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http://www.sedonaverdevalley.org/attractionshighlights/sedonaheritagemuseum.html Sedona Schnebly was born Sedona Arabella Miller in February of 1877 in Gorin, Missouri. Many people asked Sedona's mother, Amanda Miller, where the unusual name came from, and Amanda always said that she had made the name up. Sedona took the name of "Dona" which most people called her, all her life. After attending finishing school where she had learned social graces and how to play the piano, Sedona married Theodore Carleton (T C) Schnebly on February 24, 1897, over the objection of her parents. Some oral histories report that the objection was due to the Miller Family being Methodist and T C being Presbyterian.

TC and Sedona welcomed their first born in March 1898, a son Elsworth "Tad" Miller Schnebly, in Gorin, Missouri. A daughter Pearl Azalea Schnebly was born in November 1898. TC was in the hardware business in Gorin, Missouri and found it difficult tp provide for his growing family. His brother Ellsworth had already gone to the Arizona Territory and settled in area South of Flagstaff. Ellsworth urged T C and Sedona and their two young children to join he and his wife in the beautiful area he now farmed. The land which the Schnebly's farmed in the area known as Camp Garden, was along Oak Creek where Talaqupaque Village stands today. Carl was hardworking and was able to sell his produce in Flagstaff by driving his wagon up the mountain road known as Schnebly Hill Road today. Eventually, the young Schnebly family built a two story home. Sedona became known for her hospitality and good cooking, so later historical accounts call the Schnebly home a hotel, but that really wasn't the intent. As guests continued to come, the Schneblys added a few tents for guests. As Carl continued to sell his produce to Flagstaff, he was hauling goods from Flagstaff back to their farm and started a small store. As the area continued to prosper, Carl applied to the Postmaster General to establish a post office. His first choice to name the town was, Oak Creek Crossing and then SchneblyStation, but both names were rejected because they were too long to fit into the postal cancel stamp at that time. Carl's brother suggested naming the town after Sedona, and the town and post office became official in 1902. The Schnebly's third child, Goldie Genevieve Schnebly, was born in October 1903 in the newly named Sedona, Arizona. Genevieve was the only one of the Schnebly's six children to be born in the town that bore their mother's name. Life for the young pioneer family was happy but difficult. There were none of the conveniences of an established community, as they had left in Gorin, Missouri. Sedona became an expert at canning, sewing, and doing all the pioneer chores that she was expected to perform. Picnics, and religious sing-alongs and family outings provided entertainment. Drinking, dances and gamboling were strictly forbidden. Tragedy struck the family on June 12, 1905. Their precious daughter Pearl was killed when she became tangled in the reigns on her pony and was trampled to death. They buried Pearl in their front yard and the once happy and robust Sedona became morbidly depressed. In an effort to improve Sedona's health, the Schneblys returned to Missouri. Sedona and TC's second son, Daniel Henry, was born in Missouri in August 1907. They stayed in Missouri until Carl decided to return to farming and this time they headed for Boyero, Colorado. Sedona never truly overcame the death of Pearl and she struggled with poor health and occasional periods of depression for the majority of her remaining life.

Two more children were born to the Schneblys while in Colorado. Clara Amanda Schnebly was born in January 1912, and Margaret Elizabeth Schnebly was born in June 1915. The Schnebly family's farming in Colorado proved successful until a series of setbacks occured in the 1930s. The Great Depression combined with a disastrous blizzard, and an outbreak of anthrax, as well as T C's declining health forced them to a warmer climate. After a short stay in Phoenix, the Schnebly's returned to Sedona the town they had established. All traces of their former farm were gone. They moved into a small house on Jordan Road, (named for Ruth and Walter Jordan) who had established his orchards and farm. Sedona helped Ruth (who was a teacher) with the cleaning and cooking and care of the Jordan's three children. T C helped in the orchards when his health permitted. Aunt Dona, as many of the Sedona residents called her, was well loved for her generous spirit and for her work with children at the American Sunday School and her effort to see a community church built. The result was the building of Wayside Chapel where people of all faiths were welcomed. TC and Sedona celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1947, and the entire town turned out to praise and celebrate the couple that had left the comfort of their lives in Missouri to brave the unknown and rugged life in the Arizona Territory and founded the thriving community that proudly shared the name Sedona. Sedona passed away in 1950 from cancer. A bell at the Wayside Chapel on Hwy 89A in Sedona was dedicated in her memory. One of the events during the Arizona Centennial celebration of Statehood took place in front of the Wayside Chapel on February 14th, 2012. The Sedona Schnebly Memorial bell was rung and Sedona residents gathered and brought their own bells to ring. Sedona and T C are buried in Cook's Cedar Glade Cemeteryhttp://www.sedonaaz.gov/sedonacms/index.aspx?page=240 thumbnail off Airport Road in West Sedona, along with their daughter Pearl. The Schnebly Family have continued to contribute to Arizona throughout the generations. The Ellworth Miller Schnebly Collection http://library.nau.edu/speccoll/guide/s/schnebly.html is maintaned by the Cline Library at Northern Arizona University. Lisa Schnebly Heidinger is the great-grand daughter of TC and Sedona and she has authored many articles and books on Arizona's history including the children's book, The Three Sedonas which relates the story of her great-grandmother's experience homesteading in Oak Creek Canyon.