Climbing My Family Tree: Fry

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Thursday, January 12, 2017

Don Snyder's Fall

The Story of Don Snyder's Fall
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I’ve written before about my Mom’s uncle Don (see 52 Ancestors: #7 Don B. Snyder), but when I wrote his profile I didn’t know this story; and when I learned of it, I knew I must share it!

I found out about the story of great-uncle Don's fall in the packet of family history information recently sent to me my mother’s cousin, RM. In an envelope within that folder I found a handwritten letter from Don to his sister Phyllis, written in 1995 and a typed letter from the Mayor of Arapahoe, NE, also from 1995, enclosing photocopies of two newspaper articles from the Arapahoe Public Mirror, one contemporaneous and one from June 18, 1936.

I had wanted to reprint both the stories, and the picture, from the newspaper along with the letters, to let you discover it as I had, and give you more of a personal flavor of great-uncle Don, but I’ve not gotten a reply to my request to the Arapahoe Public Mirror giving me permission to do so, so I’m just going to tell you the story instead.

June 1936 was in the middle of the Great Depression, and great uncle Don was 18 years old. By that time, he had begun making a bit of a name for himself while boxing as a featherweight in local and regional (paying) matches. In the sports page of the Findlay Republican Courier on February 4, 1935, the paper noted “…Don Snyder, another Findlay Boxer who scales around 120 pounds, is matched with the Hooded Phantom of Fostoria for three rounds….” But now I know why I didn’t find any articles about his boxing in 1936!

Now, let me digress for a moment to give a little historical background to provide some context for this story.

In the Great Depression, approximately 15 million men were unemployed, and many young people dropped out of school to help their parents earn money to support the family. Many people traveled across the country trying to find work as their farms were foreclosed upon and local businesses were closed, and their savings disappeared in the bank crash that caused the Depression, often hopping on freight trains or hitchhiking to the places they hoped to find work. By the 1930’s, riding the rails was an established practice, albeit very dangerous and illegal. Hitchhiking was legal and slightly safer, even if it was more uncertain as to whether a person could find a ride a ride to their destination, or find someone willing to risk picking them up at all. One of the programs that Pres. Roosevelt instituted in order to break the economic paralysis of the depression was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It was a public works relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942, for unemployed, unmarried men, 18 to 25, who were dependent welfare support. The CCC provided unskilled manual labor jobs related to the conservation and development of natural resources in rural lands owned by federal, state and local governments. The men were required to sign up for six-month terms (they could re-up, with a cap of 2 years) and were paid $1 a day, with $25 a month required to be sent home to support their families and $5 a month distributed to the men for incidentals. The CCC provided shelter, food, clothes, and medical care, as well as evening vocational and academic educational programs, during the term the men worked there. Pres. Roosevelt intended that when the economy bounced back, these young men would have both skilled labor experience, experience working with a team and basic education, and be easily able to find work at regular jobs. Local economies also benefitted from local CCC camps as they produced and sold food and other supplies to the camps, and the states received federal monies to administer the program. Over the course of the 9 years the program operated, the CCC men created much of the infrastructure of our country: they planted nearly 3 billion trees to help reforest America, built 46,854 bridges, 3116 fire lookouts, 318,076 erosion check and flood control dams, thousands of campgrounds, and a network of service buildings and public roadways in remote areas. They also fought forest fires; and constructed trails, lodges and related facilities in more than over 800 parks nationwide and upgraded most state parks. A lot of their work is still in use today, 80 years later.

