The gentleman whose name initiates this sketch has shown by a long life
of industry and honesty that he is entitled to a place in the history of
Marion county. John A. Snodgrass was born August 28, 1836, in Scott county,
Indiana, the son of Samuel Snodgrass, a native of Kentucky, who was born in
1800 and who married Mira Hardy, of New Hampshire. He lived in Kentucky
until 1818, when he went to Jefferson county, Indiana, with his father,
Hugh, where he lived until his death in 1850. He was a farmer and a member
of the Christian church, also a temperance worker and a member of the Sons
of Temperance. His wife died in 1851. Seven children were bom to them,
namely: Norma, deceased; Marion, who died in Pilot Knob, Missouri, in 1863,
was a soldier in the Union army; Tirzah is single and always lived with the
subject; Mary married Solomon Cutshall, a farmer at Patoka, Illinois; John,
subject of this sketch; Alonzo, a plasterer in Oklahoma, was in Company H,
Twenty-second Illinois Infantry, for two years, later re-enlisting; Lambert,
who is deceased, lived with the subject in Centralia.
John A.
Snodgrass received a limited education in the subscription schools of the
early days. He lived at home, assisting with the work about the place, until
the President's call for loyal citizens to aid in suppressing the rebellion
induced him to enter the conflict, having enlisted in September, 1862, in
Company H, Twenty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry at Lexington, Indiana.
He was sent to Kentucky and Tennessee, and was in the engagements at
Perryville, Lancaster, Nolansville and Murfreesboro, having fought seven
days at Stone River. He was taken sick after that battle and was in the
field hospital, later sent to Nashville, still later to Louisville,
suffering with rheumatism and fever, becoming so sick that he was given up
by the physicians to die. He was discharged from the army for disability,
October 20, 1863, after which he returned home, where he remained until the
spring of 1866, when he came to Illinois and located one mile west of
Central City on a farm. He then came to Centralia township, where he
remained three years, moving one and one-half miles south of Centralia,
where he has remained far the past twenty-six years. He bought a home and
three lots in Centralia, and in 1900 purchased his present splendid home at
1301 South Locust street. He has farmed, made brick and teamed, making a
success at each. He retired in 1906.
Mr. Sodgrass was married in
1868 to Mary Crawford, of Centralia, the daughter of Zachariah Crawford, of
Kentucky, who in 1840 came to Illinois, locating two miles west of
Centralia. He was a blacksmith and also owned a good farm. The subject's
wife passed away in 1870. Mr. Snodgrass has one daughter, Lulu, who is the
wife of Charles Phillips, of Centralia. He is now engaged in the round house
of the Illinois Central Railroad. Our subject has reared two of his
brother's children, John and Lizzie Snodgrass.
Mr. Snodgrass is a
member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the post at Centralia, and his
sister is a member of the Christian church. Our subject is a fine old man
whom everybody likes and everybody respects and honors for his life of
industry and loyalty to high principles.
Extracted 27 May 2019 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 600-601.