Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

Maria Elizabeth Dick

Female 1746 - Bef 1841  (< 94 years)


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  • Name Maria Elizabeth Dick 
    Born 14 Dec 1746  Altrip, Ludwigshafen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Christened 18 Dec 1746  Evangelisch-Reformierte, Altrip, Ludwigshafen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died Bef 1841  of, Ashe, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Eller Cemetery, , Ashe, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I1859  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Father Johann Conrad Dick,   c. 3 Feb 1721, Heddesheim, Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 1795, of, Wilkes, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 75 years) 
    Mother Anna Catharina Gross,   c. 22 Aug 1717, Evangelisch-Reformierte, Altrip, Ludwigshafen, Rheinland-Palatinate, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Feb 1800, of, Wilkes, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 82 years) 
    Married 22 Feb 1746  Evangelisch-Reformierte, Altrip, Ludwigshafen, Rheinland-Palatinate, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F1146  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Peter Eller,   b. Abt 1746, of, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Bef 29 Jul 1799, , Wilkes (now Ashe), North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 53 years) 
    Married Abt 1768  of, Frederick, Maryland, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. John Eller,   b. Abt 1769, of, Frederick, Maryland, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1823, , Wilkes, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 54 years)
     2. Catherine Eller,   b. 6 Mar 1773, , Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Aft 7 Aug 1856, Kane Township, Pottawattamie, Iowa, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age > 83 years)
     3. Jacob Eller,   b. Mar 1776, Frederick, Frederick, Maryland, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Nov 1855, Clifton, Ashe, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 79 years)
     4. Elizabeth Eller,   b. Oct 1776, of, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Dec 1844, Sweetwater, Monroe, Tennessee, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 68 years)
     5. Peter Eller,   b. 1778, , Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Nov 1851, , Wilkes, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years)
     6. Barbara Eller,   b. Abt 1782, of, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Bef 1841  (Age ~ 58 years)
     7. Mary Eller,   b. 12 Oct 1784, , Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Oct 1873, , Henry, Indiana, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 89 years)
     8. Henry Eller,   b. 1788, of, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1876, Piney Creek Township, Ashe, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 88 years)
     9. George Eller,   b. Aft 1790, of, Rowan, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. From 1817 to 1841  (Age < 25 years)
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F665  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Luke White,   b. Bef 1755, of, , North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Bef 1841, of, Ashe, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age < 86 years) 
    Married Aft 1800  of, Ashe, North Carolina, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F273  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • BIOGRAPHY:
      1. The book "The Howard Leytham Stoker Von Dollen Family Histories," FHL 929.273 H833a, by Doris Lewis, 2017 So. 80th Ave., Omaha, Nebraska, 68124, pp. 88-89:
      A. [Same information more or less is found in FHL book 929.273 P684pn: "Graybill/Stoker/Eller/Smith/Koons/Pitt Connections," by Norman E. 'Gene' Pitt, 1996, pp. 119-123 - any additional info is shown bracketed]: "Conrad and Katherine Dick were living in Frederick County, Maryland as early as 1755, when 100 acres were registered on August 15, and named Mon Hime, perhaps after Manheim Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania or Manheim, Germany. He sold this land in [Mar] 1764 and 10 years later there is a record of buying 200 acres in Rowan County, North Carolina. His early deeds shows he was a weaver by trade. Conrad later was granted [70 acres of] land [in Wilkes County] next to his son-in-law, Peter Eller, which he sold to him. Another Dick, which is probably some relation, named Susan Dick, married Devault Koons, who in turn were the grandparents of George Koons, who married Mary Eller. Children:
      a. John [b. abt 1767/9]; m. Mary ___; John sold land to Michael Stoker in Wilkes Co., NC.
      b. Marie Catherine, christened 28 Mar 1758 [in Frederick Co., MD].
      c. Elizabeth [b. 1750]; m. Peter Eller."
      [d. George.]
      B. "Peter was the first son of George Michael Eller. Because there were a number of years between Peter's birth and the others, the question arises if he might not be a child of a first marriage. He grew up in North Carolina and married Elizabeth Dick in 1766. His land grant was close to other Ellers, beginning at the spruce pine on the Upper Ford on Rones Creek. In 1797 he bought the 70 acres which had been granted to his father-in-law, Conrad Dick. This land had been surveyed and chain carriers were listed as Michael Stoker and John Eller, neighbors. Peter had 470 acres at his death... Their oldest daughter, Catherine, married Michael Stoker and their youngest daughter, Mary, married George Koons and their great granddaughter, Betty Oman married Orson Hyde Stoker. Children:
      a. John, b. 1767 or 1769; d. 1823; m. Susanna Kerns.
      b. Catherine, b. 6 Mar 1773 at Rowan Co., NC; d. 1850 at Council Bluffs, Iowa; m. Michael Stoker.
      c. Elizabeth, b. 1780; m. William Pennington.
      d. Barbara, b. 1782; m. Pertune.
      e. Mary, b. 1783, NC; d. 1872; m. George Koons (a Quaker who was disowned for marrying Mary, who was a Dunkard). She was 18 and he 19.
      f. Jacob, b. 1784; d. 1855; m. Catherine White.
      g. Henry, b. 1788; d. 1876; m. Elizabeth Johnson.
      h. George."

      2. FHL book 929.273 P684pn: "Graybill/Stoker/Eller/Smith/Koons/Pitt Connections," by Norman E. 'Gene' Pitt, 1996, pp. 119-123: "Peter Eller, b. abt 1746/8, possibly Germany; d. bef 29 Jul 1799, Ashe Co., NC; md. abt 1766/7, probably in Frederick Co., MD or in NC to Elizabeth 'Betsey' Dick. She was b. abt 1759, the d/o Conrad Dick and Katherine ___ of Frederick Co., MD. Peter was living in Rowan Co., NC as early as 6 Mar 1773. In 1790, he owned 550 acres in Ashe Co., N.C. in 1797, he bought 70 acres in Wilkes Co., NC which earlier had been granted to his father-in-law, Conrad Dick. This land had been surveyed, and the chain carriers were Michael Stoker and John Eller. Peter had 470 acres at the time of his death. The Ellers were Dunkards, members of the Church of the Brethren. They practiced triple immersion, opposed oaths and military service. Peter and Elizabeth lived in NC. Their children were John, Catherine, Peter Jr., Elizabeth, Barbara, Jacob, Mary, Henry and George."

