Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

earthquake he acted as chairman of a
local committee to collect funds for the
aid of the stricken city, and from this
sprang the local chapter of the American
Red Cross, Mr. Watkins being the first
president. Mr. Watkins was not asso-
ciated with any clubs nor societies other
than the Second Advent Church of New
Britain, of which he was a trustee. In
political principles he was a sound Re-
publican. Clarence G. Watkins died September
7, 1915, at his home in South
Manchester, where he had continued to
reside throughout his business career.
He was married in Wapping, Connec-
ticut, in 1877, to Jennie E. Thrall, who survives.
She is a daughter of Norman and
Harriet (Grant) Thrall, one of the old
Windsor Grant families from which Pres-
ident Ulysses S. Grant was descended.
Mr. and Mrs. Watkins were the parents
of the following children : Florice A.,
born March 9, 1879, married S. Culyer
Jenkins, of Hampton, Virginia, and is
now deceased ; C. Elmore, born July 3,
1882; Lura C. (Watkins) Rush, born
November 20, 1883 ! Ralph C, born April
11, 1888, died July 30, 1902.
SNEATH, Elias H.,
Educator, Author.
The Sneath family is one of prominence
in England, where it is very large
and well established. The branch of the
English family from which the Ameri-
can Sneaths herein dealt with are de-
scendants, settled in Ireland during the
Revolutionary period, driven there perhaps
by the confiscation of lands which
was prevalent on all sides, or perhaps by
revulsion against the debauchery and
degeneration then rife in England. The
accession of Charles the Second to the
throne initiated a period of unrest and
social decadence in England, which
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
195
brought with it later the natural upris-
ing of the sane and more sober of the
populace, and culminated in the stern
hatred and enmity of the Royalists and
Roundheads, as the supporters of Cromwell
were derisively called. It is a mat-
ter of record that the members of the
Sneath family supported Cromwell in
his effort to restore order and peace in
England, for one William Sneath, of Bos-
ton, England, is said to have given his
sympathy entirely to the Roundhead parliament
and government. It was most
probably during this period that the
founder of the Sneath family in Ireland
left England. From him was descended
Richard Sneath, emigrant ancestor of the
family in America.
(I) Richard Sneath, a native of Lon-
donderry, Ireland, born September 2,
1 75 1, came to America in 1774. He settled
in Chester, Delaware county, Pennsylvania,
where his death occurred October
24, 1824. He married, and among
his children was W'illiam, of whom fur-
ther.
(II) William Sneath, son of Richard
Sneath, was born in Chester, Delaware
county, Pennsylvania. He married a
Miss Lingerfelter, a member of a Penn-
sylvania family, and among their chil-
dren was Robert, of whom further.
(HI) Robert Sneath, son of William
Sneath, was born in Chester, Delaware
county, Pennsylvania, and during his
active career devoted his attention to
agricultural pursuits. He married Mary
Todd, a resident of York county, Pennsylvania,
and among their children was
Jacob, of whom further.
(IV) Jacob Sneath, son of Robert and
Mary (Todd) Sneath, was born in Mountville,
Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. A
man of prominence in the life of the
community, he was interested in poli-
tics and civic betterment, and was also