History of Johann (Hans) Schneider

History of Johann (Hans) Schneider and his descendants, as compiled
by the Rev. Elam Snyder about 1910

It is only in comparatively recent times that proper attention
has been given to the German and Swiss settlers in PA. Our school
histories invariably tell us a great deal of the various English
settlements but rarely do more than make a rare statement that
Germans came to America and contributed not a trifle to the early
life of this state. All heroes and pioneers we are led to believe
came from or descended from the English. We happily discovered
however that these German ancestors or Swiss as the case may be were
not at all ignorant and brutish but that they contributed their due
share of the pioneer work in our stat and especially in eastern
Penna. We today represent one of the families whose ancestry was
upon the scene very early indeed.

Few families can claim to be more thoroughly American ten the
Snyders or as they were earlier called and are still called in the
German tongue Schneider.

It was my happy privilege to delve into the history of these
people, our family. Before I go into the history of our ancestry as
far as I could carry investigations, which on account of the great
amount of work which fell to my portion during this last year, were
necessarily limited –I can say before I go into the history of our
family, let me give you a brief statement as to the reason for
German and Swiss emigration to America. The earliest Spanish
immigrants came in quest of gold and other riches, and they signally
failed. The earliest English settlers came for the purposes of
colonization, the motive being to enrich their homeland thereby.
Their first efforts met with failure. Then there came from England
different classes who because of their religious beliefs were
persecuted and who looked toward America as a possible asylum of
relief. So too with our forefathers. They too were oppressed in
their homeland. Germany in the 17th century was the scene of most
bloody wars. Generations lived and died without knowing what it
meant to have peace. Long, fierce and horrible ere these wars and
after our forefathers who lived in the Palatinate were rendered
homeless, their farms having been laid waste and their dwellings
burned, there came the most terrible experience of all –the French
invasion of 1688-1689, an expedition of killing and plunder such as
was unknown even in that cruel age. Thousands of people were killed
for no other reason than that they lay in the way of the plundering
array. Many fled to Switzerland to about 1709 and later accepted
the invitation of the English crown to come to America and find
refuge in her wilds. Switzerland, the native country of our
ancestors, became overcrowded and emigration had become a necessity.
This little country had for a long time been the refuge for
political and religious fugitives until now it was nigh overcrowded.

The earliest emigrants to America came to the Carolinas but later on
the majority preferred the cooler northern climate and came to
Penna. Among them was our Swiss forefather, Hans (Johann
Schneider).

Hans (Johann Schneider) was born in Geneva Switzerland December
1687. Of his arrival in America there is no official record. It
must have been sometime before 1717, the year after which foreigners
were required to take the oath of allegiance that he and his wife
landed on our shores. It is claimed that he and his wife together
with his brother Jacob first settled in what is now Germantown,
Phila.

Just how long he remained at Germantown we do not know but the
book for proprietary warrants states that he settled at Oley under
warrant Nov. 26th, 1717, for 500 acres in Oley Township. The survey
of his property taken on this warrant issued to him is dated June
28th, 1729 and calls for 349 acres which amount was patented to him
June 3, 1734. The rental charge was 1 shilling for every 100 acres.
Nov. 10th, 1738 another warrant for 125 additional acres was issued
to Hans Schneider.

Hans was a man of energy and thrift. He was a blacksmith and
mechanic of repute. It is said he followed his occupation while
living in Germantown. He must have taken a prominent part in the
early affairs of his community for records show tat in a petition
presented to the court at Philadelphia Sept. 5th, 1720 to erect Oley
into a township on account of the inconvenience under which the
people labored. Hans was one of the five or six who signed this.
For some reason or other the petition was not granted until twentythree
years later, in 1740.

The land which he took up in that plot in among the Monocacy
Creek including the estate of William H. Cleaver, Clayton Snyder and
the Mill estate for a long time owned by Wm. Snyder which at that
time also included the estate of Joseph Snyder deceased and Thomas
Snyder (All along pike for Oley Line lane at Seidels).
He died July 19th, 1743 and is buried in the family burial plot
on the Cleaver farm. He was married to Catherine who was born in
Switzerland in 1688 and died 1778 and is buried by his side.
Hans Schneider had three sons and two daughters. John
Jacob1718-1785. Peter 1723-1798. John Henry 1723-1793. Barbara
1727-1788 married to Nicholas Keim. Susanna —— —–. By will
made the day before his death, Hans bequeathed to his son John Jacob
the estate north of the road now called Oley Turnpike and to his son
Peter the tract lying south of that road.
John Jacob had a son whose name was Daniel whose daughter
Esther was married to Jacob Gheer. The daughter inherited this farm
and later on her descendant Mrs. William K. Cleaver fell heir to the
estate.