Rudolph Wendelin CCC Art,
Rudolph Wendelin Papers, Library and Archives, Forest History Society, Durham, NC, USA

On Thursday, April 9, 1936, Don Snyder, along with 40-some other young men from Hancock County, Ohio, applied to join the Civilian Conservation Corps. This likely meant that his father and he were unemployed. He was one of the 40 accepted. The first two months of an enlistee’s life was usually served at an Army base for initial training, conditioning, and discipline, and then they were sent to various projects throughout the country for a period ranging from a few months to the duration of their term. Occasionally, the CCC boys, as they were often called, were allowed to go home for a visit. Don was sent to work in a CCC camp in Nevada, and in June 1936, he and a buddy from the camp, Norman Cole, were riding a freight train on a return trip to Ohio. The freight car they were riding was a few cars behind the engine. He told the newspaper, in 1995, that since the slate from the steam engine was hitting them, Don had suggested that when the train next stopped, they go back a few cars to escape the slate (I can’t find anything that explains what that means – maybe it means the wheels of the engines were kicking up rocks that were hitting them?).

Shortly past midnight, on June 14, 1936, the train slowed as it pulled into Arapahoe, Nebraska. It was a very dark night, and Don was unable to see anything out the door of the freight car. While the front of the train was in Arapahoe, the freight car that Don and Norman were in had stopped on a railroad bridge over Muddy Creek, just west of town. Don didn’t know this and thought that they had stopped in a railroad stockyard, and started to climb out of the car, intending to move to another further back. But when he jumped out of the car, he fell approximately 30-40 feet to the bottom of the creek bed below, landing across a downed tree! His friend, Norman, discovering what happened, ran into town for help; he gratefully discovered people just leaving a dance that had ended around midnight, and recruited help to go back to the creek and help Don. The rescuers carried Don into town. He was cared for at Dr. J. P. Pattin’s office and then Don and Norman were taken to the Park Hotel. X-rays taken showed that Don had four broken ribs, a chipped pelvis, an injured kidney, and other internal injuries.

Climbing My Family Tree: Aerial View of Arapahoe, NE city line and Railroad Bridge

Aerial View of Arapahoe, NE city line and Railroad Bridge
All rights to Google Maps
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The town council, who Don referred to as the town fathers, visited him in his room at the Park Hotel, told him that he had fallen 40 feet, and that they would take care of things and that he did not have to worry. When Don wrote the mayor in 1995, he noted that those were very bad times in the country and that the kind, benevolent people told him not to worry because they would take care of everything, and they did! Don and Norman stayed at the hotel recuperating under the care of Dr. Pattin. On Thursday, June 18, 1936, he was declared to be recovering satisfactorily and was released from the hotel. Don and Norman left immediately, continuing their trip home to Findlay, this time hitchhiking.

The Arapahoe Public Mirror ran a story on Don’s fall on the day that he left town, June 18, 1936, titled “CCC Boy Injured in Fall from R. R. Bridge”. Below that story was a small entry, titled “Card of Thanks” which stated, “I wish to take this means to thank those who so kindly assisted me following the accident last Saturday evening near the Muddy Creek railroad bridge, especially Mrs. Gilbert, Leo Anderson, Joe Breinig and Dr. Pattin.” It was signed Don Snyder and Norman Cole.

****

I can’t imagine hitchhiking nearly 1000 miles back to Findlay Ohio with three cracked ribs, a chipped pelvis, and multiple internal injuries. He must’ve once been one tough guy, or, really wanted to be home.

Great-uncle Don long remembered that town which took care of him during those hard times. In the years after the Great Depression, Don rode through Arapahoe NE three more times on a passenger train, but always in the middle of the night. He never saw the bridge from which he fell, and always wondered about it. Fifty-nine years after his fall, he wrote the mayor of Arapahoe, asking for a picture of the bridge, and explained what had happened to him there.

This was the mayor’s response:

Letter from Arapahoe NE mayor to Don Snyder, July 31, 1995
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July 31, 1995

Don B. Snyder

3260 Schneider Rd. #119

Toledo, OH 43614

Dear Mr. Snyder:

I was pleased to receive your letter of February 23, 1994 and May 26, 1995. It was certainly interesting, but must’ve been a hectic few seconds while you fell the 30 feet in addition to what you thought would be approximately 4 feet from the boxcar to the ground.

Upon receiving your letter, a friend and I went to the Muddy Creek railroad bridge and measured the distance from the top of the bridge to the edge of the stream. We found that distance to be 28 feet, although the depth at the bottom of the water may be 30 feet. The measurement was taken on the northwest side of the bridge. This bridge lies about 100 yards to the west of the corporate limits of the city of Arapahoe.

