;
September 2017 Posts
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on October 4, 2017
A listing of the September 2017 posts on The Civil War Blog with direct links:
Was Sylvester Snyder, Buried at Berrysburg, a Civil War Veteran?
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on October 2, 2017
Sylvester Snyder (1844-1891), son of Abraham Snyder (1814-1888) and Hannah Maria [Bordner} Snyder (1821-1900), is buried at the Old Methodist Cemetery, Berrysburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Alongside his grave marker is a a G.A.R. Star-Flag Holder indicating that he was a veteran of the Civil War. Initial efforts to locate his regiment and company of service were not successful as reported here on 26 April 2012:
Sylvester Snyder…is buried in Old Methodist Cemetery, Berrysburg. There is a G.A.R. marker at his grave but to date, no military regiment has been identified for him. There are at least two persons with this name in the Lykens Valley area and the records could be co-mingled.
According to information found in the database Death Notices of Members of Fraternal Orders, Kansas Historical Society, Sylvester Snyder was a member of the Knights of Pythias at Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas, at the time of his death, 29 December 1891, which is the same date as on his grave marker.
Using this information, a search was made in Newspaper.com, which produced the following result from the Kansas City Gazette (Kansas), 29 December 1891:
A PROMINENT CITIZEN DIES
Sylvester Snyder, Manager of the Chicago Lumber Company, a Victim of Pneumonia
Sylvester Snyder, manager of the Chicago Lumber Company, and a prominent and highly respected citizen, died suddenly at 2 o’clock this morning at his home, 516 Everett Avenue.
Mr. Snyder about a week ago received an attack of pneumonia, from which he suffered greatly. Last night he was resting easily, when a relapse for the worse set in, and which caused his death early this morning.
Mr. Snyder came to this city about eight years ago and took charge of the Chicago Lumber Company in this city. He was closely identified with several large enterprises.
The remains of Mr. Snyder will be shipped to his former home in Pennsylvania. A sister of the deceased is on her way from Pennsylvania and will accompany the remains back.
In the obituary from the Kansas City Gazette, no mention was made of Civil War service.
Another obituary was found in the Wyandott Herald (Kansas City, Kansas) of 31 December 1891, which contained the following additional information, but it also did not indicate Civil War service:
Dead
Sylvester Snyder, business manager of the Chicago Lumber Company for the past seven and a half years, is dead. He died at 1 o’clock a.m. on Tuesday, 29 December 1891, at his rooms at 506 Everett Street. He was taken with la grippe on Tuesday, the 21st inst., which was followed by pneumonia and culminated in his death at the time above stated.
Mr. Snyder was born at Berrysburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 14 August 1844. His father died about six months ago at their home in Pennsylvania. His mother, one brother and a sister reside in that state. The sister is expected to arrive here today and will take the remains home with her for interment.
Mr. Snyder was highly esteemed by his acquaintances in this city. He attended strictly to his own business never interfering or meddling with other people’s affairs. He was very conscientious and honorable in all his dealings and no man speaks of him but in the most friendly manner.
He was a member of the Knights of Pythias and during his sickness had every care and attention possible to bestow. He was a hale, hearty, robust man and his death was a great shock to his many friends.
Thus far, no Pennsylvania obituary has been located.
The Findagrave Memorial for Sylvester Snyder at the Old Methodist Cemetery, Berrysburg, has no specific information about Civil War service, although the G.A.R. Star-Flag Holder is pictured.
Two persons named Sylvester Snyder were located in the Pennsylvania Veterans’ Card File at the Pennsylvania Archives.
- Sylvester Snyder, 50th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, Private. Age 29, an engineer at enrollment, and a resident of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania.. Mustered in on 11 April 1864. Died of wounds on 10 May 1864.
- Sylvester W. Snyder, 138th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company I, Corporal. Age 31, a tobacconist at enrollment, and a resident of Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Mustered in on 26 August 1862 and Mustered Out on 31 May 1865.
In the above two cases, the first one can be eliminated because of his death in the war, and the second can most likely be eliminated because of his age. The second can also be eliminated because the pension records indicate that he was survived by a widow who collected benefits, therefore, unlikely a match due to neither obituary mentioning a widow as a survivor.
