15 November 2010

Divorce Action in Williams Co, OH - Snyder (Ashton)


Lucinda Beerbower Snyder v Ashton C. Snyder (Journal 13 p360 - 23 Dec 1885; Roll 42 Box 139 case number 1518 - 19 Sept 1885)

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 2010)

The couple was married in Bryan, Wms Co on 14 Jan 1869 (Marriage V4 p38).  Lucinda, born 23 Feb 1843 in OH, was the daughter of Samuel and Virginia Jane Oliver Beerbower.  By the 1850 Jefferson Twp federal census, p25, and the 1860 Jefferson Twp federal census, p173A, the Beerbowers were early residents of this county.  Ashton, b1844 Lawrence Co, PA, son of Abraham and Jane Snyder, removed to Columbiana Co, OH c1858.  He enlisted in the 32nd OVI  Co A in 1861 and saw action at the siege of Vicksburg and the Atlanta, GA campaign.  Ashton received an honorable discharge in 1864; he reenlisted and after the Civil War he briefly settled back in Columbiana Co before moving west and setting up roots in Jefferson Twp, Wms Co. (History of Williams County, Ohio, Goodspeed, 1882, p762).

In the 1870 Jefferson Twp federal census, p32, the couple lived with her parents as Samuel Beerbower 55 PA, Jane 53 KY, Ashton C. Snyder 26 PA, Lucinda 23 OH, Lucinda 3/12 OH.  The Wms Co birth records showed several children born to this couple: Cynthia Lucinda “Ella” (26 Jan 1870 - V1 p11), William or Willard (6 May 1875 - V1 p84), unnamed female “Verna Jennie” (23 Mar 1878 - V1 p105).  William died on 20 Aug 1875 @3M 20D and was buried in the Floral Grove Cem, West Unity, Brady Twp, Wms Co, OH.  In the 1880 Jefferson Twp, Williams Co, OH federal census p526 Ashton and Lucinda Snyder were enumerated with their two daughters, Syntha E and Verna J.

Lucinda charged Ashton with gross neglect and extreme cruelty.  On 20 Mar 1885 at their home Ashton threatened her with a large knife.  On 1 Apr 1885 he left home and his whereabouts were unknown to her.  She wanted a reasonable alimony of $500, exclusive custody of daughters Ella and Jennie with no visitation rights for the father, and restoration of her maiden name.  She informed the court that she was a legatee of her father, Samuel Beerbower, concerning 80 acres of land in Jefferson Twp.  A legal notice was posted in the "Bryan Press", 5 Nov 1885. The court granted all of her requests.  Lucinda later married Lewis McClannahan on 25 Mar 1890 in Wms Co (Marriage V5 #204).  In the 1900 Superior Township, Williams Co, OH federal census Lucinda Snyder is living with her daughter and son-in-law, Cyntha and Emory O. Miller; she was 57 OH-PA-KY and listed as a widow.  From the 1910 Superior Twp, Williams Co, OH federal census p1A Lucindy Snyder, widow, 57 OH-PA-KY was living with the same daughter and son-in-law (Ella and Oliver Miller); she was the mother of three with two living.  Note her age stayed the same from the 1900 to the 1910 census.  Lucinda died on 31 Mar 1915 in Montpelier, OH.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

An update on Ashton C. Snyder.

After leaving home on April 1st, 1885, it appears that Ashton changed his name to Allen Claxton and headed west to the Chicago area. Two of Allen Claxton's grand children have taken Ancestry DNA tests and have matched with descendants of Ashton's brother (Jacob Snyder AKA Forrest J. Raymond)and eleven other matches that have Snyder in their trees. (All these DNA matches only have shared matches with those known to be descendants of Allen Claxton.) Allen Claxton was documented to have arrived in Chicago in 1886. He listed in census 1900 an 1910 that he was born in Penn. His birth date was listed at 1844 in his marriage certificate and the 1900 census. He told his family that he was from Ohio and fought in the Ohio Infantry during the civil war, but did not claim pension benefits because the records had been destroyed in a fire. (Ashton served in the Ohio infantry and there is no record of a pension claim.)

Allen Claxton married Anna Heid on 11 Sep 1888 in Chicago (marriage certificate). Anna died 6 Apr 1892 in the Cook County Detention Hospital, Chicago. Allen then married Mary Jane Casey in 1896 and they had three children, Ira David, Allen Enes, and Alvie Jacob. They lived in Downers Grove, DuPage, Illinois. Allen died on 11 May 1911 from a lung hemorrhage.