Cross posted to PAJUNIAT-L, PAPERRY-L, and SNYDER-L Surnames mentioned: SNYDER, SCHWERDTZ or SCHWERT, EWING, MILLER, ORR, WENTZEL, ALLEN, WISE, MYERS, LEWIS. I am interested in discovering anything more that I can about my g-g-grandfather, Francis Snyder (1810-1894), proprietor of the Bealetown store in Honey Grove, Tuscarora TWP, Juniata county, PA., and his family. The ledgers from that store were the subject of my recent posts on the PAJUNIATA and PAPERRY lists (March 14 and 27, 2004). I am publishing this basic information about the family on the three relevant mailing lists hoping to jog loose some additional information. Anything anyone else may know or surmise which connects with any of the people named here will be very welcome. Thank you, Larry Snyder Davis, CA ldsnyder@dcn.davis.ca.us ============================ I. Francis Snyder biography II. The Children of Francis and Mary Ann Snyder III. Sources I. Francis Snyder biography Francis Snyder was born on October 10, 1810 near Clark's Ferry, in or near the current town of Duncannon. When quite young, according to his obituary, he settled in Juniata county, and, with the exception of one year in Ohio, spent the remainder of his life in Bealetown (or Honey Grove). In 1837 he married Mary Ann Schwerdtz of Cumberland county. He is found in Tuscarora TWP in the 1840 Census, and again in 1850 at which time his occupation is given as that of miller. In 1860 his occupation is merchant, in 1870 postmaster, and in 1880 shingle-maker. In fact he was postmaster in Bealetown during three different periods, the first beginning in 1848, the last from about 1870-1885, alternating with Jesse Beale, Joshua Beale, and William van Sweringen. It was during the last stint that he changed the name of the post office, then known as Beale's Mills, to Honey Grove, which, since a number of his immediate neighbors and customers were Beales, was perhaps not the most tactful of decisions. Francis and Mary Ann had nine children, six of whom lived beyond infancy: Alfred W. (ca. 1839), Alexander McClay "Clay" (1848), Curtis S. (1851), Clara Amanda (1853), Fannie E. (1855), and Howard Sylvanus (1859). All were raised in Tuscarora TWP, but none remained there long beyond the times of their own marriages. Francis built a sturdy stone house very near the mill in Bealetown which was still standing in 1970, and may be yet. A small frame outbuilding behind the house became the little general store, but this was torn down sometime between 1960 and 1970. The ledgers from the store show it sold foodstuffs, clothing, shoes, cloth, tobacco, woodworking and farm tools, etc. In addition to cash payments, it accepted eggs, butter, hides, meat, produce, and occasionally labor, such as hauling, in trade. Beginning around 1885, Francis' health began to fail him. He is described in his obit as "suffering from a nervous affliction which was without pain, but it gradually attacked and overcame his physical powers." Mary Ann nursed him faithfully until his death on March 8th, 1894. He was buried in the Middle Tuscarora Presbyterian Cemetery in McCullochs Mills. Mary Ann Snyder's maiden name is given as Schwerdtz in F Snyder's obit, and as Schwert in family notes left by Cloyd Snyder. She was born on 17 April 1813 in Cumberland county, PA, and died on her husband's birthday, Oct. 10, in 1897. She is buried beside her husband in McCullochs Mills. There were no family records which gave information about siblings or other close relatives that Francis Snyder may have had. It was only recently that comparison of family lore with that of the Perry county's John George Snyder (1832-1894) family provided by Barbara Rivas has demonstrated that JG was most probably a brother, half-brother or possibly a nephew of Francis Snyder. Certainly their children called each other cousin, and Francis' children were the ONLY Snyder relations enumerated by JGS' sister-in-law Clara Peck in a 1916 letter about family. Though Francis' parents remain a mystery there are three bits of unprovable information which may or may not bear. One note left by Cloyd Snyder indicated Francis' father was a bodyguard for George Washington, though it does not specify whether as general or President. Recognizing that if everyone who claimed a military connection with Washington actually had one, the Revolution would have ended at the first battle with the British running for their lives, it is still a possible clue. But every potential Snyder indexed in the vast public collections of Geo Washington's papers died long before he could have sired Francis in 1810. The tale, if not fictional, would have to belong to a grandparent. Another note indicates that parents of both Francis and Mary Ann were born in Germany. If true, this would prevent our pushing the Washington story back to the generation of Francis' grandparents. The third hint involves a copied note in the John George Snyder family papers that his (JGS's) mother was named Eve. If the two are full brothers, then Francis' mother would also be Eve, but the original proof even of the name has been lost. II. The children of Francis and Mary Ann Snyder ALFRED