James M. SNYDER, who is now living retired at his pleasant home in Norwalk, was born in Crawford County, Ohio, December 2, 1832, his parents being Adam and Hannah GILLILAND SNYDER. On his emigration from Germany the great-grandfather of our subject settled about thirty miles west of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, there remaining until his removal to Jefferson County, Ohio, where his demise occurred. The grandfather, Christly SNYDER, located in Jefferson County, Ohio, when a young man later took up his abode in Crawford County, Ohio, where he passed away in 1863, at the age of ninety-eight years, one month and fourteen days. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Magdeline FATE, lived to the remarkable old age of one hundred and eight years, her demise also occurring in Crawford County, Ohio.

Adam SNYDER, the father of James M. SNYDER, was born near Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1800, and spent his entire life in the Buckeye state. He was a blacksmith by trade but in later years operated his farm. He was a Presbyterian in religious faith and a democrat in his political views. He was a man of the highest integrity and worth and his death, which occurred in Crawford County, Ohio, June 1, 1872, was the occasion of deep and widespread regret. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Hannah GILLILAND, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1799, her parents being David and Margaret LONG GILLILAND, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Scotland. David GILLILAND was a scholar and followed the profession of surveying, though he spent the later years on his life on his farm. He passed away in his eighty-first year and was survived by his wife for only a few weeks, the demise of both occurring in Crawford County, Ohio. Mrs. SNYDER also died in Crawford County, Ohio, being called to her final rest in 1869, when in the seventieth year of her age. She was the mother of ten children, namely: David, deceased: Christly, who resides in Kansas, being now in his eighty-third year; Margaret, whose death occurred in Crawford County, Ohio, October 28, 1896; Andrew Jackson, who passed away in Kansas, February 23, 1907, his wife's death occurring the following week; James Madison, of this review; Mary, who was born in 1835 and who died in Norwalk, Warren County in 1883; Melinda, who passed away in Crawford County, Ohio, in childhood; Silas, who also died in Ohio when a child; John Wesley, who has attained the age of about seventy-one years and resides in Davies County, Missouri; and Samuel, sixty-six years of age, who makes his home in Huron County, Ohio.

James M. SNYDER was reared in the state of his nativity, and when in his twenty-second year removed to Polk County, Iowa, where he remained for about two years. Subsequently he spent some six years in Ringgold County, Iowa, and then removing to Des Moines he made his home there for ten years. On the expiration of that period he came to Warren County, Iowa, residing on a farm in Linn township for about ten years. Since 1881, however, he has lived in Norwalk. He is a cabinetmaker by trade and followed his calling in Ohio, Des Moines, Iowa, and elsewhere, meeting with gratifying and well merited success in his undertakings.

At Des Moines, Iowa, in 1856, Mr. SNYDER was united in marriage to Miss Julia A. HIGBEE, whose birth occurred in Crawford County, Ohio, in 1835, her parents being Isaac and Rebecca Mosher HIGBEE. The located in Platte County, Missouri, in 1837, and a few years later removed to Gentry County, that state, where the father died about sixty years ago. The mother subsequently came to Warren County and made her home with Mr. and Mrs. SNYDER for about forty years or until the time of her demise, which occurred at Norwalk, February 4, 1894, when she had attained the age of eighty years. Unto our subject and his wife have been born six children, namely: Hannah Jane, who was born in 1857 and who died when but thirteen months old; Charles F., who is mentioned on another page of this volume; Josie, at home; Albert and Wilbert, twins, the former being an agriculturist of Linn Township, while the latter passed away at the age of fifteen months; and D. W., who is a carpenter residing on Park Avenue in Des Moines.

In his political views Mr. SNYDER is a stanch republican, while his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church at Norwalk. He has now been a resident of this [Warren] county for more than a third of a century and is widely known as one of its substantial, public-spirited and enterprising citizens, receiving the veneration and respect which should ever be accorded one who has honorably traveled thus far on life's journey.

SOURCE: MARTIN, Rev. W. C. History of Warren County S.J. Clarke Publ. Co. Chicago. 1908.

Transciption by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009