Over 200 Years Ago Jacob Schneider and His Boys Farmed this Land
in Donegal Township, Westmoreland Co., Pa.
Snyder, Schneider, Snider, Schneeder
Roots
- Jacob Schneider of Donegal Twp., Westmoreland Co.,
Pennsylvania and His Family's Migration
to Salt Creek Twp., Holmes
Co., Ohio -
Over 200 Years Ago
Jacob Schneider and His Boys Farmed this Land
in Donegal Township,
Westmoreland Co., Pa.
"The
Schneiders of Donegal Township, Westmoreland Co.,
Pa."
Jacob SCHNEIDER'S date of arrival in America is
unknown. Searching through ship lists shows a plethora of Jacob
Schneiders, but none that can be claimed at this time. He may have come
with parents at a young age or on his own as a young man. He is
believed to have been born before 1755 based upon anecdotal information.
Without proof of Jacob's birth, or his oldest children's birth places, this
detail of his life is yet to be determined. These web pages are under
construction and designed to distribute the information I have gathered from
many cousins (special thanks goes to Betty Snyder Mast) and research I have
done across the country; there will be updates as new information becomes
available.
Biographical information on Jacob Schneider,
Sr., published after his death by historians in Holmes Co., Ohio, states he was
from Germany or the Alsace region of France. I have copies of
original documents written in 'high' German that donate land for the use of a
Lutheran church and cemetery in Salt Creek Twp., Holmes Co., Ohio.
Therefore the family's native tongue and religion is substantiated, but not
Jacob's place of origin.
Jacob first appeared in Donegal Twp.,
Westmoreland Co., Pa. in the U.S. Direct Tax of 1798: List for
Pa. (the window tax by law of 14 July 1798). His listing shows one
cabin 18' x 20', one stable 26' x 30', 450 acres, total
valuation $920, bounded by John ELLIS and Richard WILLIAMS. He had no
windows.
Jacob and Anna Schneider's youngest boy, Isaac, was their first
child shown to be born in western Pa. in 1798 and baptized in 1799, as indicated
in The German Church Records of Westmoreland Co., Pa. by Paul Miller
Ruff. Jacob and Anna's youngest three girls, Anna Maria, Susana and
Nancy [Agnes] were also born, between 1801 and 1807, and baptized in 1808 in
Westmoreland Co. There is limited birth place information on the
oldest eight boys and girls who were randomly born in Pa. and Maryland, as
indicated on U.S. Censuses.
The first deeds found for Jacob
Schneider in Donegal Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pa. are from early 1802 to
early 1805, where land is conveyed to Jacob SCHNEEDER from Matthew and
William JACK; Peter and Mary TUMBOLD for an approximate 722 acres.
8
April 1808 Jacob Schneider, Sr. wrote his will naming his son
George and Joseph BLACKBURN as executors, his wife Ann, Michael, Daniel and
Catharine all as heirs. There is no mention of the other children
Elizabeth, David, Jonathan, Isaac, Anna Maria, Susana or Nancy. The will
was proved on 27 April 1808.
On 28 October 1811, Joseph BLACKBURN removed
himself as partner executor and part heir of Jacob Schneider, Sr.'s estate and
listed the heirs in assumed birth order. The heirs of Jacob were Ann
Schneider, wife; George, eldest son and executor; Peter MILLER and
Catharine his wife, daughter of deceased; Jacob Jr., son; Adam SCHNEIDER
of the state of Ohio and Elizabeth his wife, daughter of deceased; Michael,
son; Daniel, son; David, son; Jonathan, son; Isaac, son; Mary, daughter; Susana,
daughter and Agnes [Nancy], daughter. All known children are listed and,
if married, their spouses.
Jacob Schneider, Sr.'s sons, who were of
age, are proclaimed to have been in the War of 1812. There is some reason
to believe this could be true, as their deeded entry into Salt Creek Twp.,
Holmes, Co., Ohio appears to have been delayed until after the start and
run-down of that war. However, this researcher has not found definitive
proof of any of them being involved.
Isaac Snyder's Residence
in Salt Creek
Twp., Holmes Co., Ohio
"The Snyders of Salt
Creek Township, Holmes Co.,
Ohio"
After the settlement of Jacob
Schneider, Sr.'s estate in Donegal Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pa., and
possible involvement in the War of 1812, we see from A Listing of Entrymen
on Lands in Holmes Co., Ohio by L. Richard Kocher the descendants of Jacob
Schneider, Sr. Jacob Snyder, Jr. purchased 160 acres on 1
November 1814; Peter MILLER [Catharine Schneider's spouse] purchased 160
acres on 1 November 1814; Daniel Snyder purchased 120 acres on
12 March 1815; Jonathan Snyder purchased 160 acres on 3 May 1815;
Michael and David Snyder purchased 235 acres on 8 May 1815, and George Snyder
purchased 160 acres on 16 April 1816 in Salt Creek Twp., Holmes Co.,
Ohio.
Jacob Snyder Sr.'s oldest son, George, was born in Pa. in 1778 and
married Margaret Miller, daughter of Martin Miller and Anna Maria Eck [yet to be
proven] about 1802. There is some reason to believe George and his
young family lived in or around Darragh in Westmoreland Co., Pa. before moving
to Salt Creek Twp., Holmes Co., Ohio as one of his sons is said to have
been born there. George and Margaret had a family of ten children; he died
in 1861 and she in 1846. Both were buried in Salt Creek at
Fryburg Cemetery.
George's second oldest son, Isaac, was born in
Westmoreland Co., Pa. in 1806 and first married Margaret HOLDERBAUM, daughter of
Peter Holderbaum and Rachel DIBERT, in 1828. They had four children.
His second marriage was to Hannah ROWE in 1846. Isaac and Hannah
raised thirteen children. He was, like his ancestors, a farmer. He
died in Salt Creek in 1884 and Hannah followed him in 1886. They're both
buried in Salt Creek at Fryburg Cemetery.
Isaac's son, Jacob Gerhart, was
born in Salt Creek in 1858. He married Sarah Margaret CALHOON, daughter of
Benjamin Franklin Calhoon and Barbara HAMMOND, in 1881. Jacob G. and Sarah
raised six children; they both died in Salt Creek and were buried at Oak Hill
Cemetery in Millersburg, Ohio.
Jacob Gerhart's son, Alfred, was born in
1888 in Benton, Salt Creek Twp. He married Forest Marcella FAIR, daughter
of Samuel Brisbin Fair and Della Anneva STANTZ, in 1920. They had one son
and divorced in 1929. Alfred died in 1950 and is buried at Oak Hill
Cemetery. Forest died in 1971 and is buried with her second husband
Charles BARGER at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Jacob1, George2,
Isaac3, Jacob4, Alfred5, A. Lee6 are
my direct line Snyder ancestors. My line of Jacob Snyder Sr.'s
descendants lived in Holmes County, Ohio for more than a
century. Only after my birth did my line live
elsewhere.
*****
***** *****
***** *****
***** *****
***** *****
*****
Snyder and Related
Photos
***** *****
***** *****
***** *****
Additional
Ancestry Lines
Shipman
Roth
Fitzpatrick
[email protected]
Last Updated 17 August
2009