Obit: Snyder, Eli L. (1861 - 1930)
Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: SNYDER BURKE HOWARD BARNES

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 01/16/1930

Snyder, Eli L. (2 DEC 1861 - 8 Jan 1930)

On Sunday Jan. 12th E. L. Snyder was buried at St. Bernard's Cemetery, Thorp, Clark County, Wis. Laid to rest by the side of his beloved wife Louise Snyder, who had preceded him by but a few short years, having died July 3rd, 1924. He leaves to mourn his loss the following members of his immediate family, three sons, Lee J. Snyder of Thorp, Cecil L. Snyder of L'Anse, Mich., and Stephen C. Snyder of Milwaukee; two sisters, Mrs. George C. Howard of Thorp and Mrs. Lewis Barnes of Ladysmith.

E. L. Snyder was born Dec. 2, 1861, town of Manchester, Mich. Soon after his father moved to Tomah, Wis. The boy was but eleven years of age when the father died. The circumstances of the family were such that Mr. Snyder was forced to hire out to neighboring farmers, though not yet in his teens, and the labor hard and back-breaking in those early days.

The early years of E. L. Snyder's life were crammed with plenty of action and many and varied were the means of livelihood to which he turned his hand. From Circus man and bell hop to lumberjack and concession man, and though his activities carried him over a somewhat extended area he confined himself principally to Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Attracted to the mercantile business he entered into a partnership with his brother-in-law, George C. Howard, at Tunnel City in 1882. In 1883 he writes his partner Howard that the country in and around Thorp, Clark County, Wis. was limitless in possibilities, that it portended to become one of the best farming communities of the northwest. His enthusiastic letters awakened the interest of Mr. Howard with the result that the partners were operating a store in the village of Thorp near what is known as the "Old Station." A short time after Mr. Snyder dissolved partnership and conducted a store of his own in that part of the town, which afterward became the village proper.

He was married June 20, 1883 to Louise Burke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Burke. The two by dint of hard work established a paying general merchandising business.

Not for long, however, died Mr. Snyder confine himself to the store business, for when the papers first carried news of gold discovered in Alaska, he was anxious to "hit the trail." In company with thirty or forty other Clark County men, , he made the trip to the Klondike. Many readers of the Courier can recall the interesting letters received and published by this paper.

On his return from Alaska, Mr. Snyder and George Burke entered the auction field and many farmers and home sites far and near were benefited by the work of this able pair.

On Jan. 7, 1912 fire destroyed all of the Snyder property, the family barely escaping with their lives.

In June 1919 E. L. Snyder disposed of his rebuilt property and threw all his resources into the Wissota Dance Pavilion and Beach Cooperation. The venture failed and proved to be the last to which this two-fisted hard worker directed his energies.

On July 3, 1924 his wife Louise Snyder, after a short illness, died.

On Jan. 3, 1930, word came that E. L. Snyder was seriously ill in Tampa, Fla. After an operation by attending physician Dr. Higgin, he succumbed Jan. 8th, 1930 at the county hospital, cause of death, intestinal obstruction.

The body arrived at Thorp, Jan. 10th, and interment took place Sunday, Jan. 12th at St. Bernard's Cemetery, following services conducted by Rev. A. Muckerheide at the home of Lee J. Snyder.