Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 846
A. H. SNIFF

A. H. SNIFF, editor of the Missouri Valley News, came to Dunlap, Harrison County, Iowa in 1882, as Superintendent of the Public Schools of that place, which position he held for four years. In 1886 he removed to Missouri Valley, where he filled a similar position for one year. The Harrison County News was established at Logan in 1880, and was moved to Missouri Valley in 1884; two years later our subject purchased the plant, taking charge of the paper, in May 1887, and converted it from a weekly into a semi-weekly gournal and established the "department system" of Harrison County News in 1888, adding the Sioux News, Mondamin News, Modale News, and Persia News, all being auxiliary publications. In May, 1889, our enterprising subject began the publication of the Daily News, since which time the paper has been know as the Harrison County News, Daily and Weekly.

In the Presidential campaign of 1888 Mr. Sniff was elected one of the Presidential Electors on the Republican ticket, and had the honor of casting the vote for the Ninth Congressional District of Iowa for Benjamin Harrison, as President of the United States. Mr. Sniff was born in Logan County, Ohio, June 12, 1853, son of Edward and Mary (FUNK) SNIFF. The father was of Pennsylvania-German stock, but a native of Buckeye State. He was a contractor and builder and came to Ft. Madison, Iowa, in 1857, following the trade of a builder for twenty-five years. Since 1872 he has resided on a dairy farm, at Denmark, Iowa.

Mr. Sniff, our subject, was the first child of a family of twelve, nine of whom are still living. His early education was received in the public schools of Lee County, Iowa and at Denmark Academy, under the Presidency of Henry K Edson. At the age of eighteen, he began teaching in Lee County, Iowa and followed this profession until 1887, as Superintendent of the city schools at Webster City, Iowa; Nevada, Iowa, Dunlap, and Missouri Valley, Io wa besides devoting much time to Normal Institutes in various counties within Iowa, since which time he has been engaged as above related.

Mr. Sniff was united in marriage November 28, 1878, at Ackley, Iowa to Mary E. GUTHRIE, the daughter of Dr. James A. Guthrie, who belonged to the regular school and served as an assistant surgeon in the Mexican War, and lost a hand at the battle of Cerro Gordo. He settled at an early day at Quasqueton, Iowa. In 1858 he removed to Butler County, Iowa, and in 1863, represented that district in teh Legislature, and died in New Hartford in 1883. The mother is still a resident of New Hartford.

After having given our subject's connection with the newspaper business is it unnecessary to remark that he is a Republican. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Hospitable Lodge, No. 244, at Dunlap, iowa, as well as of Arks Chapter of the same place. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Missouri Valley.

Mrs. Sniff has been a very successful teacher, beginning at the age of fifteen years, she threw the whole of her energies into her profession and as an instructor of literature and history, she was eminently successful. She taught in the Dunlap High School four years and has been Principal of the Grammar department of Missouri Valley High Schools for five years.

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