Sniders and Litzingers

1580 Granville Street

Woodland Park, Columbus, Ohio 

Brothers Joseph J. and Samuel Snider came to Columbus from Perry County in 1892. They started two businesses, a lumber yard and a grocery on Taylor Avenue. They were sons of Peter and Ellen (Deen) Snider. 

Joseph J. Snider was born in January 1854 in Perry County. He married Elizabeth M. (January 1853)about 1874. They had five children, four living in 1900. Emma A. (April 1876), Frances M. (March 1880), and William A. (May 1882). 

Samuel Snider

Samuel Snider was born in Perry County, Ohio on August 7, 1843. He married Margaret Reynolds in about 1865. Margaret was born in Zanesville on May 29, 1844, her mother's name was Mary Crosson. Sam and Margaret married on October 11, 1865 and had a total of seven children; Mary (1867), twins Ellen and Catharine (1870), Dora C. (March 23, 1876), Stephen A. (March 1879) and Margaret E. (September 1881). In 1880 the family was living in Reading Township in Perry County.

A biography of Sam in the 1909 Centennial History if Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, Volume 2 states, "Carefully saving his earnings, as the result of diligence and economy his capital was at length sufficient to enable him to purchase a samll sawmill and engage in business on his own account in 1867. He joined his brother in a partnership under the name Snider Brothers and they began the operation of their mill, which was located in Perry county, Later they bought three other mills, which they continued to operate until 1892 and Samuel Snider then sold out to his brother. In the previous year - 1891 - he had become associated with his brother J.J. Snider, in the establishment of a planing mill and lumberyard in Columbus, their brother William Snider aslo becoming interested in the concern, although he later traded his interest to Samuel Snider for the latter's sawmill business in Perry county.

1891 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map

1895 City Directory advertisement

"The J.J. Snider Lumber Company was incorporated in 1891 with J.J. Snider as president and Samuel Snider as treasurer. The business has had remarkable growth during the period of its existence and is still expanding along lines of substantial and gratifying development.

1897 City Directory advertisement

"In 1900 a trade was effected whereby Samuel Snider became principal owner of the business at Columbus and has since that time been president of the company. He employs about forty-five men and handles all kinds of hard and soft woods and likewise operates a planing mill in the manufacture of lumber. In all of his business dealings he has been straightforward and energetic and has conducted his affairs with the strictest regard to a high standard of commercial ethics. He is also one of the directors of the People's Bank, which is likewise proving a paying investment but he devotes the greater part of his time and attention to his lumber business and the J.J. Snider Lumber Company ranks among foremost in the trade of this city.

"Mr. Snider finds his chief source of rest and recreation in driving, and is very fond of good horses, alwasys having some splendid specimens of the noble steed in his stables. He belongs to the Catholic church and gives his political allegiance to the democracy. In former years he was more or less active in politics and served as a (1881) commisioner of Perry county, Ohio.

"...Mr. Snider was married to Miss Margaret Reynolds, of Springfield, Ohio, and unto them were born five children but Mary, the eldest, and Stephen A. and Margaret, the fourth and fifth members of the family are now deceased. Ellen and Catherine, twins, are both married. Mr. Snider is a delf-made man whose thrift, industry and integrity have been the strong points in a successful career. He stands as a splendid example of the chivalrous and public-spirited American citizen, conservative in his habits and of keen, discerning mind. His salient characteristics are such as are worthy of emulation and have gained for him the respect and good will of a large circle of warm friends."

Well, I found the above paragraphs of puffery after I had already constructed the timeline laid out below, so now back to the facts.

In 1891 the J.J. Snider Lumber Company was established at Taylor Avenue where it intersected the B & O Railroad, with a capital stock of $75,000. The officers were: J.J. Snider, President; Charles Kircher, Secretary; Samuel Snider, Treasurer.

Also in that year, Joseph lived at the NE corner of Grant Avenue and Grove Street. Samuel still lived in Somerset, Perry County, as did another brother William Snider (born 1856), who was also associated with the company.

In 1893, the brothers started Joseph J. and Samuel Snider Grocery on Taylor Avenue, one door north of the intersection of the Panhandle Railroad. At the lumberyard, Charles Kircher was out as Secretary, and another Perry County man, Conrad J. Litzinger was his replacement.

1901 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, the grocery is at the lower left corner.

Litzinger lived at 1291 Atcheson Street, Samuel is living next door at 1293 Atcheson Street, and Joseph was at 344 N. Grant Avenue.

1291 Atcheson Street

Conrad J. Litzinger was born in about 1849 in Perry County. He married Ida A. Fink on October 5, 1880 in Perry County. Ida was born in August 26, 1849 in Somerset, Ohio, daughter of James E. and Catherine (Fencannen) Fink. Conrad and Ida had six children: Maud (January 11, 1882 – December 5, 1947), Eugene (January 21, 1884), Hugh F. (November 1885), Paul (November 1885), Katherine (March 1888) and Mary (August 1890). 

