GILBERT SCHNEE.

                                                          Bolton Township.

Bolton Township 1873: Gilbert Schnee, 60; spouse, Anna B., 31.

Bolton Township 1874: Gilbert Schnee, 61; spouse, Anna B., 31.

Kansas 1875 Census Bolton Township, Cowley County, March 1, 1875.

Name                     age sex color   Place/birth          Where from

Gilbert Schnee  62    m    w       Pennsylvania                 Indiana

Anna B. Schnee      32     f     w            Canada                        Indiana

E. M. Schnee           6     f     w            Indiana                   Indiana

W. G. Schnee      10m    m    w       Kansas

Bolton Township 1876: Gilbert Schnee, 63; spouse, Anna B., 33.

Bolton Township 1878: Gilbert Schnee, 66; spouse, Annie, 36.

Bolton Township 1880: Gilbert Schnee, 67; spouse, Anna B., 38.

Bolton Township 1882: Gilbert Schnee, 69; spouse, Anna B., 40.

                                               FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.

Arkansas City Traveler, November 21, 1877.

“HOUSE WARMING.” On Wednesday evening of last week the good citizens of West Bolton Township gathered together at the house of Mr. Gilbert Schnee’s, for the purpose of giving him a “house warming,” in commemoration of the completion of his new resi­dence, and those who imagine they didn’t have a good time are sadly mistaken. It seemed as though almost everyone was there. Two quadrille sets were constantly on the floor, and two more were ready to take their places as soon as they left it. Jim Steiner furnished the horse hair and rosin, and the way they exercised themselves was astonishing; reminding one of the good old times.

Arkansas City Traveler, December 11, 1878.

School Report. District 53, Bolton Township, for the month ending Dec. 6th, 1878.

Mary Lorry, 86; Annie Coulter, 95; Martin Coulter, 95; Frank Bland, 90; Ruth Voris, 90; Rose Sample, 94; Hattie Rice, 92; Alvin Voris, 94; Hannah Lorry, 90; Willie Voris, 90; Maggie Sample, 93; David Bristow, 91; Frank Lorry, 94; Eddie Voris, 89; Lulu Bland, 91; Clara Lorry, 89; Carrie Rice, 89; Fred Lorry, 93; Mamie Schnee, 83; Willie Schnee, 80; Moses Coulter, 91; James Michaels, 87; Stevie Rice, 75.

The following pupils were perfect in attendance for the past month: Alvin Voris, Edwin Voris, Mamie Schnee, Fred Lorry, Willie Schnee, Annie Coulter, and Moses Coulter.

                                                    L. E. NORTON, Teacher.

Arkansas City Traveler, January 8, 1879.

School Report. District 53, Bolton Township, for the month ending January 3rd, 1879.

Lester Burnett, 97; Mary Lorry, 89; Annie Coulter, 97; Martin Coulter, 95; Frank Bland, 95; Ruth Voris, 94; Rose Sample, 96; Hattie Rice, 96; Alvin Voris, 96; Hannah Lorry, 94; Willie Voris, 93; Maggie Sample, 94; David Bristow, 95; Frank Lorry, 96; Eddie Voris, 91; Lulu Bland, 94; Clara Lorry, 92; Carrie Rice, 95; Fred Lorry, 95; Mamie Schnee, 93; Willie Schnee, 95; Moses Coulter, 95; James Michael, 92; Stevie Rice, 94; Clyde Akers, 91; Earnest Frost, 89. L. E. NORTON, Teacher.

Arkansas City Traveler, February 19, 1879.

School Report. The following is the standing, by examination, of the pupils of School District No. 53, for the term ending February 6th, 1879.

Maggie Sample, Rose Sample, Lester Burnett, Hannah Lorry, Annie Coulter, Lulu Bland, George Coulter, Frank Lorry, Frank Bland, Fred Lorry, Mamie Schnee, David Bristow, Mary Lorry, Martin Coulter, Clara Lorry, Carrie Rice. L. E. NORTON, Teacher.

Arkansas City Traveler, June 4, 1879.

                   NAMES OF PUPILS, DISTRICT 53, TEACHER: L. E. NORTON.

Maggie Sample, Rose Sample, Annie Coulter, Clara Lorry, George Hunt, Frank Lorry, Frank Bland, Ruth Voris, Fred Lorry, Mamie Schnee, Marion Hunt, Mary Lorry, Clyde Akers.

[ANNUAL LOVE FEAST: BOLTONITES.]

Arkansas City Traveler, March 24, 1880. Editorial Page.

The following report of the Annual Love Feast of some of the Boltonites has found its way to the TRAVELER. We think it was written by some Peace of a Justice, as the first line gives evidence of legal lore.

“Know all men by these presents: Whereas, on the 14th day of February last, the citizens of Bolton Township met in mass, at the Bland schoolhouse in the open air, for the purpose of reviewing their past lives and preparing for the future. So after bustling around a while, W. C. Skinner was chosen chairman of the meeting. The chair arose and announced that the proceed­ings must be opened with prayer. So S. H. Deweese with the assistance of W. Mercer implored divine forgiveness for the folly of those who had spent many months in molding paper wads to be fired at the cattle drive and the wickedness of others who had buried, on the “trail,” the dreadful torpedoes of sulphur and snuff to hurl into the clouds the last hope of long horns. But Hank Hollowell who sat near, with an ear that lopped like a limp leaf of Kraut, declared that the prayer did not go as high as the third plank on the fence.

