Saturday, January 14, 2012

John Corson Snyder Residence

John Corzon Snyder Residence (1932, Architect Unknown)
271 Merito Place



I once attended a Christmas party at this house. It exudes warmth as only a Spanish style home can. A typical hacienda form, it was the prefect blend of indoor / outdoor living, and even at Christmas time the party was mostly outdoors. Most of the original details are intact, and it appears to have been built by Alvah Hicks and his carpenter Lee Miller. The roof trusses are spectacular.

It was built for John Corson Snyder (1887- ) who was born on a farm near Middletown, Ohio, the son of Jacob C. and Mary (Kemp) Snyder. The Snyders moved from Middletown to a farm near Crawfordsville, Indiana when their son, John was seven years of age. They later moved to a farm in southwestern Missouri. John C. Snyder, the subject of this sketch attended district schools near Crawfordsville and later took a business course in Kansas City, Missouri. When he was 15 years of age he accompanied his parents to Southwestern Missouri where he remained until 21 years of age. He taught school several years when a young man and after attending Business College, engaged in the real estate business for a short time. Prior to 1893 he was associated with his brothers, Frank L. and Harry K. Snyder in a lead and zinc mining enterprise near Joplin Missouri for several years.

Beginning in 1924, he was an insurance company executive and served as the president of the Elston Bank & Trust Company of Crawfordsville. During the WWI he directed many activities in Montgomery, heading drives for the American Red Cross, YMCA, War Chest and Liberty Loan. He served on the executive committee of the Indiana State Chamber of Commerce and was chairman of that body in 1918 and president in 1919. He served 3 terms as president of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce. He formerly was a member of the Crawfordsville School Board. Mr. Snyder, who is independent in politics, is a member of the Masonic Lodge; Shriners; Rotary Club; Crawfordsville Country Club; Elks Lodge; Montgomery County Chapter, Citizens Historical and St. John's Episcopal Church. Mr. Snyder was active in civic affairs and in undertakings for public betterment.








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