F. Snedigar was born in Pike County, Mo., March 27, 1822, and was a son of Robert and Mary Snedigar, nee Butler, who were natives of Bourbon County, Ky., and the parents of thirteen children. In 1818 they emigrated to Pike County, Ill., where Mr. Snedigar followed the trade of a saddler, and engaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1863. The subject of this record was reared on a farm, and was the recipient of a good, practical education. He was married in 1841 to Miranda B., daughter of G. Hayes, of Tennessee. She is a great-granddaughter of Daniel Boone, and was born in Montgomery, Mo., May 5, 1824. Of nine children born of this union, seven are living-- James M., Edward B., Martha J. (now the wife of H.C. Stearns), Irena E. (wife of H. H. Luers), Henry F., George M. and Marcella M. In 1844 Mr. Snedigar came West with his family, locating in Iowa County, Wis., where he engaged in mining until 1847, when he removed to Jo Daviess County, Ill. He engaged in the lumber traffic there, and in 1851 settled in Clayton County. He was employed by a milling company in a saw-mill, in which the saw went up one week and came down the next. Through his ingenuity he arranged it so that the saw went up and down the same week. He was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, and upon one occasion while he was trying a case the defendant called the Court a liar; the Court immediately arose, struck him over the head, laying him on the floor and demolishing the records. During his political life Mr. Snedigar was elected Constable. He went to Judge Williams to be qualified. The Judge told him that he could swear him, but that it would take a higher power than he to qualify him. In 1861 he embarked in the mercantile business, which he prosecuted until 1868, when he settled on a farm in Fayette County, Ia. In 1882 he returned to Elkader, where he has since lived a retired life. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa, 1882, p. 670-671 |