USA > Pennsylvania > Juniata County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 2, Pt. 2 > Part 39
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 2, Pt. 2 > Part 39
USA > Pennsylvania > Snyder County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 2, Pt. 2 > Part 39
USA > Pennsylvania > Union County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 2, Pt. 2 > Part 39
USA > Pennsylvania > Mifflin County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 2, Pt. 2 > Part 39
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recollection and prompt application of the rules of the House. None of his decisions were re- versed, and his amendments, which were fre- quently of importance, were almost always wlopted, with unanimity, showing the high re- -peet entertained by the Honse for his judgment.
With him originated, in the Legislature, a proposition to engraft the arbitration principle on the judicial system of the State, as also many other wholesome provisions for the adjustment if' controversies brought before justices of the prace. He continued, after repeated unanimous elections, to preside as Speaker to the session of 1805. During that session he was taken np as a candidate for the office of Governor, running in opposition to the then Governor, Thomas MeKean. Inthat campaign the question of the ! calling of a convention to amend the State Con- stitution was so intimately interwoven in the gubernatorial contest that it was conducted rather with reference to the question of the con- vention, than npon the popularity of the candi- dates. The result was that Governor MeKean was re-elected by a majority of five thousand votes.
In 1806 Mr. Snyder was again elected to the House of Representatives, and again chosen Speaker, and was re-elected to both positions in 1807. In 1808 he again became a candidate for Governor, and, after a warm and ardnous con- test, was elected by a majority of twenty-eight thousand. In 1811 he was re-elected, and again in 1814. In the War of 1812-15 his course was highly patriotic and ereditable to the great State of which he was Governor.
In the session of 1813-14 a very large ma- jority of both branches of the General Assembly passed a bill chartering forty banks. . The can- didate for Governor was at that the nominated by the members of the Legislature. Having assembled in emnens for that purpose, it was re- marked, after the meeting had been organized, that the bill to charter forty banks was then be- fore Governor Snyder, and that it would be prudent to adjourn the canens withont making any nomination of a candidate for Governor un- til it was ascertained whether he would or wonkl not approve of the bill. Within three days Governor Snyder returned the bill with his ob-
jections, and it did not pass during that session. His independence in the matter was the theme of ahost universal praise, and he was that year re-elected by a majority of nearly thirty thon- sand votes.
Having served as Governor for the constitu- tional period of nine years, he retired to his former place of residence, Selin's Grove, where, at the general election, he was chosen, and at once entered npon the discharge of his duties, as a guardian of the poor of the township.
At the next general election he was elected a State Senator, and served in that office during one session. Ile died November 9, 1819, at Selin's Grove, which had been his home for thirty-six years, and where he had enjoyed the confidence, respect and love of his fellow-citi- zens to a degree in which they are seldom pos- sessed by a man of long public career involy- ing oftentimes very rigid official action.
The following terse estimate and character- ization of Governor Snyder is from a letter written to Miss Mary K. Snyder by Hon. Simon Cameron :
" HARRISBURG, November 26, 1885. " My dear Miss Snyder :
"It is not possible for me to endure the labor of perming all I know about Governor Snyder. At my time of life writing is laborious. I knew Governor Suyder as well as an obscure man of eighteen could know one as distinguished as himself.
"Governor Snyder was greater in all the qualities that make a statesman than any of the Governors we have had since, as you will find by examining his State papers. He was the carly advocate of all the internal improvements which the State perfected during his term, including turnpikes, bridges and canals. One of his great ideas was to make a canal from Chesapeake Bay to Lake Ontario, so as to con- neet the Susquehanna with the lakes. He was per- sonally a man of fine address, spoke remarkably well in public and wrote with great ease.
"Very truly yours, "SIMON CAMERON."
Professor Daniel S. Boyer, in a historical memoir (hereafter mentioned), says that Gov- ernor Snyder was the first executive of the State to advocate a free-school system, and quotes his message to the Legislature on this subject as follows :
"The importance of education is still more en- hanced by the consideration that in a republienn or
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representative government every citizen may be called upon to assist in the enaction or execution of the laws of this country. To establish, therefore, a sys- tem of education calenlated to diffuse general instruc- tion is at once of primary importance."