I also asked the editor of the Arapahoe Public Mirror if she would examine the issues of the Arapahoe Public Mirror from June 18, 1936 and see if an article had been printed. Shortly thereafter, she informed me that she in fact found the article printed on June 18, 1936 as you stated. I have enclosed a photocopy of that article as well as a copy of the recent article that was printed on June 15, 1995. The picture that accompanies this article was taken on the south side of the bridge as it was too muddy on the north side due to the recent rains. The color pictures that I am enclosing were taken with my camera, also from the south side of the bridge and one is from the Arapahoe city limits looking up the railroad tracks towards the Burlington Northern railroad bridge over Muddy Creek, previously referred to as the Muddy Creek Bridge.

I am pleased to provide this information to you and seek no remuneration.

Sincerely,

(signature)

Howard T Davis

Mayor

City of Arapahoe

PO Box 57

Arapahoe, NE 68922

I didn’t receive the pictures the mayor took that he said were enclosed in his letter to Don, other than the one that was included in the newspaper article which I can’t print, but here is a photo of what is probably the same street-level view from the city limit as the mayor referred to in his letter, taken by Google Maps. Other than this, it looks like most other railroad bridges over creeks that you may have seen. For mental comparison, remember that there are approximately 10 feet per story in a building, so the bridge was at least three stories above the creek bed (if I get belated permission to print the photo or the articles in my blog from the Arapahoe newspaper, I will edit this article to include it/them).

Climbing My Family Tree: View from Arapahoe NE city limits towards railroad bridge over Muddy Creek.

View from Arapahoe NE city limits towards railroad bridge over Muddy Creek.
All rights to Google Maps, Street View.
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Don was so excited and happy when he received the return letter from the mayor that he wrote his sister about it.

Climbing My Family Tree: Don Snyder's August 7, 1995 letter to his sister Phyllis (Snyder) Fry

Don Snyder's August 7, 1995 letter to his sister Phyllis (Snyder) Fry
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Aug. 7 ‘ 95

Toledo Ohio

Hi Sis:

Perhaps you remember the time I came back from Nevada (not Oregon) and fell from the train in Nebraska (southwest corner). Well, I wrote the mayor of Arapahoe not long ago trying to get a picture of the bridge. The “town fathers” (council) came in my hotel room telling me they would take care of things. Also that it was 40 feet down that I fell. Now I guess it’s more like 30 feet. But of course it could fill in a bit in 59 years.

Anyways some time went by (I’d offered $30 for some pictures) but I was disappointed as I hadn’t heard from them. And then the letter came Friday. A real nice letter from the mayor, pictures, and two clippings. I was so happy to hear from him I just had to have copies made. These are for you. Some people probably wonder why I care. Well, there I was lying injured in a creek bed in near total darkness. Well over 1000 miles from home thinking I was going to die before help arrived. You just don’t forget that too easy. The guy with me, Norman Cole died last December in Dayton Ohio. I’m going to send his widow a copy. I visited them twice.

Things are fine here. Florence bought a new Buick so I bought her car. It’s a Buick Regal ‘81. Two years older than my Chrysler. Mine has 147,000 miles on it. Hers 65,000 and it always sit in her garage. Now I’ve got to get rid of mine.

No trips planned. Like to get to Fla. in Oct. But just an idea. Maybe I’ll take a run up to see you and bring Florence. Take care & all that. Love you. Don’t say that much to anyone but when I do I mean it.

Don.

The city of Arapahoe seems like a fine town, full of caring, wonderful people. They went out of their way to help a boy far from home, during a time when few could afford to support their own family let alone a stranger. I’m glad they chose to care for my great-uncle Don.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Myrtle Bailey and the Second Sino-Japanese War

This post is the second entry in my miniseries on the newspaper articles mentioning my great grand aunt, Myrtle Bailey ) (1880-1970). She lived through extremely interesting historical times in her life as a missionary to China and Hong Kong in the first half of the 20th century, about one major historical event per decade; so I’m dividing the miniseries into decades. This second post covers the mid-to-late 1930s when Myrtle lived through the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The articles I found on Myrtle for the 1930’s were less a story in and of themselves than those in the prior decade, but they provided significant keys for my historical context research.