Peter the second son of Hans was married to Apalonia Youngman
about 1746. It is interesting to know that her father John Deidrich
Youngman bequeathed to the Moravian church the land on which was
established the Moravian school which is now commonly called the
Herrwheiter Schoolhouse. While the school was in existence he was
its leading support and after his death the school could no longer
be maintained as a Moravian institution. Let me remark here it is
well to observe how the leading families of the township were drawn
together by marriage. The Herbeins, the Keims, the Yoders, the
Bertolets, and the Ritters, yes all the prominent families have this
become united.

This Peter Snyder and his wife Apolonia lived on the tract now
occupied by Clayton Snyder. They had 8 children: John Benjamin
1740-1816. Daniel 1750-1817. Peter 1752-1815. Jacob ______ – 1830.
Barbara 1746-1816 married to Ritter. Elizabeth ____ – 1822 married
to Faber. Catherine married to Hill. (buried at Oley Church.)
Upon the death of Peter which occurred in 1796 his estate was
divided between Daniel Benjamin and Peter. Daniel received the old
mill property, Benjamin the old homestead and Peter the farm later
inherited by Thos. Snyder (father to Thos. C. Snyder). We must in
this account eliminate all the children of Peter except Benjamin. I
have partly traced Pater’s son Daniel’s family but must take some
time to that before I can give the family history in detail.
Benjamin the Grandson of Hans and the son of Peter, therefore a
member of the third generation was born Dec. 21st, 1748 and died
Oct. 25th, 1816. He was married first to Esther Herbein who was
born Mar. 9th, 1759. Died May 6th,1797. They were married Mar.
21st, 1780. He was later married to Susannah Wesner who was born
Nov. 4th, 1773 and died June 1st, 1837. The children with his first
wife are Jacob 1781-1845. Daniel 1783-1825. John 1785-1856. Peter
1787-1853. Susannah wife of Daniel Ritter 1790 – ____. Eliz. wife of
Jacob Ritter 1792–1859. Mary 1795–1800. David 1797-1866. With his
second wife Gideon 1804-1875.

Probably most of us who are present here today are direct
descendants of Benjamin Schneider the great grandfather to others of
you; the grandfather to a few of the older generation present. I
will attempt today to trace the descendants of only two of these
children, those of my great grandfather Peter, and those of David
who lived and died on the estate on which you now stand. Pardon me
for allowing myself to take up my own lineage. We now come to a
period which though unknown to me is yet remembered by some of you.
Peter Schneider the fourth son of Benjamin was born Sept. 18th,
1787 and died Oct. 3rd, 1853 exactly a hundred years almost to the
month after his great grandfather Hans Schneider. Peter was hired
to Peter Herbein who lived on and possessed the farm now occupied by
and owned by Adam Snyder. My great grandmother Mary Herbein (Polly
as she was usually called then) whom I of course very well remember
was servant girl at her uncles home. Pater Herbein not having any
direct heirs was willing to bequeath the farm to his niece should
she be willing to marry Peter. Whether that was sufficient reason
for my great grandparent to marry or not the fact remains that they
were married though there was a difference of 20 years between their
ages, Mary Herbein having been born in 1807. The following
children were born to them. Peter 1829-1903. John 1834-____. Daniel
1840 -____. David 1847 – ____. Sarah 1843-____ married to Henry
Esterly. Also a boy and girl dying in early childhood. Grandfather
built a home near the Only Line trolley station for a Dr. Leinbach
who married Mrs. Lydia Snyder, Jacob E. Snyder’s mother. Dr.
Leinbach however died before the house was finished and in 1852
Peter moved off the farm and himself occupied it. He lived in it
only one year to Oct. 3rd, 1853 when death called him hence. His
funeral services were held in the barn of the old homestead and he
is buried in the family burial plot in the orchard of the farm.
Peter had inherited from his father a part of the old Snyder
homestead ie the farm now embracing the estate of Clayton Snyder,
the Oley Line Hotel, and the United Traction Cos. Farm with Jacob
his brother. They jointly built the Oley Line Hotel in 1835 and
later Jacob took the hotel property with 11 acres and Peter took the
old homestead including about 120 acres.

