The Snakenberg Families of Keokuk County, Iowa

Among the well known and highly respected pioneers of this county was Dietrich Snakenberg, a farmer, and for fifty years local preacher in the Methodist church. He and his wife. Mary Seaba, were both natives of Hanover, Germany. Both emigrated to this country before their marriage, which took place in West Virginia, where Oietrich engaged in coal mining. After continuing in West Virginia a short time they settled in Washington county, Iowa. This was in 1839. The New Purchase was opened for settlement on May 1, 1843. and in the fall of that year he entered this new tract, making his home in what is now German township, Keokuk county. He lived there until his death in 1898, having attained the age of ninety-three years, lacking eleven days. His wife died in 1880, aged sixty-seven. They had eight children: John, born in West Virginia, died at the age of twenty-five; Henry, the subject of this sketch; William, a farmer in this county occupying the old homestead; Mary, who is a widow: Anna, also a wid.w living at Keota; Minnie, unmarried, whose home is in this county; John Dietrich, also of this county; and Louisa, who like Minnie is unmarried and resides in Keokuk county. The family are Methodists. Dietrich associated himself with the Democratic party.

Henry, his son, was born in Washington county, this state, Jul) 17, 1840. He attended the common school and lived with his parents on the farm until he was twenty-seven years of age. August 8, t86, he married and moved to a farm of his own in German township and up to this day he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He has always been a Democrat in a Republican county, and his election to several township offices indicates his popularity with the voting element. In 1899 he was elected county treasurer and made such a splendid official that he still holds the office, having been re-elected in 1901. His wife was formerly Miss Margaret Hartman, a native of Switzerland, who came to America with her parents when she was five years old; her family settled near Burlington. Iowa, and in 1856 moved to Keokuk county. Mr. and Mrs. Snakenberg are both members of the Methodist church. They had three children. One died at the age of seven; the daughter, Etta May, is the wife of David Beinhart, of Jefferson, Iowa; and the son, Frank D., is his father's deputy.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

William Snakenberg, one of the prominent and highly respected farmers of German township, Keokuk county, Iowa, was born in Washington county, Iowa, November 5, 1843, and is the third child and third son of Detrich and Mary A. (Seaba) Snakenberg. He was about one year old when he was brought to Keokuk county, and he was reared and educated in German township. He occupied himself in farm work until the time of his enlistment for Civil war service in 1864, when he became a member of Company E, Thirteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, remaining until the close of the war, although sickness compelled him to remain the greater part of the time in the hospital. After his honorable discharge, he returned to his home and resumed farming. In 1892 he built the comfortable residence in which he resides on the farm of eighty-five acres, and has increased the value of his property by judicious and careful methods of cultivation.

In 1893 Mr. Snakenberg was married to Miss Emma Boss, who was born in Lafayette township, Keokuk county. One son, Iren Vernon Paul, has been born to this union. Both our subject and wife are valued members of the German Methodist church and are highly respected residents of German township.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

LOUIS D. SNAKENBERG.

The world instinctively pays deference to the man whose success has been worthily achieved, who has acquired a high reputation in his chosen calling, and whose prominence is not less the result of an irreproachable life than of recognized natural gifts. It is a pleasing indulgence to write the biography of a man of this character, such as Louis D. Snakenberg is known to be. He is one of the leading farmers in German township, where his farm in all its appointments indicates the progressive spirit, enterprise and good business ability of the owner, who is justly numbered among the most skillful and thorough agriculturalists of his native township. October 9, 1851, marks the ushering of this gentleman into the world, the place being his native township. His parents were natives of Germany, the father's name being John Snakenberg and his mother Dorethe Scharnhorst. John was born in Germany March 15, 1814, and when a young man came to America, in 1836; he settled in 1844 in Keokuk county, preempting a farm just south of where our subject now resides. This was in its primitive wild state, and the life of our subject's father was filled with the trials that come to all the pioneers of that day. He "stuck to his last," however,.and had the satisfaction of having carved out of the wilderness one of the finest farm properties in Keokuk county, on which he died in 1892. He was one of nature's noblemen, a man whose word was as good as his bond, and whose simple and trustful life had a splendid influence for good upon

Lis community. He gave allegiance to the principles of the Democratic party and was honored during that time by his fellow citizens with some of the offices of the township. He married in the county as above stated, his wife having been the daughter of Christian and Dorethe Scharnhorst, who were also among the early settlers of the county. 1 1 ey became the parents of ten children, of which the subject of tin's re\iew is the eldest; their names are as follows: Louis D.; John \Y., deceased; Henry; Nicholas; Mary; Katherine; Richard and Minnie, twins; George, and Emma. Mr. Louis D. Snakenberg remained with his parents until he was three years beyond his majority, assisting in the cultivation of the farm. Here he learned the habits of industry which have so distinguished him in later life, and which have seen their fruition in the success which has come to him. He received a fairly good education in the common schools in German township. At the age of twenty-four he settled on the site which he now owns, and which at that time was virgin soil. He looks with satisfaction on the fact that the beautiful farm of which he is now the owner is the work of his own hands, supplemented by the bountiful providence of Dame Nature. He is known the county over as being an excellent farmer, and deals extensively in fine stock. His home life began in 1876, March 2nd, when he was happily married to Dorothy Seebe. This lady is the daughter of Christopher and Sarah Seebe and is a native of the township in which she now lives. Her father was a native born German, while her mother's nativity was in Ohio. They removed to the county in a very early day. Mr. and Mrs. Snakenberg are the parents of two children: Roy; Dora, now deceased. Politically Mr. Snakenberg follows in the footsteps of his lamented father, and has acted with credit to himself as trustee for the manship for the past six years, and as road supervisor for a period cf four years, He has also served a number of terms as school director of his district. Fraternally he has allied himself to the organization known as the Woodmen of the World. He commands and receives the respect which is his due in his section of the county.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN J. SNAKENBERG.

