James Henry Snyder

Left to Right: Florence (Darl), James Henry, Whit, Mary Elizabeth Hoover, Mary (Mamie) and Elvin

This part of James' history was written in 1981 after Thelma Snyder Christensen (granddaughter) received two Missionary Diaries from Dale Herendean (grandson) who's mother Mary (Mamie) Elizabeth Snyder Herendean has had them in her possession for years.

We were sure glad to get them. So we could write more of his history. James received his Mission call in late fall of 1902.

His children numbering as follows:

Whitmer (Whit) born 30 Nov 1879, who had married in Dec 1901.

Martin born 16 Jan 1882, passing away 9 Feb 1882.

Florence (Darl) born 10 Dec 1882.

Elvin born 28 Apr 1886.

Mary (Mamie) born 10 Jun 1888.

Waldo born 22 Feb 1890, passing away 23 Dec 1892.

Karl born 21 May 1894.

James left 85 East 6th North Provo, Utah, 13 Jan 1903, by train to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah at 7:45 am. arriving in Salt Lake at 9:20 am. went to Brother Spence's office to get his ticket which cost $34.25, fro traveling to his Mission destination of the Eastern States.

At 2 pm went to Salt Lake Temple Annex where he was set apart for his Mission by President Rulen S. Wells, and received instructions from Brother Wells, J.H. Smith, G. Kimball and A.O. Woodruff. Brother J.D. Dixon took him to his home, had a very nice evening with him and his family, till at 1 pm 14 Jan 1903. Then went to Patriarch John Smith's office to get his Blessing.

At 6 pm took train to Ogden, met his compansions Elder Noble and Elder Burningham. Arriving in Ogden at 7:45 pm, 14 Jan 1903.

Leaving for the East at 8:30 pm. Past through Laramie Wyoming. Stopped a few minutes in Cheyenne Wyoming. 15 Jan on way to Omaha Nebraska, arriving there at 8 am 16 Jan 1903. Laid over till 5:45 pm. Leaving for Chicago Illinois, arriving there at 9 am 17 Jan. Visited Linklin Park (I don't think it is there now) which was on the shore of Lake Michigan.

Took train at 3 pm for Jersey City, New Jersey arriving there at 9:30 pm 18 Jan. Took boat to New York getting to Mission House at 11 pm. Stayed in New York till the evening of 21 Jan 1903.

Visiting points of interest, such as Navy Yard, Aqarium, of fish and animals, visited Trinity Church there were graves around yard which dated back to 1674. Seen Wall Street Great Money changers of the World, Treasury of the United States, where President Washington took Oath of Office. His Statue is standing on the steps of building. Seen highest building of New York City, it is 32 stories from ground to dome. Seem the Great Egyptian Needle, 65 feet high 7 feet square at base, has curious byroglifiics and is many Centurys old.

At 5 pm took boat for providence Rhode Island, landing there at 8 pm 22 Jan. Then took train to Boston Massachusetts, arrived there at 9 pm going to Mission House.

23 Jan went to Somerville to look for a room, back to Boston in evening. Sat 24 Jan. Back to Somerville got a room at 15 Stone Ave. In Somerville I would judge of about 10 or more miles, back to Boston for their Sunday meetings, 25 Jan first one since leaving home. Sorta settled in for a while.

Mon 26 Jan moved our things to Somerville to new home. It only took us 13 days to travel to our Mission. (I'd say it was a long and tireing trip.)

James Henry Snyder in Dec of 1903 visited several of his cousins in New Jersey, Tacoma, Philadelphia Pennsylvania. A cousin Isaac Halvey gave James a little hisotry of his Great Grandfather Garret Snyder. (We haven't been able to find any thing on this man, like birth date, marriage, nor death dates.)

James helped to bring 2 Sisters into the Church while on his Mission. That was all that was listed in the diaries.

On the 29 Sept 1905 Sister Griffin was baptized and every one was thrilled for she had a struggle to get ready. On a Sunday 16 Oct 1905 just after Church Sister Griffin got very ill with pleurisy the Elders Administered to her, she came out of it, they got a hack (horse and buggy) and took her home. She passed out again, they again administered to her, she came out, then went into a stupper for 2 hours. The Elders knelt in Humble prayer that she would get well and not have any bad effect from all this and she could find a good husband that could take her to the Temple and hae a family which she wanted. It seemed when we are trying to do the Lords work satin works all the harder to get us on his side.

One evening James and 2 other Elders attended a meeting of the Penticostal Church, the speaker spoke on early history of the Mormon Church. He said that Joseph Smith came from a lazy, ignorant, dishonest family, his mother was a poor weak minded dreamer. And Joseph Smith was layzier than any of the family, the biggest story teller that ever lived. He was seeking after hidden treasures. Said he'd (Joseph Smith) would fill his pockets with white sand and make people believe he had the Mormon Bible. He told other stories all evening he told some truths about Salt Lake City. This was strange for one church to discuss things of another church.

They traveled a lot of miles by train, boat and hack, most was walking. They labored in 50 towns and cities. The States in their area were: Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island.

These are the cousins James visited while on his Mission:

Isaac Halvey, Anna McWatter, Charles Snyder, Ruben and Anna Walter, Ben Snyder and family, Percila Mercer and family, an Uncle Christian Snyder and daughter Emma, an Aunt Sarah Smith Snyder, Albert Snyder, Hella Sophia Snyder Post, Charles A. and William Snyder, Frank D.L. Carely and wife Ida Weltch they belonged to Presbyterian Church.

