Peter (b. c.1793) and Betsy (Lewis) Snyder

Bassett-Edgecomb-Snyder Archives home
Philip Snyder, Sr. webpage
Philip Snyder, Jr. webpage
Parents of Betsy Lewis Snyder

Peter (c.28 Feb 1791 - 26 May 1864) and Betsy Lewis (c.1795-before 1850) Snyder

Key words: Peter Snyder, Peter and Betsy Snyder, Peter and Betsey Snyder, Betsy Lewis Snyder, Betsey Lewis Snyder

It is not known definitively what the relationship is between the Peter Snyder (b. c.1793) and our branch of the family. However, based on circumstantial evidence, it is possible that he was a child of Philip Snyder, Sr. and hence brother to Phillip, Jr. and uncle to Peter (b.1820) and Lorenzo (b. 1809). Another possibility is that he was a close cousin to Phillip, Jr. The following information below outlines what is known about him and the evidence that suggest his relationship with our Snyder family. It is relatively clear that Betsy Lewis Snyder is a part of the Lewis family that is closely intertwined with the Bassetts and Edgecombs.

Based on the information in the 1850 census, Peter Snyder was born in about 1793 in New York. (This contrasts with the birth year of 1790 given in Arthur G. Lyon's letter¹.) Assiming that the gravestone of Peter Snyder in the old Angola Cemetery, Steuben County, IN is his grave, his birth date would be about 28 Feb 1791. (There is some uncertainty depending on how one subtracts the years, months, and days from the death date on the stone.) ²⁶ Elizabeth (Betsy or Betsey) was born in about 1795¹. Based on the ages of their children (see below) and a marriage date of 18 years for Betsy, Peter and Betsy were probably married in about 1813-14.

The following list of children is compiled from the 1850 census and the Lyon letter (compare also the 1840 census) with the exception of Rosetta who is inferred based on circumstantial evidence to be discussed below.¹⁸ The dates are approximate.

Rosetta born 6 July 1814 in Ontario Co., NY (see 1830 census) - 7 Feb 1887²¹ Pleasant Township, Steuben Co., IN. Married William Henry Richardson 16 August 1832 in Lordstown, Trumbull Co., OH.²²
possible daughter 2 born c. 1817 (see 1830 census)
Cicero born c.1819 (1816-17 by 1860/70 census) in NY. Married Rachel Soule on 16 December 1839 in Lordstown, Trumbull Co., OH. ²³ ²⁶
Lewis P. 1823 in NY - after 1870. Married Hepsibeth ("Hepsy") Soule on 4 July 1844 in Trumbull Co, OH. ¹⁹ ²⁶
Alzina born 2 Jul 1823 in NY, married 18 Apr 1861 in Steuben, IN to Joseph Mathews (1825-1863), married 9 Dec 1866 in Stuben, IN to Henry Dutter (1816-1896), died 17 Dec 1882 in IN.¹⁶ ²⁵ ²⁶
Mary A. born c.1829 (vs. 1827 listed in the Lyon letter) in Trumbull Co., OH¹⁹
Ambrose W. 4 December 1832 in Trumbull Co - 13 April 1909 in Steuben Co, IN. Married Mary M. Metzgar in 1855 in Steuben Co, IN¹⁹, living in Lordstown, Trumbull Co., OH in 1880¹⁶ ²⁶

Also listed in the 1850 census is Seymour Pugh Snyder, born 24 Nov 1844 in Trumbull County, OH. and son of Lewis P.. He married 26 Aug 1866 in Coldwater, Branch, MI to Elizabeth Swain with children Harry A. (b. c.1867 in Indiana), Alzina (b. c.1871 in Indiana), and Jay (b. 13 Jul 1877 in Batavia, Branch, MI). Seymour died 18 Mar 1888.¹⁶ ²⁵