      3. Censuses:
      1800 US: Ashe County, North Carolina. The total population for Ashe County, North Carolina in 1800 was 2785, including slaves. The 1800 Ashe County Census was the first for the northwestern most county in the Tar Heel State. This county was formed in late 1799 and included all of Wilkes County west of the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountain. The 977 square miles that then composed Ashe County has been further divided, first in 1849 to form Watauga County, North Carolina and again 10 years later to form Alleghany County. This record includes families who may have been living in those areas at the time. The original census was in rough alphabetic order, and this does not facilitate the research of particular communities. I include all interrelated families of this time and place to better show relationships. A word of explanation on some of these families:
      A. Mary and Barbara Burkett who married Peter and David Graybeal, had a father named Christian - unsure as to which is correct of the two.
      B. Elizabeth Eller appears to be Elizabeth Dick, the wife of Peter Eller who had just died per his probate of 1799.The one daughter is probably Mary; unsure who the two boys are since there should be three: Jacob, Henry, and George. John Eller would be Elizabeth's eldest son and married to Susannah Kerns.
      C. Henry Graybeal would have recently married Celia Henson and also the eldest son of [John] Peter and Christina [Wampler] Graybill who also appear to be in this same census. Note that Peter evidently had owned slaves at that time - the census does not say how many.
      D. One of the William Hensons could be somehow related to William Henson who marries Nancy Graybill and to Celia Henson who marries Henry Graybeal.
      E. The two Koons are probably brothers and are sons of Devault Koon judging from their ages. This would make them uncles to George Koons who eventually marries Mary Eller.
      F. James Lewis, b. abt. 1790, marries Christena Graybill in 1807 - there may be a connection with these two James Lewis.
      G. William Pennington marries Barbara (or Elizabeth) Eller and may be the younger of the two here listed.
      H. Michael Stucker is a misspelling for Michael and Catherine Eller Stoker with their three oldest children: Polly, David, and Elizabeth.
      Head of Family; Males 0-9, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+; Females - 0-9, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+:
      Burkett, Christian; 1-2-0-1-0; 1-0-2-0-0
      Burkett, Christian; 4-1-0-1-0; 1-0-1-0-0
      Eller, Elizabeth; 1-0-1-0-0; 0-0-1-0-1
      Eller, John; 3-0-0-1-0; 1-0-0-1-0
      Graybeal, Henry; 0-0-1-0-0; 2-0-1-0-0
      Graybeal, Peter; 2-1-1-0-1; 3-1-0-0-1
      Henson, William; 0-1-1-0-0; 2-0-1-0-0
      Henson, William; 3-0-0-0-1; 1-1-1-0-0
      Koons, George; 0-0-1-0-1; 0-0-0-0-1
      Koons, John; 0-0-1-0-1; 0-1-2-0-1
      Lewis, James; 2-2-1-0-1; 4-1-0-0-1
      Lewis, James, Jr.; 1-0-1-0-0; 1-0-1-0-0
      Pennington, William; 0-1-0-1-0; 1-2-1-0-1
      Pennington, William; 0-0-1-0-0; 0-0-1-0-0
      Stucker, Michael; 1-0-0-1-0; 2-0-0-1-0

      1810 US: Ashe County, North Carolina; I include several related families in my database for this time and place. Some notes:
      A. One of the two William Penningtons is married to an Eller - I assume it is the one with a younger wife.
      B. One of the two Christian Burketts is probably the parent of Barbara and Mary who married Graybeal brothers.
      C. James Lewis married Christina Graybill.
      D. The older Peter Graybill would be John Peter and Christina Wampler Graybill. The other Peter and Henry would be their sons.
      E. Adam Wilker could be Adam Welker, father of James Welker who later marries Elizabeth Stoker.
      F. Surprisingly there is no Michael Stoker who should be there unless in adjoining county.
      G. One of the two George Koons should be the George Koons of this database.
      H. Not sure why two J. Ellers unless the transcriber inadvertently named the "J." as both Jacob when in fact the older one is John. Peter Eller would be a brother.
      I. The older Peter Graybill would be John Peter Graybill, father of the other two Graybills: Henry and Peter [Jr.].
      Head of Family; Males 0-9, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+; Females - 0-9, 10-16, 16-26, 26-45, 45+; Slaves:
      Pennington, W. (William); 1-0-1-0-0; 2-0-1-0-0
      Bourket C. (Christian); 2-2-2-0-1; 5-1-1-1-0
      Wilker, A. (Adam); 0-1-2-0-1; 0-1-0-0-1
      Graybill, H. (Henry); 3-0-0-1-0; 2-0-1-0-0
      Lewis, J. (James); 1-0-1-0-0; 1-0-1-0-0
      Graybill, P. (Peter); 0-1-0-1-0; 0-1-0-0-1
      Graybeal, P. (Peter); 1-0-1-0-0; 1-0-1-0-0
      Graybill, H.; 2-0-1-0-0; 3-0-0-1-0
      Koons, G. (George); 2-0-0-1-0; 2-0-0-1-0
      Pennington, W. (Wm); 2-0-1-0-0; 2-0-0-0-1
      Eller, P. (Peter); 3-0-0-1-0; 2-0-0-1-0
      Eller, J. (Jacob); 2-3-1-0-0; 2-0-0-1-0
      Burket, C. (Christian); 4-1-0-0-1; 0-1-0-0-1
      Koontz, G. (George); 1-0-0-1-0; 2-0-1-0-1; 3
      Eller, J. (Jacob [John?]); 2-0-0-1-0; 1-0-1-0-0

