Search billions of records on Ancestry.com

JOHN SNIDER

(son of Abraham)

Louisa County Genealogical Society

Prepared by Norma F. Jennings

Copyright 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002

This site may be freely linked to but not duplicated in any fashion without my written consent. 
Last updated:  December 10, 2002

Generation Three




9. John Snider 3 (Abraham 2, Jacob 1) born 15 February 1831, married Catherine Wolf, whose mother Catherine Wolf was also living with them when the 1870 census was taken. The 1860(1) and 1870(2) census records do not indicate any natural born children for John and Catherine. Children with different last names were listed as servants in the 1880(3) census not sons and daughters. Edna (Arnold) Bogner has a picture taken in Terra Alta, West Virginia, which has children in it and a notation on the back John (N?) Snider and family. It is not known if these were foster children or perhaps the photo is of another John, a cousin perhaps, than the one were seeking.

11. William Harris Snider 3,(Abraham 2, Jacob 1), born 14 August 1834 and died 3 June 1893. He married Elizabeth Davison (Davidson), daughter of John Davidson and Elnora Van Wagner. Elizabeth was born 1 July 1839 and died 25 November 1914. When the new church was built in 1914, Elizabeth donated an impressive pipe organ to the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, Iowa dedicated in memoriam to William H. Snider. This organ was used for over 80 years in the Methodist Church that now stands at the corner of Marion Avenue and Second Street. No known descendants.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

12. Elizabeth Ann Snider 3, (Abraham 2, Jacob 1) born 29 January 1837, died 2 May 1917. She was married 30 December 1861 to Jeremiah Hopping, born 18 December 1833 in Ohio, died 29 December 1902, son of Frank and Rachel McClain (?) Hopping. Jerry and Lib's family Bible which has been preserved was the only record we found giving all of Elizabeth's brothers and sisters and her parents names, birth dates and Rachel's death date.

Children:(4)

19. i. Emma Hopping born 14 December 1863
20. ii. George Hopping born abt. 1866
21 iii. Frank McClain Hopping born 23 April 1869
23. iv. Lois Hopping, born 15 April 1873
24. v. Howard E. Hopping born 1874


























13. George W. Snider 3 (Abraham 2, Jacob 1), born 11 July 1839, died 11 July 1905. Buried in the Schrock Cemetery, south of Washington. He married on 26 November 1874(5) to Martha Davison (Davidson), born 23 February 1845, died 9 April 1908, the daughter of John and Elnora (Van Wagner) Davidson, sister to Elizabeth Davidson who married William Harris Snider.
 

Children:

25. i. Infant
26. ii. Edward Snider, died 2 March 1940, his wife died 1939
27.iii. Alice Bell Snider 28 July 1867
28. iv. Orville L. Snider, born 1878, d. 12 October 1883, age 5 y 4 m 4 d
 
 

14. Joseph Marcellus Snider 3 (Abraham 2, Jacob 1), born 12 August 1841, died 25 February 1920. He was married 8 December 1870 to Rebecca Ann McCorkle, the daughter of Walter McCorkle and Catherine Perkins. (6) Catherine Perkins was the daughter of John Perkins and Rebecca McClain (7) of Henry Co., Ky, Marion Co., Indiana, and Washington Co., Iowa. Joseph M. Snider enlisted 12 August 1863 and served in Co. C. 19th Iowa Infantry for three years during the Civil War.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 





























Children (8) of Joseph M. Snider and Rebecca McCorkle:
 


The following obituary was clipped from the Enterprise newspaper of Washington, Iowa:

J. M. Snider, veteran resident and pioneer of the Eureka Community in Marion township passed away last Wednesday afternoon after a long and eventful life. Mr. Snider's death was the first to occur in his family circle.

In the death of Mr. Snider, the Enterprise loses a staunch friend and supporter. Mr. Snider's name was on the original Enterprise subscription list over 38 years ago and has remained there thru the many years since. He was a fine old gentleman and has always been prominent in the affairs of his home community.

