Biography provided by FAG contributor Eric (#47925240)
Conrad, son of William and Salome (Hirtzel) Gahimer, lived on a farm west of Manilla on the old Rushville Road in Union Township, Shelby County. It was originally owned by his grandfather Christian Hirtzel, and he purchased it after the death of his father. He also purchased a farm on State Road 44 on the west side of the Shelby-Rush Co. line and south of the railroad. His son Carl rented it and later inherited it upon Conrad's death. The Christian Hirtzel homestead was adjacent to it on the east, with the Shelby-Rush County line at the junction of the two.
Conrad married Sallie Gruell, daughter of William H. and Emma Irene (Boyd) Gruell in Rush County on August 21, 1907. When they were courting, Conrad used to dress up in his finest, and sit in the back of the church where Sallie sang in the choir. They would make eyes at each other, and Sallie would look at Conrad and giggle. Conrad was called by the nickname of "Coonie". They had two children; Carl Fredrick, born July 8, 1908; and Edna Irene, born March 31, 1912.
Sallie died on September 10, 1916 at the young age of 29 due to peritonitis, rumored to be a result of her attempt to abort a fetus because she did not want a third child. After Sallie's death, Conrad obtained the help of a housekeeper, Charity Mahin, known as Aunt Charity; a wonderful old widow lady who helped raise the children like a substitute mother.
Conrad farmed, first with horses, then with tractors. In the early years, Conrad had a lot of equipment which other farmers did not, and he used to harvest their crops for them for a fee. However, he had no interest in expanding his land holdings, so the more aggressive neighbors passed him by. For some years, until about the 1940s, Conrad and his brother Edward operated two threshing rigs, one of which had a huge steam engine which was so heavy that when it went down the gravel roads, the steel wheels would crush the gravel almost to dust.
Conrad was the guardian of a mentally impaired cousin farm hand named Ross, who, although slow, was a willing worker and a very nice person. Conrad treated him very well, and put half of his earnings into a savings account for his retirement, and gave him the other half to live on. The man's sister was always nagging Conrad to get her hands on all of his money, but Conrad resisted even to the day of his death; as Conrad's grandson Fred saw her leaving Conrad's house the day Conrad shot himself.
Fred had stopped by on his bicycle to get Richard Evans, Edna's son, to go to church to practice for a play. Conrad was sitting on the sofa of the living room with his head resting on his cane. He apparently shot himself in the temple a few hours after that. Edna found his body in the milk house when she returned home and searched for him. His body was displayed in the casket in a front room of his house, and had to be taken through a window because the door was not wide enough. He was taken up to the Manilla Christian Church for the funeral, and was buried in East Hill Cemetery in Rushville.
Conrad never married after Sallie's death, and later, shortly before his death, had fallen out of a hay mow and lamed himself. These misfortunes probably contributed to his despondency later in life, leading to his suicide.
Conrad, son of William and Salome (Hirtzel) Gahimer, lived on a farm west of Manilla on the old Rushville Road in Union Township, Shelby County. It was originally owned by his grandfather Christian Hirtzel, and he purchased it after the death of his father. He also purchased a farm on State Road 44 on the west side of the Shelby-Rush Co. line and south of the railroad. His son Carl rented it and later inherited it upon Conrad's death. The Christian Hirtzel homestead was adjacent to it on the east, with the Shelby-Rush County line at the junction of the two.
Conrad married Sallie Gruell, daughter of William H. and Emma Irene (Boyd) Gruell in Rush County on August 21, 1907. When they were courting, Conrad used to dress up in his finest, and sit in the back of the church where Sallie sang in the choir. They would make eyes at each other, and Sallie would look at Conrad and giggle. Conrad was called by the nickname of "Coonie". They had two children; Carl Fredrick, born July 8, 1908; and Edna Irene, born March 31, 1912.
Sallie died on September 10, 1916 at the young age of 29 due to peritonitis, rumored to be a result of her attempt to abort a fetus because she did not want a third child. After Sallie's death, Conrad obtained the help of a housekeeper, Charity Mahin, known as Aunt Charity; a wonderful old widow lady who helped raise the children like a substitute mother.
Conrad farmed, first with horses, then with tractors. In the early years, Conrad had a lot of equipment which other farmers did not, and he used to harvest their crops for them for a fee. However, he had no interest in expanding his land holdings, so the more aggressive neighbors passed him by. For some years, until about the 1940s, Conrad and his brother Edward operated two threshing rigs, one of which had a huge steam engine which was so heavy that when it went down the gravel roads, the steel wheels would crush the gravel almost to dust.
Conrad was the guardian of a mentally impaired cousin farm hand named Ross, who, although slow, was a willing worker and a very nice person. Conrad treated him very well, and put half of his earnings into a savings account for his retirement, and gave him the other half to live on. The man's sister was always nagging Conrad to get her hands on all of his money, but Conrad resisted even to the day of his death; as Conrad's grandson Fred saw her leaving Conrad's house the day Conrad shot himself.
Fred had stopped by on his bicycle to get Richard Evans, Edna's son, to go to church to practice for a play. Conrad was sitting on the sofa of the living room with his head resting on his cane. He apparently shot himself in the temple a few hours after that. Edna found his body in the milk house when she returned home and searched for him. His body was displayed in the casket in a front room of his house, and had to be taken through a window because the door was not wide enough. He was taken up to the Manilla Christian Church for the funeral, and was buried in East Hill Cemetery in Rushville.
Conrad never married after Sallie's death, and later, shortly before his death, had fallen out of a hay mow and lamed himself. These misfortunes probably contributed to his despondency later in life, leading to his suicide.
