LaSalle County
ILGenWeb

Biography - DAVID SNELLING

This well known citizen and respected farmer of Adams township, LaSalle county, Illinois, is a native of Rutland township, this county, born June 26, 1848, and is a representative of one of the pioneer families of this locality. His parents were John and Rebecca Jane (Shaver) Snelling, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio. John Snelling, when quite small, was taken by his parents to Ohio, where he grew to manhood. When a young man, previous to his marriage, he came west to Illinois, then called the frontier, and located in LaSalle county. That was some time in the '30s. Here he subsequently married Rebecca Shaver, a daughter of David Shaver, one of the first settlers of Rutland township, this county. Mrs. Snelling was born in 1821, was ten years old when brought by her parents to Illinois, and is still a resident of LaSalle county, her home being in Serena township, where her husband settled on a farm a number of years ago. He died there in 1884, at the age of seventy-four years. They were the parents of seven children, viz.: Nancy, Elizabeth (deceased). James, Olive (deceased), David, Annis and George.

David Snelling received his early education in the country schools of his native county and then for two years was a student in Lombard University, Galesburg, Illinois. On his return home from college he was for a short time engaged in teaching school. Farming, however, has been his life pursuit. After his marriage, which event occurred in 1879, he settled on his present farm, two hundred and sixty-seven acres, a part of which lies in the southwest corner of Adams township and the rest across the line in Serena township. In his farming operations he has been very successful, and is well known as one of the leading farmers of his locality.

Mr. Snelling was married in 1879 to Miss Evaline Umphrey, and they have two children: Claudia, the wife of William Hoadley; and Maud. Mrs. Snelling's parents were Samuel and Sophia (Snelling) Umphrey, both natives of Ohio, who came to LaSalle county, Illinois, some thirty years ago and settled in Serena township; they are now residents of Earl township. Mrs. Snelling was born in Ohio and is the oldest of four children, namely: Mrs. Snelling, Anna (deceased), Charles, and Hattie.

Extracted 13 May 2019 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 599-600.


Visit Our Neighbors
Lee DeKalb Kane
Bureau Kendall
Putnam Grundy
Marshall Woodford Livingston

Explore ILGenWeb
Search Our Archives

  
LaSalle County Archives