The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-02-11
Mrs. Mary Schnevly, Aged loa.,.

Rev. c. F. McCau7ey two Wal Ia a q
visited A. Schneyly at his home at Ma.
cersburg, in Franklin County, and wh; Sst
there paid a visit to Mrs. Mary Schna .ss
~ at her home, six miles from Hacoss
town, in Maryland She is 1O3 ys. s- I
old, and calls her farm of soma Soo
acres the Garden of Eden, NJ Nv
Schnevly was married in 1871 to Oh.
David Schnevly and removed tor H..
present home, where she has since -
sided. At the time of her husband.
death she had been welded inst ss.s
years. She is a very well preservsS
woman even at this late day, after tha
storms Of 1O3 winters have passed ova r
her head. Her sight has failed soma
what, but for years no glasses have hesn
used by her. Her hearing is good. ana
her memory needs but to be revived hv
questioning. - a,..ssg.r
Of course she remembers Gener.,
George Washington. AT her Old bnn =
in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the 49, 49, |
eral and his staff in 1890 came to sr.
anime for a location for the National
Capital. At that time he wore the con-.
ventional buckskin breaches, with ,tha !
old silver knee-bnckles, the body coat
with its many fringes and brass Int.
tons, the tight leggins and buckled los;1 I
shoe. He was a tall, well built man,
and his very presence had its effect ON !,
all around. The old lady remembers
him well. laa 7ty
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 had
to dig themselves out and in may cases
every article of furniture was used for
fuel Sleighs and four horse teams
rode over the house tops on the hard
snow. All this Mrs. Schnevly remem-
bers well. ~
Her visitors remarked that the cen.
tennial year was near at hand, and per-
haps on her way through the city she
would stop in Reading. "No," replied
the lady, "I am anxious to meet with
something of former times. shall pass
right through. want to see all the
great men of the country" And she
will 60 to the Centennial in May next.
Col. Schnevly, her husband, was the
first person to be baptized in the Ha-
gerstown First Reformed Church, in
1772. This old building had its centen-
NAL four years ago and has been hand
somely remodeled. ;a
Her portrait, taken by 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 pencil no fading, no dull
ness, no loss of color.
The old lady never uses rocking or
easy chair, always sitting perfectly
straight, generally on the edge of the
seat. They had a peep into her parlor.
On the floor was an elegant Brussels
carpet laid down in 1912, and is still in
an excellent state of preservation. The
colors are very rich and beautiful, es-.
pecially the border. - The old-fashioned
chairs, bright in their vermiliOn colors,
and with their ornamental backs, were
the models of fashionable furnitune 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. -ta4 81
Funerals in her time were differently
conducted from now. Girls, dressed IN
spotless white, conveyed the corpse to
its last resting place, and on account Of
her height Mrs. Schnevly frequently was
called on to assist at burials.
The old lady has many visitors, and
transacts her bank business regularly.
The newspapers are read to her, and
thus she keeps even with the events q
the times. Formerly her almanac was
made so that every alternate leaf was =
blank. In it she kept her diary. Now,
at eventide, in a book kept for that pur.
pose, the days occurrences are noted
d 4