Problems with early connections

One problem with the hypothesis that Peter Snyder (b. c.1793) was a relative to Peter Snyder (b. 1820) is reconciling how the elder Peter ended up crossing paths with Betsy Lewis. Around the time when Peter and Betsy were married (c.1815), the Lewis family was living in either Otsego or Cortland Co., NY. At that time, Philip Snyder (father of Peter b.1820) was moving from Columbia Co., NY to Ontario Co., NY. Neither Ontario nor Columbia Counties are near Otsego or Cortland Counties, so it is not clear how the Snyder and Lewis families would have encountered each other. It is possible that in a move west in about 1815, the Snyders may have passed through Otsego or Cortland Counties and Peter (b. c.1793) could have met Betsy then. Betsy might then have traveled west to Ontario County with Peter or Peter might have stayed with Betsy.

There are two pieces of information relevant to this question. One is that a Peter Snyder was said to have come to Candice, Ontario Co., NY along with Philip (presumably "our" Philip) in 1815.^{2 3}. In the 1820 census for Richmond Twp., Ontario Co., NY, there is a Peter Snyder listed immediately after a Philip (presumably "our" Philip).⁴ Comparison with the list of the children of Peter (b. c.1793) shows possible correspondence with this census record:

Peter Snider - Males: one under 10 (Cicero?), one 18 to 26, one 26 to 45 (Peter age 27), one over 45 (older male); females: two under 10 (dau. 1 & 2), one 16-24 (Betsy about 25), 1 over 45 (older female)

However, since the usual practice is for the oldest male to be listed as head of household, the male over age 45 would be the most likely person to be "Peter Snider" rather than Peter b. c.1793. If the "over 45 male" was the father of Peter (b. c.1793), this record is not compatible with Peter (b. c.1793) being a brother of Philip Snyder, Jr. (whose father was Philip Snyder, Sr.). In the index of early land transactions of Ontario County, Peter Snider bought land from Thomas Morris in 1798 (liber=book 5, page 414; the second reference to Peter Snider listed under 1748 was confirmed to be an error and actually referring to the same record where the spelling was "Snider"). Given that the Peter Snyder who is the subject of this account would have been too young (or not born) to make these purchases, this purchaser was probably the elder Peter Snyder who was over the age of 45 in 1820. If this is the elder Peter Snyder who did not arrive in Ontario County until 1815 with Philip, then he must have purchased the land before moving there.

The other relevant piece of information is that according to the Trumbull County history⁵, there were very few settlers in Lordstown Twp. before 1826. That year, Peleg Lewis, John Lewis, Samuel Bassett, and Peter Snyder were reported as living there, suggesting that they all moved there about that year. If this were the case, then it suggests that Peter Snyder moved to Trumbull Co., with Samuel Bassett and the Lewis's, who were coming from Solon, Courtland Co., NY. That scenario would suggest that either Peter (b. c.1793) was related to Philip and joined up with the Lewis's in Otsego/Cortland Co. or that he simply was from a different Snyder family altogether and not a relative of Peter (b. 1820). However, this would then raise the question of how Lorenzo Snyder came to move to Trumbull Co. in about 1832.

Known track of Peter and Betsy

In 1826, Peter and Betsy lived "north of the center" of Lordstown Twp., Trumbull Co., OH.⁵

On 7 January 1828 Peter Snyder was elected Justice of the Peace. ¹⁷ On 16 August 1832, he married William Richardson and Rosetta Snyder who was probably his daughter.

In 1830, Peter and his family are listed in the census for Lordstown Twp.

