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Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

Biographies - 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa

Page Fourteen

A L McIntosh | H C Smith | J H Smith | W A Smith |
J J Snyder | L S Snyder |


SNYDER - Rev. Lewis S. SNYDER, of Missouri Valley, has been a resident of Harrison County for thirty-five years, making his settlement in these parts in 1856. He opened up the first tin-shop in Magnolia and remained at that village until 1865, when he settled on a farm in St. John's Township, where he now resides, having been there ever since, with the exception of two years spent in Salt Lake and the western mining country, where he went for his health.

Our subject was born in Fayette County, Pa., near Connellsville, October 20, 1821. He is the son of John and Eliza (SHAFFER) SNYDER. The father was of German descent, but born in Pennsylvania. The great-grandfather was born in Germany, and our subject's uncle, Jacob SNYDER, served in the Revolutionary War. The parents of our subject reared a family of six sons and four daughters, of whom our subject was the second child. Of this number seven still survive. All farmers except Jacob, who is a Bishop of the German Baptist Brethren Church, in Brooklyn, Poweshiek County, Iowa. The father died at the age of seventy-three years, at the above named place, while the mother, at the extreme old age of ninety-one years, still survives, and is living at Brooklyn, Iowa, and can see to read ordinary printed matter, without the aid of her glasses.

Our subject's early education was received in the common schools of Pennsylvania, and he came to Iowa in 1855, prior to which time he had been engaged as a tinsmith.

Our subject was united in marriage May 11, 1842, to Miss Mary ZYSING, a native of Pennsylvania, who was born in Uniontown, Fayette County. By this marriage union seven children were born, J. G. SNYDER, a resident of Adel, Iowa, a farmer; Margaret, wife of Addison MCINTOSH, a resident farmer of St. John's Township; J. J., a farmer near Woodbine; J. S., in St. John's Township, near Missouri Valley; Eliza, wife of Martin FRICK, died in March 1885 at Missouri Valley; George W., a farmer near Woodbine, and David S., still at home with his father.

June 16, 1885, our subject's wife passed from the scenes of her earthly career, and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, at Missouri Valley. For his second wife our subject married in March, 1887, the widow of Dr. COLES, of Woodbine.

In 1891 the Brethren Church erected a neat edifice, at the head of McGavren street, and our subject was the moving spirit of such work, as well as the heaviest contributor to the work. The cost of this chapel was $590. It is a frame building with a seating capacity of two hundred. Mr. SNYDER is the pastor, and although the congregation is small, much good is being accomplished.

Our subject, although a man of seventy years, is very active and much stronger than many of the young men of to-day.

Concerning our subject's business career it may be said that he was early taught the way of industry and economy. His father was a tin-smith by trade, and his early life followed farming -- working by the month at that in summer, and at his trade during the winter, keeping up a stock for the retail and jobbing trade. This was near Connellsville, Pa. When our subject attained his eighteenth year, he commenced to learn the tinner's trade. As soon as he had mastered it his father retired to the farm, and L. S. and his brother Jacob, carried on the business and added a general "country store" stock, which they continued to operate until coming to Tama County, Iowa, locating near Brooklyn, where he remained two years in the same business at the village of Eureka. From that point he came to Harrison County, settling near Magnolia with about $3,000, as the result of his own labor. Outside of his mercantile business at Magnolia, he became a heavy dealer in lands. He being a careful figurer, and possessed of good business sagacity, succeeded in accumulating nearly $100,000 out of which sum he has given each of his seven children a good farm.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 353-354
Snyder Family Researcher: Lorin Snyder.
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SNYDER - Jonathan J. SNYDER, who was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, March 7, 1853, accompanied his parents (see Lewis Snyder above) to Harison County, about 1857, settling at Magnolia, and entered the mercantile business, continuing in the same until 1860, when he went to Modale where he bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres of wild land. Upon this he built a frame house 16x24 feet, together with an addition. Forty-five acres of this land were under the plow. After a year he went to Missouri Valley, remained one winter, and traded his farm near Modale for a farm in Boyer Township, on section 9, which he improved and lived in until Febryary, 1889, at which time he rented his farm and removed to Woodbine, where he bought a residence, which he subsequently traded for the farm upon which he now (1891) lives, on section 15, Boyer Township, which was improved at the time, containing a good house, barn and bearing orchard, together with small fruit.
Our subject was married November 15, 1878, to Miss Effoe C. LUKE, of Woodbine, by whom one child has been born, Clyde A., born September 24, 1888. Mrs. SNYDER was born in Onondago County, New York, August 27, 1859, where she remained until 1870, and then came to Harrison County with her sister, Mrs. EGERTON, with whom she made her home until the date of her marriage, her mother having died when she was about eight years old.
Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
Snyder Family Researcher: Lorin Snyder.
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SMITH - Joe H. SMITH, one of the pioneer attorneys of Harrison County, now practicing at Logan, was born December 27, 1833, in Beaver (now a part of Lawrence) County, Pa. The first sixteen years of his life were spent on the farm, having such educational advantages as were to be had in the public schools of the place. Later he became a student of Westminster College, at Wilmington, Pa. From this place to the office of Judge Eben NEWTON and Judge Frank Girard SERVIS, at Canfield, Mahoning County, Ohio, where he was admitted to the bar, April 14, 1857. Immediately on admission to the bar, he started for the "far West," and June 125, of the same year located and began the practice of law at Magnolia.

