CHARLES A. SCHNELL, one of the highly respected older citizens of Troy, now living retired in his pleasant home at No. 347 South Mulberry Street, is a native of Germany, having been born March 15, 1830, in Saxe Coburg. It will be remembered that the brother of Prince Albert, husband of the late Queen Victoria, of England, was Ernest the Second, Duke of Saxe Coburg, and Mr. Schnell remembers seeing that admirable sovereign in her girlhood.

In 1853, when twenty-three years of age, Mr. Schnell came to America and lived for a short time at Paterson, New Jersey, later making his home in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. There he learned photography and subsequently opened a photographic studio in Washington, D.C., which he conducted for one year, when he lost everything by fire. In 1858 he transferred his business interests to Troy, Ohio, and in May, 1860, he moved to Tippecanoe. In 1862 he enlisted in the Federal Army, becoming a member of Company E, 106th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and during his three years of continuous service was attached to the Army of the Cumberland. He enlisted as a private and through soldierly qualities became first sergeant of his company, being mustered out with that rank.

Upon his return from the army, Mr. Schnell again located at Tippecanoe City, where he carried on photography until 1871. He then returned to Troy, where he purchased a gallery on the Public Square and continued in the photographic business there for thirty years. His work was highly artistic in character and his patrons came from all over Miami County. In 1860 Mr. Schnell was married to Miss Barbara Eitel, and they have three children: Charles F., who is in the plumbing business at Troy; Mary, who is the wife of David Metz, of Norwalk Ohio; and George V., who is also in the plumbing business at Troy. Mr. and Mrs. Schnetrare members of the Lutheran Church. He is identified with the Grand Army of the Republic.