In September 1835, Peter and Betsy Snyder bought land in section 11, to the north of Lorenzo (and diagonally northwest of Samuel Bassett). (See the plat map of northern Bath Township, Allen Co., OH.) They were described as "of Trumbull County, Ohio" so at that time they were not yet living in Allen County.⁶ In 1839, Peter and Betsey sold land to their son Cicero for one dollar.⁹ In that transaction, they were described as "of Bath, county of Allen" so they were living on their land in Bath at the time that the younger Peter (b. 1820) moved there. On the same day, Peter and Betsey sold an adjacent part of their land to William Richardson.²⁰ In the sale to Cicero, William Richardson was a witness and in the sale to William Richardson, Cicero was a witness. Both sales were witnessed by the same justice of the peace. By 16 Dec 1839, Peter, Betsey, and Cisero were again living in Lordstown, Trumbull Co.¹⁰

Because Betsy is not listed in the 1850 census, she had presumably died by that time. A Peter Snyder of Milton Twp., Mahoning Co., OH (adjacent to Newton Twp of Trumbull Co) married Lydia Doud Brown (sister of Betsy Doud Edgecomb) on 26 Jun 1851.⁷ However, it is not known if this the Peter b. c.1793.

In 1860, the census has Peter (aged 69) living in Pleasant Twp., Steuben Co., Indiana with his daughter Alzina, aged 35. If the grave in the old Angola Cemetery is his, Peter died on 26 May 1864.²⁶ Also living in Pleasant Township are Ambrose and Mary Snyder, Rosetta and William Richardson in 1850, 1860,1870 and 1880, and Cicero and Rachel Snyder in 1860 and 1870.

Parentage of Betsy Snyder

Assuming that Mr. Lyon was correct in giving Lewis as Betsy's maiden name, there are two pieces of circumstantial evidence that strongly support the conjecture that Betsy was a daughter of Peleg Lewis, sister to Jonathan and John Lewis shown on the plat map, and sister to Elsie Lewis Bassitt, wife of Samuel Bassitt also shown on the map. The first is the date of purchase of Peter and Betsy's land in section 11⁶. This date, 15 Sep 1835 is the same as the date John and Fanny Lewis bought their adjacent land in section 14. Both Peter and Betsy and John and Fanny were residents of Lordstown Twp., Trumbull Co., OH when they made their purchases. Therefore it is very suggestive that these purchases were the coordinated effort of siblings.

The other evidence is the account of the formation of the first church (later to be a part of the Disciples of Christ denomination) in Lordstown Twp. on 20 Mar 1830⁸. The church was organized in a log cabin school house on the corner of the farm of David Lewis (another child of Peleg Lewis). Original members included Samuel Bassett and wife, Peleg, Fanny, and Rachel Lewis, David Lewis and wife, Sylvester Roberts and wife, Peter Snyder and wife, and Betsy Snyder. It is believed that all of these Lewis' as well as Samuel Bassitt's wife, Elsie, and Sylvester Roberts' wife, Mary, were siblings. If the inferences made in this posting are correct, then Peter Snyder's wife, Betsy was a sibling as well. I do not know why in the list of original members the wife of Peter Snyder and Betsy Snyder are listed separately. Perhaps there were two Betsy Snyders.

In a transaction dated 1 Mar 1840, Joseph and Maria Lewis of Lordstown Twp., Trumbull Co., OH sold land in section 1 of Bath Twp. to Martin Lewis of Putnam Co., OH (which at that time was adjacent to section 1 of Bath Twp. although after the reorganization of 1848 Monroe Township was transferred from Putnam to Allen County). This transaction was witnessed by Peter and Alzina Snyder. I do not know who Joseph Lewis is, although it is thought that Martin Lewis was the son of Peleg Lewis, Jr., oldest sibling of John, Jonathan, Elsie, etc. This again shows that Peter (b. 1793) and his family were closely associated with the Lewis's.

