The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-01-07
MisreH eHanenns.
ONE HUNDRED AND THREE.
4 Woman with 4 Hemory-The Great SNOW Si0rl
ofIs9o-II0w GEORGE Washington LoOSed.

Woman with hemOry-The Great SNOW SiOrm
ofls9o-HOw George Washington Looked
Rev. c.. f. MeCauIey two weeks ago
visited A. Schnevly at his home at Mer-
cersburg, in Franklin County, and while
there paid visit to Mrs. Mary Schnevly
at her home, six miles from Hagerstcwn,
in Maryland. She is 103 years old, and
calls her farm of some 200 acres the
Garden of Eden" Mrs. SchnevIy was
married in 1871 to Col David Sehnevly,
and removed to her present home, where
she has ever since resided. at the time
of her husbands death she had been
welded Just fifty years. She is a very
well preserved woman even at this late
day, after the storms of 103 winters have
passed over her head. Her sight has
failed somewhat, but for years no glasses
have been used by her Her hearing is
good, and her memory needs but to be
revived by questioning.
of course she remembers Gen. George
Washington. At her old home in Will
Transport, Pa, the General and his staff
in 11S9-90 came to examine for loca-
ton for the national capital At that
tiiue he wore the conventional buckskin
breeches, with the old silver knee buck
les, the body coat with its many ffinges
and brass buttons, the tight leggings and
buckled low shoe. He vas a tall, we'll
built man, and his very presence had its
effect on all around. The old lady re-
members him well.
In 1890 Reading had the largest snow
storm it probably ever had. The snow
covered the house tops and only the
chimneys were visible. Families hadfo
dig themselves out and in many eases
every article of furniture was burned for
fuel. Sleighs and four horse teams rode
over the house tops on the hard snow.
All this Mrs. SchHevly remembers well.
Her visitors remarked that the centen-
NAL year was near at hand, and perhaps
on her way through TO the city she
would stop in Reading. NO" replied
the lady, 81 am anxious to meet with
something Of former times. / shall pass
right through, want to see all the great
men ofthe country" And she will 90
to the Centennial in May next.
Col. Schnevly, her husband, was the
first person to be baptized in the Hagers-
town First Reform Church, in 1772
This old building had its centennial four
years ago and has been handsomely re-
modelled
Her portrait, taken from an artist from
Lancaster, who was sent up by some
friends, represents the old lady to have
been at her then age, fifty years, very
handsome and more like one at twenty
five. She was Of queenly presence, with
much beauty of face and form. The
portrait looks as when first touched by
the artists peneil-no fading, no dull
ness, no loss of color.
The old lady never uses a rocking or
easy chair, always sitting perfectly
straight, generally on the edge of the
seat They had peep into the parlor
On the floor was an elegant Brussels car
pet laid down in 1912, and is still in an
excellent state of preservation. The
eolors are very rich and beautiful, es-
pecially the border. The old fashioned
chairs, bright in their vermillion colors.
and with their ornamental backs. We're
the models of fashionable furniture used
by the wealthy families of those days.
She is an interesting talker, and, during
the stay of four hours duration, richly
entertained her guests. Sitting at the
head of the table the lady waited upon
her visitors, handling the silver and rich
chinaware as ably as when a half cen
fury ago she sat at meat with her hus-
band.
Funerals in her time were differently
conducted from now. Girls, dressed in
spotless white, conveyed the corpse 10
its last resting place, and on account of
her height Mrs. Sehneyly frequently was
called on to assist at burials
The old lady has many visitors, and
trausac.s her bank business regularly.
The newspapers are read to her, and
thus she keeps even with the events Of
the times. Formerly her almanac was
made so that every alternate leaf was
blank. Ia it she kept her diary. Now,
at eyentide, in book kept for that pur-
pose, the days occurrences are noted
Reading pa Eagle.
A TENNESSEE paper says: Sealps
were not receivable in payment of taxes
for 1874, but they are good for those of
this year if captured in Tennessee. Wolf
scalps are rated at 50; bear, wild cat and