Conrad Dorn of Obernau, Germany

Immigrant Conrad Dorn was born in Obernau, near Ashuffenburg, Bavaria, Germany on 4 July 1842. He came to America with his family in 1879, and they immediately settled in the small Upstate New York town of Utica.  He first worked for the Empire Woolen Company in Clayville, New York. Clayville is situated on Sauquiot Creek, about ten miles south of Utica. The mill was incorporated in 1860 and produced fancy cassimere, worsted and overcoats.

Conrad then enjoyed long time employment with the Globe Woolen Mills in Utica.  The Utica Globe Mills was begun in 1847, with the mill reorganized into the Globe Woolen Mills. This mill where Conrad was employed as a skillful weaver produced the finest fancy woolen and worsted goods. The label Globe Woolen Mills meant the highest quality.

Globe Woolen Mills
Utica, New York

Unfortunately, in late Augusts 1907, at the age of 65 Conrad suffered a stroke and on 1 September died at his home on Saratoga Street, Utica. During his life he had been a member of St. Joseph’s Church The Bavarian Sick Aid Society, the Deutsche Bruder, and an honorary member of the Maximillian Section of the Bavarian National Verband.

His wife and five children survived him as well as a sister in Germany. 

The Dorn Family of Upstate New York

As the monograph of the Nunn family circulated among my Florida relatives, the question was raised, was George Dorn who married Emma Nunn (my grandfather’s sister) related to our newest “family” member with the last name of Dorn?

It wasn’t until we returned from Florida that I could really get into researching this question – I mean, I just couldn’t sit inside at the computer when the sun and water beckoned, could I?

We were busy building sand castles

It is great fun researching the Utica Dorn family. I learned the ship City of Montreal brought Conrad and Maria (Schuck) Dorn to New York on 13 October 1879.  Conrad and Maria traveled from Germany with their five young children: Adam, Ann, Nicholas, John and infant Josephine. Whereas my Dorn line stayed in New York City, this Dorn family relocated immediately to Utica, New York, where at the time there lived seven other Dorn families.

Conrad was immediately hired in the lumberyard, (one of the Dorn males already there worked as a carpenter), but Conrad later became a long time employee and valued weaver at the Globe Woolen Mill in Utica.

The story of the Utica Dorns will continue in another post and then we will see if George Dorn of New York City is indeed related to the Conrad Dorn line of Utica, New York.