Joseph F. Snodgrass

As printed in 1908

JOSEPH F. SNODGRASS, a general farmer in Harmony Township, who was engaged in a grocery business for some five years, during this period being postmaster, was born in Clark County, Ohio, November 27, 1867, and is a son of Andrew and Eliza Jane (Foreman) Snodgrass.

Samuel Snodgrass, the great-grandfather, came from Virginia to Clark County, in 1808, and was married here to Jane Steel, who was born in Kentucky. Their son, William Snodgras. was born in Clark County, where he lived until he was forty years old, when he moved to Indiana. He married Sarah Edgar and they had four children: John, born in 1838, died aged thirteen years; Andrew, born in 1840; Nancy J., born in 1842, married David Laybourn, resides in Colorado, and they have seven children, Jennie, William, Harry, Frank, Charles, Andrew and Fannie; and Margaret, born in 1844, married Tobias Bird, resides in Colorado, and they have four children, Harry, Delia, William and Fred.

Andrew Snodgrass, father of Joseph F., was reared and educated in Clark County. At the outbreak of the Civil War, in 1861, he enlisted from Springfield, in the Sixteenth Ohio Battery, and served all through the dangers, hardships and privations until the close of the war. He participated in a number of important battles, including Vicksburg, Port Gibson and Champion Hill, together with numerous skirmishes and other engagements, and on one occasion on account of injuries was remanded to a hospital, in which he was compelled to remain for six weeks. He is a valued member of the Grand Army of the Republic. When his honorable discharge reached him at Columbus, in 1865, it found a soldier who had ever been at the post of duty. In 1872, Andrew Snodgrass moved with his family from Clark County to Kansas, where he conducted a stock farm of six hundred acres, for five years, after which he returned to Clark County, which has remained his home until the present. He married Eliza Jane Foreman, in 1867. She was born in Clark County and was a daughter of Harvey and Mary (Jones) Foreman. The four children born to this marriage were: Joseph Forest; Emma, born May 23, 1869, married Mathew Roy Oates, in 1887, who died in 1906; Blanche, who died in infancy; and Finley, born in 1873, in Kansas, died aged seven years.

Joseph F. Snodgrass owns a one-half acre of land and has an interest in other property in Harmony Township. He was married January 18, 1898, to Agnes Ensley, who was born in 1878, in Fayette County, Ohio. Her parents, Evan and Eliza J. (Mooney) Ensley, were formerly of Fayette County, but in 1890 they moved to Clark County. Mrs. Snodgrass has one sister, Carrie P., and one brother, Herman. The former married Samuel Payne and they live at Catawl)a and have six children: Bessie, Glen, Paul, Robert, Helen and Thomas. Herman, born in 1880, married Blanche Fisher and they have two children, Herman and Allegra Wanetta. They reside in Harmony Township. Mr. and Mrs. Snodgrass have two children, namely: Melville, who was born January 20, 1899, and Clark, who was born October 18, 1904. Mr. Snodgrass was reared in the M. P. Church. He has taken a more or less active interest in township affairs for some years.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.