By will dated Sept. 26th, 1853 Peter bequeathed the farm on
which he lived and which he inherited from Peter Herbein (the
eastern part known as the Kemmerer farm to Daniel.) to Peter the
eldest son, my grandfather. The old Snyder homestead was bequeathed
to his sons John and David, John receiving the old building and 80
acres and David the new stone house where great grandfather died
together with 40 acres. Peter’s widow Mary lived up to 1895 and
lies buried beside her husband in the family burial plot.
Peter Snyder my grandfather born in 1829 was married to Anna
Hechler. He lived on the farm bequeathed to him up to the time of
his death which occurred Feb. 27th, 1903. Time forbids me to
describe him –like whom I look in spite of his peculiarities with
reverential awe as my grandfather, his staunch honesty, his devotion
to work, his apparent gruffness and yet his tenderheartedness when
his sympathies were aroused, all these qualities I shall never
forget.

His children who lived to adult age are Peter 1852- . Mary
1854-1874 married to Adam Kleinginna. Hannah 1859- married to Daniel
B Noll. Sallie 1852- married to John Strunk. Adam 18 married to
Lucetta Knabb. Grandfather Snyder bought the old Nein farm upon
which my father Peter lived for 28 years. Upon his death by will
the old homestead was bequeathed to his son Adam and the Nein farm
to my father (Peter). Grandmother Snyder died Dec. 12th, 1896.
Peter Snyder was born Dec. 27th, 1852 was married to Mary
daughter of Henry Moyer. The following children survive: Sallie
born April 16th, 1872, married to Wm. Jackson. Henry born Nov. 19th,
1874 married to Minerva Hunsberger. Aaron born July 18th 1876. Mary
April 7th, 1878. Elam April 12th, 1880 married to Louise Shalter.
Bettie born June 23rd, 1883. Hanna Aug 14th, 1888. On June 26h, 1907
there arrived in the home of Elam a little son whose name is Harold
Klam, the first in our line of the eth generation.

Mary Kleinginna was the mother of fie children Alvin, George,
Annie, Peter and Elmer, all of them being married but Elmer. Geroge
has two children and Peter one named Clarence Paul.

Hanna married to Daniel Noll has two children, Annie married to
Ed. Kramer and having three children Jonathan, Hanna and Gertrude
and Levi who is still single.

Adam married to Lucetta Knabb has three children Elmer Eva and
Florence.

We will next outline the family of John H. Snyder, born 1834
Peter Snyders second son. John lived on the original Snyder
homestead which he interited from his father, up to 1888 with the
exception of two years when he was the landlord of the Stonersville
hotel. He was married to Sarah daughter of Gideon Snyder, Benjamin
Snyders granddaughter. She died in 1906. The following children
grew to adult age. Chas. 1855-1896 married to Hanna Boone.
Catherine 1854- married to Daniel Altenderfer. Higb 1858- married
to Rebecca Lorah. Calvin 1880- married to Katie Heck. Milton
1866- married to Deborah Spon. Mary married to David E. snyder
grandson of David Snyder who lived on this estate. Sallie 1870-
married to Frank Heffner and George – (died a few years ago).
Charles had three children, Taryne married to Chas. Moyer. Jennie
married to chas. Leinach has one child. Gertrude is the third.
Catherine married to Daniel Altenderfer has one son Jesse.
John has the following children Mabel, Lorah, Olive, John,
Gordon and Clarence, Effinger, Leroy. Calving ahs the following
children George, Edgar, Harvey, William, Walter, Sadie married to
Harry Derr, Byron and Helen. Mrs Derr has one child Harry. Milton
has the following children Maude, Lulu, Paul, Helen, Sarah. Mary
married to David E. Snyder has the following children Annie, Raymond
and Mazie who died in Oct. 1903. Raymond has two daughters Mary and
Ruth. Sallie married Frank Heffner has three sons, Carl, Wayne and
Robert. George who died in 1905 has one daughter Edna.

Daniel Snyder the third son of Peter was born in 1840- . He
was married to Elizabeth Ritter. With the limited time which I had I
could not trace his descendants to the limit and will consequently
in this account only enumerate his children. Dorothy married to
Peter Conrad, Rolandus, Daniel, Elizabeth, George, Ailee married to
Trumbore, Norma married to Wilson Loose and William.

David the fourth son of Peter was born 1847- . He married to
Wilhemina Wasser and left 2 daughters, Mery wife of Chas, Moyer and
Sallie ____ Ebberts. Both daughters are dead.

Mary left the following children Nina, Chas, Emma, Mammie and
Lulu.

