Michael was a native of the Palatine area of the Holy Roman Empire (now Germany). He was married and had two small sons when he determined to join kinsmen in Philadelphia, American colonies. He, his wife, Anna, and sons, John George and John Gottlieb Henrich traveled by boat up the Rhine River to the harbor port of Rotterdam. Fees charged at river ports were excessive and Michael was short of funds for passage on the boat to Philadelphia. Michael signed indentures on all his family for passage on the "Two Brothers", bound for Savannah, Georgia. There was not room for his little trunk so he sent it with a friend on the boat to Philadelphia. On October 7, 1738, three months after setting sail, the Schneiders arrived in Savannah. Gen. James Olgethorpe met the boat, purchased their indentures and donated them to Pastor Boltzius of the Salzburger Lutheran settlement in Ebenezer. They continued by boat up the Savannah River and arrived during evening prayer service at Jerusalem Lutheran Church. Pastor Boltzius noted in his records, " Prayers were offered for the safe journey of the travelers. They were given rations of food from the community stores, some meat according to weight and some beans according to measure" and provided lodging with church members. Michael was assigned as cowherd for the community and provided a hut "in a lovely region an hour and a half walking distance from Ebenezer." By November, Pastor Boltzius noted that the parents and the twelve year old son were "showing good community service" and "in order to have no obstacles" the six year old was being accepted in the orphanage where he would also receive schooling. The next year, Anna died after "giving birth to a weakly child." The child was baptized and named Matthius. Mrs. Landfelder took him to care for but he only lived two days. In time, Michael married Elisabeth Sanftfeld, recently arrived from the Palatine with her brother. Pastor Boltzius wrote a letter for Michael to his close relative in Philadelphia inquiring about his little trunk. Two years later, he received a reply stating the boat he sent the trunk on had wrecked off the coast of Rhode Island. All passengers and everything aboard had perished including Michael's little trunk. Pastor Boltzius read the letter in church and preached a sermon on their deliverance. Michael and his sons completed their indentures in 1742 and he was given "a fine piece of land" on which he built a cabin, a separate kitchen and pens for his cattle. he raised corn, beans, pumpkins and melons. It was reported that one year "he raised 88 bushels of corn and 8 bushels of beans" His sons married and grandchildren were arriving when Michael died September 21, 1757. "Hans Michael Schneider died at age 66 years and was buried in Zion Cemetery." - THE EBENEZER RECORD BOOK, translated in 1929 by A. G. Voight, D.D. LL.D.
NOTE: Pastor Boltzius kept almost daily records, written in German, about people and events in the community. As they have been translated into English in recent years, more has been learned about the pioneer, Hans Michael Schneider. A goodly heritage.
- Blanche Keating Collie, 6th great granddaughter