A Journal clipping gives his life history, "Death Wednesday afternoon removed one of the comparatively few remaining soldiers of the war of 1861 to '65 when Joseph M. Snider of Marion Township succumbed to heart failure at his home. Altho he had not been in good health for the last two months, Mr. Snider seemed no worse that morning and had breakfast with his family. Later in the day he was seized with an attack of heart trouble and died at 3:10.

Mr. Snider had lived in this county since he was sixteen years of age and was one of the well known men in the southern part of the county. He served three years in the army as a member of Company C, Nineteenth Iowa Infantry, in which were a large number of men of this county.

Funeral Services were held at 2:30 Saturday afternoon at the Eureka Methodist Church south of town , conducted by the Rev. T.F. Barker and interment was made in the Schrock cemetery.

Mr. Snider was born in West Virginia August 12, 1841 and came to Washington county when a boy, with his parents, Abraham and Rachel ( Freeland ) Snider, who located in Marion Township and the remainder of his life was spent in that community. He was married Dec. 8, 1870 to Rebecca McCorkle, who survives him, with five sons and three daughters who are: Harry Snider of Appanoose County, Albert Snider of Willard, Colo., Will Snider of Rubio, Frank Snider of 8 miles south of town, Mrs Amy Arnold of Lockridge, Mrs. C. P. Grosscup of Brighton, Mrs. Katherine Tucker of Washington and Joseph B. Snider, also of this county. There are two sisters, Mrs. Hattie Gordon of Washington and Mrs. Mattie Wilde of Berkley, Calif." 

The following obituary of Rebecca Ann (McCorkle) Snider has in italics and fine print "Special to the Democrat". In those days there were usually two newspapers in a town, a Republican oriented paper and a Democrat to propagate the opposing views.

`Mrs. R. Snider dies at home in Lockridge. Death occurs Sunday; Was Washington Resident Many Years. Washington, Ia., July 3, 1933--Mrs. Rebecca Ann Snider for many years a resident here died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Amy Arnold, in Lockridge, west of here. She had lived in Lockridge the last four years. She was 82 years old.

Born in Indiana, April 21, 1851, she came to Washington with her parents when she was a girl, and here was married to Joseph M. Snider, December 8, 1870. Her husband's death occurred in 1920. She was one of the oldest members of the Eureka Methodist church, south of Washington.

Surviving are the following children: Harry Snider of Appanoose County, Ia. Will of Rubio, Frank and Joseph B, of south of here, Mrs. Arnold, and Mrs. Alice Grosscup of Brighton. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Eureka church and burial will be in the Shrock Cemetery.'
 
 
 

We had little information on the parentage of Rebecca McCorkle Snider, but through her half sisters and brother's records, we have been able to obtain some information about her family and some photos of her mother, stepfather(Fig. 8)and half sister Sophronia and her husband (Fig. 9) and also of her niece and her husband. (Fig. 7)
  




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

When my mother passed away, a small yellowed clipping was found in her purse which was a query from Isabella Moon Sage (Figure 7), of Portland, Oregon requesting information on Joe and Rebecca Ann Snider, L. M. and Catherine Perkins Shelton (Figure 8). Since we had been misled by one of the old obituaries giving Catherine's name as Lingia Maize, we were intrigued and immediately wrote to the address given. Unfortunately, Leah Isabella Moon Sage had died only a month before and my letter was forwarded to her daughter Leah Sage Feldman, who subsequently answered my letter.
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Leah made a pilgrimage back to Iowa specifically to locate and visit the Rumble Cemetery. Together Leah and I visited the graves of Walter and Catherine McCorkle (9), that I had located prior to her visit, and the grave of Catherine's mother Rebecca McClain Perkins Rumble Cemetery which is located back in a field southwest of Olds, Iowa. Leah had always been told her great grandmother was buried in a field in an unmarked grave. This was no longer true as the gravestones had recently been repaired and a gentleman in the community had voluntarily assumed the responsibility of maintaining this tiny cemetery with only a couple dozen or so stones remaining. Leah called her trip to Iowa a pilgrimage in memory of her mother since her mother had passed away without locating the ancestral graves. This contact with Leah resulted in clarifying information that previously had us stumped.
 

