John D. Snyder, justice of the peace, Berrysburg, Pennsylvania, was born in Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 9 December 1827.
Leonard Snyder, great-grandfather of John D. Snyder, came from Germany and settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, before the Revolutionary War.
Leonard Snyder Jr., grandfather of John D. Snyder, was one of the first settlers of Lykens Township. He was a farmer, and a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He was married, in Lykens Valley, to Amanda Shott, a native of the valley, and their children were:
John Snyder;
Samuel Snyder; and
Elizabeth Snyder.
Leonard Snyder Jr. was a Democrat in politics, and took an active part in township matters. He and his family were members of the German Reformed church. They were pioneers, and experienced the hardships and enjoyed the advantages of pioneer life.
John Snyder, father of John D. Snyder, was born in Lykens Township in 1794, and obtained a fairly good education in the subscription schools of the township. He was prominent in the advocacy of the public school system, and worked night and day to secure its adoption by the state. He was a farmer and stock raiser, and cultivated a farm of one hundred and fifty acres, which he greatly improved. He married Anna Mary Wert, who was born in Lykens Valley in 1799. Their children were:
Jacob Snyder;
John D. Snyder;
Leonard Snyder;
Emanuel Snyder; and
Child who died in infancy.
The mother, Anna Mary [Wert] Snyder, died in 1835, and then John Snyder married Elizabeth Enterline, a widow of George Lark of Lykens Valley, by whom he had one child who died in infancy.
John Snyder died on the homestead in 1849. In political views he was a Democrat, and took an active part in his party’s measures. His religious fellowship was in the German Reformed church. His second wife, Elizabeth [Enterline] Lark Snyder, died at Berrysburg in 1869.
John D. Snyder attended the subscription schools taught at the Hoffman Church during the winter months. He also attended the public school at Berrysburg for a short time. He worked on the homestead at farming until he was sixteen years old, when he came to Berrysburg and learned the trade of iron moulder in the foundry of Shaffer and Wenrich for two years. The firm then sold out and he went to Pittsburgh, where he worked one year in the foundry, and then returned to Berrysburg and engaged in business for himself. He and his brother bought the foundry and operated it a year and a half, after which he bought his brother’s interest and continues to run the business alone for upwards of fifty years, which he had made very successful, manufacturing stoves, plows, and other articles. He also owns a farm in the township. He built the first brick house in Berrysburg at a cost of $9000. Through unwise endorsements he lost his handsome accumulations made by many years of hard work, his losses aggregating $14,000.
John D. Snyder was married in Lykens Valley in 1849 to Hannah Lark, born in the valley, 26 December 1827. Their children are:
Jennie Snyder;
Mary Snyder;
Rachel Snyder;
Joseph Snyder;
Arthur L. Snyder;
John T. Snyder;
Elizabeth Snyder, deceased; and
Edwin Snyder, deceased.
Mr. John D. Snyder is a Republican in politics, and for thirty-five years has been justice of the peace, always being re-elected by good majorities. He is a just and judicious officer and his rulings are seldom reversed in the higher courts. In 1872 he was elected associate judge of the county, and served for five years. He has solemnized many marriages in the town and township. Mr. Snyder is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he holds the office of trustee, and is also the superintendent of the Sunday-school. He has been a lay delegate to the conference. In fraternity circles he is a prominent member of the Masonic order, and of Millersburg Lodge, No. 360, I.O.O.F.
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The above information was modified/edited from Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, published in 1896 by J. M. Runk and Company of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. A free download is available from the Internet Archive.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
See also:
Findagrave Memorial #114846935. John D. Snyder died in 1902. He is buried at the Old Methodist Church Cemetery, Berrysburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.