"DEATH OF “PAPPY” SNYDER.

A Unique Greene County Character Passes Away—Was Aged About 96 Years.

Early Friday morning last, Philip Snyder, whose illness we had referred to recently, died at the county jail. He had strong prejudice against going to the county home and some weeks ago, when he became ill he requested Sheriff Meek to give him a place and have him taken care of. This the officer did, kind attention being shown him throughout his sickness. The death of “Pappy” Snyder, as he was familiarly called, removes from our county one of its most unique characters. He was perhaps the last of the mountaineer wagoners, being at the time of his death, we are informed, the only man in the county who had driven a conestoga wagon from Baltimore. He was born at Hancock, Md., about the year 1803. He was without any education whatever and always fixed his age from the fact that he had voted for Gen. Jackson for President, when he was first a candidate, Snyder's father qualifying that he was twenty-one years of age. This would make him nearly ninety-six.

He came to Greene county about 1837 along with two brothers, David and John, and they made their home for some time with Jesse Kent, who kept a tavern on the Graysville road. Philip at one time owned the farm now belonging to Samuel Grimes' heirs, between Waynesburg and Hunter's Cave. Before the building of the B. & O. railroad his occupation was teaming and it is said he owned one of the finest teams that crossed the mountains, six head of stallions.  In those days a hundred and twenty hundred weight was called a load and it sometimes happened that in drawing six tons over the mountains a team would stall. By a rule among the drivers the team which could pull out the most wagons found stuck in a hard place was entitled to wear a fine set of bells. It is said that Philip Snyder's team always wore the bells, and fine ones they were, too, having cost $80 in Baltimore.

During the civil war he volunteered with Co. C, 18th Pa. Cavalry as a teamster, but for a long time his name never appeared on the muster roll, and as he had been given nothing to do he decided to come home. No sooner had he got back, however until a provost marshal came and arrested him as a deserter. This occurrence was repeated again, as Phil's name still was absent from the roll, and he was given nothing to do and drew no pay. His second arrest as a deserter was likely to get him into trouble, however, and by request Hon. Jesse Lazear, the congressman from this district, went with him to the War Department. When they entered the office of the dignified Secretary Stanton, and after Congressman Lazear addressed a few words of explanation, Phil began stating his case in his own original logic, about as follows: Addressing Stanton he said: “What in the h—l is a fellow to do Pappy, they won't let me 'jine' the army and yet when I go back home they arrest me as a deserter? What in the h—l is a fellow to do?" Stanton though weighed down by the cares of his duties, saw the situation at once and was greatly amused. The result was that he sent word back to the army officer to enlist Phil at once and enter his name on the rolls.

Much of the information concerning Snyder we have learned from one of our old and prominent citizens who in the early days drove hogs across the mountains to Baltimore and had known Phil for at least fifty years. There were numerous annoyances in those days in taking live stock to the eastern market on foot, as long caravans of wagons and coaches would be frequently met with on the great thoroughfare—the National pike. This was particularly true in the morning after the teams would leave their stopping places. Many of the drivers acted toward stock men as if they deserved no rights, whatever, but Phil was always courteous to the drovers and whenever he met his Greene county friends, invariably offered to treat them. He carried with him on every trip, two kegs of whiskey.

Among the Waynesburg merchants he did hauling for were: Benj. Campbell, Rinehart & Minor, John Strawn, Jesse Rinehart and Berryhill & Johnson.

When he entered the army he owned a great deal of property, including probably half of the town of Jacksonville. But owing to is inability to read writing, it is said he frequently put his name to papers which he did not understand and this, together with money he spent for drink and carousals, brought him to poverty a few years later. A member of the Waynesburg bar, who relates many amusing incidents concerning Phil, tells us this one: Just before going to war he got a lawyer to write his will, in which he bequeathed all his property to a near relative. Phil picked up the pen to make his mark, after the document was finished, but suddenly halted and said to the lawyer, “hold on there, I want that will fixed so the boy won't get the property unless I die.” The lawyer—George L. Wyly, we believe—assured him the will would not be in effect until after his death.

At one time he kept a grocery and always entered his charges in accordance with the Indian alphabet, that is, by making a picture to represent the article purchased. Once he sued a customer for a cheese, which he represented on his book by a circle. The latter denied that he had ever bought one off him, but during the dispute admitted purchasing a grindstone. “Oh! That's it, said “Pappy,” I forgot to put the 'eye' in it.”

For many years he had gained a livelihood by gathering up cigar stumps, from which he made a salve and sold it. Latterly he obtained a small pension.

Phil at one time became converted at a Methodist revival and for some time led a reformed life, but companions caused him to break over to evil ways again.  He leaves a sister Mrs. Elisa Hays, at Nineveh.

His funeral was held on Saturday and was under charge of McCullough Post G. A. R., his remains being taken to the Post room for services. The interment was in Green Mount cemetery."