Leah Isabella Moon Sage was the granddaughter of Sophronia Shelton (Figure 9), Grandma Rebecca McCorkle Snider's half sister. Sophronia was the daughter of Catherine Perkins McCorkle and Lindsey Maize Shelton. My family knew Rebecca's two half sisters Sophronia (Phronie) and Fannie. Fannie never married and was buried in the Wayland cemetery by her father Lindsey Shelton. Since we have no known pictures of Walter(10) McCorkle before his death and his wife Catherine Perkins, I was delighted to obtain a photo of Catherine and her second husband, Lindsey Maize Shelton and one of her half brother Samuel Alvin Perkins (Figure 10).

 
 
 

An Oregon hospital record, too faded to scan into this manuscript revealed that Joseph H. McCorkle enlisted for service in the Civil War on November 11, 1864. The Civil War papers of Joseph H. McCorkle, the only full brother of Rebecca McCorkle, were subsequently obtained. He served in Company B, 13th Regiment, of the Iowa Infantry, Pensioner Certiicate No. 976.345. He was admitted to the Pacific Branch, National Home for D.V.S. on April 14, 1908, P.O. Address: Soldiers'Home, Los Angeles, Cal.
 

It is often important to know the medical history of your ancestors for your own well being. As for Joseph H. McCorkle, the Civil Surgeons' Certificate states that "In 1891, while discharging a rifle, the brush block blew off, causing a powder burn of the eye which has rsulted in almost complete blindness within 18 months after injury." Joseph is further described as born in Marion Co., Indiana, 60 years of age, height of 5 ft. 9 in., weight 142 pounds, complexion fair, eyes of blue, color of hair blond, occupation farmer. Vision in right eye,0, can distinguish from light and dark, vision in left eye, 20/24. General appearance, very spare, but not emaciated. Ocular conjuctiva of riht eye injected. Slight corneal opacity, ornular cataract. Both eyes subject to catarrhal conjunctivitis. Tension in both eyes above normal. Senile enlargement of prostate gland. Max Koetter, M.D. Examining Surgeon. The reports of Dr. Coetter indicate that Joseph was still living in Burlington, Wyoming as late as August 28, 1905. In 1902, he had been diagnosed with symptoms of Addison's Disease, and showing a rapid decline in health. He showed no signs of any vicious habits. He also had asthma at the time of his death.
 

These Civil War records also uncovered the so called Family Scandal that had kept the family from discussing this branch of the family with their offspring in years past. This family scandal wouldn't really be considered much of a scandal in these days, but it was of great consternation in those days.
 

Joseph McCorkle's first wife had died and he was hospitalized with an illness and cared for by a nurse who was supposedly a widow. Her first husband had been a worthless ne'er do well who had sold the farm his father had given him, and taken off to Idaho with the money. Subsequently, his father received a newspaper clipping of his obituary, his father passed the information along to the wife who had been left behind with the small children to raise with very little money. She was supporting her sons by working as a nurse. After she and Joseph were married, this supposedly dead man wrote his father asking for money. Numerous letters were exchanged between Joseph and this lady because she immediately left the home of Joseph as the honorable thing to do since she was still married to her first husband. She wrote of wanting to live with Joseph, and extolled his good and honorable qualities and of his kind treatment of her, but she was confused and uncertain what was the right thing to do. Eventually, she decided that the best thing for Joseph was for him to divorce her and go on with his life. Rumors are she went back to the scoundrel as her conscience would not allow her to upset Joseph's life any further.
 