January 4, 1859, he returned to the old home, in the Keystone State, and married Julia Ann WARRICK, and at this date as the result of this marriage union, there are the following children: Law P., Mary M., Palmer, John I., Tad L., and Thomas C.

But few of the early settlers have entered into and become more conspicuous in the "warp and woof" of Harrison County, individually and historically, than the subject of this sketch, for few public measures were proposed or carried through unless Smith figured more or less therein.

At the breaking out of the civil war, no one put forth greater efforts toward filling the ranks with enlisted men than he, for being Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors, when the young men of the county were ripe for enlistment, a meeting of this Board was called, and each person enlisting from the county was given a bounty of eighty acres of land or its equivalent. Smith then enlisted, not waiting for others to do, but said, "boys, come along!" In one day an entire company was enlisted, and since then has been known as Company C, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, he being the Second Lieutenant of the Company.

In 1858 he was elected as the first County Superintenent of Schools. In 1864 was elected as a Representative of this and Shelby Counties, in the Twelfth General Assembly, where it is said he very ably presented the wants and protected the interests of his constituents.

Scarcely a case of importance upon the court calendars of Harrison County, but Joe H. SMITH's name appears an attorney for one of the parties, and not only here, but in the Supreme Court of the State, a very creditable reputation is accorded him. He is untiring in his efforts, quite captivating in his manner; logical in his conclusion, and at times sarcastic and eloquent. In 1888, he compiled and published a condensed history of Harrison County, which had many points of excellence. He is a ready writer, graphic and pleasing in his description of pioneer days, including the early courts, schools, and churches. The volume was replete with information, general description, as well as amusing incidents, all of which had come under Mr. SMITH's personal observation, for it will be remembered he was a pioneer of the county himself.

In conclusion it may be said that Mr. SMITH is a man of noble impulses, positive in his opinions, and will be remembered, perhaps, as long as any one of the early settlers of this county.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 655, 656
Smith Family Researcher: N/A.
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Condensed Versions of SMITH Biographies

SMITH - William A. SMITH, a highly respectable citizen of Persia, was born in Union Township, Harrison County, Iowa, August 6, 1859, and hence is a genuine Harrisonian Hawkeye by birth. He remained under the paternal roof until 1872, when his parents bought a farm in Washington Township, he living at home most of the time until 1878, after which he worked summers and attended school winters until January 1, 1882, when he was ushered into a new era by his marriage to Miss Annetta MATOCKS, who is now the mother of two children-- Cora I., and Roy F.

Mrs. SMITH was born in the State of Michigan, her father dying when she was yet a small girl. She lived with her grandparents in Niles, Ill., until about 1876. Her mother married James ATKINSON in Niles, Ill., and the family came to Harrison County and settled on a farm in Union Township, where our subject's wife remained until the time of her marriage.

Mr. and Mrs. ATKINSON removed to Persia in the spring of 1889, and the latter departed this life March 7, 1890. They were both members of the Latter Day Saints Church.

J. W. SMITH, father of our subject, was born in Ohio, and came to Harrison County, Iowa, in 1854, and settled in Union Township where he improved the farm, sold that and bought another in Washington Township, which was already improved and upon which he lived until 1880, when he sold out and removed to Union Township where he rented until 1883, and then removed to Harlan, Shelby County, Iowa, and lived until 1885 and then removed to Nebraska.

Mr. and Mrs. SMITH were members of the Latter Day Saints Church

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 300-301
Smith Family Researcher: N/A.
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SMITH - Harrison C. SMITH, a farmer living on section 35, of Jackson Township, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1857, and located on the farm he now occupies which he purchased at $1.25 per acre, with land warrants, which he bought at a reduction of twenty per cent making his land cost him $1 per acre.

He visited Ohio in the fall of 1860, where he spent the winter with his parents they having removed to Ohio in the fall of 1857. In the spring of 1861 he went to Colorado where he was engaged in agriculture until the spring of 1863, when he, in company with a train of merchantmen, set out for Bannock via Ft. Halleck, Ft. Bridger, Bear and Snake River Valleys, arriving at Bannock after a journey of fifty-two days. The train crossed the Snake River in wagonbeds; a perilous undertaking considering the river was a raging torrent. But it was successfully accomplished in six days' time despite the perils of water and of Indians and the arrival at Bannock occurred with out loss of life or limb. Here he found the mines overworked, so struck out for ALDER Gulch, a new discovery on the east side of the range. By the way, this gulch proved to be extensive and rich, containing some thirteen miles of placer mines, yielding millions of dollars. He owned and worked ground there for something over three years, sold out and struck out for the States in the fall of 1866.

