Source: Portrait & Biographical Album Whiteside County, IL
Transcribed by: Becky Jones

Page 647

Joseph Snyder, a settler in Whiteside County in 1844, was born Feb. 28, 1818, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the son of Daniel and Betsey (McMahon) Snyder. The family originated in Pennsylvania. Mr. Snyder passed the years of boyhood and youth in the city of his nativity, and as soon as he was of suitable age and size he engaged on a steamboat on the Ohio River, on which he was occupied until his removal to Whiteside County. He spent a summer in Albany and rented a tract of land adjacent on which he worked through the season. In the autumn of the year he bought 40 acres of land on section 13, of Garden Plain Township, of which he took possession. Three acres were broken and a log house of hewn logs had been built. He employed his time and energies to so good purpose that in the year following he bought 40 acres additional, located on section 18, of Union Grove Township, which was covered with timber. By making subsequent purchases Mr. Snyder has become the owner of 160 acres, all of which is enclosed and in tillage, except 100 acres of timber. The acreage is located at four different points and every portion is supplied with good farm dwellings, and is devoted to raising grain and stock.

Mr. Snyder was for many years a Republican.

He was married May 2, 1840, to Nancy, daughter of William and Elizabeth Clark. She was born Feb. 24, 1820, in Lewis Co., Ky. Her parents were natives of Ohio. Joseph C., Henry, Sanford, William, Mary E., Alonzo, Ann Augusta (Mrs. Henry Horner, of Marengo, Iowa), Edward, Hattie, May, John, Edward and Wadsworth. The latter lives in Garden Plain Township.