Bassett-Edgecomb-Snyder
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genealogy (read these posts for speculation about issues related to the
ancestors of Peter Snyder)
Ancestors of Peter Snyder (1820-1900)
Key words: Peter Snyder, Philip Snyder, Mary Sharpsteen Snyder, Mary Snyder, John Sharpsteen, Lorenzo Snyder, Lorenzo D. Snyder, Philip and Mary Sharpsteen Snyder, Philip and Mary Snyder
Philip Snyder, the son of Philip Snyder who was a native of Germany, married Mary Sharpsteen, the daughter of John Sharpsteen who was a farmer1. They lived in New York state. It is not known if they lived at more than one location, but in 1820 they were living in Livingston County. They had twelve children2:
- John
- Henry
- Lydia d. in New York
- Cornelius
- William
- Mary (Slocum), m. Asa Slocum
- Walter
- Louisa (Learn), m. Samuel Learn
- Philip
- Phebe (Pifer)
- Lorenzo D. m. Julian UNKNOWN
- Peter 13 Aug 1820 - 1 Oct 1900, m.(1) Clarinda Edgecomb, m.(2) Ellen Baker Kollar 3
Philip "was a blacksmith and and expert at his trade, which he followed all his active life."2 Philip died in 18241, probably in New York. Within a few years his children moved west. William was living in Iowa in 1896, but most of the rest of the children, including John, Henry, Cornelius, Mary, Walter, Louisa, Philip (Jr.), Phebe, and Lorenzo eventually ended up in Michigan2. The recollections of Calvin Snyder (b. 1874, son of Jasper Snyder 1854-1926 and grandson of Peter Snyder) provide some interesting stories that may be related to the early history of this family. There are several items that are attributed to Peter Snyder, but that are more likely to have occurred in Philip Snyder's generation. One is a description of "a Dutchman from Pennsylvania ... [who] walked all the way from Pennsylvania... . [His] sole possessions consisted of the clothes he wore and an ax. Here he met a young red-haird German girl ..., who could not speak English." Could this be Philip Snyder and Mary Sharpsteen?
Another story told by Calvin Snyder involves "another boy (I can't remember his name) who was stolen by the Indians and was tortured and killed. Grandfather wanted to bring his body back home. Someway he learned where the body was, took a team and wagon and went after him. To protect and conceal the body he had a load of turnips. He found the boy's body, put it in the bottom of the wagon, covered it with turnips and brought it safely home for burial." The "Grandfather" could not have been Peter Snyder, who was too young to have had encounters with Indians. However, it is possible that the story might have involved Philip Snyder and one of his oldest children in New York. There were Indians in New York when they lived there.
In about 1832 or 1833, Lorenzo and Peter moved to Trumbull Co., Ohio. Peter lived with Lorenzo for about year and afterwards worked by the month doing farm work during five months in the summer and attended school in the winter. In 1835, Lorenzo and his wife Julian bought the southwest quarter of section 14 in Bath Township, Allen Co., Ohio. This is in the northwest part of the township where many other immigrants from northeastern Ohio settled, including the Bassitts and Edgecombs. It is not known whether Lorenzo and Julian were still living in Trumbull Co. at that time or if the had already moved to Allen County, but by Sep 1838, when they sold the north half of this land, they were described as "of Allen County, Ohio"4. In about 1839 Peter moved to Bath Twp. and became acquainted with the family of Uriah and Betsy Edgecomb (who had come from Trumbull County in 1832). The next year on April 9th, Peter was married to their daughter Clarinda. Unlike the rest of Peter's family, he and Clarinda remained in Allen County, Ohio for the rest of their lives2.
There were other Snyders who bought land near Lorenzo. In September 1835, Peter and Betsy Snyder bought land in section 11, to the north of Lorenzo (and diagonally northwest of Samuel Bassett). They were described as "of Trumbull County, Ohio" so at that time they were not yet living in Allen County.4a Because of the similarity in name and the close proximity to Lorenzo's property it is tempting to speculate that this Peter may have been an uncle to Peter and Lorenzo. It is likely that this Peter and Betsy Snyder may have been the same persons mentioned along with Samuel Bassett in the formation of the Disciples Church in Lordstown, Trumbull Co.5 In 1839, Peter and Betsey sold land to their son Cicero for one dollar.6 In that transaction, they were described as "of Bath, county of Allen" so they were living on their land in Bath at the time that the younger Peter (b. 1820) moved there. By 16 Dec 1839, Peter, Betsey, and Cisero were again living in Lordstown, Trumbull Co.7
Lorenzo and Julian sold more of their land in 1840. It's not known when Lorenzo moved to Michigan, but his mother, Mary died at his home there.2
This account was taken from History
of the Edgecomb, Bassitt, and Snyder Families of Allen County, Ohio by
Steven J. Bassett Baskauf, 2007. This portion of the book is freely
available under a
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License provided you give the citation
listed above. On the web, a link to this page would be helpful.
Comments? Questions? Contact Steve Baskauf
References:
1. History of Allen County, Ohio. Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1885. p.587-88.
2. Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and Van Wert Counties, Ohio. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896. p. 489 - p. 490
3. The birth date given in his biography in History of Allen County, 1885 is 13 Aug 1820. However, his tombstone, old Beaverdam Cemetery, Richland Twp., Allen Co., OH says "PETER SNYDER DIED OCT 1, 1900 AGED 81 Y. 1 M. 20 D." This produces a birth date of 11 Aug 1819. This is the same date given in the family Bible of Peter Snyder. However, based on handwriting in the Bible, the dates appear to have been written about 1899. There are numerous discrepancies in the dates in the Bible and since the account in the biography was taken from Peter directly at an earlier date, it is considered here to be more accurate. Portrait and Biographical Record, 1896 gives 1820 as his birth year, but does not give an exact date. Tombstone inscription
4. Deeds, Book F, p. 188, Allen Co., OH Recorder's office. 25 Sep 1838.
4a. Deed records, Allen Co, OH Courthouse, Lima, OH, Vol.47, p. 319-320. 15 Sep 1835.
5. History of Trumbull and Mahoning Counties, Vol. 2, Cleveland, H.Z. Williams & Bro. 1882, p. 542.
6. Deeds, Book G, p. 80 - p.81, Allen Co., OH Recorder's office. 8 Feb 1839.
7. Deeds, Book H, p.186 - p.187, Allen Co., OH Recorder's office. 16 Dec 1839.
See also the 1956 account by Calvin Snyder, which contains potential clues about early Snyder history in the U.S.
Peter Snyder (the elder) census references
U.S. Census of 1830 for Lordstown Township, Trumbull County, OH, p.196 [blank 1830 form]
U.S. Census of 1840 for Twp., Trumbull Co., OH. p. 87 [blank 1840 form]
U.S. Census of 1850 for Lordstown Twp., Trumbull Co., OH, p.193 [blank 1850 form]
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