Snyder Community
Hale County, Texas
Mennonite Colony Families
Benjamin Elias (1875-1929) and Mary M. (Landis) (1876-1963) Martin
(These are the basic facts I have for this family, listed here to help guide the research process. As photos, family stories, and other data are submitted, I hope to develop a narrative.)
James A. Snyder, grandson of Peter B. Snyder, includes B. E. Martin in his list of "early settlers of the Snyder Colony." (article)
Benjamin's obituary - Gospel Herald - Volume XXI, Number 49 -
Mary's obituary - Gospel Herald - Volume LVI, Number 9 - March 5, 1963 - page 199
1900
Federal census - 2nd precinct, Green Township, Wayne County, Ohio
Samuel - aged 52, married 30 years, farmer, born June 1847 in
Pennsylvania, both parents born in Pennsylvania
Anna - aged 57 mother of 5 children, 3 children living, born
Sept. 1842 in Ohio, both parents born in Pennsylvania
Anna F. - 20-year-old single daughter, mother of 0 children
Benjamin E. - 24-year-old son, married, born June 1875
in Ohio, farm laborer
Mary M - 23-year-old daughter-in-law, mother of 0 children,
born Sept. 1876 in Pennsylvania
According to his obituary, "in 1906 [Benjamin] moved to Plainview, Texas, being the first family to locate in the Plainview Mennonite colony. Seeing his inability to make progress in that state, he took a homestead in 1908 near Nolan, N. Mex. In 1910 he was called home to Ohio to care for his aged father and invalid sister, in which vicinity he lived until death." The Orville Snyders were neighbors of the Martins. Orville and Ellen's son Lester, who was almost thirteen at the time, remembers when Ben was killed while walking on the icy road by his house, attempting to aid a motorist whose car had gone into the ditch.
Land records at the Hale County Court House in Plainview indicate that Ben bought 40 acres (NW 1/4 of NW 1/4 of Survey 10, Block D7) from J. H. and Alice Buntin on October 31, 19061, the same day that land purchases were recorded for Peter B. Snyder, Henry E. Landis, Christian Hertzler, and John Hartzler. On June 2, 1908, Ben and Mary sold their property to R. R. Brenneman for $500 cash.2 Joann Yoder Smith, granddaughter of Andrew and Lizzie Brenneman, believes this was Andrew's brother Rhuda "Rudy" Brenneman, who never lived in the Snyder Community.3
1910
Federal census - Precinct 12 Wagon Mound, Mora County, New Mexico
Benjamine E. - aged 34, married 10 years, born in Ohio,
father born in Pennsylvania, mother born in Ohio, farmer on own account
Mary - aged 33, mother of 3 children, 3 children living, born
in Pennsylvania, both parents born in Pennsylvania
Elam. B. - 9-year-old son, born in Ohio
Jennie - 7-year-old daughter, born in Ohio
Harry Paul - 9/12-year-old son, born in New Mexico
1920
Federal census - Green Township, Wayne County, Ohio
Samuel - aged 72, born in Pennsylvania, both parents born in
Pennsylvania
Benjiman - 44-year-old son, married, farmer
Anna F. - 40-year-old single daughter
Mary M. - 43-year-old daughter-in-law
Elam B. - 18-year-old grandson, single, laborer on the home
farm
Jennie E. - 17-year-old granddaughter, single
H. Paul - 10-year-old grandson, born in Ohio
1930 Federal census -
Green Township, Wayne County, Ohio [The family just above the Martins on
the census sheet is that of Orville Snyder, Peter B. Snyder's son and my grandpa!
Mrs. Orville Snyder was Lydia Ellen Hartzler, daughter of Joseph K. Hartzler,
who had also lived in Texas.]
Mary M. - aged 53, widowed homemaker
Elam B. - 28-year-old single son, farmer
Jennie E. - 27-year-old single daughter, servant for a
private family
Harry P. - 20-year-old single son, born in New Mexico, farm
laborer
Anna F. - 50-year-old single sister-in-law
Footnotes
1. Deed Record, Plainview, Hale County, Texas, County Clerk's Office, Vol. XIV, p. 170, October 31, 1906.
2. Deed Record, Plainview, Hale County, Texas, County Clerk's Office, Vol. XVIII, p. 27, June 2, 1908.
3. E-mail message, Joann Yoder Smith to Bonnie Snyder Smith, March 30, 2007.
copyright © 2005,
2006, 2007, 2008 Bonnie Snyder Smith
