Snavely Family History & Genealogy

George M Snavely Jr of Knoxville, Knox County, TD was born on May 19, 1950, and died at age 53 years old on May 6, 2004. George Snavely was buried at Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery Section A Site 310 5901 Lyons View Pike, in Knoxville, Tn.

Aaron Levere Snavely of Coleta, Illinois United States was born on August 25, 1852 in PA, and died at age 89 years old on August 8, 1942 in Coleta, IL.

She died of consumption. Mom had sent her in Feb to Chicago in hopes of finding a treatment or cure.

Sterling Man Passed Away at Age of 96 Death Saturday morning brought an end to seventy three years of married life for Mr. and Mrs. Levi Snavely, 602 7th avenue, Sterling. In failing health for the past several months, Mr. Snavely died in his sleep at 2 A.M. Saturday at his home. He was 96 years old Residents o Sterling since their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Snavely observed their 73rd wedding anniversary last January 8. the former was probably the city's oldest resident and was known throughout Whiteside county. Mr. Snavely was born January 23, 1837, in Lebanon, PA., and came to Sterling from Pennsylvania with his parents in 1855. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Snavely, were both of Swiss Mennonite stock. He was united in marriage Jan. 8, 1860, with Miss Emma Landis, who had made her home with her parents in Sterling since 1850, when her family moved to Illinois from Pennsylvania. Mrs. Snavely is 91 year old. Following their marriage, the couple resided on a farm for seven years, before moving to a home on the Freeport road, now occupied by their son Henry. They had made their home on 7th avenue, since going to Sterlin in 1899. Mr. Snavely was a member of the Presbyterian church. besides his widow. he is survived by four sons. Dr. John L Snavely, Henry, Irving [Isaac], and Jacob Snavely all of Serling and three daughters Mrs. Harry Book and Mrs Harry Meyers, both of Sterling, and Mrs. Edward Wilson, of South Dakota. Three children predeceased him. ~ obit found in the Dixon Evening Telegraph Monday 5 June 1933. (Page 7)

Jacob Landis Snavely of Glendora, California United States was born on February 18, 1853 in Sterling, IL, and died at age 46 years old on October 24, 1899 in Glendora, CA.

Rebecca Z (Landis) Snavely of Sterling, Illinois United States was born on November 18, 1832 in PA, and died at age 84 years old on October 16, 1917 in Sterling, IL.