Sallie left one son Harry. David lies buried in the family
burial plot of his father on Adam Snyders farm.

Sarah married to Henry Esterly born in 1843 is the mother of
the following children. John, Harry, Romanus, Alice, Geo, and
Sallie. John has two children Mary and John. Harry has one named
Franklin. Romanus has four named Mabel, Saran, Paul and Chas. Alice
married to Howard Body has 3 children named Emily, Henry and Ralph.
I will now take up the decedents of David Snyder the eighth
child of Benjamin. To the descendents must be given the credit of
inaugurating this family reunion which now having assumed a wider
scope then at first will I trust to eventually embrace all
descendants of our honored and revered Hans Schneider to whom we all
owe our existence.

Daniel Snyder was born on the old Snyder homestead at Oley Line
on March 28th, 1797 the year when George Washington went out of the
Office of Pres. Of U.S. He was married to Mary Magdelena Leinbach.
He inherited this estate from Peter Herbein, lived here until he
died suddenly at the Berks county house while on a trip to Reading
May 3rd, 1866 attaiing the age of 59 years 2 mon. 5 days. Of his
life more will be told later on providence permitting. He is buried
at Friedensburg.

The following children grew to adult age. Simon 1821-1867.
Benjamin 1825-1860. Rachel married to Wm. Brownback 1827- .
Jeremiah 1830-1833. Mary Ann married to Harrision Yoder 1835- .
Hacjsib 1837- .

Emma Rebecca married to Daniel Happle 1840- . Joel -1865 was
married to Elizabeth Hechler. Simon the oldest son bon in 1821 met
death suddenly while coming to this place to acquaint his brother of
a misfortune. He was kicked by his horse and instantly killed in
1867. He is buried at Friedensburg. He was married to Mary Esterly
and a second time to Sara Quinter. The following are the children.
Mrs. Amanda Ludwig married to Albert of Neversink. John e, of
Friedensburg, David E. 9th Franklin St. Reading. James E. of
Spangeville. Charles of St. Lawrence and with his second wife a
daughter Emma married to Jacob Ludwig. Amanda was married to Albert
Ludwig, his children are _______ wife of Jacob Leob, Wilton, Clara
wife of Barry planner, Sallei wife of Wm. Lutz, Sylvana wife of Chas
Hafer, alma wife of Arthur Bechtel, Sadie, Jennie, Bertha and
Warren.

Harry married Clementine Rothrock has the following children,
Helen, Willard, Henry and Edwin. Mary wife of Jacob Loeb has the
following children, Harry, Leroy, edna, Albert and Arthur. Wilton
married Daisy Kepperer ha the following, Earl, Erma, Edna and Ella.
Clara wife of Harry Planer has the following, elmer, Harry,
chas, and George. Sallie wife of Wm. Lutz one child Sou Webster.
Sylvana wife of Chas. Hafer has the following Ralph, Arthur, Lloyd
and Oscar. John E. has the following, Mrs. Mary Angstadt, Chas,
David E. married to Mary daughter of John H. Snyder, her descendants
were named in connection with his wife’s family, Elmer. James E has
the following children, Nelson, Ella, Warren, Paul, Miriam and
Alice. Chas of St. Lawrence is married to Mary daughter of Rachel
Snyder Brumbach. Their only surviving daughter is Marian, Maude
having died a few years ago.

Benjamin the second son of David Snyder was born Mar. 29th, 1825
and died Nov. 6th, 1860 at the early age of 35 years and is buried
at Friedensburg. He resided at the time of his death at St.
Lawrence. His wife was Rachel Schmehl. The following are his
children, Adeline married to Harrison Seidel, Jefferson, Emma Louisa
married to a Mr. Green of Phila, Amelia Amanda who died at the age
of fifteen years. Agnes married to Jacob Hopple, Mary Olivia married
to Isaac Deturk Stockon, Charles and Thomas.

Adeline March 29th, 1847 is the mother of the following
children, Ella wife of Elmer Shell, Benjamin Jefferson, Frederick
and Ida wife of Wm. Moyer.

Ella wife of Elmer Shell has 6 children, Walter, George,
Christopher, May, Lillian and Dorothy…Benjamin is married to Ida
Fisher and has 4 children, Harry, Claude, Carl and Edna. Harry is
married to Emma Zuber. Jefferson married to Clara Lorah has 4
chikdren, Lizzie, Iva, Charles and Willie. Frederick married to
Maggie Wein has 3 children, Maude, Verna and Ethel. Ida married to
Wm. Moyer has 2 children, Esther and Olivia.

