m. Thomas Archibald Jerome (1830-1903)
Ann Jane Conder (ca. 1839-?) m. William Klutts
Harriet Ellen Conder (1841-?) m. Eli Clark Stilwell
Martha Frances Conder (ca. 1849-after 1935) m. George W. Davis


Sources

Conder, Darrell W., Conder/Konder/Condor Family History and Genealogy, volume two, published 1992 by VonKonder Publishing, P.O. Box 11476, Salt Lake City UT

I am indebted to Donna Manley for this manuscript and for additional records and information about the Conder family, also to Carol Lee Yarbrough who sent a manuscript by Mairan McMichael Richardson. Larry Brown is also researching Conder in NC and KY.

I took dates and spouses for some of Lewis Conder's grandchildren from Anne Medlin's WorldConnect page

Thanks also to Thomas Waller and Susan Hudspeth for information on Catherine Conder Harkey.

Memoir and family records of Conder Parson Jerome

Mecklenburg County and Union Co. NC census and marriage bond records

Conder-Starnes family reunion, Charlotte Observer, 1928


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Elizabeth Harris, ncgen@mindspring.com