I the Fold3 records, there are seven Pension Index Cards for persons named Sylvester Snyder who served in Pennsylvania, Ohio, or New York regiments. By eliminating the two above and by eliminating the others who have death dates and places that don’t match the Sylvester Snyder researched here, it can be stated with some degree of certainty that if the Sylvester Snyder buried at Berrysburg did serve in the war, he did not apply for a pension.
While this research has provided some new information about his place of death and resulted in two obituaries, the question still remains as to whether Sylvester Snyder who is buried at Berrysburg was actually a Civil War veteran and whether the G.A.R. marker is properly placed at his grave.
Readers are invited to comment.
William W. Snyder – Died at a Virginia Hospital, 1864
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 28, 2017
William W. Snyder was born about 1838 in Klingerstown, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
On 19 August 1861, he enrolled in the 50th Pennsylvania Infantry at Mahantonga, Schuylkill County, and on 9 September 1861, he was mustered into Company A as a Corporal at Harrisburg. At the time, he was 23 years old, stood 5 foot 10 inches tall, had dark hair, a dark complexion, and grey eyes. He gave his residence as Klingerstown and his occupation as bricklayer. Near the end of his term of service, he re-enlisted at Blaine’s Crossroads, Tennessee, and at some point during this re-enlistment, he was promoted to Sergeant. The record also shows that he died of disease on 6 September 1864 at City Point, Virginia. Source: Pennsylvania Veterans’ File Card, shown above from the Pennsylvania Archives.
Other military records show that he died at a hospital at City Point as a result of diarrhea. He is buried in the National Cemetery at that place.
Not much more is known about him except that in the immediate years after the Civil War, no one applied for a pension based on his service and sacrifice. However, on 21 April 1882, his mother applied for survivor’s benefits, which, according to the Pension Index Card shown below from Fold3, she did not receive.
Additional information about William W. Snyder can therefore be found in the pension application by his mother, which unfortunately is not yet available on Fold3. However, the file is available at the National Archives. The file was not consulted for this blog post.
Additional information is sought about William W. Snyder, his life and Civil War service as well as information about any survivors he may have left behind.
_________________________________________
Carsonville Veteran Helps Rescue Traveler, 1905
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 25, 2017
From the pages of the Elizabethville Echo of 9 February 1905, comes the following story of a rescue from the snow of a numb traveler in the area of Carsonville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. One of those included in the rescue was William Snyder, a Civil War veteran of Carsonville, who opened his home to the poor man.
A Heroic Deed (Special to THE ECHO)
FISHERVILLE, 7 February 1905. On Tuesday Eve. of last week news came to the Reformed parsonage that an aged man was seeking nights repose in a straw stack, two miles from the parsonage. The young pastor, G. W. Spotts, with atheletic [sic] build and daring skill combined, started in company with his neighbor, Mr. Frank Killinger to rescue the man. The weather was intensely cold, the snow deep and walking very difficult. After great exertion, they reached the place and found the man in a numb condition. He refused to get up at first, but there was no time given to argument, he suddenly fell in clutches that brought to the ground many a foot ball star of former days. When he saw that he was embraced with human arms as strong as iron bands he yielded at once. After rubbing his legs and moving his arms, he was enabled to walk again. They roused out of bed a kind and most generous farmer, Mr. William Snyder, who sheltered him overnight.
What a wilful sacrifice that was to save a wandering Jew. If anything proves a man’s sincerity, such a feat surely does. What a future to save souls that young preacher must have before him.
A CITIZEN
During the Civil War, William Snyder served in the 127th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company G, as a Private, from 9 August 1862 through an honorable discharge on 29 May 1863.
Although the above card from the Pennsylvania Archives states that his residence was Elizabethtown, he actually was from Elizabethville and Washington Township. He was about 28 years old at the time of enlistment and gave his occupation as shoemaker.