Written by Verda Snyder Liedtke May 1981 from the Diaries of Grandpa Snyder.

Left to Right: Mary (Mamie), Karl, Whit, Elvin and Forence (Darl)

James Henry Snyder was born 14 Feb 1857, in Provo, Utah, Utah.

He went by the nickname of Jimmy by all who knew him well, he was a carpenter by trade and followed it as long as there was work.

During President Cleveland's administration when time were so dull and no carpenter work available he tool up land, up the second right hand Fork of South Fork in Provo Canyon. The farming land lay on a bench. In order to reach it a dug way had to be made, he and his oldest son Whitmer made the trip each week, built a one room house, besides the dugway, a ditch had to be dug in order to get water to the land.

Later a horse stable was built from large Quaking-Aspens, as times were hard, they didn't have much to eat, my husband Whit told me they had raw apples and bread, with a mess of trout when they took time to catch them.

Some of the land lay on either side of the creek, as the cattle men had their herds up there, a fence had to be made, with a good gate, so there was a lot to be done. The land was productive and were able to grow a crop of grain, potatoes the first year adding acreage as time went by.

When good times returned, this person went back to his trade, going in partners with his cousin Ed Snyder (mentioned on another shet) and Whit worked the farm in South Fork, but in the winter he'd work with his father if he had work.

After the Training Building (at the BYU) was completed the Bishop of the 4th Ward in Provo (This was around the years 1898 to 1902) ask Jimmy Snyder if he would like to fill a Mission he had always been active in Church work, so he accepted. But he had a problem, he would have to borrow the money to pay the way, his family was willing to help in any way possible, so his wife and their daughters decided to take in BYU students to board and Whit was to run the canyon farm.

Jimmy borrowed the money from Uncle Jesse Knight and about Feb or Mar 1902 he took a train for the Eastern States Mission, laboring in the New England States. Whit gave his Mother grain for her bread, which was put in her name at the Hoover Mill, potatoes to last thru the winter and spring, other vegetables so the family got along pretty well. He was gone two years.

Before Jimmy returned home his seconde living son Elvin took Typhoid Fever and was very ill for weeks, Whit and I lived in Manilia Ward at Pleasant Grove, Whit would make the trip over to Provo to sit with his sick brother, to give the other Family members a rest, this was a worry on his Mother, but he gradually got well and strong enough in time.

After James came back from his Mission it took some time before he got a contract, he made the remark, "How quick you are forgotten after a two year absence from your town".

When Whit and I were married in 1901, Jimmy and his family only had three rooms and a small back shanty, but later Jimmy built two rooms on the ground floor and two above, making plenty of room for BYU students to have board and room.

James had other property that wasn't bringing in much cash, he decided to sell it and the canyon farm and put the money into a dairy and fruit farm in Vineyard, this was his way of helping Whit out as he liked cows. So the deal was made, and in the spring of 1907, we moved on to this Vineyard farm, in time Mary Elizabeth moved out to the farm to cook for her husbnad and two sons.

After a long and hard time of sick spells in bed (she had dropsy) Mary Elizabeth passed away the 8 Jan 1911, Mamie, the youngest daughter kept house for James as his oldest daughter DArl had married and was living in Salt Lake, Mamie's health wasn't very good so in time the Doctor ordered her to a lower climate, so James asked Darl to go to California with Mamie and he's pay all the expense, this took about all he could make.

In due time he met a widow, with several children almost grown so he popped the question and they were married, ne needed some one to keep house for him for his girls weren't able to. Mamie got better so she decided to work in Salt Lake and live with her sister Darl. James and his new wife Nell Harris seemed to be very happy but after a couple of years she underwent an operation and died, this meant more expense for him.

Mamie than came home to keep house for her father, but when she and Karl the youngest of the family went out for the evening their father would be left alone, so he decided to hunt for another widow, he found one by the name of Mrs Mason, with two children not old enough to support themselves, in due time they got married and Mamie went to work in Salt Lake again.

This wife kept on working, but she had to quit on account of heart trouble and when James was out of work love didn't last too long. Whit and I had been living in Salt Lake, he was working at the carpenter trade, had a job where in he gave his father work, later on Jimmy got a lot on third East and 27th South and built a nice home, they lived in it about a year, when Jimmy was struck by a car at the intersection of State Street and 27th South, he and his wife had went to the drug store for some pills for her at the time of the accident, we were notified and Jimmy was taken to the hospital uncoouncious, lying in this condition for a couple of days 'till his death. The family called this wife the battleax, she never smiled and treated his children shamefully. With three marriages he told Whit he appreciated the Virutes of Mary, Whit's mother, more after living with a battleax he wished he'd known earlier in his life what Ellen had taught him during her short stay, his life with Mary would have been happier. His se3cond wife Ellen was Sealed to her first husband, but his third wife (the battleax) was divorced from that I learnd she wanted to be Sealed to him and also her two youngest children but I don't know if this was done, his life would be very unpleasant through out Eternity with the battleax tied to him. For he deserved more than such a women to bring the bacon home to.

Whit's Mother was a very quiet, meek, genteel and kind, but her health was very poor. Jimmy attended all his meetings regular with no bad habits, was pleased that we were married in the Temple.

This bit of History has been typed by Nettalia Malinds L. Snyder from memory as I had remember the incidents after I became a memeber of the family. Typed the 10 Aug 1958.

Left to Right: Karl, Mary (Mamie), Elvin, Florence (Darl) and Whit

Elvin Snyder is my Grandfather, which makes James Henry Snyder my Great Grandfather.