"Each year there are new members of the family present as always, some have gone to their final resting place.

This brief history is written as a tribute to the memory of Adam and Ann Snyder, the founders of the Snyder Family in Marshall County, Indiana by A W O'Keefe"

Snyder Family
March 31, 1936

One of the first pioneer families to locate in Marshall County was that of Adam Snyder, who with his wife, Ann Sparks - Snyder and their nine children cmae to what is now Marshall County, in April 1834, two years before the county was organized.

Adam Snyder, the son of Adam Snyder, was a native of Maryland, having been born near Fredericksburg March 2nd 1795.

At the early age of seventeen he became a soldier in the War of 1812, and was one of three thousand soldiers under General Harrison who fought the decisive Battle of the Thames, in Canada. It was at this battle that the famous Indian Chief Tecumseh was killed. Years later when questioned about the battle, Adam would make the remark "I saw Tecumseh fall, but I don't want to talk any more about it."

The rifle and powder horn that Adam Snyder carried in the War of 1812 is a cherished heirloom of the Snyder family. handwritten note (In possession at Timothy L. Okeete, Mishawaka, In (1984) M. Durman.

One of Adam Snyder's comrades and a close friend, was a young man named Sparks, who after they were mustered out of service, prevailed upon Adam to make a visit to the Sparks home near Prountytown Va.

During this visit Adam became acquainted with Ann Sparks to whom he was married on April 27, 1817.

Ann Sparks Snyder was born January 10th, 1800.Therefore the young couple were respectively twenty two, and seventeen years of age at the time of their marriage.

Immediately after the wedding ceremony, Adam with others, built and launched a "flat boat" on the headwaters of the Monongahela River in Virginia. Embarking their respective families and earthly possessions, they proceeded down the river on their perilous journey west, past Pittsburgh, then a village, into the Ohio River. Their landing was at a point on the North shore of the river in Ohio.

From here they proceeded overland to Hardin County, Ohio, where the father of Adam had previously taken a homestead near Roundhead. Near the father's homestead the young couple lived for seventeen years, during which time nine children had come to bless their union.

Early in the year 1834 the urge had come again to move westward. With the courage of the early pioneers Adam, his wife and children, set out again in two covered wagons bound for what was calld the rich Illinois land country. After a six weeks journey from Roundhead, during which they sometimes had to stop to cut a way through the forest, tehy arrived at a point four miles north of Plymouth, where is now located the Fairmount Church.

Beside their live stock, wagons and household goods, their wealth was all in schillings, of which they had "two peck measures full." Father and sons would alternate at night in standing guard to protect this treasure from roving robgers, and hostile Indiana.

It was in Marshall County that the destiny of the Snyder family was changed, for Adam was prevailed upon to buy land in Marshall County and make this his permanent home. The land could be bought for $1.25 an acre and Adam bought nearly 400 acres. Also it was pointed out that work could be had in the construction of the Michigan Road.

Part of this homestead is still owned by some of the grandchildren and great grandchildren, but the log home in which the family first lived, is long since gone.

Shortly after making their camp at Fairmount another and younger pioneer family joined them. A child of the latter family, whos names are unknown, became sick and died. Adam Snyder together with his son John went into the woods and cut a poplar tree from which was hewed a coffin. After a short service the child was buried on the hill where now is Fairmount. This was the first burial and Farimount is now believed to be the oldest cemetery in the county.

Adam Snyder was one of those who helped organize the county in 1836. He was the first Judge of the election held in North Township on August 5th, 1836. When the Snyder family first came to Marshall County there were neighter bridges nor fences and livestock was allowed to run wild in the woods.

There were many Indians, although most of them were friendly.

Personally, Adam Snyder was a tall, quiet man, and as one of his children had described him, was "as straight and quick as an Indian and as good a hunter". Although devoting most of his time to farming he wassaid to be fond of taking his rifle and spending hours alone in the woods. He was naturally reserved, but friendly in character and his decendants are proud to know that he was regarded asa trustworthy and honest man.

To the Union of Adam Snyder and Ann Sparks the following thirteen children were born all of whom lived to a useful adult life.

The last four were born in Marshall County. In addition to these thirteen children, are many descendants. Grandchildren, great and great great grandchildren, many of whom still live in Marsall County.

Adam Snyder died May 18, 1847. Ann Sparks Snyder died Jan 27th, 1873. They are both buried at Fairmount in Marshall County.

There is on record at the County Recorder's office a genealgoical chart of the Snyder family the first of its kind to be recorded in the County. Since this chart was recorded many changes and additions have been made, so that today the decendants of Adam and Ann Snyder number into the Hundreds, many of whom have held positions of trust and honor in various branches of our State and County Government.

The Snyder family holds a reunion each year, usually, in Marshall County.