Concerning the descendants of Governor Snyder there remains something to be said. Ilis first wife was Elizabeth Michael, of Lan- caster, by whom he had two children. Amelia, born June 21, 1791, was married to Dr. Phineas Jencks, a member of the House from Bucks Comity. Her only danghter was married to Rev. J. I. Elsegood, of East New York. Hon. John Snyder married Miss Mary Lonisa Kit- tera, daughter of Hon, John W. Kittera, Con- gressman from Lancaster. His children by this marriage are Miss Mary K. Snyder, of Selin's Grove; Mrs. Vandyke, married to James C. Vandyke, who was United States district attor- ney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Among his children by subsequent marriages are Mrs. G. W. Walls, of Lewisburgh, and Mrs. Daniel Mussleman, of Selin's Grove. Hon. John Suyder died at Selin's Grove Angust 15, 1850.
The children of Governor Snyder by second marriage were-Henry W. Snyder, born July 20, 1797 ; he was a paymaster in the late war and died at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. George 1. Suyder, a man of numistakable genius, was the second son. Ile died at Williamsport, July 6, 1865. His children were Mrs. Matthias App, of Michigan, Mrs. Kate Crane, Henry and George S., Mrs. Riley, Antes and Jesse D. Antes Snyder, who died at Pottstown in Decem- ber, 1861, was the child Mrs. Carson wished to kidnap in order to obtain. from Governor Sny- der the pardon of Smith, who was under sen- tence of death at Philadelphia. Antes was educated at West Point, where he graduated with high honors, and was sent by our govern- ment to England on business connected with the railway system, then in its infancy here. He was the engineer who designed and built the large stone bridges over the Schuylkill at the Falls and Peacock's Lock, above Reading, and one at Schuylkill Haven and a member of small ones along the line of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad.
. Governor Snyder was married, the third time,
to Mary Slough Scott, a widow, of Harrisburg, October 16, 1814. She survived him, and died at Harrisburg, October 8, 1823. She was a member of the Episcopal Church and was the first person who commenced a Sabbath-school at Selin's Grove. She is spoken of as a bril- liant woman in society.
MARY KITTERA SNYDER, a prominent and well-known lady of Selin's Grove, Snyder County, was born in that town, and is a grand- daughter of Hon. Simon Snyder, who was Governor of Pennsylvania, after whom thiscoun- ty is named. A sketch of him and another of his distinguished son, Hon. John Snyder, who was the father of Miss Snyder, appear in this volume. On her mother's side Miss Snyder is descended from old Scotch-Irish Pennsylvania stock. Her maternal grandfather was Hon. Jolm Wilkes Kittera, who was the son of a Presbyterian minister and was born in Lancas- ter County, in a district which he afterwards represented in Congress for ten years, from 1791 to 1801. Having been graduated in the arts at Princeton College in 1776, he studied law and was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in 1782. Subsequently he served as United States dis- triet attorney for the Eastern District of Pen- sylvania. He married Ann, daughter of Cap- tain John Moore and Elizabeth (nee Doyle), his wife, who was a noted belle and beauty, at Lan- caster, November 8, 1786, and he died June 6, 1801, at the age of forty-eight.
ITe left to survive him his widow and several children, one of whom was Hon. Thos. Kittera, one of the most eminent lawyers of the Philadel- phia bar, whither he came with his father shortly before the latter's death. Healso was graduated at Princeton College and shortly afterwards was admitted to practice as an attorney-March 8, 1808. He was deputy attorney-general of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1817, and again in 1824. He represented Philadelphia in the United States House of Representatives in 1826-27. Ile died June 16, 1839, aged fifty. As he was an only son and never married, the direct male line ended with him. He was a man of' varied culture, learned, not only in his chosen profession, but well versed in literature and the arts. He was a public speaker of great
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eloquence and power, and his handsome and in- tellectnal face always commanded attention. He was Grand Master of Masons of Pennsylvania and presided over the Grand Lodge of that fra- ternity in 1826, 1827 and 1828. An elegant uil portrait of him, painted by Thomas Sully, and presented to the Grand Lodge by Miss Snyder, hangs in the Grand Master's office in the Masonic Temple at Philadelphia.
The mother of Miss Snyder was Mary Louise Kittera, a daughter of John Wilkes Kittera and a sister of Thomas Kittera. She was mar- | business relations with the post-office under her
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ried to Hon. John Snyder, as above mentioned, and resided with him at the old family mansion at Selin's Grove until the time of her death, (which happened when the subject of this sketch was only two months old), leaving two children, both daughters.
Upon the death of Mrs. Snyder her children were taken charge of by their ma- ternal grand-mother, Mrs. Kittera, in Philadelphia, who lived with her son Thomas in a large house on the south side of Walnut Street (old number 140), between Fifth and Sixth Streets, opposite Independence Square, where Thomas Kittera had his office.