Myrtle remained in the Orient as a missionary, now in the British Colony of Hong Kong, for the next several years. During that time, she started and ran four schools. But in or about late 1935 she was injured and sent home to Findlay Ohio for approximately a two-year furlough to heal. She also spent part of that time giving fund-raising talks to numerous churches.

Climbing My Family Tree: ”Will Tell of China” Findlay Republican Courier, 14 November 1936, p8

”Will Tell of China” Findlay Republican Courier, 14 November 1936, p8
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Transcription:

WILL TELL OF CHINA

__________

Miss Myrtle Bailey of Hong Kong, Will Describe Mission Work in Far East

__________

Miss Myrtle Bailey, missionary from Hong Kong, South China, who has returned here for a furlough after 19 years in the field, will speak at Bethel Temple, on Ash Ave., Sunday at 11 a. m. and 8 p.m.

Miss Florence Cannell, a coworker who has been in China for five years, will assist Ms. Bailey in the services. She is a native of the British Isles.

Ms. Bailey will wear Chinese apparel during talks at various churches here during her stay.

Climbing My Family Tree: "To Hear Missionaries” Findlay Republican Courier, 24 November 1930, p3

"To Hear Missionaries” Findlay Republican Courier, 24 November 1930, p3
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Transcription:

TO HEAR MISSIONARIES

__________

Two Women Home from South China to Speak at Mount Olivet Tabernacle Wednesday Night

Miss Myrtle Bailey and Mr. Florence Cannell, missionaries on furlough from South China, will speak at 8 o’clock Wednesday evening at Mount Olivet Tabernacle, 109 North Blanchard Street.

Ms. Bailey is a native of Findlay and a graduate of the Christian and Missionary Alliance school at Nyack N.Y.

Ms. Cannell has been a public speaker since the age of 12.

Rev. O. C. Ballard, pastor, said special music was expected to be furnished by Mrs. Phyllis Frye and Mrs. Christine Buntz of Findlay.

[Phyllis (Snyder) Frye and Christine (Snyder) Buntz are her nieces.]

Climbing My Family Tree: ”Missionary to Speak”, Findlay Republican Courier, 17 April 1937, p10

”Missionary to Speak”, Findlay Republican Courier, 17 April 1937, p10
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Transcription:

MISSIONARY TO SPEAK

________

Miss Myrtle Bailey, Home from Far East, to Tell Hazards of Work in the Field

Miss Myrtle Bailey, a former Findlay woman who has been in missionary work in the Far East for several years, will tell of the hazards and trials of a missionary in an address at the Lynn Street Church of God at 7:45 PM Sunday. Her subjects will be “What Are the Duties of a Missionary.”

An accordion solo by Harold Todd and a cornet solo by Mrs. Phyllis Fry, will be given.

[Phyllis (Snyder) Frye is her niece.]

”Bible school to grant diplomas” Findlay Republican Courier, 7 May 1937, p 5
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BIBLE SCHOOL TO GRANT DIPLOMAS

___________

Annual Commencement Exercises to Be Held at 8 O’clock This Evening

___________

Commencement exercises will be held at the Bible and Missionary Training school, Lima avenue, at 8 o’clock this evening, open to the public. For diplomas are to be awarded by the principal, Mrs. E. H. Wurmser.

The graduates are Miss Louise Reimen, Cleveland; Mrs. Edna Brand, Cleveland; Miss Jane Westcott, Exeter, Can.; and Miss Edith Gales, Melrose, Mass.

Following is the program for the exercises:

Song, by school. “Jesus Is Coming Soon,” by Howard E, Smith.

Scripture reading and prayer, Rev. John E. Norton, Findlay, returned missionary from India.