      4. FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 17-31: "Peter Eller was born, say about 1746 and died in that part of Wilkes County, North Carolina that in 1799 became Ashe County, before 29 Jul 1799 on which date the administration of his estate was given to Betsey and John Eller. He married, say about 1767, probably in Frederick County, Maryland, Elizabeth Dick, daughter of Conrad and Catherine Dick who were living in Frederick Co. as early as 15 Aug 1755 when all of that tract of 'land called Mon Hime' lying on a small creek leading into Beaver Dam Branch in Frederick Co., MD containing 100 acres, was surveyed and patented to Conrad Dick. (B.C. and G.S. No. 5, folio 127, Hall of Records, Annapolis, MD) Beaver Branch is a branch of Little Pipe Creek. Conrad and Catherine Dick, she relinquishing her dower right, sold this land to William Aldridge on 23 Mar 1764 after which they disappear from the Frederick Co. records. He was called a weaver in the deed. (Book J, pp. 244, 245, Frederick Co. Deeds.) Mon Hime, apparently, was his own name for this land and may have been named for the township of Manheim in Bavaria located about 80 miles south of Nurnberg. On 28 March 1758, Marie Catherine Dick, daughter of Conrad Dick and his wife Anna Catherine Dick, was christened in the German Reformed Church of Frederick Co., Maryland.
      Conrod Dick (sic) purchased 200 acres of land from Martin Sheets in Rowan Co., NC in 1774. The land was located on Hodgeilkes Co., NC, 28 Nov 1792. A record on film at the Genealogical Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Salt Lake City (FNCW 5B Land Entries, 1778-1781 and 1783-1785, Wilkes Co., NC) shows that this land was entered 20 Feb 1779 but the order for survey, dated 10 Mar 1787, in the Sec'y of State's office in Raleigh, NC, shows that Coonrod Dick's name had been written in over another name that the original entry may have been made for someone else who later assigned his right to Coonrod (Conrad) Dick. The land was surveyed for Conrod Dick (sic), 13 Apr 1795, and found to contain only 70 acres. Jno. Eller and Mich. Stucker (Stoker) signed the survey as chain carriers. (Grant #1258, Secretary of State Office, Raleigh, N.C.) In view of the fact that Peter Eller, son-in-law of Conrad Dick, entered land on Rones Creek about a year later (24 July 1780), it is reasonable to suppose that the two settled in North Carolina at the same time. Whether they came directly form Frederick County, Md. or not is not clear but the fact that Conrad Dick sold his land in Frederick County, Md. in Mar 1764 and didn't show up in NC until ten years later suggests that he may have lived in some intermediate place, say Virginia, meantime. Conrad Dick sold his 70 acres to Peter Eller, 3 Mar 1797. (Deed Book D, p. 165, Wilkes Col, NC.)
      A John Dick, son perhaps of Conrad Dick, was granted 86-1/2 acres on the south fork of New River in Ashe Co., on 27 Jun 1797. John Dick Jr. and Jesse Ray attested the survey. John Dick and John Dick Jr. doubtless were father and son. John Dick was also granted 400 acres of land on the south fork of New River on 13 Jun 1798. This grant was accompanied by a document saying that it was issued to correct errors in an earlier grant not identified but probably the one dated 27 Dec 1797 for 400 acres that, on 3 Jan 1783, had been ordered to be surveyed probably for Robert Nall and actually surveyed for John Dick 22 July 1787. John Nall and Alexander Johnson attested the survey. On 1 Dec 1798, John Dick was granted an additional 100 acres on the south fork of New River. This land was first ordered to be surveyed for William Nall on 11 Nov 1779 and actually surveyed for Robert Nall 24 Jun 1794. How it came to be granted later to John Dick is not clear but very likely it was by assignment. (Grants 1484, 1749, 1547 and 1471, Secretary of State's Office, Raleigh, NC.) That John Dick and his wife Mary once lived in Rowan Co. is indicated by a deed of that county dated 3 Sep 1795 wherein John Dick, of Wilkes Co., sold to Jacob Helfer of Rowan Co., 200 acres of land including improvements located on Bear Creek in Rowan Co. He signed the deed 'Johannes Dick' in German script in his own hand. His wife Mary signed with a mark. (Book 14, p. 523, Rowan Co. Deeds.)
      Land grants in North Carolina originated with an entry application which was filed in the county where the land was situated and if not lost are now on file there. This was followed, sometimes soon and sometimes years later by an order from the land office for the tract to be surveyed. Sometimes soon and sometimes years later the survey was made and a surveyor's plat filed with the Secretary of State in Raleigh. Then came the grant which may have been issued reasonably near the date of the survey or sometimes several years later. These grants, orders to survey and the survey itself are on file now in the Secretary of State's office at Raleigh. The two grants to Peter Eller totaling 350 acres on Rones Creek in Wilkes County (now Ashe) mentioned above has an entry date of 10 Mar 1780 in Wilkes Co., NC records. (Land Entries 1778-1781, 1783-1795 Wilkes Co., NC, on film at the Gen. Soc. of the LDS Church in Salt Lake City.) This was followed by a warrant of survey, dated 24 Jul 1780. The survey was made 28 Mar 1787 and the grant issued 18 May 1789. Apparently Peter Eller merely retained his entry privilege and did not ask for a survey and grant until some years later, probably about the time he removed there for his farm on Reedy Creek in Rowan (now Davidson County,) North Carolina. The same situation also applied to the Conrad Dick grant of 150 acres on Rones Creek. The Wilkes county entry date is 20 Feb 1779 whereas the order to survey was issued 10 Mar 1787, the grant 28 Nov 1792 and strangely enough the survey was not made until 13 Apr 1795. Very likely it was a resurvey because it showed that instead of containing 150 acres the tract contained only 70 acres, the same acreage that Conrad Dick sold to Peter Eller, 3 Mar 1797 (supra). Quite often there would be an acreage discrepancy between entry and survey. The reason for this was that the entries were estimates and the surveys actual. Instances are also found where a person would make an entry and not follow through, then at a later date make a new entry on the same land. The Wilkes County, NC entries mentioned above were found on microfilm at the Gen. Soc. of the LDS Church. ((FNCW 5B, Land Entries 1778-1781, 1783-1795, Wilkes Co., NC.) The writer is indebted to Honorable Thad Eure, Secretary of State of North Carolina for his letter of 2 Dec 1955 which explains early land grant procedure in North Carolina.
      The date of birth for Elizabeth Dick, wife of Peter Eller, is not known. Her eldest son John Eller was born about 1767-1769 and her youngest son George after 1790. This would indicate that she was born not later than about 1749 or 1750. The 1800 census of Ashe County, N.C. states her age as over 45. She probably was alive in 1830 and, according to the Federal Census of Ashe County of that year, living with her son Jacob, her age being shown as between 70 and 80. The fact that her daughter did not have herself baptized for her mother as well as her father at Nauvoo, Ill. in 1841 as shown below, indicates either that she was then living or, as is more likely, that she had embraced the Mormon faith and was baptized in her own lifetime. [KP: This statement now appears in error since it has been found that Catherine Eller Stoker was baptized for Elizabeth White, her mother in 1843, who appeared to have remarried to Luke White, whose baptism was done by Catherine's daughter Mary (Polly) Stoker in 1841.]
      Proof of many facts concerning Peter Eller and his family was gleaned from the microfilm records of the Index to Nauvoo (Illinois) Baptisms for the Dead of the [LDS Church] that are in the custody of the Gen. Soc. of the Church in Salt Lake City. They show the following [Kerry's note: baptisms are currently not done cross-gender; however, when first introduced in 1841 on the banks of the Mississippi River, there were indeed indiscriminate cross-gender proxies.]:
      1. That Catherine Stoker, wife of Michael Stoker and daughter of Peter Eller had herself baptized in 1841 for:
      a. Her deceased grandfather, Kinrod (Conrad) Dick. (Book A, p. 37)
      b. Her deceased grandmother, Catherine Dick (Book A, p. 37)
      c. Her deceased father, Peter Eller. (Book A, p. 41)
      d. Her deceased brother, John Eller. (Book A, p. 42)
      e. Her deceased daughter Rebecca Stoker. (Book C, p. 338)
      2. Eller Stoker, son of Catherine Stoker had himself baptized in 1841 for:
      a. His deceased uncle, George Eller. (Bk. A, p. 41)
      3. Michael Stoker, son of Catherine Stoker had himself baptized in 1841 for:
      a. His deceased aunt, Barbara Pertune. It is not clear whether this aunt was a sister of his mother or father. (Book A, p. 94)
      From the above it is apparent that Catherine (Eller) Stoker in 1841 was living in or near Nauvoo, Illinois. When she and her husband embraced the faith is not known but indications are that it was some years prior to 1841 when they lived in Jackson County, Ohio.
      Peter Eller was living in Rowan County, NC as early as 6 Mar 1773 on which date the Patriarchal Blessing of the [LDS Church] states that Peter Eller's daughter Catherine was born in Rowan Co., NC. Rowan County at that time embraced all of what, in 1777, became Wilkes Co. and of what, in 1799, became Ashe Co. Ashe Co. was set off from Wilkes County in the latter year.
      Many counties were formed from what originally was Rowan County, namely Surry and Guilford in 1770, Burke and Wilkes in 1777, Randolph in 1779, Iridell in 1788, Stokes in 1789, Buncomb in 1791, Ashe in 1799, Davidson in 1822, Yancey in 1833, Davie in 1836 and Yadkin in 1850. Some of these counties were grandchildren of Rowan County; for instance Wilkes was taken partly from Burke and partly from Surry, Randolph from Guilford, Buncomb and Yancy form Burke, Ashe from Wilkes and Stokes and Yadkin from Surry. These facts must be kept in mind when tracing early Rowan County families.
      Land transactions in western North Carolina between 1740 and 1780 were so frequently unrecorded and in some cases titles supplied by the Earl of Granville and other British proprietors were considered so worthless that property owners found it necessary to have their land holdings legalized by grants from the state. This situation may explain why Peter Eller and many other settlers who are known to have lived in Rowan, and what is now Davidson County, of Western North Carolina during the period cannot be found in the records of that time. They must have done something to support themselves and their families and about all they could have done was farm lands that, by squatter rights, they assumed they owned or lands upon which they worked as laborers or tenants. [Kerry's note: Many may have finally gone for the actual grant after the Revolution since a new local and more responsive government was finally in place.]
      As already stated Peter Eller first appears in the land records of North Carolina on 10 Mar and 24 Jul 1780 when he entered upon and obtained orders to have surveyed two parcels of land on the upper ford of Rones Creek in Wilkes County, one containing 200 acres and the other containing 150 acres. Both of these parcels were surveyed to him 28 Mar 1787 and granted to him 18 May 1789. (Grants 878 and 889, Secretary of State Office, Raleigh, NC.) The first parcel ran south of and the second north of the 'upper ford of Roans Creek a branch of New River' in Wilkes County, NC. Roans Creek is on the south fork of New River in Ashe County which county was formed out of Wilkes County in 1799. None of the three papers concerned with these grants namely the entry, the survey, or the grant mention any improvements on the land and as will be shown below it is likely that he did not settle in Roans Creek section until after the land was granted to him 18 May 1789 and probably not until about the time he purchased the 200 acre farm of Andrew Baker at the mouth of Roans Creek 3 Aug 1789. (Deed Book D, p. 242, Wilkes Co., NC.)
      Peter Eller, apparently, was living in Rowan County, NC in 1785 upon land located on Reedy Creek, (now in Davidson County), that was granted to him in two parcels, one of which, containing 125 (124) acres was ordered surveyed to him 20 Nov 1785, surveyed to him 21 Nov 1785, and granted to him 18 May 1789, (the latter date being the same that land on Roans Creek in Wilkes County was granted to him). The second tract containing 325 acres was ordered surveyed to him 20 Dec 1785, surveyed to him 17 Jun 1788 and granted to him 12 Aug 1788. The first parcel, according to the order to survey, adjoined the lands of James Chaney, Martin Shukell, John Coonce (Koons) and John Wilson and the second the lands of Isaac Perrimon, Francis Williams, James Chaney and Joseph Greenwood. (Grants 1640 and 1921 Secretary of State's Office, Raleigh, NC.) Both parcels are described as having 'improvements' upon them the larger one showing that Peter Eller was already living on the property when the order to survey was issued to him 20 Dec 1785. The wording of said order to survey is as follows.
      'State of North Carolina, No. 2949, James Brandon, Entry officer of claims for Lands in the County of Rowan. To the surveyor of said County, Greeting; You are hereby required as soon as may be to lay off and survey for Peter Ellor a tract or parcel of Land Containing Three Hundred and Twenty five Acres lying in the County Aforesaid on the waters of the South Fork of Reedy Creek and Including his Own Improvement whereon he now lives and Joining James Chaney, Martin Shukill &, observing The Directions of the Act of Assembly in such case made and provided for turning out Lands. Two just and fair plans of such Survey with a Certificate Annexed to each you are to transmit with this Warrant to the Secretary's office Without Delay. Given under my hand at Salisbury the twentieth Day of December Anns. Dom. 1785. Jas. Brandon.'
      It will be noted that Peter Eller was living on the land before the order to survey was issued to him. Very likely he had earlier and probably before the Revolutionary War entered upon the land later filing an entry and still later obtaining a survey and grant from the new government of the State of N.C. The reason for believing this to be the case is that the record of the Patriarchal Blessing that was accorded to his eldest daughter Catherine Stoker by Hiram [Hyrum] Smith of the [LDS Church] at Nauvoo, Illinois in July 1843, gave her birth date as 6 March 1773 and the place of her birth as Rowan County, North Carolina. His name was spelled Ellor in the above quoted order to survey and Eller in the survey and grant as well as in the entrys, surveys and grants of the two parcels on Roans Creek in Wilkes County the name was uniformly spelled Eller. Peter Eller sold the land (325) acres covered by the above quoted order to survey to Andrew Farr on 6 Dec 1793. (Deed Book 16, p. 698, Rowan County, NC.) No record was found of the disposal of the 124 (125) acres also granted to him on Reedy Creek but a careful search of the land records of Rowan County probably would disclose it.
      George Eller, doubtless Peter Eller's brother, also obtained an order to have surveyed to him 150 acres of land on the 'waters of Reedy Creek' in Rowan County 28 Dec 1778. This land was surveyed for him 24 Sep 1785 and granted to him 25 Oct 1786. It included 'Improvements Bought of Philip Sewell for completement,' and bordered the land of James Chaney, Joseph Mussell, John Olliver and Lewis DeLee. (Grant 1402, Secy. of State's Office, Raleigh, NC.) This writer believes that the George Eller of this grant was the [brother of Peter].
      Leonard Eller, doubtless a brother of Peter and George, obtained an order, 19 Jun 1784, to have surveyed for him, 640 acres of land located 'on both sides of Lick Creek in Rowan County, N.C.,' (now Davidson Co.). This land joined the lands of James Riley, William Grist and Michael Ritter and included 'Richard Beams Mill.' The land was surveyed for Leonard Eller, 30 Dec 1791, and found to contain only 416 acres with no reason given for the discrepancy of 224 acres. The land was granted to him 26 November 1793. (Grant 2165, Secretary of State's Office, Raleigh, NC.) On the same date, (26 Nov 1793) he was given two additional grants of land in Rowan Co. both on Sheets Creek, waters of Urray, (now in Davidson County.) one for 348 acres and the other for 150 acres. (Grants 2166 and 2237 Secretary of State's Office, Raleigh, NC.) On 13 Jun 1821 Leonard Eller of Miami Co., Ohio gave power of attorney to Samuel Hoover of Randolph Co., NC empowering him 'to lease or sell' his three tracts of land 'on the waters of Lick Creek and the other two on Sheets Creek all now in the possession of Jacob Hoover late deceased.' (Deed Book 1, p. 257, Davidson County, NC.)
      Returning to Peter Eller, it is apparent that he was living in Morgan District of Wilkes County, NC, that now is in Ashe County, in 1790 when the first census was taken. At that time his land holdings on Rones Creek in Ashe County consisted of the 350 acres that the state had granted him and 200 acres that he had purchased from Andrew Baker of Wilkes County, 3 Aug 1789.He sold 200 acres of the land that had been granted to him to Gabriel Barn of Rowan County, 27 Oct 1795. John Eller, his eldest son, was one of the witnesses. (Deed Book B-1, p. 466, Wilkes Co., NC.)
      Peter Eller added other property to his holdings on 27 Dec 1797 when two parcels of 50 and 25 acres were granted to him by the State of NC. These parcels were surveyed for him on 21 Mar and 11 May respectively. John Dick, Jr., and Leonard Fouts attested the first survey and Michael Stuckard [Stoker] and Peter Eller, Jr. the second. (Grants 1479 and 1532, Secy. of State's Office, Raleigh, NC.) On 3 Mar 1797 he purchased from Conrad Dick, of Wilkes Co., his father-in-law, doubtless, 70 acres of land in Wilkes Co. The deed was witnessed by John and George Koons. (Deed Book D, p. 165, Wilkes Co., NC.) As already mentioned this land had been entered 20 Feb 1779 and surveyed for Conrad Dick 13 Apr 1795 with Jno. Eller and Mich. Stuckers [Stoker] attesting the survey as chain carriers. The land had been granted to him in the amount of 150 acres on 28 Nov 1792 but when surveyed was found to contain only 70 acres. (Grant 1258, Secy. of State's Office, Raleigh, NC.)
      There is some indication that Peter Eller returned to Rowan County after his family was listed in Federal Census of Wilkes Co., in 1790 and lived there until about 1794. He witnessed deeds in Wilkes Co. 19 Jan and 22 Mar 1790. His son John obtained his license in Rowan Co. to marry Susanna Kerns (Kern) 5 Nov 1792 and, on 6 Dec 1793, describing himself as being of Rowan Co., (which could have been an error of the drafter of the deed), Peter Eller sold to Andrew Farr the land that had been granted to him on Reedy Creek in Rowan Co. 12 Aug 1788. (Deed Book 16, p. 698, Rowan Co.) On 27 Oct 1795 describing himself as being of Wilkes Co. he sold land in Wilkes Co. to Gabriel Barn of Rowan Co. (Deed Book B-1, p. 466, Wilkes Co.)
      Peter Eller died before 29 July 1799 as evidenced by an entry in an old court record book found by this writer in the courthouse at Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co., NC in October 1954. It reads as follows: 'Betsey Eller and John Eller having made application for Administration on the estate of Peter Eller gave Bowers and John Koons for security who were bound in the sum of 800 pounds and qualified as the law directs.'
      Betsey Eller doubtless was Peter's widow and John his eldest son. The time was 1799 when Ashe County was being set off from Wilkes and the year just preceding the one in which the first federal census of Ashe Co. was taken. That census (1800) lists the family of Elizabeth Eller, age over 45, with one male, aged 16-26, one female, aged 16-26 and one male, aged under 10 in her household. Undoubtedly, she had other minor and unmarried children but it was so common in those days to farm adolescent children out as workers for other families when death had taken their father, that it is likely that these additional children were not living at home. Elizabeth Eller is not shown by name in a later census but in 1830 the family of Jacob Eller included one female aged between 70 and 80 who may have been his mother and Peter's widow.
      Three deeds in the courthouse at Jefferson, Ashe Co., NC record settlement actions on the property of Peter Eller deceased. In brief they are:
      1. Deed Book M, p. 163, dated 7 July 1809 shows Peter Eller, Jacob Eller, George Koontz and William Pennington of the county of Ashe in the state of NC, heirs of Peter Eller, deceased, selling to Leonard Fantz 200 acres of land in Ashe Co. the same apparently being the tract Andrew Baker had deeded to Peter Eller 3 Aug 1789. The deed was signed by all the said heirs except William Pennington. Why Pennington did not sign is not clear.
      2. Deed Book F, p. 414, dated 17 Sep 1816, shows John Eller, Peter Eller, Jacob Eller, Henry Eller, Michael Stocker (Stoker), George Koontz and William Pennington all of the County of Ashe in the State of NC, heirs of Peter Eller deceased, selling Luke White Sr. 122 acres of land located on the south fork of New River at the mouth of Rones Creek etc. This deed was signed by all the said heirs named as party of the first part in the deed except George Koontz. Why George Koontz did not sign is not clear.
      3. Deed Book F, p. 83, dated 11 Feb 1817 shows John Eller, J.A. (Jacob) Eller, Henry Eller, Michael Stocker (Stoker), George Koontz and William Pennington all of the county of Ashe in the state of N.C., heirs of Peter Eller, deceased, selling to Frederick Black, 25 acres of land on the south fork of New River the land being that warranted to Peter Eller, 3 May 1793 and granted to him 27 Dec 1797. All of these heirs signed the deed.
      This writer believes that other heirship deeds exist probably of earlier dates and, if found, would show a Bumgardner heir. The above three deeds distributed only 347 acres of Peter Eller's estate when it appears that it consisted at his death of at least 470 acres. The Bumgardner connection is suggested in an ancient family Bible in which the birth dates of seven children of John Eller, eldest son of Peter and Elizabeth (Dick) Eller was recorded. Another birth entry in this old Bible is that of Simeon Bumgardner, born 8 Jan 1807. This child probably was a son of a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Dick) Eller who had marred a Bumgardner, probably James Bumgardner.
      The old Bible was printed in the German language at Halle, Germany in 1770 and is now in the possession of Mr. Wade E. Eller of Warrensville, Ashe Co., NC. It may be the Bible which George Michael Eller willed to his son Jacob because on page 17 is written 'Jacob Eller his Bible.' On page 15 of the vorrede or preface is also written 'The Holy Bible Peter Eller.' The only information of genealogical value in the Bible are the dates of birth of all but the youngest child, Mary, of John and Susannah (Kerns) Eller… and of Simeon Bumgarner above mentioned.
      The 1790 Fed. Census shows Peter Eller of the Morgan District of Wilkes Co. (that in 1799 became Ashe Co.) with a family of himself and wife, one son over 16, two sons under 16 and 4 females whose ages were not indicated. His eldest son John probably was not living at home at the time and was not included. Peter Eller's name is shown as Peter Ellis in the published census of North Carolina for 1790 but the original records which this writer saw in the Archives Building in Washington, D.C. plainly show it to have been Peter Eller and not Peter Ellis.
      The 1800 census of Ashe County shows Elizabeth Eller, aged over 45, doubtless the widow of Peter, with a family of 1 male and 1 female each aged between 16-26 and one son aged under 10. This young son, doubtless, was George Eller, born after 1790.
      The personal estate of Peter Eller was sold and an accounting reported to the Nov. 1799 court of Wilkes Co., NC by John Eller, Adr. The property, 111 individual sales, consisted of household utensils and furniture, farm yard tools and accessories, including one tomahawk, ten sheep, fifteen head of cattle, among which were a yoke of yearlings and one yearling bull, hogs, geese, bee hives, etc. The widow took a good deal of the furniture and household accessories including interestingly enough a trumpet which indicates that the early Ellers possessed musical interest. Other items taken by her were one lot of books, a chest, five head of hogs, four cows, one mare colt, two sheep, oven, hammer and anvil, and a pair of saddle bags. Other purchasers were John Eller, Peter Eller, Elizabeth Eller Jr., Michael Stucker (Stoker), Michael Bumgardner, Leonard Bumgardner, John Dick, Leonard Pfouts, Jacob Huntsinger, Daniel Dickson, James Dickson, James Cash, William Cash, Henry Michael Sr., Henry Michael Jr., Daniel Michael, Thomas Baker, Alexander Smith who purchased the tomahawk and some of the farm animals and other items, David Smith, Frederick Younce, Christian Shear, Abraham Shear, Coonrod Coldiron, David Ingram, Balsar Raime, Conrat Grub, William Colward, George Miller, John Calloway, Allen Nowlin, John Holman and John Tirey. The amount of the sale, including the items taken by the widow totaled 300 pounds, 18 shillings, 7 pence. (Will Book 1, pp. 540-41, Wilkes Co., NC.)"