Conrad died on March 27, 1897 in Franklin County. James E. McNally was his successor at the lumber company.

By 1900, Joseph and family had moved to South Mulberry Street in Logan, Ohio.

Sam lived at 1349 Atcheson Street. Sometime between 1900 and 1908, Sam purchased Lot 58 from Hugh E. Smith. According to the 1900 Census there was already a house at this address, 1580 Granville Street, inhabited by a carpenter, Albert H. Cisco, his wife and daughter.

J.J. Snider Lumber Company, 888 Taylor Avenue
circa 1919

Ida, Conrad Litzinger’s widow, lived on Taylor Avenue with her children. Her occupation is listed as grocer. So at some point after her husband’s death she must have taken over the Snider’s store. Maud is working as a clerk in the store. 

By 1910, Joseph is out of the picture. Sam, Margaret and Dora are living at 1580 Granville Street with a granddaughter, Margaret M. Miller, age 22. Margaret and Sam are listed as having seven children, three of whom were still living at the time of the Census. So between 1900 and 1910, two more of their children died.

Ida Litzinger and five of her children are living at 1589 Mt. Vernon Avenue in 1910. Hugh is off on his own. Ida and Maud are listed as having no occupations, and Eugene is listed as grocer. Paul is a plumbing steamfitter, Katherine is a seamstress/dressmaker, and Mary is a saleswoman at the grocery.

James E. McNally

Eugene Joseph Litzinger was born on January 21, 1884 in Somerset, Perry County. He married Barbara A. Holzapfel in Franklin County on May 10, 1910. Barbara was born in Wellston, Ohio. Eugene and Barbara had six children, John Edgar (1912) Robert E. (1914), Paul L. (1915), William F. (1919). Daniel Joseph, (born August 9, 1924 died at 1576 Granville Street on November 25, 1925 of an acute ear infection and septic meningitis) and Donald J. (1925).

Sometime between 1910 and 1920, Sam sold the lumber company to the Secretary/Treasurer, James E. McNally. McNally renamed the firm the J.E. McNally Lumber Company. In 1920, McNally lived at 1594 Greenway Avenue. The buildings that were the last of McNally's became the Millworks at 2020 Leonard Avenue.

The J.E. McNally Lumber Company, circa 1930

1576 Granville Street

Eugene's WWI Draft Registration from 1918 lists his residence as 1576 Granville Street. He was living in the house next door to Sam Snider before 1918.  On the Draft Registration his occupation is grocer, and the business address at 1632 Leonard Avenue. So the store moved to the corner of Leonard and Taylor Avenues between 1910 and 1918. This move probably coincided with the sale of the lumber company. Arthur Guthke, the owner of the drugstore on the corner of Taylor and Mt.Vernon, signed Eugene's draft card attesting to his identity.

1921 Sanborn Fire Insurance map shows the new location of the grocery at the corner of Leonard and Taylor.

1632 Old Leonard Avenue in 2011. Formerly the Litzinger's grocery,
now a church, God's House of Prayer.

In 1920, Sam and Margaret were living at 1580 with their daughter Dora and a boarder, Emma F. McKane (September 1875). Sam's occupation was listed as retired lumber man and their boarder Emma, was a stenographer at a refining company. Emma was the daughter of Sarah McCane and is listed in the 1891 Columbus City Directory as a stenographer for B & O railroad. In 1939 she lived in Apartment 3 at 1420 Franklin Avenue and her occupation is bookkeeper. In 1945 she was living at 1011 Oak Street.

Sam and Margaret both died of stroke. Sam died February 8, 1922 and Margaret died at home on August 24, 1923. They are buried at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

1589 Mt. Vernon Avenue, now 1589 Greenway Avenue

In 1920, Ida Litzinger is still living at 1589 Mt. Vernon Avenue with her daughters Maud and Katherine. Maud is working as a clerk at the grocery and Katherine is a dressmaker. By 1928, that part of Mt. Vernon Avenue was renamed Greenway Avenue. Ida died at home at 1589 Greenway Avenue on July 13, 1928. She is buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery.

In May 1924, Eugene purchased 1567 Granville Street from Harry L. and Lillian B. Dodds.

The Eugene Litzingers lived at 1576 Granville Street from the mid to late teens. Eugene additionally purchased Sam Snider’s house at 1580 in May 1927 and they moved next door.

In 1930, the Litzingers are living at 1580 and renting out 1576 for $35/month to Joseph P. Essman.

By 1945, John Litzinger had moved into 1576 Granville Street, next door to his father.

Barbara Litzinger died in Columbus on February 10, 1938. Eugene died April 11, 1955.