Snook Family & Farmhouse

Snook Family and Farmhouse. . The Snook family was known for welcoming others to their farm and hosted the first Utica Community Picnic on the grounds here. One of the picnics hosted by the Snooks in 1878 was described by the Catoctin Clarion as featuring “speeches, dialogue, vocal and instrumental music.” , , The Snook family traces its lineage to Henry Snook, who immigrated to America from Germany. Henry became a naturalized citizen in 1730. His son, Simon Snook, bought property near Utica in 1777. , , Simon and his wife, Charlotte Keller who had married in 1768, had 7 children. Their son, Jacob, also had 7 children. Jacob's son, Daniel, was born in 1799 and established the farm here. , , Daniel married Anna Margaret Hill in April of 1822. Their first child, Julia, was born May 1, 1823. Their other children followed nearly every 2 years: Margaret May 30, 1825; Daniel Josiah March 8, 1827; Jacob Henry July 2, 1829; John Albert August 17, 1832; Susan March 22, 1834; and Lewis Augustus September 13, 1836. , , In 1835, Daniel began purchasing the land here and built the house for his family around 1840. , , The house, constructed of local brick, was built in the Maryland Piedmont style. The family lore is that the bricks were actually made/fired on the property. , , After just a few years in their new home, the family suffered the loss of their beloved wife and mother Anna in 1848 (she is buried nearby at St. Paul's Lutheran Church cemetery). , , Daniel Josiah Snook, the oldest son of Daniel and Anna, was often referred to as “Josiah”, so he was not confused with his father. Josiah married Mary Ann Harmon on November 23, 1849. The couple moved to Frederick, then returned to the farmstead to live with Josiah's father. , , Like his father, Josiah spent his life working on the farm, and was involved in livestock breeding. Josiah and Mary Ann raised their three sons, William, Charles, and Daniel Francis here in th1S house. Several generations of the Snook family were raised here on this property.