Address, Mrs. Edna brand, “the Power of God.”

Chorus, “Study to Show Thyself Approved,” by class.

Missionary address, Miss Myrtle Bailey, Hong Kong, China.

Duet, “That Gentle Call,” Herbert G. Tovey, Miss J. Cobb, Miss Ruth Haley.

Address, “A Vision and Call,” Ms. Louise Reimen.

Chorus by the class, “All Power Is Given unto Me.”

Awarding of diplomas, Principal Mrs. E. H. Wurmser.

Duet, “Have I Forgotten,” H. Mosel, Mrs. Edna Brand, Miss Louise Reimen.

Prayer, Mrs. John E. Norton.

The children school of instruction and training will have a Junior recognition program at 2 PM Saturday. Stereopical (sic) views of child life in China, will be shown by Miss Myrtle Bailey and Ms. Josephine Cobb, missionaries on furlough. Refreshments will be served to the juniors in the dining rooms of the Bible school, at the conclusion of the program.

Myrtle was given permission to return to Hong Kong at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). On the date of the below article (but likely not yet known to the general U.S.), the Japanese invaded and eventually captured Nanking, the capital of the Republic of China. The invasion later became known as the Nanking Massacre. (See The Rape of Nanking, by Iris Chang, a popular nonfiction book on the subject, first published in 1997. My parents gave it to me for my birthday some years ago; I’ll never be able to forget it.[My parents know that I've read extensively about WWII, about both the European and Pacific theaters; it's not a weird present for me.])

Climbing My Family Tree: ”War-torn China goal of woman” Findlay Republican Courier, 13 December 1937, p3

”War-torn China goal of woman” Findlay Republican Courier, 13 December 1937, p3
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Transcription:

WAR TORN CHINA GOAL OF WOMAN

Without Fear Miss Bailey Leaves Findlay to Resume Missionary Work The

On a "go-at-your-own-risk" permit issued by the State Department, Miss Myrtle Bailey left Findlay Saturday for war-torn China happy in the knowledge she would be with her Chinese boy and girl Bible students whom she left behind two years ago. Although the country is not now as peaceful as when she left, Miss Bailey has no fears for her safety she told friends. Despite the fact that severe fighting has been going on in many regions of China, Hong Kong has been comparatively unharmed since it is a British Colony and the section is heavily patrolled by the British army and navy so that anxiety is minimized, according to Mrs. Philip Snyder, 524 Tiffin Avenue, with whom Miss Bailey made her home much of the past year. The greatest existing danger, Miss Bailey told her sister, is that huge quantities of munitions are stored in several secret ammunition dumps in the Hong Kong district and a stray shell or other accident might set one of them off and probably cause a heavy loss of property and life.

Miss Bailey has been a Pentecostal missionary in China for the past 21 years. Injured seriously when struck by a street car in Hong Kong, she spent some time in a hospital and was forced to take a two year furlough just now ending. She has regained her health and was greatly pleased when the State Department gave her permission to return, Mrs. Snyder said. Having lived among her charges so long Miss Bailey has become deeply attached to her charges and regards Hong Kong as her home. Three assistants have been conducting the two English and Bible schools she established during her absence.

Miss Bailey is now en route to the Pacific Coast and on arriving in San Francisco will embark immediately for China. During her visit Miss Bailey addressed numerous gatherings.

______________________________________________________

First in series: Myrtle Bailey and the Second Chinese Revolution

All newspaper articles found at NewspaperARCHIVE.com

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

52 Ancestors: #7 Don B. Snyder (1918-2012)

Climbing My Family Tree: Don B Snyder (1818-2012)

When I was young my Mom would talk about family members from when she was younger. I remember her talking about "Uncle Don in the Army & Uncle Don in the Navy" in WWII. This is "Uncle Don in the Army."

Don B. Snyder was my grand-uncle, my grandfather's youngest brother. I decided to write about him this week because I'd been adding transcriptions of newspaper articles to my Ancestrydotcom tree this weekend and he has, by far, the most newspaper articles written about him. He had an exciting young life; he may have had an exciting later life too but I don't really know much about that because he moved out of town and stopped making the local paper!

