Jonas Elmer Gnagey was born on January 25, 1850 in Grantsville, Maryland to Emanuel Gnagey (1820-1890) and Eliza Livengoood Gnagey (1829-1909). He was the 2nd of 12 children.
Elizabeth “Lizzy” Swauger was born on October 3, 1855 in New Germany, Garrett County, Maryland to John William Swauger (1817-1878) and Elizabeth Baer Swauger (1815-1888). She was the 8th of 10 children and had a twin brother.
Jonas, 23, and Lizzy, 17, were married on August 7, 1873 in Garrett County, Maryland. Jonas farmed north of Grantsville, Maryland, they had 16 children, with the last child dying the day after her birth. Lizzie also died the same day, on May 22, 1894 in Grantsville, Maryland at the age of 38. Jonas sold the farm when Lizzie died and moved to Salisbury, Maryland where he worked as a cabinetmaker. He raised the 12 children still at home when Lizzie died and never remarried. He was also in the shipbuilding business during WWI in Baltimore, Maryland. In his later years Jonas lived with his eldest child, Cora, and her husband George Lininger, in Waterloo, Iowa in the family home on LaPorte Road. He died there on October 4, 1940 at the age of 90 of arteriosclerosis. His body was returned by train to Grantsville, Maryland and his funeral service was at the Church of the Brethren in Accident, Maryland, and he was buried in Grantsville Cemetery.
