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Note: 1900 census: Michigan > Mecosta > Fork > District 102 > Page 24
Joseph S Snyder 49 Indiana
Sophia Snyder 39 Ohio
Irving Snyder 16 MI
George Snyder 13 Jun 1886 MI
Cora Snyder 12 MI
Oro Snyder 12 MI
Arden Snyder 5/12 MI
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From: Jim Cyr
To: Sweitzer Anne Halford
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2001 9:33 PM
Subject: Snyder, McElroy and Sweitzer in Ionia Co Mich , 1879
I have been meaning to write, but I did not have time in Dec. until now. My connection to the Sweitzer family should be visible at roots web, worldconnect, rathburn data base.
I would love copies of photos, stories, etc. My address is:
Jim Cyr
1167 Greenfield St
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805-373-6106
My father was Donald Cyr, his mother Marjorie Rathburn, her mother Laura McElroy, her mother Martha Snyder, sister of Joseph Snyder who married Sophia Sweitzer.
Our branch of the family was taken in and given shelter by the Sweitzers when no one else would. I don't have all the details, but I will tell you what I think I know. I hope to research and write the story someday. Maybe you could help me with the research or the writing.
Martha Snyder and James McElroy were married in Ludington, Mich in Nov 1872. They had two children, Laura and James Jr. Laura's father James McElroy died of Typhoid fever in Ludington Mich when Laura was about 4, about 1877. James McElroy had been working in a sawmill there. James McElroy had leased his farm to his father, Michael McElroy in Sweba [Sebewa] Twp, Ionia Co, Mich. By 1879, Martha's father, John Henry Snyder, had purchased the farm in a Sheriff's sale and was trying to evict Michael McElroy and his family. A mob had come along to help in the Spring of 1879. Snyder went into the house and started pulling on the mussel end of Michael McElroy's shot gun. The gun went off and Snyder bled to death that night. Michael McElroy was charged with murder, and later acquitted by the third Ionia Co. jury panel, in Oct 1879 ( Self defense) The mob had burned the house and barn down, which was crazy since it was rightfully owned by James McElroy's widow, Martha Snyder.
Martha Snyder McElroy, Laura age 6, James Jr. age 2, minus a father, minus two grandfathers, likely turned to Joseph Snyder married to Sophia Sweitzer to take them in. And either Sophia Sweitzer's father or uncle ( Mr. Sweitzer) let them live in a one room shack behind their house and likely looked after the children while Martha worked doing laundry for $0.25 a day.
Thank you to the Sweitzer family for taking in the widow Martha Snyder and her two children in 1879, in Ionia Co Mich. One of the children was my Great-grandmother Laura McElroy.
Peace on Earth, Joy to the World, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2002
Jim Cyr
The newspaper account of the incidents:
Here's the story of my g.g.grandfather, Michael McElroy. He had lived in WI up to 1870-74. In 1874, he was also in trouble with the Ionia Co. Sherriff (threatened a farmer over some pigs). Then the following occurred.
Diane Decker-Warneke
mailto:warneke@@wingsisp.com
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Michael McElroy's Mishap * Sebewa, Ionia County, Michigan 1879
Portland Observer, March 11, 1879
A COLD-BLOODED AND DIABOLICAL MURDER.
A horrible and outrageous murder was perpetrated in Sebewa last Friday by a fiend in human shape named McElroy, upon an old man named Henry Snyder. It appeared that Mr. Snyder wanted to get possession of his property on which McElroy was living, he (Snyder) having purchased it about a year ago on a foreclosure of mortgage sale. Mr. Snyder's lawyer in Ionia informed that gentleman that he could serve on McElroy a notice to quit as well as a constable. Armed with the legal document, Mr. Snyder proceeded on the 7th Inst., accompanied by his son, Joseph Snyder, Dan Fender and J.H. Kimball, to McElroy's house and finding the door open Mr. Snyder went in first, the rest following. Before the last man had got to the door and before Mr. Snyder had read the notice to quit, McElroy stepped out into another room and returned with a gun. Deliberately leveling it at the father of his son's wife] he fired the charge (buckshot) taking effect in the groin severing the femoral artery, from which he died in less than three hours.
Dan Fender was the only witness to the shooting--as we understand it--of those who accompanied Mr. Snyder to the house. After the shooting, McElroy harnessed up his team and started off towards Ionia. It only took a few moments for two other parties to get a team in readiness and pursue the murderer in order that Sheriff Mattison might get hold of him on his arrival in Ionia. But upon calmer consideration they thought--after driving a considerable distance--that it might be a rather difficult task to overhaul and pass him without arising his suspicions. At the juncture, a man drove up behind them with a horse and buggy and was in the act of passing, when they stopped him, and after informing him how matters stood, requested him to drive on as rapidly as possible and inform the sheriff. McElroy, upon arriving in Ionia, was arrested very much to his surprise--by the sheriff on the charge of murder and safely lodged in jail. The murderer's previous character will not avail him much, and we understand that he was to receive his sentence next Monday on a recent conviction of shooting hogs. The murdered man was interred yesterday. He was about 65 years of age, quiet, peaceable, and very much respected.