Don was born May 15, 1918 to Philip (age 36) and Pauline (age 27) [Bailey] Snyder; he was the youngest of their five children: Clarence (1910-1884); Christina (1912-1942); Phyllis (1914-2005); Paul (1916-1975) and Donald (1918-2012). He grew up in Findlay Ohio.

In 1935, when he was 17, he started boxing as a featherweight on the local circuit for boxing shows held in V.F.W. club arenas and American Legion Halls. He fought in 3- and 6-round bouts with other local amateurs. The local press said he displayed "a lot of ability and promise" and "handled himself capably". [1] By 1938 and 1939, he had grown into that promise and was headlining fights and competing (& winning) in Ohio Golden Gloves tournaments. Most of the articles I found were describing who was fighting whom and where the impending bout was to take place, and Don was frequently a headline draw for the night's event. But one time his victory was written up with a 7-column large headline!

"SNYDER GIVES APEL TERRIFIC SIX-ROUND LACING
Don Snyder, the 128 pound rubber man, bounced in and out and all over the ring, as he gave Joe Apel, Bowling Green junior lightweight, a terrific lacing in the main six-round go at the V.F.W. club's arena last night before a crowded house.

Apel, a half head taller and 7 pounds heavier, was dropped to the canvas eight times under Snyder's furious two-fisted assault, but the game and courageous Bowling Green battler was still on his feet at the finish.

DOWN FOUR TIMES IN SIXTH
The rubber man's thudding lefts and rights floored Apel in the first and fourth, twice in the fifth, and four times in the last two-minute session. The bell clanged as he hit the resin in the fourth. With two or three exceptions, Apel took nine counts before regaining his feet. The bout, Snyder's fourth straight victory in as many appearances at the club, was easily the most spectacular of any he has fought before the fistic followers."

As you see by this time in 1938 he was being called "the rubber man"; that was not a description of his boxing skills but because he was working as a laborer for the Cooper Tire and Rubber Co. in Findlay, OH. In 1938 he also joined the National Guard (Company C, 148th Infantry, Ohio National Guard). There are long stories in the local paper describing Company C's annual 15-day summer field training, usually at Camp Perry in northern Ohio, but in 1940 in the Wisconsin woods, along with several regular Army Units. The articles always listed every man participating: Don advancing from Private to Private First Class to Corporal.

On October 21, 1940, he and his guard unit were mobilized into active duty with the regular Army and deployed to Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg Mississippi for where the 148th Infantry, as part of the 37th Division, began a long training program designed to make it one of the best fighting units in the country. After 16 months of rigorous training, the unit moved to Indiantown Gap and finished off its pre-embarkation training designed for European service. At the end of March 1942, Sgt. Don B. Snyder transferred from Indian Town Gap, PA to Ft. Benning GA for a three-month officer training course.

On September 8, 1942, Don's older sister, Christine (Snyder) Bunts, was killed in a car crash. He was still assigned to Ft. Benning then. I couldn't tell if he was allowed to come home for the funeral. He was deployed overseas to the Pacific Theatre in November 1942.

When he entered regular Army service he was single, but he married to Ardyth Lucille Ebersole (daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Virgil Ebersole of Arcadia, OH) while he was serving. I don't have a date for that. I did find a newspaper article announcing the birth of Don & Ardyth's son Philip Ardon (I think they combine Ardith & Don for the middle name) on January 5th, 1943. Staff Sergeant Don Snyder arrived home that day from Camp Carrabelle FL (Army Amphibious Training Center) for a 10-day furlough.