      5. The following was posted on the Internet at a site concerning "Brethren-Genealogy" by Dwayne Wrightsman 30 Aug 2009 at http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/BRETHREN/2009-08/1251658713 accessed 2 May 2015. See comments about this posting in a separate note below by Rose Green:
      "Conrad Dick was the head of the German Dick family that settled in Wilkes/Ashe County, NC, in 1788. His daughter, Maria Elizabetha Dick (baptized 18 December 1746, Evangelisch-Reformierte, Altrip, Pfalz) was married to Peter Eller who also settled with the Dicks in Wilkes/Ashe in 1788. Conrad's son, John Dick, and John's son, John Dick Jr., also arrived in Wilkes/Ashe in 1788. The younger John Dick was a Brethren elder who worked with elder Joseph Roland and elder Isham Gibson with the Long Creek Brethren in Muhlenberg, KY, and with the Sugar Creek Brethren in Sangamon, IL.
      The Conrad Dick family is not well known in Brethren history compared to the Adam Dick family (of the Conestoga and Conewago congregations of Lancaster and York Counties, PA). We do not know if these two Dick families were related.
      The wife of Conrad Dick was Anna Catharina. Her surname is not given in the literature. However, by checking German Reformed Church records it appears that she was born Anna Catharina Gross, 22 August 1717, Evangelisch-Reformierte, Altrip, Pfalz, daughter of Peter and Elsabetha Gross. At age 18 she married the widower Hans Jakob Bargeld, 15 November 1735, Altrip, Pfalz. By this marriage she bore two sons, Joh. Michel and Joh. Christoffel, whose births, 6 January, 1738, and 9 April, 1741, respectively, were recorded in the Evangelisch-Reformierte, Altrip, Pfalz, church records. Hans Jakob Ba(a)rgeld died 10 May 1744. On 22 February 1746, the widow Catharina Baargeldin married Johann Conrad Dick of Heddesheim. The marriage was recorded in the Evangelisch-Reformierte, Altrip Pfalz, church records. On 18 December 1746, their daughter Maria Elizabeth Dick was baptized, Evangelische-Reformierte, Altrip Pfalz. This was the daughter of Conrad Dick who married Peter Eller, oldest son of George Michael Eller of Frederick County, MD.
      Given that Conrad Dick's wife was a widow of a widower, it is possible that Conrad Dick himself had been previously married. Since wife Anna Catharina (nee Gross) was born in 1717, Conrad Dick may have been born earlier than the "about 1725" birth year usually assigned to him in various genealogical accounts. Church birth/baptism records for Conrad Dick and for Adam Dick have not been found. Adam Dick's birth year was 1709 and his death year was 1785 according his German tombstone inscription, Mummerts Cemetery, Hamilton Twp., York Co., PA. Conrad Dick's birth and death years are both unknown.
      Heddesheim and Altrip were villages on the outskirts of Manheim/Mannheim, Germany. When Conrad Dick bought 100 acres on a small creek leading into the Beaver Dam Branch of Little Pipe Creek in Frederick County, MD, in 1755, he named his tract "Mon Hime" apparently after his being from Manheim/Mannheim. Conrad Dick could neither read nor write. His family's immigration is unknown, but it was probably sometime between 1747 and 1753. He was naturalized in Maryland in 1760.
      In 1758, a second daughter, Maria Catherine Dick, was born to Conrad and Anna Catharina Dick. She was baptized 28 March 1758, German Reformed Church, Frederick, Frederick, Maryland. Apparently the Conrad Dick family was not yet Brethren at that time even though they lived in the Beaver Creek - Pipe Creek among many Brethren families who were picking up and moving to North Carolina.
      Conrad Dick sold his "Mon Hime" property on Beaver Creek in Frederick, Maryland, in 1764. Ten years later (1774) he bought 200 acres on Hodge's Fork of the Uwharrie River in North Carolina. He and his son John and his son-in-law Peter Eller settled in various parts of the Rowan County area of North Carolina until they converged in Wilkes County in 1788. Whether or not they were Brethren is unknown but what is known is that they associated with the Brethren on the Uwharrie River, on the Forks of the Yadkin, and on Reedy Creek prior to joining the Brethren settlement on the New River in Wilkes County, NC."