Portland Observer, March 18, 1879
THE SEBEWA MURDER.
The buildings occupied by the McElroys burned by a mob of infuriated citizens.
The murder of Henry Snyder, in Sebewa, on the 7th inst., by Michael McElroy, the particulars of which were given in our last issue, created the most intense excitement in the neighborhood, which finally culminated in the burning of the buildings were the murder was committee, by an infuriated mob of citizens. The Ionia Sentinel of last week furnishes the following particulars of the affair:
"On Sunday, before or after services at the church, a man named Elliot announced on the outside that all friends of Snyder, deceased, were requested to meet at Horn's Corner, the next morning. Early Monday morning a large crowd was gathered at the place named, who chose the following committee to confer with Cook, McElroy's son-in-law [NOTE: Cook is married to Michael's oldest daughter, Ellen], and tell him 'to git', viz: Elliot, Josh Henry, James Chambers, James Layard, and James Gray. Horne's Corners is on the county line, at the corners of Barry and Eaton Counties, and the McElroy house is about 60 rods north, on the Sebewa side of the road. This committee waited on Cook, told him he must leave and asked how much time he wanted to get his property away. He said three days. Committee said no. He asked for one day. They went back to consult and returning said he could have just one hour, and they would help remove the things. All hands commenced removing the contents of the house, and placing them in the field on the Odessa side of the road. In about half an hour, the mob, numbering 115 persons, besides several lookers on, who took no active part, came on, after the manner, we suppose, of mobs in general, who's ardor in the fact
of such foes as defenseless woman and children could not be restrained even for the short interval promised. The house and barn were soon heaps of smoldering ashes, time not having been allowed to remove the contents. The family who found shelter there consisted of Mrs. McElroy and her 13 year old daughter; Mr. And Mrs. Cook and their two little children. There were shouts of "Hang Cook," but no demonstrations of the kind, and he was slipped away and brought to Ionia. The women and children have found shelter at the Eagle Hotel, kept by H.W.Jackson, for the present. Tuesday morning, constable Covert and Cook went to Sebewa. Covert was warned that it was not safe to keep Cook there, but replied that he proposed to stay and keep Cook with him, until the property was secured. No one would give Cook shelter, those who would have been willing, not daring to do so, so both Covert and Cook slept outdoors with the goods. The next day the goods were distributed among four of the neighbors-Samuel Swinehard's, Dan Martin's and J. Chamber's barns and Deitrich's Store, no one person daring to run the risk of having their buildings burned by storing all the goods.
Covert and Cook started on Wednesday on their return, driving 13 head of cattle, belonging to Cook, which were left at James Humphrey's, about eight miles south, where they stayed all night, arriving here about noon yesterday. There have been some threats that the mob would take McElroy from jail, and Mr. Covert was told that a party would seize him when he was taken out for examination. Mr. Covert gave the people there some good advice, to the effect that no one who was not willing to be made cold meat of should consent to be one of the party. There seems to be no general apprehension of any attempt of this kind. The distance is too great, the roads are too muddy, and their sober second thoughts have had time to exert their beneficial influences.
McElroy's account of the shooting differs from the other side only in the somewhat essential feature, that when Snyder had backed nearly out of the room he suddenly sprang forward and grasped the gun, and that in the struggle for its possession it accidentally went off. We understand that this statement is corroborated by Alvin Cook, his son-in-law, with whom he lived, and who claims to have witnessed the whole affair. It does not seem to receive general credence however.
Nashville News, April 5, 1879
The deputy sheriff, of Ionia, has arrested 16 of the leading men engaged in burning the buildings on the Snyder farm and distressing of the McElroy family.
Portland Observer, May 21, 1879
THE MCELROY MURDER CASE
The trail of Michael McElroy for the murder of Henry Snyder, in Sebewa, commenced on Monday. Prosecuting Attorney W.B. Wells, assisted by O.W Bealman, appearing for the People, and Benj. Vespe, assisted by Blanchard, Bell & Cagwin, for the defendant.
The afternoon of Monday was passed in sifting the panel of sixty jurors, which finally resulted in the choice of the following: E.B. Tuttle, Frank Wood, Henry H. Rowley, David H. Conchonan, Melvin Martin, Dorr Osgood, Matthew Brown, D.W. Woodman, Jas. Elton, Wm. Howard, James DeLong, John Canfield.
The public interest in the case seems to have largely died out, the court room being less than half full during the trail.
The prosecution claims that it was a case of murder, and seeks to prove that at the time the fatal shot was fired Snyder was retreating backward out of the house, and was several feet distant from the gun. This position is supported by the testimony of Daniel Fender, the only one of the party who claims to have seen him at the time he received his death wound. Fender is a young man of a frank, straight-forward bearing, and his appearance on the stand was decidedly favorable to the honesty of his testimony. So far as one could judge, he neither attempted to evade the questions of the cross examination, or to color or suppress any of the facts within his knowledge as to the occurrence on the morning of the homicide.
