1930 Census: 626-1451 Rochester, NY Monroe County.
ED 96 Page 21 A Line 6 Conrad Shumway Boarder-40 years old occupation Veterinary Surg. Animal Hospital. He is living on
Langstow Street, in the 14th Ward.
Marriage Lic. Roll 34-831334. Married in Rochester, Monroe, New York
NAME : Conrad Shumway COLOR: White
RESIDENCE: 160 South Ave. AGE: 47 11-16-1890
OCCUPATION: Attendent NO> OF MARRIAGE 2nd, Div. 11-8-26 Gliclna, Mass
BIRTHPLACE: Bradford Vt.
FATHER: Ellis B. Shumway
BIRTHPLACE: U.S.A.
MOTHER: Della Marks
BIRTHPLACE: U.S.A.
NAME: Mary E. Heintz COLOR: White
RESIDENCE: 160 South Ave. AGE: 36 5-17-02
OCCUPATION: Attendent NO. OF MARRIAGE: 1st
BIRTHPLACE: Waterloo, NY
FATHER: Frank Heintz
BIRTHPLACE: -
MOTHER: Clara
DATE OF MARRIAGE: September 12, 1938
D/C Dec. 12, 1957
A GENTLE MAN'S LOST YEARS
Time Left Void in Life That Once Was Kind by FLOYD KING
What happened to the lost years in the life of Conrad Shumway?
That life flickered out a few days ago, slipping away almost gratefully from a wasted body. Conrad Shumway died a ward of the
county in the County Infirmary. Welfare records listed his age as 70.
"Alcoholism", the attending doctor gave as the cause of death. And in the Record Bureau at Police Headquarters they
wrote "Deceased" accross the card of another Skid Row derelict.
But life had not always been unkind to Conrad Shumway. The son of a prominent New England family, he was one of
those clear-eyed young men of bubbling vitality and high ideals who would be voted by his Dartmouth Colledge classmates
as the student most likely to succeed.
He was graduated as a doctor of veterinary medicine and began practice in a typieally attractive little New England community.
He prospered as people enjoyed bringing their pets to Dr. Shumway, whose gentle hands ministered their ills.
Then life played one of its cruel jokes. Conrad Shumway became an alcoholic. Gradually he slipped down the road to destruction.
His clear eyes became bleared and his springy step faltering. Rather than risk injury to one of the pets placed in the charge he
gave up the practice. And ashamed of his weakness, he gave up his wife and son.
Then about 20 years ago Conrad Shumway dropped from sight. There may be records on him in other cities, but not untill
death was near for the broken old man did he reveal to Rochester welfare authorities that he had a family. The grieving
relatives claimed his body when the end came.
Shumway's only brush with Rochester police came last February when two men found him crumpled on the ground back of
a Court Street grill. He had fallen while in an alcoholic daze, suffered a shoulder injury and severe cuts to his face. He was
taken to Strong Memorial Hospital where he was later arrested on a charge of piblic intoxication. Dr. Shumway gave his
occupation to the arresting officer as an unemployed laborer. He posted $5 bail which was forfeited when he did not appear
in court.
This story has been pieced together from scant police and hospital reports and a message from the family. The sorrowing relative
would like to know what happened to Conrad Shumway during the lost years of his life.
Did he live all those years in Rochester?
Did he ever practice as a veterinarian again?
Did he find happiness other in a bottle in a lonely room?
If anyone has any knowledge of this gentel old man and will communicate it to the city editor of this newspaper, it will be sent on to
the family. Now they can only wonder about 20 lost years.
I checked the directories in Rochester, 1940 Conrad and Mary are working at the State Hospital.
1946 Conrad is a carpenter at State Hospital.
1950 Conrad is alone and working as a bartender on Court St.
Who is this family member?