My Genealogy Hound

Judge Frederick Schnelle, associate judge of Dade County Court from the Western District, was elected in November, 1888. He is a successful farmer and stock-raiser of Grant Township, and was born in Prussia in 1836. His parents, Henry and Mary (Linback) Schnelle, were natives of Prussia, the father born in 1808, and the mother in about 1811. They were married in their native country, and in 1852 came to the United States, settling in New York, and there remained until 1854, when they moved to Mason County, Ill. Here the mother died in 1855. Mr. Schnelle afterward married Mrs. Henrietta Linback, sister to his first wife. She died in 1882, and two years later Mr. Schnelle came, with his son, Frederick Schnelle, to Dade County, where he died July 3, 1887. He was a farmer by occupation. He served three years in the Prussian army. His father, Carl Schnelle, spent all his life in Prussia, and was a well-to-do farmer. Judge Frederick Schnelle was the second of three sons and five daughters, two sons and one daughter now living. He attended the common schools in his native country until fourteen years of age, after which he came, with his parents, to the United States, and attended school for two months in New York, obtaining a fair knowledge of the English language. He went with his parents to Illinois, and in 1861 was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Behrens, a native of Prussia, where her parents died when she was quite young. She came to the United States with friends in 1859. By her marriage to Mr. Schnelle she became the mother of twelve children, five sons and five daughters now living, all of whom were educated in the English and German languages. Judge Schnelle resided in Mason County, Ill., until 1884, when he came to Dade County, Mo., and has since lived on his present farm, which consists of 296 acres, situated six miles southwest of Lockwood, all the result of his own hard labor. He is engaged in farming and stock-raising, his stock being short-horned cattle and Poland China hogs. For seven years he was township collector of Mason County, Ill. He is a stanch Democrat, and, although Dade County is largely Republican, he was elected to the judgeship by a majority of fifty-one votes; No further test is necessary as a proof of his popularity and ability, he being the only Democrat elected to a county office in Dade County. He cast his first presidential vote for Stephen A. Douglas, in 1860. He and family belong to the Lutheran Church, and he is one of the leading citizens of the county.