(back) (pics) My name is Corky. I am Edward and Priscilla's oldest grandson.
Today is Thursday, Jaunuary 10, 2002.For about the past year and half I have been actively researching my family history. Some of what I have discovered has been from my father, Edward and Priscilla's oldest child, Brit, and my Aunt Dot, their second child. Other essential pieces of information has come from Aunt Edna, also their [fifth] child. Others in the family have also helped. But, more important than anything, I have been able to put together some family history that will be of interest to all of the Connell clan.
This is an ongoing project. More will be added as information is available and time permits. With the help of a lady who I met on the internet doing geneological research, we have pieced togeher a great deal of family history, both for her and her husband, and for us. Linda and I have become friends through this process, and I have greatly enjoyed her company sharing information and family stories. We orignally met because she responded to a post I made about a man named Holly Mann. Dad told me the story about him and Gramps and I keyed in on that and several other items. In fact, because Linda and I began corresponding, we have filled in some 'hole' in their family as well.
Here's why this was so important. Holly was married to Carrie Schneider. The Mann's were from Boston. Some in our family will recognize the Schneider name. Younger ones will not, and that is why this research is so important. My cousin, Ann Deitrich, said she wants her children to know all this family history.
Gramps mother was Gertrude Snyder, Carrie's cousin or neice, I believe. At this point, it is fair to say that athough I have a lot or information, I may have a few pieces confused or mismatched. In time we will straighten that out. Some in our family told me at different times the they had thought that the Schneider's and Snyder's were different families. That is not the case, the different spellings were the result of several things including government, hospital, census, and death officials writing names as they thought they should be spelled. Dad also told me that Gertrude's father, a Schneider (although spelled Snyder in his obituary), purposely had his children's names, including Gertrude, spelled Snyder in an attempt to Americanize the family and stem of rising anti-German feelings in the country at that time. There may have been many reasons, but one thing is for sure, it was all the same family.
As I get more material I will expand this, but for now here are some of the things I know. Gramps was born in 1892 to Edward T. Connell and Gertrude Snyder. He had two sisters, Rhea b abt 1895, and Edna b abt 1897. His father Edward T. Connell died in a railroad accident in 1897. Gertrude apparently remarried at some time after that to a man named Schout as she as listed in an obituary as being in attendance at father's (George W. Snyder) funeral on April 4, 1915. She apparently lived in Rochester. We'll visit about this more when information becomes more stable. I plan to also provide a family tree to help sort out all the 'players'. Rhea died in a fire and Edna disappeared while travelling to Yaphank to visit Gramps. She was last seen in Harlem.
Linda found a 1900 census that listed Harold Connoll b 1892, Rhea Connell b 1895, and Edna Connell b 1897, but all were listed as orphans. This may not be all that unusual in that even though their mother Gertrude was still alive, father Edward T. had died three years prior. No mention of Gertrude, but we know that she had probably remarried and her name, of course, changed to Schout, the name in the obituary for George W. Snyder, age 65.
Jump ahead a few years. Gramps went in the Navy and served aboard the USS Alabama, BB8. This was a unique ship in that the stacks were side by side. He apparently fibbed about his age because he would have been too young to enlist. Anyway, Dad says he served on the 'black gang', coal handlers. When the ship was in Havanna, he and a buddy jumped ship and went to town becasue they did not get liberty. They got caught and by the time they returned to the US, he was found out to be too young, and let out of the Navy.
Later, he joined the Army. He served at Schoffield Barracks, Hawaii Territory. From there to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for gunnery training, and then on to Europe to fight the Kaiser. He was at some point wounded in action and spent time in a hospital. It was at this time Holly and Carrie Mann recieved a wounded in action telegram (this will be important later, so remember it). Gertrude had apparently died by this time and Holly and Carrie were his contact here in the US. In fact, he sent home war memrobilia (remember this, too). After the war he shipped back to the US to Camp Upton, New York. He mustered out there. But he also met Priscilla Collyer (I have more on the Collyer's also for another page). Edward and Priscilla were married in Patchogue, NY, in 1919. They lived in Yaphank. Probably about 1927-28, Gramps took part of his 'bonus' from WWI and the family, him, Priscilla, Dad (Brit), and Aunt Dot (and maybe Aunt Jean) went to Florida. From there they went to Rochester and stayed with Aunt Maggie who was married to an Italian fruit peddler. Maggie was apparently Gertrude's sister, thus Gramps aunt. Dad remembers Aunt Maggie, but did not like her husband, saying that he remembered him as being mean and drinking too much. They returned to Yaphank after that.
Now, the part I asked you to remember about the Mann's. Apparently they had received a wounded in action telegram about Gramps, and never heard another word from him or the Army. They assumed he was dead. When he returned to the US he went to visit Holly uannounced. Holly and Carrie opened the door and Carrie fainted. During this visit Gramps asked Holly to return all the things he had sent home, and Holly refused.
There are many more stories. This is just a start.
Oh, by the way, get out your maps and look at Rochester and Irondequiot, specifically Ironquiot Bay. Do you find Snyder's Island. Well if you do, and your one of Edward and Priscilla Connell's family, the Island was named after one of your ancestors. Yes, you are part German. Linda has found that the first of the Schneiders here in America were Franz (Frank) and his wife Elizabeth Wambach (Wampach). Franz was born in Steinbach, Germany to Franz Schneider and Maria Anna Hahn. Elizabeth was born in Bavaria to Andrew Wambach (Wampach) and Margaret Schuck. Franz and Elizabeth were married in 1846 according to a St. Joseph's Catholic Church record in Rochester, NY. There is also a 1851 batisimal certificate for George W. Schneider at the same church. Thanks, Linda!
I am still working on the Irish side.