Mary Kittera Snyder was educated at Professor Picot's French School, at that time the leading sem- inary for young ladies in the city of Philadel- phia, and was taught all the accomplishments of a young lady of high social position. It was the intention of Mr. Thomas Kittera to travel abroad with his nieces to finish their education, but the projected tour was prevented by his death. Occupied in social duties and actively engaged in church-work of various kinds, the life of Miss Snyder was nneventfil until 1861, when she left Philadelphia and returned to Selin's Grove, where she had the income of a farm which had been left her by her father. In 1869 President Grant, at the request of the
I Ion. Simon Cameron, who was her father's warm friend, appointed her postmistress of Selin's Grove. It was, perhaps, in this capacity, more than any other, that she beemme best known to the inhabitants of Selin's Grove and its vicinity. She continned to discharge the duties of this office for ten years by snecessive reappointments, until she resigned it, in 1879. That she per- formed these duties faithfully and well is the imiversal testimony of the leading bankers, merchants and professional men who came into
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THE GOVERNOR SNYDER MANSION.
management. She still resides in Selin's Grove, making occasional visits to Philadelphia, where she has a large circle of old friends and acquaint- ances, who regard her with a great deal of af- fection and respect. She is a member of the Episcopal Church, and combines an carnest, Christian character with the courtly manners and elegant good-breeding which is naturally to be expected from her birth and education.
THE GOVERNOR SNYDER MANSION .- The old Governor Snyder mansion, in Selin's Grove, with its massive walls, stands out prominently, as if to call attention to something of interest. Here the honest and patriotic Governor, with
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the honors of a conspicnous career, spent the last years of his eventful life. The grounds surrounding this mansion were cultivated and ornamented with great care. The large, old- fashioned stairway, easy to ascend, with its several broad landings at every turn ; the arched doorways, ten feet in height ; the open hearth in all the rooms, even to the third floor; the wide, open fire-place in the kitchen, with its swinging erane, still linger to tell us what was once the delight and comfort of its first occu- pant. This edifice was built in 1816, during the Governor's last term of office, and he died in it while a member of the State Senate. Dif- ferent families resided in this house as lessees of the Snyder family, until 1827, when its ownership passed to Henry W. Snyder, son of the Governor, and in 1852 he conveyed it to his brother Antes, who by will devised the prop- erty to his wife, Mary B., who was the last representative of the Snyder family owning the old homestead. In 1864 she transferred it to George W. Ziegler, Esq., now of Sunbury. In 1865 Hon. Samuel Alleman and family became the occupants, the title passing to his wife, An E. Alleman. Mr. Alleman lived in this prop- perty until his death, February 28, 1881. In the fall of the same year his son, Horace Alle- man, Esq., and family moved into the property and are still the occupants. Prior to 1864 this place was often occupied by tenants, during which time many things around the premises were allowed to go into deeline, and it was not until occupied by the Alleman family that a change was made in the way of improvement and ornamentation. Evergreens, shrubbery, lawn and summer-house were among the im- provements. In 1874, during the great confla- gration the third story of this building was greatly damaged and the large side porch con- smmed. But repairs were soon made, and al- though marked changes can be observed, show- ing modern improvements, yet the old solid walls and nearly all of the interior still show the original architecture of the building. The above engraving shows the building before the fire.
THE SNYDER MONUMENT .- Governor Sny- der was buried in the old Lutheran grave-yard, }
in the town of Selin's Grove. There have his remains reposed since 1819. For fifteen years all that marked his grave was the Imumble mound of mother earth. In 1836 a plain mar- ble slab, without any inscription, was placed over his remains. This now marks the tomb of his son, John Snyder, in the grave-yard of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
For sixty-two years the last resting-place of the distinguished dead was comparatively unknown, and it remained for the Hon. Simon P. Wolver- ton, State Senator from the district composed of Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties, to render to Simon Snyder the homage and re- speet which his high character merited, by securing the passage of a Legislative act, May 24, 1881, appropriating three thousand dollars toward erecting a suitable monument to his memory. Those entrusted to carry out the pro- visions of the act proceeded to the performance of theirduty, and the present beautiful and artistic monument was placed in position. It was made of Quincy granite, is surmonuted by a life-size bronze bust of the Governor facing the sonth, while on the cast, south and west sides are fine bronze medallions, representing him as a tanner, a statesman and a fariner. On the south side there is also in polished granite the coat of arms of Pennsylvania, and the following in- seription : " Erected by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the memory of Simon Snyder." On the north side of the moonmeut are inscribed the dates of his birth and death, together with the several positions of honor and trust held by him.
