GENERATION ELEVEN: JOSEPH JR. AND MARGARET (HANING) SNOWDEN

Joseph Snowden Jr. was born circa 1765, Washington County, PA, died circa 1804 in Athens County, OH., and his wife Margaret Haning Snowden was born circa 1774 in N.J., died circa 1849 in Athens County, OH. Joseph Snowden Jr. was the son of Joseph Snowden Sr. and Sarah Snowden. Joseph Snowden Jr's wife, Margaret Haning Snowden was daughter of Matthew Haning.

Joseph Snowden Jr. is listed in the 1790 census as a son of Joseph Snowden SR. He is listed as living at his father's home at that time along with his brother John and his sister Rachel.

Joseph Snowden Jr. is found in early records of Washington County. His name is found on a petition for a New State sent to the Continental Congress from Southwestern PA between 1776-1780. He is on this list with his father Joseph Snowden Sr., and David and William Snowden, his brothers.

Joseph Snowden Jr. served as 4th Sergeant in the Washington County, PA, Militia, 5th battalion of Riflemen in 1792. His brother John served as an Indian scout. It was consistent with militia practices to have brothers serve together. ( This was taken from PA archives, Ser. 6, Volume V, Page 695)

Joseph Snowden Jr. and Margaret Haning Snowden

Joseph Snowden Jr. married Margaret Haning Snowden circa 1793/1794.

The Haning Snowden and Brooks families came to Marietta, OH from New Jersey and floated down the Ohio River with their livestock in flatboats. They remained in Marietta until the Ohio Indians were appeased. Matthew Haning, Margaret Haning Snowden's father, was one of the Mariettans who parleyed with the Indians after the Battle Of Fallen Timbers. They, The Snowden's, Hanings and Brookses, came down the Ohio in their flatboats, up the Hocking and then up what became Margarets Creek. The first person to step ashore was Margaret Haning Snowden, 22 yrs old. She was the wife of Joseph Snowden Jr. and Matthew Hanings daughter. She was one of the first two white women to settle in Athens County. (Athens County History page 255, (1947)

The Daughters of the American Revolution in Margarets

honor put a plaque up. There is a picture of the plaque above on this page. The plaque for Margaret Snowden can be found just south of the intersection of Highway 50 and County 17 on the West side of the road on County road 17. It is just before the first house on the West side. The cemetery is completely overgrown (or was a couple of years ago which of this writing would of been 2002. The marker is a bit difficult to see as it is backed by a lot of brush and face south, but it is there. Again this writing was 2004. This location is south of Athens Ohio going towards Albany Ohio and you have to watch for the turn off for 17. University Heights is off that road and if the person who gave me this info remembers correctly the sign mentions it as you get ready to turn.

Back to the accounts of the family, another account is in circa 1796 the Snowden Families and the Haning Families arrived in OH circa 1796, and their trip up the Ohio River to Athens County, circa 1798. (This agrees with records of Selvus McNeir of Gallipolis, OH, and is taken from an American Bible owned originally by Mrs. McNeir's great grandmother, Mrs. James Haning Sr., which was found in the Gallipolis Public Library.)

In Howe's Ohio Valley History dealing with Athens County, page 203, "Early in 1798 a number of emigrants arrived; among them were...John and Moses Hewitt, Cornelius Moore, Joseph Snowden,...the Brookses and the Hanings.

Joseph Snowden Jr., and his wife Margaret, obtained along with members of the Haning party a grant of 100 acres out of the Donation Land Tract from the Ohio Company. This land lay near Elk Run in the Olive Green Survey, Lot 32. Later on in Joseph and Margarets life while living in Belpre Ohio, on April 18, 1797, this land was sold to Nathan Abbott. (Deed book, 15, Plot Book, Elk Run Survey, Washington County, Ohio)

Joseph Jr. and Margaret Haning Snowden's Children

Joseph Snowden Jr. And Margaret had 4 children.

The first child was a son. We do not know his name. He was born circa 1795, in Washington County PA, and died circa 1824, in Athens County, Ohio. He married circa 1820, to unidentified spouse. They had twin sons, George Washington Snowden, and Thomas Jefferson Snowden. I will talk further on about him, as he is our direct descendant.

The second child born was Sarah (Sally), born circa 1797 in Washington County, PA. She married Thomas Brooks II on June 30, 1818. This family moved to Jackson County, OH after 1832.

Third born of Joseph Jr. and Margaret, was Mary E., born February 16, 1801; died September 10, 1883, in Lodi Twp., Athens County, OH. She married circa 1817 Charles Brown. Charles was born circa February 1795; died September 20, 1879, In Lodi Twp., OH. They are buried in Jerseyville Methodist. Cemetery, Athens Co. Oh.

Both Mary and Charles were farmers in Lodi Twp. They had 6 children, First born of Mary and Charles was Isaac born 1818, died May 19,1894. Isaac had a daughter named Jane, who died of quick consumption. Jane had a daugher named Mary Howard Sprague. Mary had a daughter named Zelma Sprague Hawk Fasone born in 1913, who as of this date 9/28/2004 is still living and is 89 years old. Second child of Charles and Mary was Matilda, born April 26, 1820, died November 10,1895. Third born

Charles B. born October 5, 1824, died June 12, 1905. Fourth child of Charles and Mary Alexander, born circa 1827, died August 17, 1897. Fifth child of Charles and Mary Brown was

Mahaala, born circa 1828, died July 30, 1875. And last and sixth born of Charles and Mary E. Snowden Brown was Joseph, Born circa 1832.

Fourth and last-born of Joseph Jr. and Margaret Haning Snowden was Matthew Snowden. Born circa 1803; died 1842. He married Louisa Chadwick August 14, 1838, in Athens County. Louisa as born Oct 2, 1811, and died July 25, 1872.She married a second time, to Josephos Day, and they had 7 children.

Margaret Snowden's leased land And her burial

In 1807, after Joseph was gone, "Margaret Snowden leased from the Ohio University at Athens 80 acres of land for 100 years....The archives of the University have no records of people who lived on their land in Athens and Alexander Twp. OH, Athens County. The renters paid their tax directly to the college; therefore, no public records of taxes exist...The oldest son of Joseph Jr. and Margaret Snowden, (the son we don't know his name, our direct descendant) probably paid taxes during the few years he lived while of age, but there are no records of his name nor when or whom he married. This nameless son probably lived at home and farmed the place." (Vital statistics cited by their descendant and serious researcher, Walter Farwell of Tipton, IW.)

The U.S. Censuses indicated that he and his wife and twin boys, Thomas and George made their home with his mother, Margaret Haning Snowden. At Margarets death and as a fitting tribute to her, she was buried on an eminence on farm lot #7, Section 24, overlooking the steam, Margarets Creek, bearing her name. Her two-story log cabin home (see picture below) was still standing to circa 1960.

Joseph Snowden's Death

Joseph Snowden drowned in the Hocking River and his body was never found. He died around 1804, in the river in Athens County Ohio.

Mr. Farwell, descendant and serious researcher 1960's of Joseph Snowden Jrs, states that some descendants of the family question this drowning. However, they offer no authentic research to disprove it, and neither he nor Virginia Whitman Snowden has found any. Joseph's last child was born circa 1803/04. No public or private documents have been found to indicate that Joseph Jr. lived beyond this time. Since histories for the area of this time document high water, floods, capsized boats and numerous drownings, the odds favor the possibility that he did drown.