Snook Family papers

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: OU-SC-SNOOK

Staff Only

Scope and Contents note

The Snook Family papers are organized in four series: John J. Snook’s Personal Files, John J. Snook’s Manuscripts, Nellie Snook’s Correspondence, and a brief series on the genealogy of the Snook family.

John J. Snook’s Personal Files contains a few letters and handwritten notes, as well as miscellaneous documents related to his social and business activities and those of sons Eugene and Arthur. The John J. Snook’s Manuscripts series includes John J. Snook’s poetry and prose writings. The New Poems and Glad Outings subseries contains holograph drafts and proofs of the poems in his 1907 book, organized alphabetically by title, in the order listed in the book’s table of contents. A second subseries contains other writings, including other poems (also listed alphabetically by title), texts related to war and veteran issues (including a typed copy of John Snook's Civil War diary), a 20-page account of the Snooks’s trip to California, and an account of John Snooks’ experience as an overseer in the Enniskillen oil fields in 1861-1862. Two photographs of Overlook Farm form another subseries. The third series, the Nellie M. Snook Personal Files, includes Nellie’s correspondence with various family members from 1904 to 1946, as well as a few notes and documents. A final series gathers documents seemingly procured by Arthur Snook - a copy of a 1906 History of the Snook Family by Marie A. Werrey and photocopies of Civil War Service Records for Rufus A. Snook and Julian H. Axtell, made on the occasion of the Civil War Centennial.

Preferred Citation

Item, folder title, box no., Snook Family papers, Oakland University Archives and Special Collections

Dates

1899 - 1946

Access and Use note

The Snook Family papers are open for research.

Copyright

Copyright has not been transferred to Oakland University. Researchers are responsible for seeking copyright permissions before publishing items from the collection.

Biographical Note

John J. Snook (1842-1923) was a farmer, poet, and Civil War veteran who lived in Rochester, Michigan.

John James Snook was born in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, April I6, 1842, the first child of James H. and Sarah (Axtell) Snook. James Snook (1817-1880) was born in England but came to the United States at the age of 6 months. His parents moved to Mt Clemens, Michigan in 1836, bringing their 9 children. In 1839, James married Sarah Axtell (1818-1902). After running a sawmill and working on the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal, James Snook bought 400 acres of land near Clinton Township. He also served as postmaster at Mt. Clemens for the last 12 years of his life. His son John J. enlisted in the 22nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry on August 15, I862. John’s brother, Rufus, also fought in the Civil War and died at Chattanooga, Tennessee. After his discharge on July I, I865 John Snook returned to Michigan and bought farms in Mt. Clemens, Washington Township, and finally Avon Township where he acquired 200 acres of land, known as the "Overlook Farm" (overlooking the Clinton River, at the southwest corner of Rochester Road and Avon Road). In 1866, he married Ella Davis, with whom he had six children, including Nellie (born 1867) Jason Eugene (born 1870) and Arthur Lemuel (born 1887).

Snook was a savvy farmer and businessman, who adopted modern farming methods and seized new business opportunities such as raspberry trucking to Detroit markets and beet growing for the sugar industry. He was a regular contributor to agricultural magazines and an active member of farmers’ clubs. He was also a prolific poet and in 1907 he published a book of poems, New Poems and Glad Outings. His poems frequently dealt with his familiar world – the countryside in and around Rochester, his family and friends, or farming. Other poems were inspired by his Civil War experience, and Snook often presented them at veterans’ reunions. The Snooks also travelled extensively across the United States, and some poems reflect on this experience.

Ella Snook died in 1904 and John Snook married Sarah A. Ewell, a widow. He passed away in 1923 in Rochester. Nellie never married and passed away in 1958.

Extent

1 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Personal papers of John J. Snook (1842-1923) -- a farmer, poet, and Civil War veteran -- and his family, who lived in Rochester, Michigan.

Acquisition

The Snook Family papers are part of the Rod and Susan Wilson Collection of Rochester (Michigan) History and were acquired by Oakland University along with their donation.