Tangled web of relationships among early landowners in northeastern Bath Township, Allen Co., OH

Returning to the plat map of northeastern Bath Township, the relationships among the landowners listed are as follows: Uriah and Betsy (Doud) Edgecomb moved to Bath Township in 1832 and purchased land in section 3. Presumably Betsy communicated with her sister Fanny (Doud) Lewis of Lordstown Twp., Trumbull Co., OH about their new home and this information was shared with the siblings of John Lewis (Fanny's husband). Elsie (Lewis) Bassitt (John's sister) and her husband (also of Lordstown) decided to buy land in section 13 in 1834. On 15 Sep 1835, John (Elsie's brother) and Fannie (Betsy Edgecomb's sister) bough land in section 14 adjacent to Elsie and Samuel. On the same day, Betsy (Elsie's sister) and Peter Snyder (i.e. Peter b.c.1793, also of Lordstown) bought land in section 11 adjacent to John and Fanny's land. In 1836, Samuel and Elsie Bassitt moved to Bath Township. However, John and Fanny Lewis apparently never left Lordstown Twp., Trumbull County and eventually they sell their land to others. On 25 Feb 1836 Jonathan (brother of Elsie Bassitt, John Lewis, and Betsy Snyder) and Nelly Lewis buy land in section 14 adjacent to John and Fanny Lewis and Peter and Betsy Snyder. They move there sometime before 1840 (perhaps with the Bassitts).

Did Peter Snyder (b. 1820) live with Peter (b. c.1793) and Betsy Snyder in Bath Twp.?

Peter (b. 1820) was the youngest of twelve children of Philip and Mary (Sharpsteen) Snyder, and was born in Livingston County, New York. Philip died in about 1824 when Peter was four years old. Peter probably lived with his mother or an older sibling (or both) until he was twelve or thirteen years old. At that time (about 1833), Peter moved to Trumbull County, Ohio where he stayed with his brother Lorenzo for about a year.¹¹ (Lorenzo was married in Trumbull County in 1832.¹²) This insinuates that his mother was not living in Trumbull Co. at that time. Why did he stop living with his brother? If the birth dates of Lorenzo's children can be trusted as clues, Lorenzo and Julia Ann may have returned to New York by 1834.

This leaves the question of with whom Peter lived after Lorenzo left Trumbull Co. In these late 19th century biographies, the stalwart and independent pioneer subjects make their way on their own. However, the reality seems to be that they more often moved and lived with relatives: siblings, in-laws, uncles, etc. It is possible that Peter (b.1820) lived with a relative (perhaps uncle), the Peter Snyder born c.1793 who was living in Lordstown, Trumbull County at the time. Although I have no direct evidence that Peter (b. c.1793) was an uncle to Peter (b.1820), it was common practice to name children after aunts and uncles at that time. When Peter (b.1820) was 18 or 19 years old, he moved to Bath Township.¹³ An obvious place for him to have lived at that time was with his brother, Lorenzo. However, Lorenzo and Julian Ann sold the last of their land in Bath Township in 1840 and were living in Hinsdale, Cattaraugus Co., NY at the time of the 1840 census¹⁴. So if Peter lived with Lorenzo, it would not have been for long.

After Peter (b.1820) married Clarinda Edgecomb, his biography says that "he then rented a farm of 160 acres".¹³ Where was this farm? Referring to the plat map, one could hypothesize that it was a part of Peter Snyder (b. c.1793)'s farm in section 11 - in particular the southwest quarter section. If Peter (b.1820) had been living with his putative uncle (Peter Snyder b. c.1793) in Trumbull County, they could have moved together to Bath Township in 1838-39. (The elder Peter moved to Bath Twp. sometime between 1835 and 1839.) If this were true, Peter (b.1820) would have ended up living a mile south of Uriah Edgecomb's farm. This would give him an opportunity to begin seeing Uriah's 16-17 year old daughter, Clarinda. After she became pregnant, they got married in 1840. The elder Peter soon moved back to Trumbull County, but the younger Peter, now permanently entangled with the Edgecombs, stayed. In 1849, Peter (b.1820) purchased what was known in 1885 as the "Hiram Prottsman farm". Examination of the 1880 map of Bath Twp.¹⁵ and land transactions recorded in Lima show it to be a part of the elder Peter Snyder's 160 acres in section 11. So it is possible that Peter's purchase of a farm in 1849 does not represent a move, but rather represents Peter and Clarinda finally accumulating enough money to buy the farm on which they have been living since they were married.

