A gift from my grandfather Ellis Rute: Levi Snook

Levi Snook 1807-1879

I was left a suitcase of photos by my grandfather Ellis Rute, even though he died well before I was born.  When my great grandfather passed away, he divided up various materials between his children. When my grandmother Gwen Rute moved west to California in the 1960's she asked family members to keep family photos and other memorabilia she had no room for in the moving van.  Fast forward to 2008, I was home for a visit, and my Dad, Jon Rute said he finally picked up the suitcase from his cousin.  It had my name on the inside, written by my great aunt in 1976, the year I graduated from high school.

Inside the suitcase was this daguerreotype of my ancestor Levi Snook.

Levi Snook was born  13 Sep 1807 to Matthias Snook and his wife Christina Kleckner.  He was married in Miles Township, Centre County, PA to Margaretha Wohlfarth.  Together they raised 11 children.  Levi died on 8 June 1879, at age 72.  According to the 1880 mortality census, his death was instantaneous, and he had not received any previous care from a doctor.  They lost one son, Matthias during the Civil War, 19 June 1863.  They also lost daughter Amelia Snook Bierly in 1875, a month after she gave birth to her 5th child.  The Snook family owned a prosperous farm.  They belonged to the Lutheran Church in Brush Valley, Centre County, PA where their children were baptized.  Like most folks of the time, the German Language was spoken in the home.  However, the children attended English speaking schools. German was the primary language in the Rute family until 1918.  My Great-Aunt Laura Rute Olson spoke Pennsylvania German dialect as did all her brothers and sisters.  My grandfather Ellis' generation was the last to speak German at home.

My oldest photo: Meet Polly Doud Miller our connection to First Lady Amy Doud Eisenhower

Mary "Polly" Doud
  28 December  1887 in Middletown, Ct to 1 Jan 1875 in St. Lawrence Co. NY

I am always grateful when I can find a photo of an ancestor.  My grandmother Gwen Shultz Rute had much genealogical information on her Miller and Doud families, but very little in the way of memorabilia.  When Rufus H. Miller, youngest son of Polly Doud Miller scandalously married his young maid Jemima Alguire in 1864, he wasn't thinking about photos and such.  He was planning his escape to Iowa.  I do not own this photo, but then again I don't feel the need to own each photo of my family.  As long as I have a good digital image, I prefer family photos be scattered amongst family members and shared online.  Written on the back of this photo:

"Polly Doud Miller, wife of Levi Miller Born in Connecticut All her children born in Turin [Lewis County] New York except last two including James." The last child was my ancestor Rufus H. Miller.   

Polly Doud was born in Middletown, Connecticut to Benjamin Doud and Mary Savage. Benjamin was a Revolutionary War Soldier whose family goes back to early Connecticut settler Henry Doude. By 1800 Polly's parents had gone west to Turin, Lewis County, New York.  There were 9 brothers and sisters in the Doud family, all of whom eventually settled in Turin, Lewis County, NY.   

On 20 October 1805 Polly Doud married Rev. Levi Miller in Turin, NY and about 1810, the family moved to Louisville, New York, along the Saint Lawrence  River.  Polly and her husband formed a Methodist church in Louisville soon after relocating.  Levi was a farmer, logger and was a trained surveyor.