      6. Emails from Rose Green, descendant and expert German researcher (rose.green@att.net):
      29 Apr 2015: "Given that we've been talking about Birkenau and all [in regards to Johan Michael Roemer], I went back to look at exactly who it is of Conrad Dick's ancestors who lived in that parish. A while back, I found a discussion on a site about Brethren genealogy [see separate note in file of Johann Conrad Dick from Dwayne Wrightsman dated 30 Aug 2009], in which he was identified as a member of that group, and traced to Heddesheim, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. His mother was from nearby Altrip and his father from Heddesheim. I discovered that there were printed Familienbuecher (genealogy books where someone has extracted the whole of a town's church records and organized them into neat family groups) for both villages. I ordered them via interlibrary loan, and yes, the whole family showed up. Conrad's mother was from Weschnitz (not in the Pfalz but over near Birkenau), and his grandparents were married in Furth (the Catholic parish that covered Birkenau at the time). (The grandparents were the ones moving up after the 30 Years' War from parts south.)
      The Altrip records list a marriage for Johann Conrad Dick on 22 Feb 1746 to Anna Catharina, widow of Hans Jacob Baargeld (marriage 15 Nov 1735, which gives her maiden name as Gross, daughter of Hans Peter Gross and Anna Meyer). Altrip and Heddesheim are very near Mannheim (he named his farm Mon Hime in America). The new location, Berghuelen, Blaubeuren, Wuerttemberg, is quite a bit further away. The Altrip records also apparently include the birth record of Maria Elisabeth Dick, who would be the wife of Peter Eller, if this group is ours, on 14 Dec 1746. This was in the Reformed church. The Gross family goes back several generations (some of the children don't show up in Familysearch; it's more of a direct line thing).
      ...To me, the Altrip/Heddesheim connection seems to carry more weight than the Berghuelen one (if nothing else because of the Mannheim connection--but also because all of the people seem to show up there)."
      2 May 2015: "Yes, I suspect that with the conversion to newer versions of Familysearch, some records have become garbled or incorrectly merged. You are right--all the background details list the name in FS as Anna Maria. And suddenly, she's bam! Ruth, out of nowhere. The Altrip Familenbuch does not list anyone in the Gross family named Ruth. It's not a name that commonly appears in German church records of the time. The siblings of Anna Catharina Gross that are recorded in the Altrip book all have specific death dates in Germany listed. Possibly there were more siblings who died young and would be in the original church records, but I'm not seeing anyone who could be remotely construed as Ruth.
      Hannah sounds more English than German to me (Anna in German--unless maybe a nickname for Johanna?), but her husband--he's definitely got a German name, and he's living with all those Germans. The Heddesheim Familienbuch does list a sister to Conrad, Anna Maria, b. 1726. I don't see a Hannah Sophia, but it would be worth checking the actual primary church records in Altrip. Such published books have errors, as we know. I think it's worth putting her down as a hypothesis to be tested.
      Regarding Margaret Susan Dick who married Koons, I can't tell from the information given if Dick was her maiden name, or if it was the name of her first husband who died while coming to America. Again, I don't see anyone by that name in the Familienbuch, but Conrad has some brothers who don't have death entries listed. There are certainly other Dick families in the US that don't have any apparent relation to us (Adam Dick--unless way back we have a DNA connection??). But since they all(Koons, etc.) seem to follow each other around, she's probably another one to look into.
      In any case, there is a concrete marriage record for a Johann Conrad Dick marrying Anna Catharina Gross on 22 Feb 1746 in Altrip, Pfalz, Germany. The birth of a daughter, Maria Elisabetha Dick, who we suppose to be the one who married Peter Eller, was born in Altrip on 14 Dec 1746.
      I suspect that a lot of incorrect merging (and some assumptions based on extracted records taken out of context) have happened in recent years. I have certainly seen several instances of people in Family Tree suddenly being connected to people they have no relation to, just because of a name similarity (and the new situation replacing the previous relationship that was based on detailed research and tangible data). Sometimes it seems like we've gone from the problem of temple work being done over and over for the same individual to some rather overzealous merging. I'm sure we'll get it all straightened out in the end, but it makes for confusion right now.
      In any case, here's a summary of what the Familienbuch Heddesheim has to say about Conrad Dick:
      Johann Velten (Valentin) Dick (son of Hans Velten Dick, +7 Mar 1735 Heddesheim) oo Anna Margaretha Hinderkircher (b. in the 1690s in Weschnitz, which is near Birkenau, +7 Mar 1742 Heddesheim) on 16 Feb 1718 in Heddesheim. She was the daughter of Johann Joachim Hinderkircher, married in Furth (again, near Birkenau) but from "Tirol," and Susanna Baltzer of Schwaben. Children (born in Heddesheim):
      1. Johann Conrad, *3 Feb 1721
      2. Justina Magdalena *5 May 1724, +19 Dec 1762 in Heddesheim
      3. Johann Christoph, *28 Jul 1725
      4. Anna Maria, *28 Dec 1726
      5. Tobias, *8 Feb 1729
      6. Johann Michael, *22 Mar 1731
      Extra children not listed could of course be fit in here, and a search should be done of the church books. After Velten died, Anna Margaretha married a widower in the area, but I don't have a record of any children (not to say there weren't any).
      On the Gross side (from the Altrip Familienbuch), I've got Hans Peter Gross of Altrip, no birth info given, but believed to be the son of Johann Ludwig Gross and Catharina of Altrip (md. bef 1692) m. Elisabeth Meyer of Reisen (Birkenau parish again! Her father was Hans Meyer) on 24 Nov 1716 in Altrip. Children born in Altrip:
      1. Anna Catharina, 22 Aug 1717
      2. Johann Heinrich, *16 Feb 1721, +11 Jun 1722
      3. Maria Barbara, *15 Oct 1724, +15 Jun 1762 Altrip. Married Johann Georg Schwitzgöbel of Weisenheim, Sand, Germany 14 Sep 1745 in Altrip
      Then Hans Peter Gross married again, this time on 9 May 1730 (Altrip) to Anna Clara Schneider, *25 Sep 1711 Altrip. They had one child that I know of in Altrip:
      4. Johann Ludwig Gross, *5 Oct 1732, +25 Apr 1735
      Anyway, I think that it might be a very good idea to poke into this some more ... I think I'll order up what records there may be for Altrip and Heddesheim. And I'd love to take another look in the Birkenau area for those people who show up over there."

