Snyder - Geoge W.
Source: Waveland Independent, Waveland, Montgomery County, Indiana, Dec 30,
1898
G.W. Snyder the oldest printer in the state died at his home in
Crawfordsville Tuesday. He established the paper that is now the Crawfordsville
Journal in 1836.
Source: Jamestown Press, 6 Jan 1899 pg 3
George W. SNYDER, or "Daddy", as he was familiarly called by the
Jamestown people, Passed to the great beyond on Wednesday evening of last week,
at his home in Crawfordsville (Montgomery County, Indiana). Mr. Snyder was a
veteran newspaper man and probably the oldest in the state, at least the oldest
in this part of the state. He was born in Virginia in 1812. His last work in
the newspaper business was at Jamestown, where he conducted the Tribune for some
four or five years, quitting the business in the year 1893 or 1894, having
become so old and infirm that he could no longer attend to the business as it
required. When he quit he simply laid down the type and quill and left
everything just as it was, leaving one form of the paper, then a 7-column
folio, lying on the bed of the old Rankin press, where it laid for several
months. Soon after that he and his family moved to Crawfordsville, where he
since resided until his death. He came to Indiana in 1832 and engaged in the
newspaper work at Covington. In 1836 he purchased the Crawfordsville Record. In
1840 he started the Examiner, which was afterward sold to Phillip Engle, who
changed its name to the Review, after which Mr. Snyder again bought the paper
back. Afterwards he sold it again, and again bought it back, finally selling it
and going to Rockville, where he published a paper, going from there to
Frankfort and becoming connected with a paper. In 1866 he bought the
Crawfordsville Journal; sold it to J.H. Hendricks; afterward started the
Veedersburg Reporter; sold that and came to Jamestown "Daddy" was
known as a kind hearted man and a liberal to a fault, but did not hesitate for
a minute to express his opinion in any matter. His editorials were spicy and keen
and he wielded a trenchant pen at all times. The funeral services at
Crawfordsville was largely attended by old friends and acquaintances and the
pall bearers were made up of newspaper men of the city. In his last years he
became so stiffened with rheumatism and which was mostly brought about by a
fall in which he sustained permanent injuries about the hips that he could not
hardly get about, requiring the use of two canes to assist his locomotion. His
last trip to Jamestown was on 13 October, when he removed his printing material
from the now Press office, after which he must have taken down soon after
returning home, as the Crawfordsville papers state he suffered a long illness.
So ends the life of an ardent newspaper man, and may his spirit enjoy everlasting
glory is our sincerest wish. It is stated that in his last moments he would see
newspapers before him when he closed his eyes, so devoted was he to the trade.
Source: Crawfordsville Journal, Dec. 30, 1898
George W. Snyder, who has been ill for some time, died Wed. eve. at 7 o'clock
at his home on E. College St. After the death of his wife, which occurred in
this city 4 years ago he failed rapidly in bodily vigor and rejoiced in the
fact that he would soon join her on the other shore. From this time until his death,
friends, neighbors, and even strangers were especially kind and attentive to
him, gifts, sympathy and consolation showered upon "Uncle George," as
he was familiarly and lovingly called. Mr. S was one of the charter members and
organizers of the Odd Fellows Lodge in Crawfordsville and always a firm
believer in and an ardent admirer of this grand order. His love for his home,
wife, children and grandchildren was supreme. He was a friend to everyone, big
hearted, self sacrificing, one of nature's own noblemen. Amiable in disposition
for him every dark cloud had a silver lining showing through. The last act of
his life, even while suffering intensely, was to make a little neighbor child
happy by a farewell Christmas gift. During his last illness he spoke with pride
of being the oldest printer in this city and every time he closed his eyes he
saw a newspaper and remarked that he could even tell the contents which were
opened before his vision. Once he remarked, "Who prints that paper?"
The funeral will occur at 307 E College St. at 2 o'clock Dr. HL Nave
officiating, assisted by Dr. Thomson and Rev. Fyffe. The editors of the city
papers will act as pall bearers. George Weaver Snyder was one of, if not the
oldest editors and printers in the state of Indiana. He was b. in Martinsburg,
Va in the year 1812. His ancestors came over to this country form Germany. His
father, Jacob Snyder, was in the War of 1812, owned large iron works in
Martinsburg and traveled on horseback to Philadelphia to purchase stock for the
same. His grandfather, Nicholas Marquette served 7 years in the Revolutionary
War, was an intimate friend of General Washington and only a few feet distant
when Cornwallis surrendered his sword at Yorktown. George w. Snyder commenced
learning the printing business in 1830 in Cumberland, Md. Had worked at the
trade in Pa; Virginia and Indiana with occasional intervals ever since. He came
to Indiana in 1832 and engaged in newspaper work at Covington. In 1836 he
purchased the Crawfordsville Record which was at this time a frontier paper
there being none printed further west. In 1840 he started another paper in
Crawfordsville called The Examiner. After running it six months, sold to
Phillip Engle, who changed the name to The Review when Mr. S. again became
proprietor, who afterward sold to John B. Powders and Enos Canutt. Then P.E.
Engle again bought the paper and again it was sold to Mr. Snyder who disposed
of it to Bennett Engle. Mr. Snyder then published papers at Rockville and
Frankfort for several years and in 1866 bought the Crawfordsville Journal of
Jere Keeney and continued its publication until 1868, when he sold the same to
THB McClain and JH Hendricks, after which he resurrected a plant at Veedersburg
called The Reporter, running it most acceptable for a number of years until he
disposed of it to Edwin A. Nye and took charge of the Tribune at Jamestown, and
although 82 years old, he wrote editorials, solicited advertising set up jobs,
worked off his paper every week on a Rankin press, worked at the case day by
day, year after year, manipulating the matallic indices with fingers which ha
not forgotten their cunning though stiff age, until a few years ago. Mr. S. was
marr. Aug 31, 1837 to Mary Caroline McConnell, daughter of Esquire McConnell,
once a prominent citizen of Crawfordsville, by Rev. James Thomson. at the time
of his marr. he was editor of the Crawfordsville Record acted as justice of the
peace for 5 years and was postmaster 8. While editor of the Jamestown Tribune
in 1887, he and his aged wife, assisted by their children, Mrs. Nathaniel
Beatty, Mrs. Margaret Ryker, Mrs. John A. Clark, John J and Mary E. Snyder,
celebrated their Golden Wedding. He voted for 16 presidential candidates having
met 11 of them and took prominent part in the inaugural ceremonies of James K.
Polk. He was a great philosopher and after the defeat of a favorite candidate,
remarked that he would go home and read Baxter's Saints' Rest. He was intensely
patriotic, and though barred by the age limit from enlisting when the Civil War
broke out he afterward enlisted in the hundred day service and was sent out to
help capture the rebel, John Morgan, when he made his famous raid through
Indiana. As an editor he published spicy and wide awake sheets, was sarcastic
and ironical when occasion required and at all times wielded a trenchant pen.