Samuel Snyder

As printed in 1889

AMUEL SNYDER was born in Washington County, Md., October 9, 1820, a son of Anthony and Rebecca (Newman) Snyder, who were natives of Franklin County, Penu. They moved from Washington County, Md., in 1836 to Stark County, Ohio, thence in 1844 to Knox County, Ohio, where the father died April 10, 18(37, and the mother in March, 1875. They reared nine children, eight of whom are still living: Samuel; Daniel, in Allen County, Ind.; Elizabeth, unmarried, residing in Champaign County, Ohio; Rebecca, wife of Dr. Ayres, of Horner, Knox Co., Ohio; Jonathan, in Mount Liberty, Knox Co., Ohio; David C, in Kansas City, Mo.; and William B. and Franklin, in Knox County, Ohio.

Of these, Samuel was reared on the farm and attended the district schools of Stark County, Ohio. At an early ago he learned the trade of a carriage maker, which occupation he has since followed. He has lived in West Lebanon since 1838, and in 1842 he established his present carriage manufacturing business. In 1841 Mr. Snyder married Miss Catherine, daughter of Robert Thompson, of Stark County, Ohio, and six children have been born to them, viz.: William H., of Sugar Creek Township, Wayne County; Mary R., deceased wife of Eli Bradeu; Martha Jane and Francis, at home; Sarah E., wife of Lewis Brenner, of Brookfield, Ohio; and Letitia C, wife of Jacob Eby, in Michigan. Mr. Snyder has always voted the Democratic ticket, and has served his township as school director for several years, and as justice of the peace since ffOHN W. McVICKEK was born K I February 2, 1816, in Bedford County, Penn., a son of David and Eve (Wortze) McVicker, former of whom was a native of Bedford County, Penn., and died in his sixty-first year; latter died at the age of seventy-four years, eleven months and twenty-two days, and is buried in the old cemetery grounds near Congress Village, in Wayne County, Ohio. John W., their son, can truthfully be classed among the old settlers of Wayne County, coming here as he did with his widowed mother October 14, 1832. They first resided in Chester Township, but in the following spring moved onto a farm near Congress Village, in Congress Township, where was quite a settlement of pioneers living in the primitive log cabins of the times, and enduring all the hardships and privations incidental to early life in the then comparative wilderness. At that time nearly all the land subject to entry had been taken up, but large quantities of school land were still in the market. Here in the vicinity of Congress our subject grew to manhood, working: on the farm throughout the year, with the exception of two or three months' schooling in winter time. September 18, 1838, he was married to Miss Catherine Garver, daughter of David Garver, who beyond doubt was one of the first settlers of Wayne County, and in 1815 one of the pioneers of Congress Township. To Mr. and Mrs. McVicker were born the following-named children: Martha Jane, born May 9, 1839, died November 4, 1875; Sarah, born June 6,

1840, married Henry Houman, of Congress Township; Eve, born November 16,

1841, now the wife of Thomas Henderson, an old soldier and industrious blacksmith, living in West Salem, Ohio; Jasper, born January 16, 1842, married, and living four miles south of West Salem on a farm; Marion, born September 12, 1844, died August 4, 1845; Elizabeth Ann, born January 15, 1846, now the wife of Barton Ginter, and living on the old homestead, five miles south of West Salem, in Congress Township; William C, born March 27, 1847, died March 28, 1876; Catherine, born November 14, 1848, now the wife of William Rumbaugh, also living near West Salem; John, twin brother of Catherine, died September 19, 1858; Mary Ann, born March 17, 1851, died May 16, 1873; Lydia, born March 16, 1853, died July i, 1873; Jesse, born April 1, 1855, is married, and living on a farm in Medina County, Ohio; Harmon, born November 7, 1856, is married, and is at present the courteous and popular landlord of the McVicker Hotel, in "West Salem (they had four children that died in infancy). Thus is to be found a large family reared and cared for, clothed and educated, and now industrious and useful citizens, all living in the immediate neighborhood of where they were born and brought up. The mother of this family died September 18, 1858, and in the fall of 1877 Mr. McVicker married Lavina Bitzer Lemon, a native of Lancaster County, Penn., born April 9, 1811, and who came to Ohio with her parents in 1836. She died January 20, 1887, in her seventy-sixth year.

Mr. John W. McVicker has by his frugality, industry and good management accumulated a handsome competency, and he is now owner of 500 acres of land, highly cultivated and well improved. For twenty years he was identified with the business interests of West Salem, and successfully conducted the hotel business of the place, erecting for that purpose a commodious and excellently appointed building, costing upward of $5,000. Although retired from active life, Mr. McVicker is not an idler, and he seems to retain all the keen vigor of his youth in business affairs, taking a deep interest in politics and the general topics of the day. He is a veterinary surgeon of excellent ability, and has successfully practiced since 1853, having performed many surgical operations of a very difficult nature; has never failed in removing tumor, curing ringbone or removing spavin. He is proprietor and manufacturer of the Green Mountain Liniment.

As printed in Commemorative biographical record of Wayne County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families .. (1889). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.