Lizzie or Lillian as she was called, was the sixth child of Henry Hess Snavely and Rebecca Z Landis Snavely. She was only 4 years old when her father died from a farming accident. He fell from the family barn hayloft and died instantly. Henry, even in death was able to provide for Lizzie's future. She had a small inheritance. She was able to get her conservative Pennsylvania Dutch, Mennonite mother (who never remarried), to let her go to Art School in Chicago. The local paper, the Sterling Daily Gazette, gave her high praise when she went to Chicago in October of 1886: "Miss Lizzie Snavely went to Chicago on Monday, to take a course of study in painting under Prof. Baumguard in the Lakeside building. Miss Lizzie is a natural artist, and the work she has already done in china and canvas give promise of eminence in her chosen profession." Lizzie was 19 years old. The Sterling Gazette was one of those local papers that gave "mini editorials" about the local families. Praise from the paper, was a vote of trust and confidence by all who read its pages. The paper also gave out 1880's version of "facebook" like news. The paper wrote about who had a dinner party, who was there, what gifts or prizes were given out and to whom. Who was on vacation, and where. Who was in town visiting and to whom. In 1890 Sterling, Illinois had about 5,800 people, and the paper shared information like it was one big family. Lizzie became infamous through this reporting. It all started with this vocation at Art School. She left for school in October of 1886. By January 1887 she had fallen in love. She came home in January 26, 1887 with hopes to convince her mother to let her and her new man, Charles L Watson, was charismatic, and worldly in the eyes of 19 year old Lizzie. Charles was born in New York. He told wild tails to the paper about being an English M.D.- a surgeon in the British army for 8 years; he claimed to have valuable medals that he won in the service in Soudan, Egypt, the Zulu war in the bombardment of Alexandria, , Cario, India and South America. He also asserted that he studied at Cambridge, England. The paper thought he was 31 years old in 1887, he was really 22. Mom, Rebecca L Snavely, forbade Lizzie from seeing this man any further. Rebecca did not know enough about this Charles Watson: Who were his parents? where did he come from? What kind of work did he do? Who were his friends? . . Rebecca was just trying to protect Lizzie. Lizzie was nieve, she had a small inheritance, but in the eyes of someone wishing to cash in on Lizzies' inexperience and her money! Rebecca dared not think on it. Lizzie would just have to wait till this unknown "man" could be looked into. Lizzie came home again to Sterling, IL from art school, in March of 1887 under the "ruse" of going to a family event. She stepped away from the family, long enough to meet up with Charles. Lizzie and Charles were married in Sterling, by Rev. N. H. G. Fife, on the 10th of March 1887. Lizzie then went back to home, to the family festivities, never telling of her elopement. Later the next morning, Lizzie and Charles left on the train together a newly married couple. When did Mom (Rebecca) learned of the secret marriage? by the 12th of March. Shortly there after Rebecca then discovered that Lizzie has removed all of her money from her bank account (either $2,064 or $3,064, depending on which paper reported it. This would be $66,610 or $98,890 today.) Although the telephone was invented in 1876, household phones were typically "party lines" (a phone shared with 2 or more neighbors). There were no cell phones in 1887. No one had a "personal phone number". In addition to the party line phone, there were letters, and telegraphs. Mom starts trying to get a hold of Lizzie, using all the tools available to her in 1887. She writes, she calls the school, . . . When Lizzie does not does not hear from her, Mom thinks the worst. On the 18th of March, Mom reads in the paper about a young girl who turned up dead in Rahway, New Jersey, wearing what sounded like Lizzie's clothes. Rebecca, and the rest of the family in Sterling start to panic. Mom hires the local attorneys J. W. Alexander and A. A. Wolfersperger, to do some detective work; find Lizzy! This is where the rest of country starts to take an interest in Lizzie and Charles Watson. Only five days into their marriage, Charles left Lizzie behind on the 18th of March to do some "business". Lizzie, truly alone for the first time in her life, no family, she had disobeyed her mother. She was alone, suddenly a little afraid she had made a mistake, her mind imagines all kinds of possibilities. . Lizzie was left behind with 2 associates of Charles; Mr. Bell and Robert Davidson. (It should be noted, that Robert was in love with Lizzie, and Charles and bad mouthed Robert to Lizzie. Charles wanted Lizzie all for himself!) With Charles gone, Robert, jealous of Charles and still wanting to get into Lizzie's good graces, he ceases on this opportunity. Robert tells Lizzie that Charles has 2 wives and children from those other marriages. Robert is able to convince Lizzie to leave with him. Robert convinces Lizzie that he can "prove" what he was telling her, he will show her these children, he will show her these other wives! Lizzie leaves with Bell and Davidson on March 28. Mom's attorney is a few days behind when he arrives in Chicago. Charles has been found and arrested for the Rahway murder, and is in possession of some of Lizzie's jewelry and money. Charles is also in trouble for 6 aliases and forging bank notes! Shortly thereafter, it is discovered that Lizzie was not the girl from Rahway, but in fact was now on her way to Omaha, NE. This is the information on 5 April 1887 that Mr Wolfsberger telegrams Rebecca Snavely. In reply, Rebecca instructs Mr Wolfsberger, "Bring her back at all cost." Wolfsberger heads to Omaha, NE. Wolfsperger, and the world follow Lizzie's run across the united States. The papers that picked up the story were from, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Minnesota, Colorado, DC, California, Illinois, Nebraska, and Indian. They all report about the runaway girl from Sterling Illinois. Mr. Wolfsperger, hot on Lizzie's trail, followed Lizzie to Omaha, then Colorado and finally is catches up with Lizzie in Portland, Oregon. It is here in Portland where Mr. Wolfsperger is able to convince Lizzie to come back home with him, her mother (Rebecca) is not mad, she loves Lizzie, and just wants her home safe. This is only the 17th of April 1887 when Lizzie is brought back to Sterling, Illinois, just 49 days into her marriage, only a month and a half has passed! Yet, much had changed. What about Charles Watson? On 7th of May, he could be found in Chicago, IL, in jail. On the 26th April Charles had sought out Robert Davidson with an intent to shoot Robert for taking off with his wife! Charles was apprehended by the police before he could do any harm and put in jail. I had expected that I would find Lizzie divorced or her marriage annulled from Charles and a spinster somewhere a few year later. An that would have been enough story for one Lizzie Snavely . . . but no, in August of 1887 and Indiana reporter wrote a follow up story with some truth and some fabrication that Charles went back to Sterling, looking for his Lillian (Lizzie). The reporter said that Charles came up to the Snavely "mansion", and advised a "servant" that he was looking for Lizzie. (There is no mansion, nor did the Snavely's have servants) that Charles was thrown out by Rebecca, and took off for Dixon, where the "servant" said Lizzie was. Supposedly Charles was in a race at this point to get to Lizzie before the family, and Charles found Lizzie in Dixon swinging in a hammock. Where Charles told Lizzie to come away with him before the family caught up, which she did supposedly. Lillian and Charles can be found in the paper in Sterling one more time in 1889. That is the last time they are mentioned together there. She does not divorce him. He continues to have grand ideas, and spends money he does not have. She is in New York by 1900. Charles ends up in an insane asylum in Chicago, and dies in 1913. (Charles was with Lizzie initially, in New York) Lizzie, lives out much of her life in New York, as a dressmaker in Manhattan, NY. Lizzie's wild and dramatic youth, ends quietly she died in 1921. She had no children who lived to adulthood. Just this crazy romantic story, that the world was privy to in 1887. Supposedly there is a photo out there of Lizzie, Charles and Davidson, that would be a very cool find. The love triangle of 1887. There is also a couple of hand painted jugs she gave as a gift to Mr and Mrs Silas Davis and Lizzie Dillon July 1887. That would be something to see!!