W. SNYDER, b. ca. 1839, d. after 1906. At a young age he bacame a carpenter and moved to Spruce Hill. He later lived in Altoona. Last info I have is a mention of "uncle Alf" in a letter dated 12 Nov., 1906. Alfred married Mary Ann Ewing on 25 Dec., 1862 in Juniata co. Census data about Alfred's children are confusing. They had at least three daughters, the first two born ca. 1864 and 1866 and named either Sarah and Lizzie or Alice and Clara, and the third certainly named Lillie (ca. 1868). Lillie remained in contact with other members of the family, especially her aunts Clara and Fannie. She did not marry, but had one daughter, Clair or Clare Snyder (1888-1969), who moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1920s and married Alfred C. Myers. There is also a Will Snyder who accompanied Alfred in the carriage at his youngest brother's funeral in 1905, and it is likely that he (Will) is another child of Alfred and Mary Ann Snyder. Other possible sons are Ira, Moody, and Wesley. ALEXANDER McCLAY SNYDER, b. Oct 1848 in Tuscarora TWP, last found in the 1920 census, in Lower Merion TWP, Montgomery county. Worked as an agent for a number of gas companies, especially Lowe Water Gas in Philadelphia. He married Mary E. Miller (1862-1937) about 1880. They had one daughter, Elizabeth, born Oct 1881, who died in 1931. She may have been married to someone named Lewis, but nothing is known about it yet. The family lived in Norristown through the time of the 1920 census. A M Snyder went by "Clay," short for his middle name, McClay, though his signature, even with siblings, was simply "A M Snyder." CURTIS S. SNYDER, b. ca. 1851, married Nancy E. Orr, 4 Apr 1872 in Juniata co. They moved to Shiloh, Ohio between 1873 and 1876. They returned to the east before 1894, and moved to Williamsport PA before 1902. The move to Shiloh is based upon the entry in the 1880 Census in Shiloh Village for an S. C. Snyder, 29, born Pennsylvania, with wife N. E. Snyder, 29, also from Pennsylvania. Two of the children's names, Maggie and Maud (born ca. 1876 and 1878), correspond to young relatives Howard mentions in his 1902-03 daybook. The other daughter is Lizzie (ca. 1873). Curtis is listed in the 1910 Census, but by 1916, Clara Peck writes that he has died. CLARA AMANDA SNYDER, b. May 1853, married Ira Wentzel (b. 16 Nov 1850 near Sunbury, Northumberland co., PA.) in Juniata county on 30 Dec 1875. She and Ira moved to Bellwood (Blair), PA around 1889 Their children, according to a Wentzel family history in WENZEL-L posted by Roy C. Regel in 1999, and supplemented by the 1900 census, are David Eugene, Bertha Kuhn, Fannie Araminta, Merrill LeRoy, Lawrence Landis, Clara Leslie, Ira MClay, Mary Catherine, Howard M., Lida R., and Robert L. Clara Peck's letter of 1916 says that Ira died before the time of her writing. FANNIE (FRANCES) E. SNYDER, born June 1855, married Benjamin F. Allen (b. Oct 1849) on 13 Oct., 1883 in Juniata county. They moved to Tiro, Ohio before May 1887, when their first sone Franklin Rea was born. Their second son, Ethan A. was born there in July, 1894, and died tragically from an illness 12 March, 1903 as described in Howard Snyder's daybook. Both Fannie and Ira were still living in Tiro at the time of the 1930 Census. Franklin became a civil engineer and moved with his family to Pine Bluff, Arkansas. HOWARD SYLVANUS SNYDER, my great-grandfather, was born 2 Jan, 1859 in Honey Grove, and died 12 Sept., 1905, in Mansfield Ohio several months after being crushed in an elevator in a construction accident. He married Martha "Mattie" May Wise (b. 5 Aug 1859 Reed's Gap, Juniata co., PA, d. 4 Dec., 1906, Mansfield, Ohio) on 3 Oct 1878 in the Emanuel Wise family home in Honey Grove. For a time around 1880, Howard worked at the Honey Grove Mill, but moved to Shiloh, Ohio by 1883. By 1889, following a brief separation, Howard and Mattie had moved to Mansfield, Ohio where they remained for the rest of their short lives. Their children were Norman Revere Snyder (1879-1968), May Lucinda Snyder (1881-1980), Jessie Pearl Snyder (1883-1887), Willam Cloyd Snyder (1885-1981), Glen Allen Snyder (1889-1893), Cecil Earl Snyder (1892-1983), and E. Helen Snyder (1895-1986). Howard and Mattie Snyder's further decendents are thoroughly known. III. -- Sources 1. Francis Snyder obituary, unknown date and newspaper - preserved by family 2. U.S. Census images 1840-1930 3. History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania... Edited by F. Ellis and A. N. Hungerford. Published in Philadelphia by Everts, Peck & Richards, 1886 (Mike Milliken website) 4. Van Sweringen Chronology (Mike Milliken website) 5. Bealetown store ledgers, including F Snyder daybook 1874-1875 6. Letter from Clara Peck to her niece Mary, March 7, 1916 (Thanks to Barbara Rivas) 7. Howard S. Snyder daybook, June 16, 1902 - March 27, 1903 8. Memorial pamphlet - Funeral of Howard Sylvanus Snyder, Sept., 1905 9. Letters and telegrams preserved by Howard Snyder descendents 10. Genealogical notes left by Hallie Snyder 11. Oral family history notes taken by Larry Snyder from conversations with Hallie and Cloyd Snyder ca. 1958-1963