The theory of the defense is that Snyder sprung back into the room, after retreating into the kitchen, and grabbed the gun at the muzzle end, and that during the struggle for its possession, Mrs. McElroy also having hold of the gun, it was accidentally discharged. They claim that previous occurrence justified McElroy in the believe that his life was in danger, and that the taking down of the gun and warning them to leave his house was a justifiable measure of defense. The testimony of Mrs. Cook, daughter of the accused, is confirmatory of this theory so far as the circumstances under which the gun was discharged is concerned, the conflict in the testimony being mainly in this vital point. Mrs. Cook is rather an intelligent appearing woman, and told her story in a direct and positive manner, illustrating with a broom and the assistance of Mr. Blanchard, who conducted the cross examination on the part of the defense, the manner in which her father held the gun from the time he brought it into the room until it was discharged.
The following are the important points in the testimony so far as relating to the manner of the occurrence:
Daniel Fender sworn: Lives 2 miles 70 rods from McElroy's. Went with party to serve notice to leave the place. Did not hear what Snyder said when we went in. McElroy said we had better get out, or words to that effect. I went out, followed by the others. When I turned to look back I was about 15 feet from the house; saw Snyder backing out. Snyder was from 4 to 8 feet from McElroy when I heard the report of the gun. When I heard report of gun, Joseph Snyder was outside of entry door. I saw McElroy, Mrs. McElroy and Mrs. Cook in the house. I started to go away when old man Snyder asked me not to go. I helped him away. Helped take off his clothes. We took Snyder to Ferdinand Sweitzer's.
Jasper Kimball testified that he was outside when the shot was fired, and did not see Snyder. Heard Snyder say he was shot, and thinks he was in summer kitchen near door leading into middle part. Did not notice where young Snyder was at the time. Did not see Fender and don't know whether he could see into the house or not.
Ellen Cook sworn: Am daughter of McElroy. On that morning Mr. Snyder came in first, followed by young Snyder and Kimball and Fender. Old man Snyder says, "How do you do?" Father says, "Better than my neighbors wish me." Father asked if any more were coming, and said, "I want you to get out of my house." Going into the bedroom, he returned with his gun and said, "Now I tell you to get out of this house." All went out, old man Snyder backing out slowly. Father did not point gun at them. The muzzle was inclined down. When Snyder reached the summer kitchen he suddenly sprang back into the room and grasped the muzzle with both hands trying to pull it away. After they had struggled a few moments mother took hold. Soon after I heard a click, then a report of the gun. Old man Snyder had hold of the gun when it went off. Did not hear Snyder say anything after it was shot. Saw 15 to 20 men at corners, 40 or 55 rods distant, when these men came to the house. Father told Snyder to let go of the gun. Father was jerked forward several times and was once nearly on his knees. We had been told that parties were coming to mob us.
Dr. Tremayne testified as to the character and location of the wounds. There were two holes 1-1/2 inches apart near the groin. Found the femoral artery ruptured.
Mrs. McElroy's testimony corroborated that of Mrs. Cook.
The testimony was finished about 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the rest of the day being occupied by the pleas of counsel. G.W. Bealman opening for the prosecution, followed by Benj. Vesper and J.C. Blanchard for the defense. Prosecuting Attorney Wells making the closing argument. Yesterday morning Judge Lovell charged the jury in the presence of the largest audience assembled during the trail, the room being about two thirds filled. The jury returned about 10 a.m. and came in 9 o'clock this morning reporting that they could not agree and were discharged. We understand that they stood nine for acquittal to three for conviction.
Ionia Sentinel, Oct. 10, 1879
THE MCELROY CASE.
The special term of the circuit court for the trial of Michael McElroy, for the murder of Henry Snyder, commended its session on Monday afternoon to select a jury, which was obtained after calling 60 names of the list of 75. The following are the names of those chosen: Cas. Potter, Julius S. Tibbits, Chas. W. Joslin, Cornelius W. Stowe, W.B. McVeigh, S.M. Smith, Wm. Penny, Josiah Dilley, Sanford Vanderson, Harry P. Gates, O.A. Day, and Orin F. Furton. The counsel finished their arguments on the case Friday evening. The judge will charge the jury on Saturday morning. The verdict will be given to our readers next week.
Portland Observer, Oct. 29, 1879
THE MCELROY CASE.
Contrary to general expectations, the jury in the McElroy case reached a speedy verdict. Judge Lovell finished his charge about 10:30 a.m., on Saturday and before 1 p.m. the jury sent for an officer, having agreed. The judge, council and prisoner were sent for, and the verdict of "not guilty" formally announced. McElroy was considerably affected.
Under all the circumstance, it is perhaps fortunate that the case has been finally disposed of, as it has lately been evident that it was hardly possible to secure a jury that would convince. The testimony of McElroy's family, the only actual eye witness, was so positive as to the circumstances of the tragedy, the struggle for the possession of the gun, etc., and it was substantially unimpeached, that no jury could be selected that would not embrace members including in mercy's side, at least from the doubt involved by the contradictory evidence. While this is the case, public opinion remains very much as before as to the probability of the guilt of the accused.
The case was skillfully fought by the counsel on both sides.
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