Sarah Snavely was born on December 2, 1871 in Sterling, Illinois United States, and died on August 22, 1872 in Sterling. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Sarah Snavely.

Emma Catherine (Snavely) Myer of Dixon, Illinois United States was born on January 28, 1867 in Sterling, and died at age 75 years old on January 18, 1943 in Dixon.

Malinda (Snavely) Daly of Long Beach, California United States was born on October 14, 1861 in Sterling, IL, and died at age 79 years old on March 31, 1941 in Long Beach, CA.

Anna Landis (Snavely) Evans of Sterling, Illinois United States was born on February 27, 1856 in Sterling, and died at age 77 years old on February 15, 1934 in Sterling.

Henry Hess Snavely of Sterling, Illinois United States was born on October 14, 1829 in PA, and died at age 42 years old on August 19, 1872 in Sterling, IL.

OBIT: Funeral Rites of Old resident Will Be Sunday Mrs Anna Snavely 95 Came to Sterling with Her Family in 1848. . . .Anna Snavely, 95 one of the oldest residents of Sterling, who died at her late home, 601 Seventh Avenue, Friday at 6:45a.m., will consist of a brief family service at the Melvin Funeral home Sunday at 2:15 p.m. and from the Church of the Brethren, 616 Sixth avenue, Sunday, at 2:30p.m., Rev Behard King, pastor, officiating. The committal will be in Science Ridge cemetery, where graveside service will be assisted in by Bishop A. C. Good, pastor of the Science Ridge Mennonite church. Mrs. Snavely passed away quietly. Her death had been expected for several weeks, as her life was gradually ebbing away. She was born Nov. 28, 1842, in Lancaster county, PA., a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. henry Landis, at the age of six years she was brought by her family to Sterling. The family settled on a farm just east of Sterling, near what is now the Lincoln highway. There she was reared and attended district schools in the country. On 8 Jan 1860, she was married to Levi Snavely. The young couple began housekeeping on a farm about four miles north of Sterling on the Hoover road. Ten children were born of the union of whom three preceded her in death, as did her husband, who passed away several years ago. Mr. and mrs. Sanvely observed their diamond wedding anniversary in 1935. Surviving children are Mrs. H W (Alice) Book, Mrs. E. M. (Anna) Wilson, Jacob N and Henry L. Snavely (twins), I. B. Snavely, Dr. J.L Snavely and Mrs. Harry (mabel) Myers, all living in Sterling. There are 21 grandchildren and a number of great=grandchildren. Brothers who survive are Henry, Emanuel, Rueben and Fremont Landis. Surviving sisters are Mrs. Henry Hein of Sterling, and Mrs. John Stauffer of Lancaster, PA. Mrs. Snavely was a member of the Church of the Brethren. She was one of the last of the earliest living pioneers in this section. To the last illness her mind was clear and she retained memories of those early days, and was a real "Mother in Israel" in her manner of life.

Henry Landis Snavely of Sterling, Illinois United States was born on November 27, 1873 in Sterling to Levi Hess Snavely. Henry Snavely married Anna Snavely on November 24, 1897 in Wayne County, Indiana, and died at age 64 years old on October 14, 1938 in Sterling, IL.

Anna M Snavely of Hummelstown, Dauphin County, PA was born on September 5, 1875, and died at age 94 years old on October 15, 1969.

Anna Snavely of Sterling, Whiteside County, Illinois was born on November 28, 1875 to Elizabeth (Ewbank) and Benjamin Sharp. Anna Snavely married Henry Landis Snavely on November 24, 1897 in Wayne County, Indiana United States, and died at age 91 years old in August 1967.

John R Snavely of Pittsylvania County, Virginia United States was born circa 1858. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember John R Snavely.

Susan V Snavely of Lincoln, Lancaster County, NE was born on November 30, 1873, and died at age 92 years old on August 15, 1966.

Jesse Snavely of Lancaster, Lancaster County, PA was born on January 28, 1871, and died at age 102 years old in November 1973.

Harry Snavely of Wilmington, New Castle County, DE was born on March 19, 1875, and died at age 94 years old on November 15, 1969.