Frederick Conrad

Frederick Conrad (April 29, 1759 – August 3, 1827) was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania and a Democratic-Republican politician active in state and national affairs during the early years of the American republic. He was also a slaveholder, owning at least one enslaved person during his lifetime. Conrad was born near Worcester Township in the Province of Pennsylvania, the son of Pennsylvania Dutch immigrants Henry and Magdalene Conrad. Raised in a rural community, he spent much of his life in what would become Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and developed an enduring connection to agricultural pursuits and local public service.

Conrad’s early life unfolded in colonial Pennsylvania amid the social and political changes leading up to and following the American Revolution. Although detailed records of his formal education are scarce, his later responsibilities in public office, including judicial and clerical positions, indicate that he attained a level of education and practical training sufficient for legal, financial, and administrative work. His Pennsylvania Dutch background placed him within a large German-speaking community that played a significant role in the economic and political development of southeastern Pennsylvania.

Conrad entered public life at the state level before his service in Congress. He was elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 1798, 1800, and 1802, participating in the legislative affairs of the Commonwealth during a period marked by the consolidation of state institutions and the early partisan struggles of the new nation. In addition to his legislative duties, he served as paymaster of the Fifty-first Regiment of the Pennsylvania Militia in 1804 and 1805, a position that entrusted him with responsibility for the financial administration and compensation of militia forces, reflecting both his standing in the community and his familiarity with public accounts.

Building on his state-level experience, Conrad was elected as a member of the Republican Party—then commonly known as the Democratic-Republican Party—representing Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served two terms in Congress as a Democratic-Republican, sitting in the Eighth and Ninth Congresses. His tenure in the national legislature placed him in office during a significant period in American history, as the young republic navigated partisan divisions, foreign policy challenges, and debates over federal authority. While in the House of Representatives, Conrad contributed to the legislative process and represented the interests of his Pennsylvania constituents in the broader democratic experiment of the early United States.

During the Ninth Congress, Conrad held a key administrative leadership role as chairman of the United States House Committee on Accounts. In this capacity, he oversaw matters related to the financial administration and internal expenditures of the House, a responsibility that required attention to detail, familiarity with public finance, and the confidence of his colleagues. His work on this committee complemented his earlier experience as a militia paymaster and underscored his reputation for managing public funds and institutional operations.

After leaving Congress, Conrad continued to serve in a variety of important local and judicial offices in Pennsylvania. He was appointed a justice of the peace in 1807, a position that involved adjudicating minor civil and criminal matters and performing various administrative and notarial functions within his community. In 1821 he was appointed prothonotary and clerk of the courts, roles that placed him at the center of county judicial administration, responsible for maintaining court records and managing official documentation. He was reappointed to these positions in 1824, indicating sustained trust in his abilities and integrity as a public official.

Throughout his life, Conrad resided near Center Point, Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits alongside his public duties. His life reflected the pattern of many early American officeholders who combined farming with local and state service. Later in life he moved to Norristown, Pennsylvania, a growing county seat that had become an important local center of government and commerce. He died there on August 3, 1827. Frederick Conrad was interred in Wentz’s Reformed Church Cemetery in Center Point, Pennsylvania, returning in death to the rural community that had shaped much of his personal and public life.