Sullivan County PA Archives Biographies.....SNYDER, Jacob L. 1834 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com August 6, 2005, 5:17 am Author: Biographical Publishing Co. JACOB L. SNYDER, a large landowner and one of the representative men of Elkland township, Sullivan County, resides on his farm most of the time, but also is practically a citizen of Forksville. He is a son of Adam L. and Louisa (Eichenlaub) Snyder, and was born in New Bavaria, on the Rhine River, Germany, November 27, 1834. Adam L. Snyder, the father of our subject, was born in Germany and there learned the trade of a button and loop-maker, which he followed until 1836, when he came to America, landing in Baltimore, Md. He again took up his trade in Harrisburg, Pa., with that of tailoring, and continued at those occupations until after his removal to Pottsville, Pa. He next moved to Sullivan County, where he purchased a tract of timberland off the Ward tract in Cherry township, on which he resided ten years. He then moved to Dushore, in 1849, and erected the second house built in that town, which is now owned by James Farrell. He remained in that section until 1852, when he purchased the Eldred farm in Elkland township, one of the earliest settled farms in that locality, but in a short space of years he returned to Dushore and engaged in the grocery business. Later he purchased a small farm and engaged in agricultural pursuits until he removed to Campbellville, where he purchased a water privilege and built a grist-mill, which is now the property of Norton & Hotteinstein. He also built a house and barn and lived there until he removed to New Albany, Pa., where he bought a farm and followed farming until 1871, when he retired from active labors and moved to California, where he finally died. He was united in marriage with Louisa Eichenlaub, and the following children blessed their home: Henry, deceased; Jacob L., the subject of this personal history; John, a fruit-grower of California; Nicholas, a farmer of Canton; Louise, the wife of Benjamin Faustner of Salem, Ore.; Mary (McGeorge), of California; Adam, a farmer of Salem, Ore.; Christian, a farmer of Elkland township, Sullivan County; Caroline, deceased, who was the wife of Frederick Wiggen; and Angeline, the wife of John Knight, who resides in Salem, Ore. Politically Mr. Snyder was a strong Democrat, but never held nor sought office. Religiously he was reared under German Catholic influences in his native country, but upon coming to America he joined the Albrights. Jacob L. Snyder attended the public schools and, being bright and industrious by nature, he obtained a good education. His father's success as an agriculturist aided him in choosing his occupation, and he followed fanning after leaving school. He acquired part of the Eldred farm, some fifty acres, on which a Mr. Houck now resides, and on this he continued to live for some years, building a new house and making many other substantial improvements. He then went to Montoursville, where he purchased a canal boat and followed boating for one year, after which he again took up his former occupation. In 1867 he moved to Forksville, purchased the Forksville Hotel, which was being built at the time, and after completing it conducted it with the highest success for a period of twenty-one years, with the exception of two years, which he spent in the West. It was in the spring of 1870 that John H tick ell came East as agent for the Cawker, Huckell, Kaskinka & Rice Colony in Kansas. He described in glowing terms the inducements and benefits of the Western country, and during the summer succeeded in getting sixty of the citizens of Sullivan and Bradford counties interested in the project. Each member, upon the payment of $75, became a member of the colony, $15 of which sum was to go to the government. These men selected the land and upon the arrival of the colonists each was told where his tract was located. During the summer of that year all plans were laid, and in October, 1870, our subject and the other members bade good-bye to the East and started for the then far West. At the end of a week's travel they reached Solomon City, Kan., and at that point Mr. Snyder, together with John Huckell, William Brown, Francis Warren, Cheat Craven, William Warren, Rudolph Kaskinka, and William Huckell, engaged a team and together they travelled up the Solomon River Valley to the forks of the Solomon River, where the town of Cawker City was located. The journey covered 100 miles, taking three days to traverse the distance. The second night after leaving Solomon City a very amusing incident occurred which is of interest. As the party was traveling along wondering where they would spend the night, they discerned a light on the prairie, and with prospects of a good meal ahead and a warm place to sleep, they made for the light. Upon reaching it they were somewhat surprised to find that it was a mere hut constructed of sod, ii by 13 feet in size, and occupied by a man, his wife and three children. Advancing to the door our subject inquired if he and his party could be put up for the night. The proprietor, who was an Eastern man, replied that he would give them the best possible accommodations. So the team was outspanned and after partaking of a comfortable supper the balance of the evening was spent in telling the various experiences through which they had passed, and at an early hour they prepared to retire. Taking their blankets they made themselves as comfortable as possible on the floor, and there spent the night. During their journey it was not an uncommon sight to see many newly made graves, the result of the Indian outrages that had taken place the June before. In the third night the party reached the end of their 1,424-mile journey and were greatly surprised to find that Cawker City consisted of two houses or shanties, one being used for a hotel and the other occupied by Mr. Snyder's brother-in-law, Francis Best, who had arrived there about a month previously with his wife and nine children. It may be well to mention here that the party of ten of which our subject was a member left their families in the East. The day after their arrival the party proceeded to look up their land. All readers of history and those in touch with current events are presumably familiar with the ins and outs of what was called the Homestead Grant. Mr. Snyder received his grant of 160 acres, which had been selected by the above-mentioned company, but at the end of four days his idea of Western life underwent a decided change and remarking to the others that he would not bring his family to such a wilderness, he picked up his few belongings and with Francis Warren returned to Solomon City, and from there back to Forksville. In the spring of 1871 he purchased a hotel in Solomon City, Kan., for $4,000, and together with his family moved to his new purchase, where he conducted a hotel for about one and one-half years. At the expiration of that time, owing to ill health, he disposed of his property, but in the end lost his entire investment. He returned to Forksville, and in the spring of 1873 became proprietor of the Forksville Hotel, establishing a great reputation for himself and the establishment throughout that section of the county. Disposing of this finally, he built the store now conducted by A. L. Smith, which he still owns, and also three tenement houses. In 1893 he built the Snyder Hotel which he conducted for five years. He purchased the Daniel Little farm, located in Elkland township, consisting of 190 acres, on which he erected a new house and barn, and there he has since resided with the exception of the time which he spends in Forksville. He is also owner of numerous landed interests throughout that section. Always industrious and energetic, he has won his way to the front ranks of the business men. On January 1, 1857, Mr. Snyder married Sarah Ann Huckell, who was born in Elkland township, October 22, 1830, and was a daughter of William Huckell. They had two children: William H., who was born August 24, 1858, and died January 18, 1864; and George W., a commercial man of Forksville and owner of the old Ridgeway Farm in Elkland township, who was born September 7, 1860. He married Mary Fleming and has two children: Marion and Lou. Mrs. Snyder died November 26, 1861, and our subject formed a second alliance with Sarah Ann Huckell, who was born August 24, 1831, and they had one son: Charles L., born September 16, 1863, died September 18, 1863. Politically our subject is a Democrat and has served as a member of the borough council of Forksville, as supervisor and school director. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/pafiles/ File size: 9.2 Kb