Early History of the Snook Family

ANNYAS, BARNSHAW, BURGESS, CONN, CUNNINGHAM, DAVENPORT, FRAKER, FRITH, HOTCHKISS, LISTER, MILLER, NESHAM, PEARSON, PIERSON, SCOTT, SNOOK, SOUTH, WHITEHEAD

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 9/14/2017 at 13:11:23

The following was found in Catherine Henderson’s papers.
Early History of the Snook Family by Dean Stowell
Isiah Snook was born in Wiltshire, England in 1800. He came to America in 1852 with his wife, Phoebe Fraker and their family of 7 children, Thomas, Robert, Elizabeth, Mary, William, Sarah and James.
The son, Robert Snook was born November 27, 1832. When he was small, his parents returned to England and he was reared in Wiltshire until 13 years of age. He then left home, going to Wales where he worked in the coal mines till he was 20 years of age. He then went back to England and recrossed the Atlantic with his parents, landing in Canada where they remained for a short time. He then went to the copper mines of Lake Superior where he worked until his move to Vernon County, Wisconsin, where he was engaged in farming. In the fall of 1863, he came to Jasper County, Iowa and located on a farm in Palo Alto Twp. He was engaged in farming and coal mining until his death. Robert Snook was married on Christmas Day 1859 to Miss Emma Barnshaw, a native of England who was born in Yorkshire December 16, 1840. Her parents were Jonathan and Esther (Whitehead) Barnshaw. They too were born in England. Their daughter, Emma had remained in England until she was 16 years of age, when she took passage on a sailing vessel from Liverpool. After a voyage of 8 weeks, they landed at New York City. She lived in Chicago one year, then moved to Wisconsin where her father died.
To Robert and Emma Snook were born eleven (11) children), two dying in infancy. The nine living were as follows:
Hannah (wife of Wm. Pearson/Pierson; married 25 March 1879 in Jasper Co, IA); Eliza (wife of Samuel Lister and after his death became the wife of Wm. Miller); James E. (married to Sarah T. Nesham); Charles H.; Frank J.; Robert S.; Frederick; Isiah; Esther; and William Thomas.
The father, Robert Snook died August 26, 1881, being killed by a boiler explosion at a coal mine on the Snook farm. The mother, Emma Snook died at her home in Newton at the age of 89.

James Snook, son of Isiah and Phoebe Snook was born in Wiltshire, England, December 3, 1844. He came to America with his parents at the age of 5. From there he went with his parents to Vernon County, Wisconsin. The family emigrated to Iowa in a covered wagon about 1868. Here he lived most of his life, engaged in farming and worked some winters in his brother’s coal mines. He married October 21, 1867 to Sarah Barnshaw, daughter of Jonathon and Rachael Barnshaw. Sarah was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1846 on May 26th. She came with her parents to Chicago when 10 years of age. From there she went to Vernon County, Wisconsin where she met and married James Snook. To this union were born 12 children. Two died in infancy.
Phoebe (wife of Dan Burgess, died January 3, 1936); John (who died December 8, 1927); Alfred; Henry; Alice (wife of William Scott, died March 21, 1906); Ellen (wife of George Cunningham, died February 15, 1920); George Snook (married Hannah Annyas); Minnie (wife of Thomas Davenport); Ray (died January 10, 1918).
The father, James died June 5, 1919 and the mother, Sarah, died March 21, 1912.

William Snook (born in 1841 – census August 9, 1970), son of Isiah and Phoebe Snook was born in England. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth South in Illinois. They moved to Iowa and located on a farm 2 miles south of Newton. He later operated a coal mine on this farm. Eight children were born to this union:
William; George (married to Elizabeth Conn); Mark; Grant; Samuel (married to Alice Hotchkiss); John; Raymond and an infant daughter.
Grant was the first to break the family circle. He passed away at the age of 8 months on February 26, 1873. Eleven years later he was joined in death by his brother, Raymond, at 3 years of age on January 21, 1884. Just 2 months later he was joined by his brother and infant sister. William Snook later married Alice Frith of Colfax, Iowa. To this union four children were born: Elizabeth; Raymond; Robert and Edith.
In 1895, death came again, taking his wife and leaving him again with a small family. In 1901, he moved to North Dakota for his health and bought a farm six miles from Dagon.