      7. FHL book 929.273 D55h "History of Peter and Christina Shutt Dick Family; Frederick Co. Maryland; Wilkes Co. North Carolina; Muhlenberg Co. Kentucky; Sangamon Co. Illinois; Cass Co. Illinois," compiled by Muriel M. Hoffman; Anchor, Illinois; 1970; Chapter II "Ancestry of Peter Dick":
      "Peter Dick was born Oct. 27, 1780 in North Carolina, the son of John and Elizabeth Rolland Dick, also natives of one of the Carolinas, who died in Kentucky when very old. The ancestry was German.(2) (We have reason to believe that John may be a native of Maryland.) Nowhere else is the mother's name recorded except as Mary on a deed in North Carolina.
      Morgan District, Wilkes Co. N. Car. 1790 census
      John Dick, 1 male over 16; 3 males under 16; 5 females
      The following paragraphs are from research contributed by Miss Wilda Chase of Lincoln, Neb. from her Dick family history. The North Carolina research was done by a Dick-Eller descendant and the Kentucky research about Conrod Dick II by a Baptist preacher in Kentucky and that material was given to Miss Chase...
      Coonrod Dick appears to be the first found ancestor of this family but little is known about him. He does not appear on any passenger list of those coming to this country. His given name is found spelled variously as Coonrod, Conrad, Kinrod, Koonrod, etc. He was of German birth.
      Conrad Dick was in Frederick Co. Md. 15 Aug. 1755 when all that tract of land called "Mon Hime" lying on a small creek leading into Beaver Dam Branch and containing 100 acres was surveyed and patented to him. (B.C. and G.S. #5, folio 127, Hall of Records, Annapolis, Md.) On Mar. 23, 1764 Conrad Dick signed by mark a deed for this land to William Aldridge, his wife, Catherine consenting (J 224-5). Here they disappear from Maryland records.
      He appears to be identical with the Conrad Dick found in Wilkes County, North Carolina with others from Frederick Co. Md. 20 Feb.1779, Coonrod Dick enters 150 acres of land (868). 28 March 1792, he was granted 70 acres (1068) which he sold to Peter Eller 3 March 1797. It seems strange he is not found on any census list. He cannot have been living with any of his known children as their families do not include any one of his age. The only possible explanation seems to be that his name was misread and appears as Conrad Fite in the printed census records.
      No tombstone nor death records are found for either Conrad or his wife, Catherine (Anna Catherine, on other information). That she was the mother of his children is shown in the marriage record of their granddaughter, Catherine Eller Stoker, and in the baptism of their daughter, Maria Catherine. Probable children of this couple, order of birth unknown were:
      1. John Dick. The fact that Elizabeth Eller's son acted as agent for the sale of part of his land after he moved to Kentucky, plus the fact that he had children Coonrad and Catherine makes it seem probable he was their son.
      2. Elizabeth Dick married Peter Eller (see later paragraphs).
      3. Maria Catherine Dick christened Frederick Co. 28 March, 1758."

