My Genealogy Hound

HENRY W. SCHNEIDER, bookkeeper for the Pottstown Cold Storage & Warehouse Company, of Pottstown, was born in New Hanover township, June 8, 1852. He is the son of William H. and Mary Ann (Knabb) Schneider.

William H. Schneider (father) was a native of Montgomery county. He was a tanner and farmer, and for many years was extensively engaged in that business. He followed that occupation to within a few years of his death. He was a justice of the peace for twenty-five consecutive years. He was also a school director and held other township offices, being much esteemed in the community in which he lived. His age at the time of his death was eighty-six years. His wife survives at a similarly advanced age. Both were members of the German Reformed church. He had a son and seven daughters, five of whom are now living: Louisa, widow of Dr. F. M. Knipe; Henry W.; Rosa A., wife of A. F. Saylor of Pottsgrove township; Ellen, wife of Henry L. Ritter, residing on the old homestead in New Hanover; and Susan, wife of Jacob Stauffer also of New Hanover.

Henry Schneider (grandfather) was born in New Hanover township, in the same house in which his children were born. He was also a tanner by trade, but retired from that pursuit in early life. He was a colonel in the war of 1812. He was a member of the legislature, and was appointed county treasurer in 1831, serving one year. His wife was Mary Ann Nyce. He died at the age of ninety-one years. His wife died a little past middle life. They had six children, Benjamin, William, Alfred, Eli, Simon and Maria, all deceased except Alfred Schneider who is living at Loyal Oak, Ohio, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. Benjamin Schneider, eldest son of Henry Schneider, was the first foreign missionary sent by the Reformed church from this country. His field of work was in Turkey. Rev. Dr. Schneider had three sons and two daughters, who all came to this country from Turkey to be educated. Two sons were drafted during the Rebellion and died during their term of service.

Jacob Schneider (great-grandfather) and also the great-grandfather oft Judge Aaron S. Swartz, was born in New Hanover township and was also a tanner. His wife was a Miss Reifsnyder. His father was the founder of the family in Montgomery county, he coming from Germany at an early date.

Samuel B. Knabb (maternal grandfather) was born in Oley township, Berks county. He was a farmer by occupation. His wife was Mary Adams, and died at the age of seventy-five years. Mr. Knabb died in his eightieth year. They had two children, both daughters.

Henry W. Schneider, the subject of this sketch, spent his early boyhood days in New Hanover township, attending the neighborhood schools, acquiring the rudiments of an education in this way. Later he attended Freeland Seminary, now Ursinus College, Collegeville, and Mt. Pleasant Seminary at Boyertown. He engaged in teaching school, but only for a short time. He attended a preparatory school at Easthampton, Massachusetts, and then entered a commercial college in Philadelphia. He was engaged in the tanning business with his father, and operating the establishment himself for a time, having previously learned the trade. There have been five generations of tanners in the Schneider family. Mr. Schneider helped to organize the Colebrookdale Iron Company, and was with that organization seven years, being secretary for a time. He removed to No. 217 Chestnut street, Pottstown, in the fall of 1892, and located there permanently.

On December 28, 1876, Mr. Schneider married Miss Mary J. Sabold, daughter of John and Hannah (Weidner) Sabold. They had two children both of whom died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Schneider are members of the German Reformed church. Mr. Schneider has served several times as a school director. He is one of the directors of the Security Company, of Pottstown; is also a director of the Pottstown Cold Storage & Warehouse Company; and is also connected in a similar capacity with the Colebrookdale Iron Company. He was one of the organizers of the Citizens’ Bank of Pottstown, one of its leading moneyed institutions.

Mrs. Schneider’s father was born in Montgomery county and her mother in Chester county. They had two sons and two daughters. Her father died in 1900, aged sixty-nine years. Her mother still survives.