Following the war, he settled in the Carsonville area and is found in the 1890 Veterans’ Census for Carsonville, Wayne Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
The Pension Index Card from Ancestry.com notes that William Snyder applied for an invalid pension on 11 August 1890, and his widow Rebecca Snyder, applied on 9 January 1906, an indication that William died prior to that date.
In searching the Elizabethville Echo, a brief notice was found that residents of Dietrich, Dauphin County, attended the funeral of a William Snyder in December 1905 at Carsonville. No mention was made in the article that William Snyder was a Civil War veteran.
From other sources, namely Pennsylvania Death Certificates from 1906 and afterward, a son Aaron Nathaniel Snyder, who died in 1929, Rebecca, the widow, was the former Rebecca Bretz.
From the date of the rescue of the traveler, William Snyder lived less than a year.
He is buried at the St. James Cemetery, Carsonville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
________________________________
News clippings from Newspapers.com.
Civil War Walking Tour of Gratz Revisited
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on September 21, 2017
Here are direct links to a series of posts on this blog which describe buildings and sites in Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, that have a relationship to the Civil War era:
Gratz During the Civil War
Gratz During the Civil War – Solomon Wolf House
Gratz During the Civil War – Zacharias Laudenslager House
Gratz During the Civil War – Hartman & Keiter Property
Gratz During the Civil War – Cemeteries (Part 1)
Gratz During the Civil War – Cemeteries (Part 2)
Gratz During the Civil War – Cemeteries (Part 3)
Gratz During the Civil War – Cemeteries (Part 4)
Gratz During the Civil War – Zacharias Laudenslager Property
Gratz During the Civil War – Tobias Wiest House
Gratz During the Civil War – I.O.O.F. Building
Gratz During the Civil War – Phillips House
Gratz During the Civil War – Ossman House
Gratz During the Civil War – Harner House
Gratz During the Civil War – Ritzman House
Gratz During the Civil War – Keiter-Snyder Property
Gratz During the Civil War – Crabb House
Gratz During the Civil War – William H. Yohe, Carpenter
Gratz During the Civil War – Isaiah Schminky, Physician
Gratz During the Civil War – James Novinger House
Gratz During the Civil War – Daniel Good House
Gratz During the Civil War – Good Tannery
Gratz During the Civil War – Franklin Fidler House
Gratz During the Civil War – Samuel’s Church
Gratz During the Civil War – Fort Jackson
Gratz During the Civil War – Jonas Faust, Coach Maker
Gratz During the Civil War – Leopold Loeb House
Gratz During the Civil War – Charles Gerhard Property
Gratz During the Civil War – William Scheib House
Gratz During the Civil War – George Ossman, Boot and Shoe Maker
Gratz During the Civil War – Rudolph Dornheim Properties
Gratz During the Civil War – Henry M. Witmer, Saddle & Harness Maker
Gratz During the Civil War – Henry Kauderman, Boot and Shoe Maker
Gratz During the Civil War – John Hummel, Tinsmith
Gratz During the Civil War – Leonard Reedy House
Gratz During the Civil War – Kissinger House
Gratz During the Civil War – Rebecca Alspach Buffington House
Gratz During the Civil War – Elias Zerfing, Carpenter
Gratz During the Civil War – Rudolph H. Dornheim, Cabinetmaker
Gratz During the Civil War – George Moyer House
Gratz During the Civil War – Dr. Andrew Maurer House
Gratz During the Civil War – Theodore Gratz House
Gratz During the Civil War – Jeremiah Crabb, Blacksmith
Gratz During the Civil War – Post Office
Gratz During the Civil War – First Public School
PA Historian
Most Popular
- Popular Men's Names of the Civil War (Part 1 of 3)
- Mary Kilraine of Williamstown - Civil War Laundress
- Obituary of Albert G. Cummings - Millersburg Inventor of the Aeroplane, 1896
- 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry - Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg
- Civil War Draft Registration Records, 1863-1865
- A Searchable Index to the Pennsylvania Monument at Gettysburg
- William W. Snyder - Died at a Virginia Hospital, 1864
- Historical County Maps of Pennsylvania
- Popular Women's Names from the Civil War (Part 2 of 3)
- Pope Pius IX - The Vatican, Lincoln and the Civil War
-
