Snyder - George Weaver
Source: South Bend Tribune Fri 30 Dec 1898 p 1
George W. Snyder, aged 86, the oldest newspaper man in the state died Thursday in Crawfordsville, Indiana. He came to Indiana in 1830 and established the first papers in Crawfordsville, Covington, Frankfort, Rockville, Veedersburg, and Jamestown.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal December 30, 1898
George W. Snyder, who had been ill for some time, died Wednesday evening at 7 o'clock at his home on east College street. After the death of his wife, which occurred in this city four 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 and neighbors, and even stranger were especially kind and attentive to him, gifts, sympathy and consolation showered upon "Uncle George," as he was familiarly and lovingly called. Mr. Snyder 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 nobleman. Amiable in disposition, for him every dark cloud has 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 east College street this afternoon at 2 o'clock, Dr. H.L. 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 the oldest editor printers in this state of Indiana. He was born in Martinsburg, Virginia, in the year 1812. His ancestors came over to this country from 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 seven 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 Pennsylvania, 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. Snyder again became proprietor, who afterwards sold to John R. Powders and Enus 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 T.H.B. McCain and J.H. Hendricks, after which he resurrected a plant at Veedersburg called the Reporter, running it most acceptably 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 after day, year after year, manipulating the metallic indices with fingers which had not forgotten their cunning through stiff with age, until a few years ago. Mr. Snyder was married August 11, 1837, to Mary Caroline McConnell, daughter of Esquire McConnell, once a prominent citizen of Crawfordsville, by Rev. James Thompson. At the time of his marriage he was editor of Crawfordsville Record, acted as justice of the peace five years and was postmaster eight years. 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 sixteen presidential candidates, having met eleven 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 through barred by the age limit from enlisting when the civil war broke out, he afterwards 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. – thanks to Kim H
Source: Crawfordsville Review 31 Dec 1898 p 1
George W. Snyder a pioneer citizen, a former newspaper publisher and postmaster of this city from 1856-61, died at his residence on east college street early on Thursday morning after a long illness. He had passed his 86th birthday last week. Over a year since Mr. Snyder was injured by a fall at his home, and ever since then has been unable to walk any distance from his home. This with his great age and increasing infirmities finally caused his decline and death. Mr. Snyder was born in 1812 in Martinsburg, Virginia coming to Indiana in 183_ (four # is not on there) going to Covington. Having learned the trade of printing he began in that year the publication of the first paper in that town it being the predecessor of the People’s Friend, still published here and which we believe has been known by that title for nearly 60 years, He came to Crawfordsville in 1836 and purchased some old printing material here and published a paper known as “The Examiner.” He sold this in 1841 to Philip Engle, who that year published the first issue of the Crawfordsville Review. After a year more, he began the publication of a paper termed The Record which under new management and a new name became The Montgomery Journal and now known as the Crawfordsville Journal. He subsequently established newspapers at Rockville, Frankfort, Veedersburg and Jamestown not continuously, however, as during a period of four years he was postmaster here, having received the position from President Buchanan. He also served one or two terms as a JP. He leaves four daughters and one son, all grown. The funeral occurred yesterday, the remains being interred in Masonic Cemetery.
Source: Weekly Argus News 31 Dec 1898 p 4
George W. Snyder, one of the oldest of the old-time editors of Indiana is dead. He had been in feeble health for several years and passed away at the advanced age of 86 years. Mr. Snyder belonged to the old school of pioneer journalists of Indiana who blazed the way for the present generation. They were fully as useful men in their day as the men who helped mould public opinion now and were equally as busy. Times have greatly changed, it is true and so have the methods of publication but the object of the press is the same today as in years past – the dissemination of news and the instruction of the masses. Mr. Snyder did his part and did it well. He was a man of ability and thoroughly conscientious and fair in his dealing with his fellow men. His memory should be treasured for years by those who knew him in years gone by. - kbz