The Civil war papers uncovered more of the mystery surrounding this family by giving us the names of Joseph H. McCorkle's children (e.g. Louisa Russell b. March 1867; Walter B. McCorkle born 1869; Elnora Clarkson born March 17, 1871; Maggie J. Abbott, born March 18, 1873; William B. McCorkle born 1876 and Prudy A. Fordham born 1879.)
 

The Civil War records stated that Joseph H. Mccorkle was born March 19, 1845 in Marion Co, Indiana, and he married Mary Paugh on June 3, 1866. Joseph gives his eldest daughter 's birthdate as March of 1867. The transcribed birth records of Washington County contains a typographical error giving the birth date as March, 1865. The Washington records did confirm, however that Joseph McCorkle lived in Washington County until after the birth of his first child. This is the only child of theirs whose birth is recorded in Washington County. Joseph states in his application that his first wife died in Burlington, Big Horn County, Wyoming, but he does not give the date of her death. He did state that he married Lillie F. King Bourquin of Sawtelle, Los Angeles Co., California on April 5, 1911. Joseph H. McCorkle died September 9, 1918 and his final pension check in the sum of $93.40 was returned to the government.
 
 




 
 

I had been unsuccessful in tracing any of these descendants of Joseph H. McCorkle and his wife Mary Paugh but found two photos of three of the children of Joseph H. McCorkle, nieces and nephew of our Grandma Rebecca. If you have ever referred to the Snider nose or long face lines, take a look at the Perkins photos and the descendants of Joseph H. McCorkle. The first photo is of Ella Clarkson and Lou Russell (Figure 11). The other photo was taken in Cody, Wyoming of Walter McCorkle II, (Figure 12) with his sister Ella Clarkson and an unknown lady, Sina Neal. She was later identified as the daughter of Joseph McCorkle's wife Mary Paugh who was first married to Daniel Paugh. In October, 1996, I went on the Internet and in searching for the McCorkle name, located an entry of Fordham-McCorkle and the name and E-mail address of a gentlemen in Canada. I immediately sent him an E-mail note simply asking, "Are you a descendant of Prudy Fordham?" A prompt reply proclaimed him to be a grandson of Prudy's, only he knew his grandmother as Dolly as she hated the name Prudy and wouldn't tell anyone her real name until it was located in her family Bible after her death. Our distant cousin Roy Fordham not only had quite a lot of information on the Joseph McCorkle family, but also knew the story of their migrating to Canada and why they left the United States. I could help fill him in on the Perkins line and what little I knew about Walter. Together we are still searching for Walter's ancestry Joseph McCorkle had homesteaded in Rawlins Co., Kansas in 1880. He also had married a widow when he married Mary Paugh. She was Mary Case, the widow of Daniel Paugh and had an infant daughter Terra Sira when she married Joseph.(11) Roy sent me a write up on the family of Joseph's son, William Bell McCorkle, which was done by his daughter Hazel McCorkle Clarke. "William Bell 'Bill' McCorkle was born July 23, 1876 at Burlington, Iowa. The family lived for soem time in Iowa, and also in Nebraska. At a young age, probably 16 or 17 years, Dad moved to Wyoming where he worked for Buffalo Bill Cody during the summer months. During the winters, he worked for ranchers and sheepmen. This he continued until the cattlemen and sheepmen went to war over grazing lands. As a result of these hostilities, many people moved to other states and to Canada. Dad decided Canada was the place to go. In the spring of 1903 he and his friend, Charlie Hanner, packed their belongings in wagons and set out, eventually arriving at Leavings, which is now Granum, Canada in August of 1903. He was able tofind work with farmers and ranchers fo the area. Because animals were a great love of his life, he always took in all the rodeos and was a constant winner. Dad was well-known for his exceptional riding ability. He broke horses for the R.C.M.P. at Lethbridge during the winter months. My dad met Clare Edna Wallin at Roundup, and on September 16, 1905, they were married. Mother was born in the Flat Head County area near Kalispell, Montana on May 23, 1889. Their eldest daughter Hazel was born on September 14, 1906 at Roundup. Their second child Ellen was born January 22, 1908. Wilbur, their only son was born on May 28,1 910 on Dad's homestead near Mud Lake. Making ends meet and trying to raise and educate a family in those difficult years proved to be quite a challenge, and homesteading was not too profitable. Dad then turned to construction work, which he continued for many years, working on many projects in southern Alberta. He retired in the town of Fort Mcleod, where he resided until his passing in 1954."

