No Visiable Stone∼John Conrad Ailshite was born on Smith
Creek, Frederick County, Virginia on
December 23, 1755, son of Johann Conrad
Elscheid and Maria Catharina Goessel.
Most of his life's history is told in
his service in the Revolutionary War
which included highlights:
1) Crossing the Delaware among ice floes
on the cold Christmas Eve 1776 as a soldier
in General Washington's Continental Army,
when they routed the unsuspecting Hessians.
2) Siege at Yorktown, with General George
Washington. Even though his term of service
had expired, he stayed on, along with his
brother Henry, to witness the surrender of
British General Cornwallis.
John Conrad is lauded in an article published
in the Philadelphia Saturday Courier, 1947
"Relics of Seventy Six"
"How sleep the brave who sink to rest with
all their country's wishes blest."
"Another Veteran Gone"
"Died at the residence of his son,
Col. Jonas Aleshire, in Page County, Va.
on the 18th, Mr. John Conrad Aleshire,
age 91 years, 2 months and 22 days.

"Mr. Aleshire was of German descent.
His immediate ancestors immigrated from
Germany in the year 1749 and settled on
the Monongahela near Fort Redstone,now
Brownsville, in Pennsylvania. This being
the extreme frontier settlement at that
time, they soon found it necessary in
consequence of their unprotected situation
and the frequent depredation of the hostile
Indians, to retire farther into the interior.

"Accordingly, they sunk a pit into which they
put all their implements of husbandry and
other articles inconvenient to remove in
this hasty retreat, and converting it into
a lettuce bed to divert the attention of the
Indians, they retired to Cedar Creek, in
Frederick, now Shenandoah County.

"Here on the 24th day of December 1755,
the subject of this notice, was born.
The settlements were still being annoyed
by the Indians. They erected forts or block
houses to which they retired for safety on
any demonstration of hostilities.
"In the spring of 1756, when but a few
months old, a party of hostile Indians
made their appearance in the settlement
and murdered several members of a family
named Painter, a neighbor of Aleshire's
family, who made a precipitate retreat
but in their haste, entirely neglected
the infant who was sleeping in his cradle,
until they had nearly reached the Fort.
His sister returned, determined to peril
her life for his safety, and cautiously
approaching the house, entered a window,
succeeded in getting her infant brother
in her arms, and bore him in triumph to
the Fort. She had scarcely left the house,
ere the demonic sound of the savage war
whoop rent the air, and told how narrow
was the escape from their blood-thirsting
vengeance. [Note: another source said
the infant was killed by the Indians.]
"At the commencement of the war of the
Revolution, he was mustered into service,
and underwent many hardships in the
struggle for freedom. He was one of
Washington's forlorn hope, that crossed
the Delaware amid the floating ice on
Christmas night, 1776, and attacked and
routed the hessians under Rahl at Trenton.
"After this engagement his term expired and
a dissolution of the old army occurred.
Though much worn down with hardships
incident to a severe winter campaign, yet
he beheld with a patriot's heart, and the
critical situation of his country, and
with a lofty zeal characteristic of gallant
spirits that periled their all in behalf
he again entered the service, and in a few
days participated in the bloody conflict
at Princeton.
"He continued in the army during three
tours, and was in several of the hardest
contested battles. For a time he retired
from the field, but was not inactive in
furthering the common cause. His frequent
sallies against the Tories caused them
much discomfiture, and his name among
them struck terror in their ranks.
"In the last campaign, when liberty and
slavery seemed suspended in the balance,
and so nicely equipped that even the most
sanguine contemplated these with
trepidation--with a shout of defiance to
the British Lion, he shouldered his
knapsack and musket with a firm resolve
in the preponderance of freedom.
Noble was his resolve! And how noble
verified!
"In the closing scene,near the side of
the Father of his country, he stood before
Yorktown. The thunder of British cannon
was no terror to him. It was familiar to
his ears. His country's freedom was at
issue and the common sentiment was diffused
through the ranks of his compatriots in
arms. The struggle was short but decisive,
and with eyes swimming in tears of joy,
he beheld his country's flag wave in
triumph over the ramparts of the enemy!"
[TJSNote: Also at the Siege of Yorktown,
John Conrad's brother Henry P. Aleshire.]
===
After the war, John Conrad Aleshire
married 25 Feb 1784 in Shenandoah, VA
Susannah Pangle.
They had six children.
1)Daniel (1786-1850)
Died in Cumberland County, IL
2)Henry P. (1790-1868)
Died in Greenup, Cumberland IL
3)Catherine (1786-1847)
married 3 Jan 1811, Shenandoah VA
Abraham Decious.
4)Elizabeth (1793-?)
married 21 Oct 1813, Shenandoah VA
John Hollingsworth.
5)Margaret "Peggy" (1798-1840)
married 28 Jul 1829 Shenandoah VA
Henry W. Mauck.
6)Col. Jonas (1801-1878)
married 22 Jul 1833, Page VA
Mary Christian Branham.
They had nine children.
Died 2 Jun 1878, Hancock, IL
===
John Conrad Ailshite/Aleshire
left a will with very specific
instructions to his grown
children. Jonas to receive his
farm of 379 acres total, with the
provision that he pay $150 annually
to be equally divided to his other
children, Daniel,Henry P.,Katherine
Decious, Elizabeth Hollingsworth,
and children of his deceased daughter,
Peggy Mock, until he has paid $800.
Further, that the husbands of his
two daughters should not be allowed
to get their hands on any of the
money because they would do away
with or waste it.
Daughter Peggy Mauck had died in
1840. That no part of money from
his estate for her children should
be given to Henry Mauck as he would
do away with or waste it.
===