      8. FHL book 929.273 D55h "History of Peter and Christina Shutt Dick Family; Frederick Co. Maryland; Wilkes Co. North Carolina; Muhlenberg Co. Kentucky; Sangamon Co. Illinois; Cass Co. Illinois," compiled by Muriel M. Hoffman; Anchor, Illinois; 1970; Chapter II "Ancestry of Peter Dick":
      "Elizabeth Dick, daughter of Conrad and Catherine Dick married Peter Eller, son of George Michael Eller, who moved to what is now Ashe County, N. Car. from Frederick County, Md. Their land adjoined that of her father and presumed brother, John. They had at least 8 children:
      1. John Eller, b. abt 1767 d. 1823, m. 5 Nov. 1792 Susannah Kerns, who died 10 April 1853 age 87 years.
      2. Catherine Eller b. Rowan Co. 6 Mar. 1773 d. aft 1850 m. 1791/2 to Michael Stoker b. Frederick Co. Md. 24 Mar. 1762, d. aft. 1836.
      3. Peter Eller b. 1777/8 d. Wilkes Co. 1851; m. Mary Pennington, prob. dau of William whose estate he helped to administer on 2 July, 1812 with a William Jr.
      4. Elizabeth Eller probably m. William Pennington
      5. Jacob Eller b.1784/88 d. 3 Nov. 1855 (census b.1784) m. abt. 1805 to Katherine White b.1789 d. Jan. 3, 1854
      6. Mary Eller b. 1784/88 d. 1872 age 84; m. George Koons (Koontz) b. 1785/6 d. 26 Mar. 1848 age 63 years.
      7. Henry Eller b.1786/88 d. Ashe Co. abt 1876 m. 1814 Elizabeth Johnson.
      8. George Eller b. aft 1790 d. before 1841."

      MARRIAGE:
      1. Peter Eller: per biography above.

      2. A second marriage to Luke White may be surmised from the following LDS records as found in the article "Michael and Catherine Eller Stoker's Descendants in Illinois," by Jimmie "B" Stoker, July 30, 1994, as reprinted in the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT. See the notes of Michael Stoker (1762-1838) for the full transcript of this article. This portion of the article lists the proxy baptisms done in Nauvoo, Illinois by Elizabeth's daughter Catherine Eller Stoker and her family in behalf of their dead relatives and friends per the doctrine of Catherine's new Mormon religion:
      "A new doctrine taught.
      Seymour Brunson's funeral.
      On August 10, 1840 forty-year-old Seymour Brunson died in Nauvoo. He was an old Stoker friend. Not only was he one of the first missionaries that had brought the restored gospel to their home in Jackson County, Ohio during 1833, but he had also distinguished himself in Missouri during 1838 as leading out in Joseph Smith's behalf. Colonel Brunson had led some of the Mormon attacks against the Missouri enemies.
      At Brunson's funeral Joseph Smith introduced to his followers the ordinance of baptism for the dead. This doctrine would seize the imagination of many members of the church including the Stokers. Joseph taught that "the Saints have the privilege of being baptized for those of their relatives who are dead, whom they believe would have embraced the Gospel, if they had been privileged with hearing it, and who have received the Gospel in the spirit, through the instrumentality of those who have been commissioned to preach to them while in prison."13
      Baptism for the dead.
      The idea of this ordinance underscores the fact that God is just and will allow all mankind equal opportunity to accept proper baptism in Christ's name. Hence by allowing a proxy to be baptized in behalf of those who had died without being baptized in the proper manner, God would not penalize those of His children who had lived on the earth without hearing the restored gospel. In the hereafter, God would allow them to accept or reject that ordinance which is designed to allow one entrance into Heaven. Individual members of the church could perform baptism for their ancestors who had never heard of the restored gospel.
      The Stokers go to Nauvoo to be baptized for their dead relatives.
      Stepping into the water on behalf of their dead relatives to be baptized for them was an act that Catherine Eller Stoker was to perform. Many in her family followed her example and were baptized for numerous dead relatives.
      During the short time after Joseph Smith had introduced the concept of baptism for the dead, members of the church entered the waters of the Mississippi River to be baptized on behalf of their loved ones. The rite of baptism for the dead was confirmed to the vicinity of Nauvoo.
      On January 19, 1841, the Lord commanded that the Saints built a temple with a baptismal font in it. Furthermore, the commandment states that baptism for the dead "belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not about to build a house unto me."14 On October 3, 1841, as the temporary baptismal font in the Temple basement neared completion, Joseph Smith declared, "There shall be no more baptisms for the dead until the ordinance can be attended to in the Lord's House."15
      In 1841 Catherine Eller and members of her family traveled to Nauvoo to perform baptisms for their dead. At this time the church policy allowed men and women to be baptized indiscriminately for each other. Catherine was baptized for her father, Peter Eller, and her brother, John Eller. She may have been baptized for her deceased daughter, Rebecca Stoker at this date. Michael Stoker (1805-1858) was baptized for his Grandfather Stoker, Michael (1762-1838), Eller Stoker (1816-1857) was baptized for his uncle, George Eller.16
      It is most probable that these 1841 Stoker baptisms were performed in the Mississippi River. The first baptisms for the dead performed in the Nauvoo Temple font took place on Sunday November 21, 1841 in the basement. This temporary font had been dedicated a couple of weeks earlier and would be used until the Temple was completed with a permanent one.17
      The following Stoker family members were baptized for these dead members of their families [Person baptized for/Relationship to above:]
      Catherine Eller Stoker:
      Elizabeth [Dick Eller] White/Mother
      George M. Eller/Grandfather
      Kinrod Dick/Grandfather
      Catherine Dick/Grandmother
      Peter Eller/Father
      John Eller/Brother
      Rebecca Stoker/Daughter
      Michael Stoker (1805-1858):
      Michael Stoker/Grandfather
      Barbary Pertune/Aunt
      Absalom Koons /Cousin
      Eller Stoker (1816-1857):
      Christian Sherrer/Great uncle
      Sarah Sherrer/Great aunt
      Jacob Sherrer/Mother's cousin
      Catherine Sherrer/Mother's cousin
      Philip Baker/Uncle
      George Baker/Cousin
      George Eller/Uncle
      Margaret [Judd] Stoker:
      William McQuarey/Uncle
      James Welker:
      Sarah Wilker/Mother
      Elizabeth Stoker Welker
      Lear Black/Mother's cousin
      William Pennington/Uncle
      Mary Polly Stoker Graybill
      Molly Coons/Great aunt
      Andrew Sherer/Mother's cousin
      Andrew Black/Mother's cousin
      Catherine Yance/Mother's cousin
      Luke White/Step-grandfather
      Mary Steemel [Stimmel]/Aunt"