This information is freely available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. On the web, a link to this page would be helpful.

Comments? Questions? Contact Steve Baskauf

Thanks to Rick Gustafson for sharing information about Rosanna Snyder Richardson. Thanks to Lee Ann Kreig for information about Cicero and Seymour Snyder.

References:

1. Letter from Arthur G. Lyon to Canandaigua Public Library, New York, 29 Apr 1952. Reply on 10 May 1952

2. History of Ontario County found by Wib Everett (publication date unknown)

3. "Town of Candice History" from History of Ontario Co., NY, 1878, p.253-258 "In 1815, Benjamin, Peter, and Philip Snyder came to Ball Hill. The first took the REMY place, Peter the WHITBECK farm, and Philip the east portion of the lands of the brothers Orlando G. and Andrew BROWN. � Philip Snyder sold to D. ADAMS in 1838, and from him title descended to Ira MERRILLS and Jairus COLEGROVE, who sold to the brothers named. Benjamin Snyder sold to E. MACOMBER and H. GREEN. J. DAVIDSON, S. PHIPPS, S. R. HICKOK, and J. DEWEY were successive owners prior to John REMY, the present possessor. Peter Snyder and Captain GRANBY, a sea-captain in the war of 1812, were almost simultaneous settlers on this farm. The captain soon died. SNYDER sold to John CHAMBERLIN, he to I. W. MITCHELL, and Hart and Murray, Isaac GIFFORD, and Jacob WHITBECK�".

4. U.S. Census of 1820 for Lordstown Twp., Trumbull Co., OH, p.193 [blank 1820 form]

5. History of Trumbull and Mahoning Counties, Vol. 2, Cleveland, H.Z. Williams & Bro. 1882, p. 536, p. 537

6. Deed records, Allen Co, OH Courthouse, Lima, OH, Vol.47, p. 319-320. 15 Sep 1835.

7. Letter from Inez L. Eagleton to Kathryn Snyder Geiser, 28 Jul 1978

8. History of Trumbull and Mahoning Counties, Vol. 2, Cleveland, H.Z. Williams & Bro. 1882, p. 542, p. 541

9. Deeds, Book G, p. 80 - p.81, Allen Co., OH Recorder's office. 8 Feb 1839.

10. Deeds, Book H, p.186 - p.187, Allen Co., OH Recorder's office. 16 Dec 1839.

11. History of Allen County, Ohio. Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1885. p.587-88.

12. An email from Theresa Wirth states that Lorenzo married Julia Ann Browne on 16 Jun 1832 in Trumbull Co., OH.

13. Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and Van Wert Counties, Ohio. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896. p.490

14. U.S. Census of 1840 for Hinsdale, Cattaraugus Co., NY. p. 44.

15. Historical Atlas of Allen County, Ohio, 1880, Philadelphia: R.H. Harrison, p.61.

16. J. Max Anderson. 2006. A History of Johann Jost Snyder and Anna Magdalena Elizabetha Flagler of Palatine Immigrants to America in 1710. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. 277.

17. http://www.lordstown.com/history.asp

18. Rick Gustafson provides the following information: "Now the interesting part - 1830 Census for Lordstown, OH has your Peter Snyder listed which lists a unknown daughter of between 14 and 16 years old. Our Rosetta Snyder with a birth year of 1815 would be the right age. Then in the 1830 Lordstown census, [two lines above] Peter Snyder, there is a listing for a James Richardson, which list two males the right age for William Richardson. While this does not prove that Rosetta Snyder is the daughter of Peter Snyder and William Richardson is the son of James Richardson, this 1830 Lordstown census is the only Ohio census that I have found that have both Snyders and Richardsons together.

James Richardson is listed in the 1840 Lordstown, Trumbull, OH census.

