L. A. Schneider

L. A. Schneider is one of the successful business men of Greeley, where he conducts one of the leading hardware stores of the county. He also owns three hundred and twenty acres of land in Elk township. He was born in Redwood, New York, October 8, 1848, a son of Nicholas and Margaret (Crainer) Schneider, both natives of Alsace-Lorraine, the former born in 1804. They were married in their native land and in 1830 emigrated to America and located in New York state. The father worked upon the first horse railway in the United States and remained in the Empire state until 1855, when he removed to Iowa, settling on a farm in Delaware county. He concentrated his energies upon the cultiva­tion of his land until his death. In his family were twelve children, seven of whom survive.

L. A. Schneider received the advantages of a common-school education and remained at home, assisting his father in the work of the farm until he attained his majority.   He then began his business career and first found employment as a farm hand.   He subsequently conducted a butcher shop at Greeley for some time and then farmed for a year, after which he went to Montana, where he worked in a sawmill for two years.   At the end of that time he returned to Greeley and entered into partnership with Henry Drybread in the conduct of a general store, which association was maintained for three years, but Mr. Schneider then sold out and worked four years for Harry Wilson.   He next entered the hardware business, in which he has continued for more than twenty-five years. His store is widely patronized as his goods are of excellent quality, his prices reasonable and his treatment of his customers invariably courteous.

Mr. Schneider was married February 9, 1883, to Mrs. Alice I. Nelson, a native of Illinois, who was born May 3, 1863, and is a daughter of Henry and Mary S. (Bates) Box, both natives of Cornwall, England. They came to this country in 1846 and first settled in Ohio but subsequently removed to the vicinity of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, and to Delaware county, Iowa, in 1863. They lived near Almoral on a farm many years. Mr. Box was a black­smith in Earlville and later conducted a hotel in Greeley for fifteen years. He died April 26, 1912, aged eighty-nine years, and was survived for only a few months by his wife, who passed away November 26, 1912. To them were born eight children, namely: Charlotte, who resides with Mr. and Mrs. Schneider; Amelia Jane, who is the widow of George Harper and resides at Spencer, Nebraska; Henry D., who has extensive landed interests in Lavina, Montana; Mary, the wife of W. J. Radcliff, of Sioux City, Iowa; George W., a hotel proprietor of Wayne, Nebraska; Orilla, the wife of Orson Coe, of Lavina, Mon­tana; Laura C., who married Frank Correll, of Warba, Minnesota; and Alice I., the wife of our subject.   To Mr. and Mrs. Schneider were born five children: Henry, deceased; Josephine, the wife of William Brandt, of Sioux City, Iowa; Edith, who married Edward Luense; Harry E., who wedded Marie Anderson; and R. C., at home.

Mrs. Schneider is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and takes a keen interest in the work of that organization.   Mr. Schneider is a republican and has for many years taken an active part in local public affairs.   He served as mayor of Greeley for two terms and gave the municipality a thoroughly effiicient and progressive administration.   He has also been president of the school board for some years and is tireless in his efforts to advance the public schools. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to Lodge No. 225, A. F. & A. M., at Greeley, and also to the Shrine at Cedar Rapids.   In addition to his hardware store he owns the building in which it is located, his comfortable residence in Greeley and three hundred and twenty acres of fine land on section 7, Elk township.    His life of well directed labor has won him a competence, and the strict integrity of his conduct has gained him the esteem of his fellowmen.

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