An uncle of Hazel McCorkle and Harry Clarke wrote a brief note about the emmigration to Canada. Page 49 - Date July 24, 1902 - We camped at a little lake and had our supper. I noticed another outfit camped there also. I went over to see them, and was surprised to find out that it was our neighbors, Mr. Hank Fordham and wife, and his father and mother, and brother, Charley. They lived only one mile from us down in Wyoming. I knew Hank had sold out, but I did not know that he was headed this way. We had a good visit iwth them, but it was hindered a bit by a quarrel that took place between Hank and his brother Charley. Some dispute came up and they almost came to blows. The next morning, the father and mother and Charley left for the States again, but Hank and wife went North. (Editor's note: Hank had married Prudy Fordham and is the grandfather of Roy Fordham who provided this account.)

An unfortunate tragedy deprived Hank and Prudy of three of their children: Margaret, age 14; William Henry, age 12; Warren Silvester, age 11; when they broke through the ice and drowned while skating. Only Roy's father Joseph Silas, age 15 and his youngest sister, Mary Emmeline, age 7, survived the tragedy. Prudy later raised her grandchildren, children of her son Joseph Silas, after their mother died in 1939 at the age of 33.

The estate of Walter McCorkle Sr. was quite small as evidenced by the inventory of his worldly goods (Figure 13). He had two living children when he died, yet owned only one bed and bedding. There were only three chairs and three plates to accommodate the parents and Grandma Rebecca's older brother, Joseph since our Grandmother was still an infant.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

15. Harriet S. Snider 3 (Abraham 2, Jacob 1), was born 12 August 1844 in West Virginia, and died 11 July 1936(12) , nearly 92 years old.. On the 11 May 1875, Harriet married John Gordon, Jr.who was born 10 July 1833. He died in 1889 in Nebraska. Following their marriage they lived on a farm northwest of Washington and then moved to Nebraska where his death occurred. Since then her home has been in Washington. She was a member of the United Presbyterian Church. 16. Rachel Martha Snider 3, (Abraham 2, Jacob 1) was born 19 August 1846 and married 4 August 1869 to John H. Wilde. They lived in California and Rachel was still living when her brother Joseph Marcellus died in 1920 (13), but there has been no further contact with the descendants of this family. 

Footnotes and sources:

1. 1860 Census Records for John Snider, Knowlesburg District #8, Preston Co. W. Va. 30 October 1860

Name Age Sex Occ. Value of Value of Personal
Real Estate Estate

John Snider 30 m farmer 500 450

Catherine " 27 f

Randolph Helm 8 m

2. 1870 Census Records for John Snider, Kingwood District, Preston County, W. Va., 11 July 1870

Name age sex occupation Value of Value of

Real Estate Personal Property

Snider, John 39 m Farmer 1000 500

____ Catherine 38 f. Keeping house

Wolf, Catherine 76 f. With Daughter

3. 1880 Census Records for John Snider, District of Kingwood in the County of Preston County, West Virginia.

2 June 1880

Name age sex relationship occupation Bp Bp of Fath. Bp of Mother

Snider, John 49 m Servant Farmer W. Va. W. Va. W. Va.

" Catherine 47 f Wife Keeping House W. Va. Va. Va.

Jackson, John A. L. 18 m Servant Works on Farm W. Va. W. Va. W. Va

" Martha 16 f Servant Servant W. Va. W. Va. W. Va.

