D. H. Snyder

As printed in 1908

D. H. SNYDER, a leading business citizen of Snyderville, is vice president of The Victor Rubber Company, an important manufacturing industry of Clark County. He was born on his father's farm in Mad River Township, Clark County, Ohio, December 10, 1867, and is a son of Henry and Anna H. (Hertzler) Snyder.

Henry Snyder accompanied his parents to Ohio from Pennsylvania, walking a large part of the distance. He became a farmer and grain merchant and operated mills for a number of years in Mad River Township. He was a member of the D. Ij. Snyder Company, which donated Snyder Park to Springfield. The old Snyder estate has never been entirely settled, 1,600 acres of land around Snyderville being involved Henry Snyder died Jime 28, 1893. Tie married Anna H. Hertzler, who has been a life-long resident of Mad River Township. She was a daughter of Daniel Hertzler who was one of the prominent and wealthy men of Clark County. He was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in farming and milling. He married Catherine Hershey and they came to Ohio in 1834, accompanied by one child, Barbara, who is now the wife of Samuel Huffman, residing at Springfield. They lived at Springfield, then a small town, for a short time, and then settled in Mad River Township on what is now the Snyder farm. Here, in the wilderness, Daniel Hertzler built a mill which he operated for many years, also carrying on farming, and then returned to Spring-field in order to give his children better educational advantages. Mrs. Snyder was educated in the school, now the Spring-field Seminary, which is attended by her grandchildren.

After a residence of four years at Springfield, Mr. Hertzler purchased a farm near the one he had formerly owned and was residing there when he met his death from the attack of six masked assassins, who entered his house at night and shot him. He was a large and powerful man and fought hard, as evidences showed, before he was overpowered. His death was a shock to the community, and although large sums were offered for the capture of the murderers, they have never been apprehended. His widow survived him five years. The children who were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hertzler after coming to Ohio were: Martha, deceased, who married L. Baker; Mary, who died in youth; Anna, who was born on her present farm October 26, 1839; Susan and Elizabeth, twins, both deceased, the former the wife of Jacob Rubsam and the latter of AVilliam Pope; Daniel, who died aged eighteen years; and Benjamin and two others died young.

D. H. Snyder was educated in the district schools of Mad River Township, at Oxford and at fedia, Pennsylvania. After his return home he naturally became a miller, this having been a family occupation for generations back, even before his ancestors left Switzerland. His father owned the Tecumseh mill, in Mad River Township, and he started to work in that mill, which became his property on the death of his father. He operated the mill for ten years and then leased it to the firm of Allen & King, of Springfield. In 1903 the old mill was destroyed by fire.

In 1903 Mr. Snyder began working in the office of the company with which he has been identified ever since, which was then known as the Victor Rubber Company. The business was founded by J. S. Harshman, Mr. Snyder's brother-in-law. After the failure of Mr. Harshman, with this enterprise, a new company was organized in July, 1904, of which Henry H. Durr became president and Mr. Snyder vice president. At this time the present firm style was adopted. The business is the manufacturing of all kinds of molded rubber goods. Employment is given 100 men. The plant occupies six acres of ground and the buildings are all of brick construction.

Mr. Snyder belongs to the Elks and to the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, both of Springfield.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.