James Richardson seems to have died between 1840 and 1850 as there is not a list for them that is the right age. There is a listing for a James Richarson who I believe is the son in the 1850 Lordstown census. A Margaret Richardson, age who make her his mother, is living with James Richardson."

This information, the fact that Peter, Alzina, Ambrose, and Cicero were living in Pleasant Twp., Steuben Co., Indiana at the same time as Rosetta and William Richardson, and the fact that a Peter Snyder married Rosetta Snyder and William Richardson provides strong circumstantial evidence that Rosetta is a daughter of Peter. In addition, the sale of land from Peter to William Richardson at the same time as the sale to Cicero with Cicero and William each witnessing the other's transactions (footnotes 9 and 20) provides additional strong circumstantial evidence to support the assumption that Rosetta was a sister to the others.

It should also be noted that if this hypothesis is true, then Rosetta Richardson, whose mother was Betsey (Lewis) Snyder and Lewis Bassitt, whose mother was Elsie (Lewis) Bassitt, would have been cousins and would have lived near each other for some time in both Trumbull County and in Allen County. In 1850, Lewis named his oldest daughter Rozetta. Rozetta is a rather unusual name and no other family members bear this name. Therefore it is likely that Lewis named his daughter after Rosetta Richardson, who might have been his older playmate or babysitter.

19. Marriage license and record of marriage.

20. Deeds, Book G, p. 356 - p.81, Allen Co., OH Recorder's office. 8 Feb 1839.

21. Based on her tombstone in the old Angola cemetary, Angola, Stuben Co., Indiana: Died Feb 7, 1887, aged 72 years, 7 months 1 day - wife of William. William's tombstone: Died 23 Aug 1875, aged 64 years, 5 months, 23 days.

22. The marriage record of William Richardson and Rosetta Snyder shows that they were married by her father who was a justice of the peace.

23. Marriage license of Cicero Snyder and Rachael Cole obtained 16 Dec 1839.

24. Death record for Seymour Snyder, died 18 Mar 1888 at Coldwater, Branch, Michigan aged 42 with parents Lewis Snyder and Hepsey Snyder. https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FHBK-D6Y

25. Information from Rick Gustafson 2015-04-21. Marriage record for Alvina (Alzina) Snyder and Joseph Mathews, 18 Apr 1861. Gravestone of Alzina (Mathews) Dutter 2 Jul 1823 - 17 Dec 1882. Administration bond for Joseph Mathews probate 11 Apr 1863, Alzina Mathews executor. Information, military record, and grave of Semour Pugh Snyder.

26. Information from Rick Gustafson 2015-04-29. Grave of Peter Snyder c.28 Feb 1791 - 26 May 1864 in Angola, Steuben Co., IN. Children of Joseph and Hepsibah Soule. Information about Joseph Tripp Sowle. Information about Alzina Snider and Ambrose W. Snyder

Census references

U.S. Census of 1830 for Lordstown Township, Trumbull County, OH, p.196 [blank 1830 form]
Males aged 5-10 (Lewis), 15-20 (Cicero or an older son? - Cicero should be 10-15 if the 1819 birth date is correct; closer to this age range if born in 1816-17), and 30-40 (Peter age 37); females aged under 5 (Mary A.), 5 to 10 (Alzina), 10-15 (dau. 2), 15-20 (dau. 1), and 30-40 (Betsy about 35).

U.S. Census of 1840 for Lordstown Twp., Trumbull Co., OH. p. 87 [blank 1840 form]
males: one under 5 (?), one 5-10 (Ambrose age 7), one 15-20 (Lewis age 18), one 20-30 (Cicero), one 40-50 (Peter age 47); females: one 10-15 (Mary A. age 11), one 15-20 (Alzina age 15), one 40-50 (Betsy about 45)

U.S. Census of 1850 for Lordstown Twp., Trumbull Co., OH, p.193 [blank 1850 form]