George Akiah Conrad (1881 - 1938)

Born 29 May 1881 in First South, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Nellie May (Arenburg) Conrad — married 18 Feb 1914 in New Germany, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Biography

George Akiah was born May 19, 1881^[1] most likely in First South which is where his parents lived. He was the son of George Conrad and Elizabeth Lohnes.

He was known by his middle name. Curiously Akiah appears to have resided in the US for a short time, but somehow long enough to acquire US naturalization. He petitioned for naturalization in April 1912^[1] and acquired naturalization in September of that year.^[2]

What is odd is that he does not appear in any of the US census reports but does appear at home in Lunenburg County in all the Canadian census reports through 1921. He states in his Petition for Naturalization that he first immigrated to Massachusetts in November 1903. A border crossing manifest card^[3] shows him going to Massachusetts in March 1909 where he indicated his intention was permanent residence, and he also stated that he had previously been there for eight months until May 1906.

On February 18, 1914 in New Germany, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia Akiah married Nellie May Arenburg.^[4] They had two children who both died at birth in 1915 and 1916.

Records are found showing that Capt. Akiah was master of the schooner "Lois A. Conrad" in 1921^[5] and 1926^[6] arriving at the port of Gloucester MA from Nova Scotia. In 1922 he appears as part of the "racing crew" of the Bluenose^[7] however a story in the New York Tribune of October 22, 1922 states that he was the Canadian observer aboard the US racing schooner "Henry Ford".^[8][9]

On September 17, 1938 as master of the schooner "Nelson L.", Capt. Akiah Conrad was lost at sea when the schooner hit a ledge off Port Bickerton, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia and sank in heavy seas with the loss of three of the six crew.^[10] His name is engraved (as a memorial) on a tombstone with his wife in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, New Germany, Nova Scotia.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} FamilySearch Massachusetts Naturalization Records, Petition for Naturalization
2. ↑ Fold3 Massachusetts Naturalization Index
3. ↑ FamilySearch US Immigration Manifest Cards
4. ↑ Nova Scotia Archives Marriages, Year: 1914 number: 11864
5. ↑ FamilySearch Gloucester Crew Lists
6. ↑ FamilySearch Gloucester Crew Lists
7. ↑ Nova Scotia Archives Bluenose Crew List
8. ↑ New York Tribune Page 1, Column 4 ... Continued on page 12
9. ↑ New York Tribune Page 12, Column 2 ... Continued from page 1
10. ↑ Archived web site Lost-at-Sea
11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150143267/george-akiah-conrad: accessed 15 August 2022), memorial page for George AKIAH Conrad (1881–17 Sep 1938), Find a Grave Memorial ID 150143267, citing Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, New Germany, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada; Maintained by LMK (contributor 47573469).

• Census of 1891 Lunenburg sub-district, page 40, line 4
• Census of 1901 First South, line 29
• Census of 1911 First South, line 7
• Census of 1921 First South, line 41