      DEATH:
      1. Elizabeth died after her husband died in 1799 per the following per FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 69-87, concerning her son John Eller: "On 29 July 1799 Betsey and John Eller made application to the Court of Pleas of Wilkes County for Administration on the Estate of Peter Eller, deceased. They gave John Bowers and John Koons for security, these two being bound in the sum of 800 pounds and qualified as the law required. Betsey Eller, doubtless was the deceased's widow and mother of John Eller. Late in 1799 Ashe County was formed out of Wilkes County."

      2. Could Elizabeth been alive as late as 1830? FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, p. 26: "Betsey Eller doubtless was Peter's widow and John his eldest son. The time was 1799 when Ashe County was being set off from Wilkes and the year just preceding the one in which the first federal census of Ashe Co. was taken. That census (1800) lists the family of Elizabeth Eller, age over 45, with one male, aged 16-26, one female, aged 16-26 and one male, aged under 10 in her household. Undoubtedly, she had other minor and unmarried children but it was so common in those days to farm adolescent children out as workers for other families when death had taken their father, that it is likely that these additional children were not living at home. Elizabeth Eller is not shown by name in a later census but in 1830 the family of Jacob Eller included one female aged between 70 and 80 who may have been his mother and Peter's widow."

      3. Elizabeth would have to have been deceased by 1843 when her daughter did a proxy baptism in Elizabeth's behalf in Nauvoo. It is curious that Catherine did a bunch of these baptisms in 1841; however, this one was done in 1843 which makes you speculate that perhaps she was still alive in 1841 since the proxy baptisms were only done in behalf of the deceased. Catherine's father Peter Eller as well as her step-father Luke White were both done in 1841, but why not the mother?

      2. The following LDS ordinances were done in Nauvoo by Mary Graybill acting as proxy for her family as follows per the book "Annotated Record of Baptism for the Dead, 1840-1845, Hancock County, Illinois - [7 volume set] ," by Black, Susan Easton & Black, Harvey Bishchoff, Provo, UT, BYU Press, 2002, pp. 1452-1453:
      "Deceased: Andrew Black, male, Mary Graybill was the Relative of Andrew Black. Source: Nauvoo Baptismal Records of the Dead.
      Deceased: Molly Coons, female, Mary Graybill was the Great Niece of Molly Coons. Source: Nauvoo Baptismal Records of the Dead.
      Deceased: Andrew Sherer, male, Mary Graybill was the Second Cousin of Molly Coons. Source: Nauvoo Baptismal Records of the Dead.
      Deceased: Mary Steemel, female, Mary Graybill was the Niece of Mary Steemel. Date of proxy baptism: 1841. Source: Nauvoo Baptismal Records of the Dead, Book A147.
      Deceased: Luke White, male, Mary Graybill was the Step-Granddaughter of Luke White. Date of proxy baptism: 1841. Source: Nauvoo Baptismal Records of the Dead, Book A172. [Also notes sources as Family Search and Ancestral File which is probably the source of the undocumented notes in their entry that Luke White was born about 1745 in Rowan Co., NC, spouse of Elizabeth Dick.]
      Deceased: Catherine Yance, female, Mary Graybill was the Relative of Catherine Yance. Source: Nauvoo Baptismal Records of the Dead."

      3. The following partial excerpt is from the article "Michael and Catherine Eller Stoker's Descendants in Illinois" by Jimmie "B" Stoker, July 30, 1994 from the book "Our Stoker Family Histories 1731-1881," Vol. II, comp. and ed. by Elayne Stoker, 2004, printed by Stevenson's Genealogy Center, Provo, UT, The numbers in the text refer to endnotes at the end of the article. See Catherine Martha Eller's notes for the full and complete transcript which is quite lengthy and only deals with her children in the Illinois period of Mormon history:
      "In 1841 Catherine Eller and members of her family traveled to Nauvoo to perform baptisms for their dead. At this time the church policy allowed men and women to be baptized indiscriminately for each other. Catherine was baptized for her father, Peter Eller, and her brother, John Eller. She may have been baptized for her deceased daughter, Rebecca Stoker at this date. Michael Stoker (1805-1858) was baptized for his Grandfather Stoker, Michael (1762-1838), Eller Stoker (1816-1857) was baptized for his uncle, George Eller.16 It is most probable that these 1841 Stoker baptisms were performed in the Mississippi River. The first baptisms for the dead performed in the Nauvoo Temple font took place on Sunday November 21, 1841 in the basement. This temporary font had been dedicated a couple of weeks earlier and would be used until the Temple was completed with a permanent one.17 The following Stoker family members were baptized for these dead members of their families:
      Catherine Eller Stoker [person baptized for/relationship to above]:
      Elizabeth [Dick Eller] White/Mother
      George M. Eller/Grandfather
      Kinrod Dick/Grandfather
      Catherine Dick/Grandmother
      Peter Eller/Father
      John Eller/Brother
      Rebecca Stoker/Daughter
      Michael Stoker (1805-1858)
      Michael Stoker/Grandfather
      Barbary Pertune/Aunt
      Absalom Koons/Cousin
      Eller Stoker (1816-1857)
      Christian Sherrer/Great uncle
      Sarah Sherrer/Great aunt
      Jacob Sherrer/Mother's cousin
      Catherine Sherrer/Mother's cousin
      Philip Baker/Uncle
      George Baker/Cousin
      George Eller/Uncle
      Margaret [Judd] Stoker
      William McQuarey/Uncle
      James Welker
      Sarah Wilker/Mother
      Elizabeth Stoker Welker
      Lear Black/Mother's cousin
      William Pennington/Uncle
      Mary Polly Stoker Graybill
      Molly Coons/Great aunt
      Andrew Sherer/Mother's cousin
      Andrew Black/Mother's cousin
      Catherine Yance/Mother's cousin
      Luke White/Step-grandfather
      Mary Steemel [Stimmel]/Aunt.18"
      Certainly Catherine Eller and her Stoker family members were not of the opinion that all was doom [after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith]. Before July was over they were again performing baptisms for dead relatives. On July 28, Catherine Eller was baptized for her dead grandfather, George Michael Eller, her daughter, Elizabeth Stoker Welker, was baptized for William Pennington, one of her mother's brothers-in-law.61"