4. Bible records of Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Snider) Hopping.

5. Marriage records of Washington County, Iowa.

6. 6Rebecca's father Walter McCorkle was born 4 Apr. 1821 and died the 16 November 1852, age 31 yr. 7 mo. 12 das. Her mother, Catherine Perkins was born 3 January 1825 in Newcastle, Henry County, Kentucky, and died 14 October 1875. Walter and Catherine were married 25 April 1843, per the family Bible of John Perkins, but the original marriage record has never been found.. Catharine Perkins married 2) to Lindsey Maize Shelton, but is buried by Walter McCorkle in the Rumble Cemetery. Rebecca Snider's obituary in the Washington Evening Journal is incorrect in saying her mother's name was Lingia Maize. They mistakenly obtained this information from her second husband's name. Tombstone says Catharine as does her marriage license to Lindsey Maize Shelton.) All efforts to locate the parents have of Walter McCorkle have failed. The World Family Tree index shows Walter McCorkle was a resident in the 1850 Iowa census. Unfortunately,, he was omitted in the census index even though it was known that he was taxed in Washington County, Iowa in 1849 and also that he was buried in Wahington County in the Rumble Cemetery.

7. John McClain inventory, 9 July 1804, wife and executor, Catherine, who also signed marrige bond for Rebecca McClain to marry John Perkins, 15 February 1823. John Perkins was the son of Joseph Perkins and Katherine Driskell (or Duskin) who were married 7 September 1799 in Shelby County, Kentucky per Shelby County Marriage records.

8. Bible records of William Henry and Mary Belle (Jarrard) Snider

9. Rumble Cemetery records:

10. Although the parentage of Walter McCorkle is unknown and he is not found in the McCorkle book, From Viking Glory, by Lewis B. McCorkle, only a handful of potential Mccorkle relatives were found in Iowa in its early settlement.

It may be significant that both Rebecca McCorkle Snider and her brother Joseph H. McCorkle had sons named William.

From The 1840 Iowa census of Johnson Co.:

McCorkle, William 1 M 5-10; 1 M 10-15; 1 M 15-20; 1 M 50-60; 1 F 5-10; 1 F 15-20; 1 F 50-60.

William McCorkle was also found in the 1850 Iowa Mortality records of Henry Co.. His death record states he was 64 years old and he was born on the Isle of Man, a tailor by trade. He had married Mary Ann Smith on 28 July 1844 in Johnson Co., Iowa at the age of 60 so we can assume his wife had died between 1840-1844 as there was a female age 50-60 listed in the above census.

The 1850 Linn Co. Census finds George C. McCorkle, age 22, wagon maker, Benjamin age 18, Sarah 18 (possibly George or Benjamin's wife) , Elizabeth 16, Harvey 14, and Eleanor McCorkle 11, in the John L. Stewart household. Maria McCorkle had married John L. Stewart on 22 September 1844 in Johnson Co. The ages of these children match those found in William McCorkle's household ten years previously. George C. McCorkle married Ardelia Yates on 9 November 1854 in Linn Co.

There was an Alexander McCorkle who owned land in Johnson County who married Maria Baker 19 March 1854 in Johnson Co.

11. 1880 census for Rawlins County, Kansas

Name Age Relationship Occupation Place of Birth

Joseph McCorkle 45 Husband Farmer Indiana
Mary McCorkle 39 Wife Housekeeper Indiana
Louisa McCorkle 13 Dau. Iowa
Walter McCorkle 11 Son Iowa
Elnora McCorkle 7 Dau Missouri
Magga McCorkle 5 Dau Missouri
Willie McCorkle 3 Son Iowa
Pruda McCorkle 1 Dau Kansas

12. Obituary -10 July 1936 date handwritten by Grandma Snider on clipping from Washington Evening Journal. Obituary states she died Saturday night, but does not give date of death.

13. Obituary of Joseph Snider names children. - Names and Birthdates are listed in family Bible.