Amos Jerome Snell
(1825-1888)

 

Family Links

Spouses/Children:
1. Henrietta Sedam

Amos Jerome Snell

  • Born: 13 Oct 1825, Manheim, Herkimer County, New York
  • Marriage (1): Henrietta Sedam on 21 Dec 1846 in Edgar County, Illinois
  • Died: 14 Feb 1888, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois at age 62
  • Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois
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bullet  General Notes:

Amos J. Snell
A Story from Carolyn T. Sidenius
(Supplied by Nancy Timmerman Cioch)
"Amos Snell is no. 224 in the Peter Snell book. His daughter Henrietta is No. 591. I wonder whatever happened to her 2 other children. The Chicago Public Library, no doubt, has a file on this family. There is a big genealogical library in Chicago."
2/14/1888 (front page story) - Chicago - "Amos J. Snell was shot about 2 am today. Mr. Snell's son, Albert J. & his son-in-law, A. J. Stone, both of whom lived close by, were notified & called police. Amos was 64 years old, a native of Little Falls, NY. He went west in 1844 almost penniless but left an estate worth about 3 million. There are 3 daughters & 1 son. One daughter is an adopted child, W. S. McCrea. Mrs. McCrea is called the most beautiful woman in Chicago. Another daughter is Mrs. Grace Coffin. The third daughter married a real estate operator, A. J. Stone."
(By editor of Little Falls paper) - "Amos J. Snell was the son of the late John P. Snell who many years ago kept a store & lived opposite what was known as the old Loucks tavern then situated about 1 1/2 mile north of the present Garlock homestead in the town of Manheim. Amos was born in this house & left here when about 18 years of age with $27 in his pocket. He left on a canal packet and walked the last 150 miles to Chicago rather than spend his money on a stage. He was a brother of the late Mrs. Hiram Broat and Mr. Broat went to Chicago to attend the funeral."
(From the Herkimer Democrat) - Amos J. Snell, born town of Manheim, s/o John P. Snell, long since deceased who represented this county in legislature of 1828. Amos left this county as did his father, many years ago. "Here is the matrimonial record of one Chicago woman, a daughter of the late Amos J. Snell, a prominent merchant, whose name recalls a famous Chicago murder mystery:
1884 - married to Frank Nixon Coffin
1894 - divorced from Frank Nixon Coffin
1898 - remarried to Frank Nixon Coffin
1899 - divorced from Frank Nixon Coffin
1899 - married to James C. Walker
1900 - divorced from James C. Walker
1901 - remarried to Frank Nixon Coffin
1901 - divorced from Frank Nixon Coffin
1903 - married to Perkins A. Layman
1903 - divorced from Perkins A. Layman
1905 - reported engaged to Mack Love
From the Des Plaines, IL Suburban Times of February 17,1972 (rec'd from Elizabeth Grange of Des Plaines) "John Byrne, who died last Wed., at the age of 82, was vitally interested in the history of Des Plaines. This is a historical account, which Byrne had submitted to the Suburban Times before his death. It was written in 1968."
"Amos Snell, a native of Manheim, NY arrived in Chicago in 1841 (1844?) with a young wife and $22. A shrewd, tightfisted Yankee, he channeled his energy into real estate in Chicago. He became a man with considerable capital and built the northwest plank road from the Chicago City limits to Jefferson, 8 miles out. He maintained 2 homes - one at Ada & Washington Blvd in Chicago and a summer home in Jefferson. Amos was murdered the night of 2/8/1888 at his home on Washington Blvd in Chicago. His wife, Henrietta died in 1900, leaving the entire estate to the only surviving child - Henrietta, who had a spectacular marriage career, eloping at 16 with Frank N. Coffin, a dancing master, and was married 7 times - 3 times to Coffin. She received $20,000 a year from the trust fund. At her death, the remaining estate was divided among the heirs of Amos Snell's other children. Mrs. Love (the daughter) died about 25 years ago (1943). The estate amounted to $1.5 million and was closed about 1944. Her name, for the record, was Henrietta Grace Snell Coffin Coffin Walker Coffin Layman Love Love."

www.ancestry.com - Illinois marriage records
Amos J. Snell Spouse: Henrietta Sedam Date: 21 Dec 1846 County: Edgar State: Illinois Source: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT Microfilm: 1301881

1850

1870 Jefferson, Cook, Illinois
Amos J. Snell age 42 b. NY; RR contractor
Henrietta age 38 OH
Mary 19; Albert 13; Grace 6 and Alice age 3

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer - Pa.
Dated: Feb. 18, 1888
All of the estate is in realty except $50,000, nearly all of household effects. The heirs of the dead millionaire are the widow, a son, Albert J. Snell, and Mrs. Grace Coffin, Mrs. Mary Stone and Mrs. Alice McCrea, daughters. By law, one-third of the $1,050,000 goes to the widow and the remainder falls equally to the four children share and share alike.


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Amos married Henrietta Sedam, daughter of Unknown and Unknown, on 21 Dec 1846 in Edgar County, Illinois. (Henrietta Sedam was born circa 1832 in Ohio, died on 24 Feb 1900 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois and was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.)


bullet  Marriage Notes:

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