In a message dated 2/7/2008 1:24:43 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, dwayne55@comcast.net writes: David, The Brethren Encyclopedia (BE) article on the Schneider Family was written by Robert A. Longbottom and was published in BE in 1983. Mr. Longbottom (aka Shorttop) is an active member of this list and wrote one of the 2006 messages that you posted yesterday. Dwayne Wrightsman Hello Dwayne and all, I have silently watched all the web talk on this and laughed to myself thinking " boy am I in for it now". 25 years ago, there was a theory that our Jacob Snider Sr of Back Creek, Berkeley Co., (West) Va was a son of Christian Snider, one of the Snider's on the Ship Allen. As I recall, Christian had a son Jacob that he left 5 lbs to in his will and "NO MORE" in Lancaster Co., Pa. It seemed like maybe Christian had already given Jacob his due or was unhappy with him for some reason. This theory was sort of squelched when it was determined that Christian's will was dated after our Jacob Snider had died. Jacob Snider Sr's children birth locations are also inconclusive but some were firmly inplanted in what was Providence Twp., Bedford Co., Pa. before 1790. The oldest son of Jacob Snider Sr was Jacob Snyder Jr who was an early Deacon in the old German Baptist Church there in Snake Spring Valley. On his tombstone it states "Jacob, son of Jacob Snider, born in Berkley Co. Va. came to Hagerstown, Md. and married Catherine, daughter of Abraham Postetter, April 12 in 1783. Came to Croyles Valley now Snake Spring in 1785. And located on the farm containing the big spring and joining the cemetery where he built the brick house in 1811. He became the first deacon in the first organized Church of the Brethren called Yellow Creek in Providence Country, Cumberland Co. now comprising the counties of Bedford, Fulton, Blair, and parts of Huntingdon and Somerset and in company with Samuel Ulery the first elected minister of this church visited the membership on extended tours lasting more than three weeks at a time traveling a-foot staff in-hand. He was the first teacher of reading and writing in Snake Spring Valley." Daniel Snider, one of Jacob Snider Sr's younger sons and his wife Mary Hershberger came to Perry, Co., Ohio in1806 >From the 1883 History of Perry Co., Ohio : " .... The Jonathan's Creek branch of the German Baptist Church comprises Perry, Fairfield, Licking and Muskingum counties. ....................The denomination has a good, commodious house of worship, situated in the eastern part of Thorn township, on the common road leading from Somerset to Thornville. Many Dunkers, or German Baptists, were among the earliest pioneers of Thorn, and religious worship was held at private houses at a very early day, no doubt previous to 1810. Daniel Snider was a preacher and leader, and services were often held at his house. Snider also preached in Fairfield, Muskingum and other counties, and was widely known, and everywhere venerated by the brethren of the denomination to which he belonged. He died at the age of 93, universally esteemed. As a result of Jacob Snyder Jr, Daniel Snider and their other siblings close association with the Church of the Brethren, the feeling that there must be a connection to the Ship Allen still persists. There is also a Schneider / Snider / Snyder DNA program where representative of 5 of Jacob's known sons have a DNA sample listed. It is hoped that one day that a male descendant of a proven line to the Snyder males on the Allen can be found and tested. This is probably the only way to prove it one way or the other. Have I opened pandora's Box? Robert (Bob) Longbottom Ohio **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music. (http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp003000000025 48)