John J. Snakenberg. a prominent agriculturist of Keokuk county, Iowa, residing on sect 29, German township, was born in a log cabin located on section jo. on December 27, 1849, and is a son of Louis and Mary ( Scharnhorst) Snakenberg, both of whom were born in Germany. Louis Snakenberg, the father of our subject, was one of the earliest settlers in German township and still resides upon the farm which lie entered from the government so many years ago. He came here in May. 1843, ail(' nas reached his eightieth birthday, one of the most highly respected residents of this locality, and a leading member of the Methodist church. His wife still survives also, at the age of seventy-two years, and they are one of the most venerable couples in the township. They had a family that consisted of nine sons and one daughter. all of whom were born in the log cabin which still stands on section _>o. and which sheltered the family in comfort for so many years.

Our subject is the eldest child of the ten born to his parents and was reared on the old homestead in German township; and his interest in his own locality has been so great that be has never cared to leave his native state. His education was obtained in a little log schoolhouse in the woods, where he learned the elementary principles, and his whole life has been devoted to the operation and improvement of his farm. He remained at home until he was twenty-eight years of age and then, on November 3, 1877. he was married to Josephine Fixmer, who was born in German township on February 13. 1857. and is the daughter of Reinhart and Catherine (Blaise) Fixmer. who were old settlers in Keokuk county.

After marriage Mr. Snakenberg settled in section 1, Van Buren township. where he purchased eighty acres of land, remaining on that farm for five years, and then bought the farm where he now resides. He has made notable improvements on this place, one very substantial one being a deep well, which he had drilled in 1896. Mr. Snakenberg

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

The family of Mr. and Mrs. Snakenberg consists of four children, namely: Hilda, who married Wesley Hoffman, a prominent farmer of German township; Miss Josie, who is a young lady al home; and Dora and Louis J., who attend school. The Snakenberg family is well known through this county, many of the brothers of our subject being, like himself, prominent and substantial] farmers. Of these: Richard was killed March 25, 1875, in a saw mill explosion; Christian is a prominent farmer of Van Buren township; Louis is also a prominent farmer in the same township; Henry is one of the good farmers of Van Buren township; Charles is a farmer in German township; Frank is located on section 16, in German township; Joseph operates his farm in section 17. German township; William resides on the homestead in section 20, German township; and Annie, the only sister, married Edward Krannan, located on section 17. German township. Until [896 Mr. Snakenberg was identified with the Democratic party, but the issues raised at that time induced him to affiliate with the Republican party, of which he has since lieen a valued member and has acceptably Tilled many of the local offices, Me is a member of the Masonic order, Webb Lodge, No. 182, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons at Siguorney, in which he has filled the position of junior warden. lie has been actively interested in the development of Keokuk county in his locality and is regarded as one of the representative men of this neighborhood.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

This gentleman is one of the worthy sons of the family noted above. He himself is a prominent and enterprising representative of the agricultural class, residing in section n of German township. 11 is birth occurred in German township, September 14, 1860. He early became familiar with the labors of the field and meadow and assisted manfully in the work of the home farm, acquiring such knowledge as was afforded in that early day in the public school of his district. He remained at home for six years after the legal age and then set up an establishment of his own. being joined in marriage. March 18. 1888, to Ella M. Fry. This lady is also a native of the township, the daughter of Ruben Fry, another old settler, and of a family that is held in the very highest repute. After Mr. Snakenberg's marriage he located at once on the farm which he now cultivates, and on this he has placed all of the improvements which go to make up one of the finest farms in the county. He built his present commodious and handsome residence in 1890. a residence which is a credit not only to him. but to the county in which he resides. Mr. Snakenberg has proved by honest toil and close attention to business that farming is not a lost art in these incipient years of the twentieth century. To the marriage of Mr. Snakenberg there were born two sons. Byron and Jesse. As stated before. Mr. Snakenberg has taken great pride in beautifying his farm, having set out a large number of trees with his own hand. He takes a worthy interest in the public life of the county and has been In cured with some of the minor offices of the township, since 1896 having been township trustee. He takes an active part iry all that pertains to the upbuilding of society in educational and religious lines, and as his father before him, is regarded with the highest respect.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.