The unveiling of this monument, and the delivering of it from the State to the custody of the citizens represented by a committee, and also the ceremonies connected therewith, com- bined to make the 27th of May, 1885, at Selin's Grove, one of historie importance, and such as can never be obliterated from the minds of those who beheld it. The day was propitions and the town was crowded with people. 1 large number of the descendants of Governor Snyder were present. A special train from Harrisburg brought the Governor, the chief's of the several State departments and the members of both Houses of the Legislature. Prominent
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among the arrivals were Governor Pattison, ex-United States Senator Simon Cameron, ex- Governors Curtin and Hartranft, Judges Finley and Bucher, Hon. John B. Packer, Hon. Hugh M. North and Major William P. Elliott, in his ninety-third year, who held a commission under Governor Snyder. The citizens were justly proud of the occasion, and they strove to show their appreciation by their generous hospitality. The old mansion, decorated with the national colors, had its doors thrown wide open, and many visited this place of interest, and partook of the hospitality of its host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs HI. Alleman. At the residences of Messrs. George Sehre, Philip Hilbish, James K. Davis, Calvin B. North, Dr. B. F. Wagenseller, Franklin J. Schoch, J. G. 1 .. Shindel and others were also entertained many of the distinguished guests. At the residence of Miss Mary K. Snyder, a grand- daughter of the Governor, most of the Snyder descendants were entertained.
Among the distinguished personages present was Captain William Wayne, a descendant of General Anthony Wayne. He was the guest of Horare Alleman, Esq.
The parade took place in the afternoon, under the chief marshalship of Dr. B. F. Wagenseller. Arriving at the grave-yard, the following order of exereises were carried out :
Music-Middleburg band.
Prayer-By Rev. J. Max Hark.
Music by band, and unveiling of the statne by Miss Mary Lilian Snyder, great-grand- daughter of Governor Snyder.
Address by Gov. Pattison, delivering the mon- ment to the enstody of the citizens of the town. Address by A. W. Potter, Esq., accepting the trust on behalf of the citizens.
Addresses by ex-Governor A. G. Curtin, Hon. Simon Cameron, ex-Gov. John F. Hartranfi.
An address, delivered by Rev. J. P. Shindel, Sr., at the burial of Governor Snyder, in 1819, was then translated and read by Professor D. S. Boyer, after which Rev. J. P. Shindel, Jr., a son of the former, read the original address, as delivered in German.1
t An historienl address was also prepared by Professor Daniel S. Boyer, which was published in the newspy r
After extending to the local committee a manimons vote of thanks, the ceremonies closed. In a few hours the town was left to its usual quiet, and the events of the day had passed into history. The marked snecess attending the cermonies was due chiefly to the untiring efforts of the local committee, composed of B. F. Wagenseller (chairman), J. A. Lumbard (seere- tary), George Sehure, James K. Davis, C. B. North, Horace Alleman, F. J. Schoch, A. W. Potter, J. W. Gangler, M. S. Schroyer, George R. Hendricks, James P. Ulrich and S. V. Dye.
THE BIG FIRES, ETC .- The first great con- flagration in Selin's Grove was on the night of February 21, 1872 ; and the second and larger one was on the evening of October 30, 1874. Much valable property and many honses were con- sumed. More handsome residences and larger places of business have since taken the place of those destroyed. Market Square, which formerly extended one hundred feet north and south of Pine, was extended north as far as the Snyder mansion, an addition in length of about three hundred and fifty feet.
A steam fire-engine and two hose-carriages were purchased by the borough in 1873, and a hook-and-ladder truck was soon after added to the fire equipments. The Fire Department now consists of the Susquehanna Fire and Hose Companies, and the Dauntless Hook-and-Lad- der Company.
On account of the unsatisfactory supply of water in case of fire, the subject of water-works was then agitated, and after considerable dis- cussion was, on June 30, 1885, submitted to a vote of the people, who thus decided the ques- tion in the affirmative. The Town Council, after publishing for proposals for the supply of water and fire plugs to the borough, entered into a contract with Peter Herdie, who agreed to furnish the same, the plngs to be thirty, at the aunnal rental of one thousand dollars for ten years. August 27, 1885, a charter was granted to Peter Herdie and others, and on November 9th work was commenced on the trenches for the
accounts of the proceedings, as n document giving, perhaps, the fullest biography of the Governor which appeared in connection with the ceremonies of the monamental dedica- tion, -Kb.