At some point, Don (probably when he went for Officers training when the rest of his unit was deployed to the South Pacific) was transferred from the 148th Infantry, 37th Division, to the 151st Infantry, 38th Division, later known as "The Avengers of Bataan". Don Snyder took part in the battle that won the 38th Infantry that title. The Findlay Republican Courier, wrote his part up as follows, on 16 April 1945:

"Despite Japanese mortar and sniper fire, Technical Sergeant Don B Snyder, of Findlay, leading a platoon of the 151st Infantry, 38thDivision, maintained a continuous supply line to the front in the battle of Zig Zag pass on Bataan. There were no beaten trails through the jungle-like thickets but the platoon was able to keep the supplies moving. Tech. Sgt. Snyder is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Philip Snyder and the husband of the former Ardyce Ebersole of Arcadia. He was a well-known boxer prior to entering the Army and has continued winning numerous titles while in service. Overseas 15 months he now holds the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Defense ribbon, and [?] Pacific and Phillipine Liberation ribbons with two campaign stars."

38th Infantry Division- Avengers of Bataan, image bought from Veteran Graphic

Image bought from Veteran Graphics

In 1945 he was sent home in a plane on leave because he had been shot in the leg. His left leg is in a cast in the below photograph. Don is on the left, Paul in the middle and Clarence on the right.

Climbing My Family Tree: Don, Paul, and Clarence Snyder 1945

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Don seems to have had problems in his marriage in the years after the war as he filed for divorce April 2, 1947. She counter-filed on August 30, 1947, and was granted the divorce on December 30, 1947. However, apparently, they got back together later because their daughter, Cathryn Adele, was born in October 1949.

After returning to work for Cooper Tire and Rubber after the war, Don became active in the union, initially Findlay Local 207, United Rubber, Cork, Linoleum and Plastic Workers of America, CIO, becoming President of the first union in the plant, and being re-elected President after it became the Findlay Local 207, United Rubber Workers of America, CIO. He was also named to the District Executive Board of the United Rubber Workers of America, and represented the union at National Conferences in Omaha NE and Buffalo NY. During that period he also spoke up on behalf of local civic employees, such as the police and firefighters, when they were seeking raises from the city. After he was no longer president of the union, he continued to serve as the chief steward during contract negotiations in 1950.

Someplace between 1950 and 1959 Don moved to Temperance Michigan, as he was living there at the time of his parents 50th Wedding anniversary on March 6, 1959.In Temperance, he became a barber. He was a barber for 30 years, first in Michigan, and later in Toledo, Ohio, and later still, in or near Yankeetown, Florida.

On March 31, 1960, Don married Mrs. Florence Kay (Fry) Crider, of Findlay. The bride wore a navy taffeta dress with white accents and a white orchid corsage. Attendants were Mrs. Bethany Brandenberry, sister of the bride, and Philip Ardon, of Temperance Michigan (Don's son). After a short honeymoon, the couple moved to Toledo, Ohio.

At some point, they moved to Florida, where Florence died on February 11, 1981. After her death, he moved back to Toledo and retired.

In approximately 1983 he married Florence Zumbrunn-Snyder. Although the marriage was dissolved about a year later on 4 January 1984, according to all the relatives who have talked to me or written me about it, they remained very close for the rest of his life.He lived thirty years longer and died on January 12, 2012. His obituary said that he was survived by his son, Phillip A. Snyder of San Francisco; daughter, Kathryn Gonzalez of Florida; step-children, Cynthia Tutak, Pamela Criger, Denise Naibor and Richard Criger; two grandchildren; 9 step-grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Don's obituary said he was a member of the Disabled American Veterans and a 30-year member of the National Speleological Caving Society. His main hobby was exploring non-commercial caves, mostly in Kentucky. It also said that he deeply appreciated the care given to him by his stepdaughter, Cynthia Tutak and his dearest friend Florence Snyder.

For future research: I need to find something establishing marriage dates for the marriages to Ardyth Ebersole and Florence Zumbrunn; perhaps a copy of the divorce decrees; and much more information to fill in the large blank spaces I have in his life after 1960.

Climbing My Family Tree

Pages 2

Pages 1

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Don Snyder's Fall

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Myrtle Bailey and the Second Sino-Japanese War

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

52 Ancestors: #7 Don B. Snyder (1918-2012)

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