Pages 547-548, transcribed by Carolyn Ward from History of Allen and Woodson Counties, Kansas: embellished with portraits of well known people of these counties, with biographies of our representative citizens, cuts of public buildings and a map of each county / Edited and Compiled by L. Wallace Duncan and Chas. F. Scott. Iola Registers, Printers and Binders, Iola, Kan.: 1901; 894 p., [36] leaves of plates: ill., ports.; includes index.



 

  WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS. 547 cont'd

EMANUEL SNIVELY.

EMANUEL SNIVELY, of Iola township, settled in Allen county in January, 1879, and for the past twenty-one years has devoted himself to the intelligent and successful cultivation of her soil. He settled upon section twelve, his farm being the claim entered by the Woodins, one of the early and well known families of the county.

Mr. Snively was from Alleghany county, Pennsylvania, where he was born October 17, 1830. He was born on a farm and his father, Christian Snively, a son of Henry Snively, improved a tract of land there and became one of the substantial and reliable farmers of his county. Henry Snively went into Alleghany county from Franklin county, Pennsylvania, where his German ancestors settled many generations ago. They were not only farmers but were known in business and among early ones were soldiers of the Revolutionary war. Christian Snively was a public official many years of his life and he helped fight many of the battles of the Republicans in his county.

The mother of our subject was Mary, a daughter of Emanuel Stotler, who settled in western Pennsylvania from Franklin county, that State. They were originally German and were, in the main, devoted to the farm and field. Christian Snively died in 1877 at the age of seventy-nine while his wife died at the age of eighty six-years. Their children were: Joseph Snively, killed at the battle of Antietam; David Snively, of Santa Clara county, California; Elizabeth, widow of Matthew Mitchell, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Henry Snively, of Alleghany county, Pennsylvania; Martha, deceased wife of Alexander Frew; John Snively, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Mary, who died unmarried in 1869; Nancy, wife of Joseph Hallett, of California; Christopher, and Dr. Whitmore Snively, one of the faculty of the Pittsburg Medical College.

Our subject acquired a fair education in the schools common to the country in his day. He remained with his birthplace till he had passed his fortieth milestone when he was married and separated from it to establish a household of his own. He came west searching for cheaper lands with better opportunities for small capital. Allen county had many Penn-

548 HISTORY OF ALLEN AND  

sylvania families within her borders and it may be that this fact led to his determination, partially, to locate here. He entered into the business of farming with the same energy and zeal here that was characteristic of the forefathers in the east and his success is due to this fact alone. He has surrounded himself with such herds of stock as are necessary to the profitable operation of a Kansas farm and is regarded one of the substantial men of his community.

Mr. Snively was married in January, 1873, to Mary F. Stoner, whose father, Joseph Stoner, was a resident of Perry township, Alleghany county, Pennsylvania.

During the Civil war Mr. Snively was a member of the Home Guards, of Pennsylvania and had five brothers in the volunteer service. In politics this family is well known in the east as Republican, and in this faith our subject was strong till the year 1890 when the era of political reform in Kansas created havoc with old party lines and he joined hands with the Peoples party.

Emanuel Snively is well known as a gentleman with pronounced opinions. He arrives at conclusions after ample deliberation and takes a position after he is convinced he can hold it. He is a representative citizen in many ways and the "west side" is socially and materially stronger for his presence there.


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