He then came back to Iowa, and broke out about thirty acres of his land, built a house, barn, and made other improvements, and finally provided his place with wells and a windmill, set out an orchard of one hundred apple trees and has since added to his farm until he now has three hundred and twenty acres, eighty acres of which is under the plow, the balance is in meadow and pasture land.

A man by the name of HERD organized a MACKINAW fleet of seventeen or eighteen boats. There were some two hundred and fifty men in the fleet, and embarked at the mouth of the Yellowstone Canon just across the range dividing the Jefferson River from the Yellowstone, some fifteen or twenty miles from the city of Bozeman. This was another perilous trip, at this time the Indians were on the warpath.

The incidents of interest during this ride of fifteen hundred miles would fill a small volume. They disembarked at Yankton, S.D., though most of the fleet went on stopping off at Omaha and Kansas City, some as far as St. Louis, took the stage at Yankton for Des Moines, via Council Bluffs, thence by rail to Cleveland, Ohio, arriving at Bedford in October. He remained on a visit with relatives and friends until the next fall (1867), and then made a trip down to Vermont after an absence of ten years and spent three months among old acquaintances and then returned to Ohio, where he spent the winter with his parent, making preparations for a final settlement in Iowa.

Of our subject's earlier life it may be said he was born in Addison County, Vt. September 24, 1835. He is a son of Loudon and Abigail SMITH, natives of the Green Mountain State, who reared a family of five children�Harrison C., Laurine E., George E., John T., deceased, and Mary a. Four of these children are living�two in Ohio, one in Kansas and our subject. He remained in Vermont with his parents until he became of age, and then came to Harrison County, Iowa.

He was united in marriage, in December, 1868 to Sarah E. HAMMOND, natives of Vermont, who reared a family of nine children, our subject's wife being the youngest. Her father's family was as follows: Sydney M., George B., Catherine C., deceased; Hezekiah W., deceased; Vernul D., Horace J., deceased; Charles W., Edwin H., and Sarah E.

Mr. and Mrs. SMITH are the parents of six children, born and named as follows: Orton L., December 22, 1869; Carrie B., October 10, 1871; Edna D., November 20 1874; John H., May 8, 1877; Edith L., March 19, 1879; George B., May 24, 1884.

Our subject and wife are acceptable members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and stands high in the community in which they live. Politically Mr. SMITH votes with the Republican Party, and has held the offices of Justice of the Peace, and Township Trustee of Jackson Township.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 759-760.
Smith Family Researcher: N/A.
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MCINTOSH - Addison L. MCINTOSH, a farmer of St. John's Township, came to Harrison County with his parents in 1856. He was born in Putnam county, Indiana, December 25, 1840, and can trace his ancestry back to George McIntosh, a native of Kentucky, who move to the Hoosier State at an early dya, where his father, Moses B. MCINTOSH, went with the grandfather; they both working in a mill. Our subject's father married Elizabeth MARKSBURY, of Kentucky, the daughter of Richard and Margaret (HOFFMAN) MARKSBURY, and continued to operate a flour mill for many years in Indiana. In 1856, old and came to Iowa, at which time our subject was but fifteen years of age.
He attended the common schools of Indiana, but upon coming to his country no school privileges were to be had at that early day. In the winter of 1856-57 -- the winter of deep snow -- the family lived on the present site of Missouri Valley, and when the snow storm first came up, the cattle stampeded to the Missouri River and they did not find them for weeks. In the spring when the snow melted and the floods came, everything on the flats was submerged.
In 1869 Mr. MCINTOSH purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land west of town on section 9, to which he has added until he now (1891) has five hundred and forty-three acres, two hundred and sixty being under cultivation. In 1882, he moved from his farm west of Missouri Valley, to his present residence on section 34. He has a fine lake on his farm covering twenty-five acres.
September 28, 1868 he was united in marriage in Missouri Valley, to Miss Maragaret SNYDER, who was the daighter of Lewis S. and Mary (ZYSING) SNYDER, of Pennsylvania, who came to Harrison County in 1860. This union resulted in five children, all of whom are living at this time -- Minnie, born May 13, 1869; Oscar, born January 13, 1871; Jennie, January 30, 1873; Frank, April 8, 1876; and Ida, January 11, 1879.
In August 1862, our subject enlisted at Council Buffs, in Company A, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, and was assigned to the Army of the West. His first battle was that of Helena, Arkansas, after which he participated in the engagements at Little Rock, Mobile and Spanish Fort, from which point they were sent by water to the mouth of the Rio Grande river in Texas. He was mustered out of service in August 1865, at New Orleans. After his return from the service he came home and at once went to making hay, where Missouri Valley now stands, remaining at home working the farm until he went to his own place.
Source: 1891 History of Harrison County Iowa.
McIntosh Family Researcher: N/A.
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