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pipe. On the 9th of January, 1886, water was pumped into the pipes, and the first stream of water thrown from the fire-plug -.
BUSINESS AND MANUFACTURING INTERESTS. -Ever since Selin's Grove had an existence down to 1872 it was a place of note and activity, on account of its being a great shipping poiut. The products of agriculture were continually being delivered at the place, to be shipped to the Eastern cities-at first by means of arks and river-boats floated down the Susquehanna, and later by means of the canal-boat. Pig-iron from Beaver Furnace was hauled to this point for transportation. Two, four and six horse teams, coming in all directions from as far dis- tant as twenty-five aud thirty miles, filled the town and daily made its streets the scene of bustle and business activity. After unloading their products came the purchases from the merchants of the place. Coal, plaster, dry-goods, grocer- ies, hardware and iron were among the articles always returned with these teams. The con- struction of the Sunbury and Lewistown Rail- road through Middle Creek Valley, in 1871, put an end to this activity in Selin's Grove. Stations and shipping-points were established along the line, thus giving to the people of the valley great advantages and depriving Selin's Grove of what had heretofore been it- life and support. What is now required to give the place a new impetus must come in the way of manufactories. For this purpose its location cannot be excelled ; its shipping facilities by rail are excellent and its water-power is among the best. Prior to 1836 Mathias App, brother to the late John App, carried on the distilling business in the building at the end of Walut Street. Water was supplied to the distillery out of a well located on a lot of the northeast cor- ner of Market and Walnut Streets. This water was pumpel by dog- placed inside a wheel about fifteen feet in diameter. Inside this wheel the dogs started ou their journey, which set the wheel in motion, and this was furnished the imotive-power to the pump. h is narrated that when dogs hecame so degraded as to model innocent sheep they were captured and chipped to this distillery. It was afterward, changed to a brewery, then to a foundry, owned for
many years by Rohrbach & Rudy, and later by Hohnes & Kocher.
In the upper part of the borough stands a large brick flour-mill, owned and operated by G. & H. D. Schuure. This site for many years was occupied by a grist-mill and a saw-mill, though at this date there are no traces of the latter.1 Above Schmire's mill stood a stemm saw-mill, built by Leonard App and George Gundrum. It was burned in 1850, and soon afterward Dean & Schoch built a large machine-shop and foundry on the same site, which, in 1864, was removed to Milton. This ground was again occupied by a large steam saw-mill about 1870, and operated by L. R. Hummel & Co., which was also burned iu 1875.
The Maine Saw-Mill was built in 1850 by Messrs. Scribner & Perkins, two gentlemen from the State of Maine. At first most of the saw- ing was done by a " gang-saw," containing six or eight saws. This mill has always been operated by steam, by the original owners and by Carey & Schnure, Carey & Cooper, John Hummel & Co. and Edwin Huminel.
Keely's saslı-factory, on the Isle of Que, for many years was the scene of much business and manufacturing. This was built by Messrs. Cal- sher & Moyer. It then passed into the possession
1 The following is from Linn's " Annals of Buffalo Valley;" "On the 25th December, 1792, a petition was presented to the Senate, on the part of Simon Snyder and Ambony Selin's heirs, to enable them to maintain a damn across Penn's Creek, of the height of two and one-half feet. This aroused the selfler- along the creek and produced a remon- strance, read in the Senate March 1, 1793, which stated 'that Simon Suyder and Anthony. Selin, before his death. erected a damn across the main current of Penn's Creek ; that there were no less than ten mills within nine miles of Snyder's some of which grind the year round, unobstructed by ice, uml they -ubjoin a list of the mills, with their dis- lahee- from Suyder's,-launer-lager's and Bickle's, within three miles; Wpor'a, three miles wird a hudf; słucha, four miles ; Rah's, five miles; Hickudron's, mix ; Maclay's, seven miles; swineford's, ditto; Weitzel's, eight ; and Frederick Story, nine miles. This bring the case, we con- sider is highly injurious to stop the whole navigation of l'eun's Creek in order to promote the imlivilanl interest of Simon Snyder, Esquire," &c. Notwithstanding this remonstrance being -ignel by many of the leading citizens, the Legislature, April 10, 1793, jau -- ed an act authorizing the dalu.
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