Joseph Schneider. Prominent among the citizens of Clayton County who have received at the hands of the people a recognition of their sterling worth and ability is the subject of this biographical sketch. He is a self-made man in every respect and has held numerous positions of trust and honor during the years that are past and gone. The parents of our subject were Mick and Rena (Baumgardner) Schneider, natives of Switzerland. They never emigrated from their native land. Five children were born to them, Joseph, John, Jacob, Wolrick and Mary.

Joseph Schneider was born in Switzerland, January 6, 1827. He was married there in 1860 to Miss Mary Pfarrer, a daughter of Nicholas and Mary (Marti) Pfarrer, who were both natives of Switzerland. Mrs. Schneider was born at the same place in 1838. The following children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Schneider; Josie, Rachel, George S., Rosa, Louisa, Louie, Fred and Celcia.

Our subject emigrated to America in the year 1855, and after a long voyage landed in New York City, where he remained for a short time, when he came to Clayton County, Iowa, were he and his two brothers purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, on which they worked for six years, when our subject sold his interest and bought forty acres. This he cultivated for six years and then disposed of it and purchased one hundred and fifty acres of his present homestead, on which he now resides. He has since increased it to eight hundred and ninety acres.

Mr. Schneider was School Director of this township for five years. He is a member of the Dunkard church and is a helpful and earnest citizen, interested in the advancement of public affairs. In politics he is a solid Democrat, and votes his party ticket with a firm belief in the correctness of its policy.

This in brief is an outline sketch of one of Clayton County's highly respected citizens. He came here when the county was in its early infancy, and has seen it grow to its present proportions. Its success and prosperity are in a great measure due to such men, who like Mr. Schneider have an abiding faith in the future development of this great state, and who are not slow to urge and assist in every possible manner the advancement of its interests by inviting capital, enterprise and emigration to find a home within the borders of Clayton County.

~source: Portrait and Biographical Record of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton Counties; Chicago: Chapman Pub. Co., 1894; pg 536
~transcribed by Sharyl Ferrall