Jefferson probably the first of the descendents of Ben. Snyder
Jr. i.e. his great grandfather being a member of the Berks county
Bar since 1875 was born Nov. 6th, 1848. He was married to Annie
yeager daughter of Rev. Thos. Yeager. The following are his
children, Mrs. Mary Brister, Thos. Yeager also admitted to the Berks
County Bar and John K. Agnes was born Dec. 28th 1853, and married to
Jacob Happle. The following are the chikdren, Lillie, Ellis, and
Edward. Lillie married Elmer Althouse and has 3 children, Elmer,
Helen and Sarah.

Mary Olivia married to Isaac Deturck was born Jan. 24th, 1856.
Her children were Kate one of Exeter Townships proficient teachers,
James graduate of Princeton University and now a Prof. at Hackensack
N.J. Olive in the office of Beard & Co. Reading contractors, Robert,
Lulu, and Wayne and Chas. Thos. Stockton, the circumstances of whose
most horrible and untimely death are still fresh on our minds was
born Nov. 1st, 1859 and met his death together with his wife Ida
Brumbach (daughter of Albert Brumbach) at Honda Cal. May 11th, 1907
and was interred at Aulenbachs Cemetery. His 3 orphan children are
Edna, Percy and Sarah.

Rachel the child of David Snyder was born Jan. 6th, 1827. She
was the 2nd. Wife of __________ Brumbach. Tho almost 81 years old
she is well preserved. Her children are the following. David,
George, Thomas, Aaron, and Mary wife of Chas. Snyder. David married
to Sarah Leinbach has the following children, Harry, Chester, Carrie
wife of Harry Ream and Bertolet. Harry Brumbachs children are Helen
and John. Carrie Reams child is named Sarah. George Brumbach was
married to __________ Rohrbach. The names of his surviving children
are Annie, Murray, –Mabel and Belle having died a few years ago.
Thomas who with his wife Susan Lorah met his death in like manner
wit Stockton Snyder & wife leaves the following children, Ada, Paul,
Eva, and Ray. Aaron Brumbach married to Mare Esterly has 3 children
Bertha Arthur and Stewart. Mary was married to Charles Snyder. Her
Family is recorded in connection with her husbands family.

Mary Ann married to Harrison Yoder was born March 3rd, 1835.

Jackson who has the honor of living on his fathers farm was
born Nov. 29th, 1837. He resided on his father homestead since
childhood and is rightly regarded as one of Oleys honored and
respected citizens. His first wife was Elizabeth Herbein with whom
he had the following children, Hettie wife of Samuel Reiff, Lucy
wife of Ambrose Kuhns, Elizabeth wife of Frank Eshelman, and Mary
who died about 9 years ago. His second wife is Anna Lutz with whom
he had the following children, Howard, Grover, Emma, David and Bird.
Mrs Heetie Reiff has two daughters Etta and Laura. Mrs Lucy Kuhns
has a daughter Clara and a son Wm. Snyder Kuhns. Mrs Elizabeth
Eshelman living in Stonersville as a son Paul. Mary had a daughter
Edna. Grober married to Carrie Eliz. Fleck has a daughter
Carrie.______________.

Emma Rebecca, married to Daniel Happle and living at St.
Lawrence was born April 17th, 1840. Joel Snyder who was married to
Eliz. Hechler died March 31st, 1865 and is buried at Friedensburg.
His children are Mary Ann married to Thomas Ulrich living at
Cornwall, Lebanon county. Emma married to John Fries at Reading,
Minerva wife of Joseph Kistling and charles. Minerva Kistling died
about 6 years ago and is buried at Schwartzwald. Her children are
Joseph, Catherine married to George Sheetz, William, Robert, Minnie,
John, Chas, Milton and Earl.

Joseph married to Minnie Dauthrich has 1 child Elaine.

Catherine (Mrs. Sheetz) has 1 child Bertha. William married to
Bessie Hoyer has 1 child William. Mrs. Ulrich (Mary Ann) lives at
Cornwall, Lebanon Co. and has the following children, Fred, rose,
Frank, John, Harry, Mary, Thomas and Paul. Emma was first married
to Ephrium Witmer and the following are her children, Thurman, Mamie
and Lizzie. Her second husband is John Fries. Charles is married
to Maggie Minnieh who died about 33 years ago an has two sons
Ray and Ralph.

Submitted by Todd.

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Nathan Zipfel

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