Biographies of American Seedsmen and Nurserymen Conard, Alfred Fellenberg–(1835-1906)–West Grove, Pennsylvania–was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1835.  He descended from German Quakers who were part of William Penn’s Colony in 1683.  He worked on his father’s farm and learned the nursery business from Thomas M. Harvey.  Conard formed the firm of Conard & Brother, but some time after 1862 he started a nursery business with Charles Dingee under the name Dingee & Conard.  The business had two greenhouses and the establishment was known as the Harmony Grove Nursery.  About 1867 the firm started propagating roses under a new system introduced by Antoine Wintzer.  Conard conceived the idea of disposing of their rose stock through the mail.  Their first catalog offered bedding plants, shrubbery, bulbs, seeds, and roses.  About 1892 Conard separated from Dingee and along with Antoine Wintzer joined with S. Morris Jones in 1897 to become Conard & Jones Co.  The new company continued with the growing and distribution of roses and flowering plants.  As another specialty, they worked on the improvement of the canna.  Conard died on December 15, 1906.
Sources:  FlorEx-Dec. 22, 1906; Bailey; CHSJ-Apr. 1966; HP