“After reading the statute by John Linton, the Chair an­nounced a recess of fifteen minutes. Whistling by Frank Lorry; tune Patsy won’t you drink some. The Chair then called the meeting from refreshments to labor.

“Now the various characters arose into prominence. The old Polar Bear, James McGuire, with that same old bed blanket on old Bob, rode up. Then came A. P. Lorry leading brother Frank while they stepped to the marshal music of old hundred. In fact, the drill was handsome.

“George Hagar made a speech on the wreck of man. Frank Reed, on the smart young man. G. Schnee presented facts to prove that the ground hog should be captured and cut into pork for spoiling a great deal of fine weather.

“Frank Lorry opened an argument in favor of the self made man, but his remarks were short, as the meeting gave him a unanimous vote for having more self-made worthlessness in one body than had ever before been found in Bolton Township.

“The chair announced that the hour had arrived for preparing ballots to elect some person of the township to the honorable position of attending to other people’s business. This called out a full and harmonious vote without distinction of race, color, or previous condition, and the judges of election, ap­pointed and sworn in due form of law, consisting of Uncle Berry Banks and Peter Andrews, proceeded to count the ballots, result­ing as follows: Frank Lorry received 69 votes, S. H. Deweese 19 votes, scattering 3 votes. The chair arose and amid the still­ness of death announced that Lieut. Lorry having received a majority of the votes cast was duly elected.

“Hick Deweese now arose with cussedness in his eye, and charged the judges of election with fraud and favor; they grew pale as the speaker, warm with the smart of disappointment, accused them of stuffing the box in favor of another.

“John Brown called, order, and said that a blind man could see that the best thing to do was to adjourn. So the Chair said the meeting was adjourned to meet St. Valentine one year from that date. “EAST BOLTON.”

Arkansas City Traveler, November 30, 1881.

The following is a report of the Mercer school, district 53, for the month ending Nov. 25, 1881. No. of pupils enrolled, 57; number of visits during the month, 4. The following list of pupils shows their standing on a grade of 100.

SECOND GRADE. Mamie Schnee, 87; Clara Gamble, 86; Albert Bowker, 80; Mattie Christy, 83; Sam’l Christy, 80; Ruth Voris, 82; Clarence Patton, 81; Nellie Parker, 85; Stevie Rice, 83; Tannie Weathers, 84; Geo. Christy, 80; Alvin Voris, 80; Rosetta Bowker, 80.

The only pupil neither absent or tardy was Rose Bowker. L. C. Brown, Teacher.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 28, 1883.

Mr. Schnee, of Bolton Township, we understand, is dangerously sick. We hope he is not so bad as represented.

Arkansas City Traveler, September 5, 1883.

Administrator’s Notice. In the Probate Court in and for said County. State of Kansas vs. Cowley County. In the matter of the estate of Gilbert Schnee, deceased.

Notice is hereby given that letters of admininstration have been granted to the undersigned on the estate of Gilbert Schnee, late of said county, deceased, by the Honorable, the Probate court of the county and state aforesaid, dated the 18th of August, A. D. 1883.

Now all persons having claims against said estate, are hereby notified that they must present the same to the undersigned for allowance, within one year from the date of said letters, or they may be precluded from any benefit of such estate; and that if such clalims be not exhibited within three years after the date of said letters, they shall be foreever barred.

Annie B. Schnee, Administratrix of the estate of Gilbert Schnee, deceased. August 17, 1883.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 11, 1885. MARRIED. Married at Winfield, Tuesday, March 3, 1885, Mr. Frank Reed and Mrs. Annie B. Schnee.

Notes from the Kansas Legal Reports. Schnee vs Schnee, 60 pacific Reporter 738, April 1900, appeal from Cowley County, Kansas.

William G. Schnee and others applied to probate the will of Gilbert Schnee. Maggie Ann Schnee contested the will.

Gilbert Schnee died in Cowley County im 1883: his wife Annie B. Schnee survived. She later married Frank Reed. There were 2 minor children: William G. and Louise Schnee.  Maggie claims she is an heir.

In early life Gilbert Schnee married Mary Jane Reed. He divorced her a few months later, claiming she was unfaithful. Later Maggie Ann was born and she claimed that she was the daughter of Gilbert and Mary Jane.

A will was first offered for probate in 1883; it was not technically correct and was not accepted.  It was withdrawn and later lost. In April 1892 a petition was filed to probate the estate based upon the will which was made two weeks before Gilbert’s death. Lorry and Frank Reed were witnesses to the will. In that will Gilbert devised to Mamie Morris, a daughter of Annie B. Schnee by a former marriage, $300 to $500, and to Maggie Ann, $1.00.  All the rest of his estate went to his two other children.

Conclusion, the will was found to be valid and Gilbert’s property was passed in accordance with that will.