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.
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