Biography provided by FAG contributor Eric (#47925240)
Conrad, son of William and Salome (Hirtzel) Gahimer, lived on a farm west of Manilla on the old Rushville Road in Union Township, Shelby County. It was originally owned by his grandfather Christian Hirtzel, and he purchased it after the death of his father. He also purchased a farm on State Road 44 on the west side of the Shelby-Rush Co. line and south of the railroad. His son Carl rented it and later inherited it upon Conrad's death. The Christian Hirtzel homestead was adjacent to it on the east, with the Shelby-Rush County line at the junction of the two.
Conrad married Sallie Gruell, daughter of William H. and Emma Irene (Boyd) Gruell in Rush County on August 21, 1907. When they were courting, Conrad used to dress up in his finest, and sit in the back of the church where Sallie sang in the choir. They would make eyes at each other, and Sallie would look at Conrad and giggle. Conrad was called by the nickname of "Coonie". They had two children; Carl Fredrick, born July 8, 1908; and Edna Irene, born March 31, 1912.
Sallie died on September 10, 1916 at the young age of 29 due to peritonitis, rumored to be a result of her attempt to abort a fetus because she did not want a third child. After Sallie's death, Conrad obtained the help of a housekeeper, Charity Mahin, known as Aunt Charity; a wonderful old widow lady who helped raise the children like a substitute mother.
Conrad farmed, first with horses, then with tractors. In the early years, Conrad had a lot of equipment which other farmers did not, and he used to harvest their crops for them for a fee. However, he had no interest in expanding his land holdings, so the more aggressive neighbors passed him by. For some years, until about the 1940s, Conrad and his brother Edward operated two threshing rigs, one of which had a huge steam engine which was so heavy that when it went down the gravel roads, the steel wheels would crush the gravel almost to dust.
Conrad was the guardian of a mentally impaired cousin farm hand named Ross, who, although slow, was a willing worker and a very nice person. Conrad treated him very well, and put half of his earnings into a savings account for his retirement, and gave him the other half to live on. The man's sister was always nagging Conrad to get her hands on all of his money, but Conrad resisted even to the day of his death; as Conrad's grandson Fred saw her leaving Conrad's house the day Conrad shot himself.
Fred had stopped by on his bicycle to get Richard Evans, Edna's son, to go to church to practice for a play. Conrad was sitting on the sofa of the living room with his head resting on his cane. He apparently shot himself in the temple a few hours after that. Edna found his body in the milk house when she returned home and searched for him. His body was displayed in the casket in a front room of his house, and had to be taken through a window because the door was not wide enough. He was taken up to the Manilla Christian Church for the funeral, and was buried in East Hill Cemetery in Rushville.
Conrad never married after Sallie's death, and later, shortly before his death, had fallen out of a hay mow and lamed himself. These misfortunes probably contributed to his despondency later in life, leading to his suicide.
Conrad, son of William and Salome (Hirtzel) Gahimer, lived on a farm west of Manilla on the old Rushville Road in Union Township, Shelby County. It was originally owned by his grandfather Christian Hirtzel, and he purchased it after the death of his father. He also purchased a farm on State Road 44 on the west side of the Shelby-Rush Co. line and south of the railroad. His son Carl rented it and later inherited it upon Conrad's death. The Christian Hirtzel homestead was adjacent to it on the east, with the Shelby-Rush County line at the junction of the two.
Conrad married Sallie Gruell, daughter of William H. and Emma Irene (Boyd) Gruell in Rush County on August 21, 1907. When they were courting, Conrad used to dress up in his finest, and sit in the back of the church where Sallie sang in the choir. They would make eyes at each other, and Sallie would look at Conrad and giggle. Conrad was called by the nickname of "Coonie". They had two children; Carl Fredrick, born July 8, 1908; and Edna Irene, born March 31, 1912.
Sallie died on September 10, 1916 at the young age of 29 due to peritonitis, rumored to be a result of her attempt to abort a fetus because she did not want a third child. After Sallie's death, Conrad obtained the help of a housekeeper, Charity Mahin, known as Aunt Charity; a wonderful old widow lady who helped raise the children like a substitute mother.
Conrad farmed, first with horses, then with tractors. In the early years, Conrad had a lot of equipment which other farmers did not, and he used to harvest their crops for them for a fee. However, he had no interest in expanding his land holdings, so the more aggressive neighbors passed him by. For some years, until about the 1940s, Conrad and his brother Edward operated two threshing rigs, one of which had a huge steam engine which was so heavy that when it went down the gravel roads, the steel wheels would crush the gravel almost to dust.
Conrad was the guardian of a mentally impaired cousin farm hand named Ross, who, although slow, was a willing worker and a very nice person. Conrad treated him very well, and put half of his earnings into a savings account for his retirement, and gave him the other half to live on. The man's sister was always nagging Conrad to get her hands on all of his money, but Conrad resisted even to the day of his death; as Conrad's grandson Fred saw her leaving Conrad's house the day Conrad shot himself.
Fred had stopped by on his bicycle to get Richard Evans, Edna's son, to go to church to practice for a play. Conrad was sitting on the sofa of the living room with his head resting on his cane. He apparently shot himself in the temple a few hours after that. Edna found his body in the milk house when she returned home and searched for him. His body was displayed in the casket in a front room of his house, and had to be taken through a window because the door was not wide enough. He was taken up to the Manilla Christian Church for the funeral, and was buried in East Hill Cemetery in Rushville.
Conrad never married after Sallie's death, and later, shortly before his death, had fallen out of a hay mow and lamed himself. These misfortunes probably contributed to his despondency later in life, leading to his suicide.
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