Simon Snyder

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Simon Snyder (born November 5, 1759 in Lancaster , Province of Pennsylvania , † November 9, 1819 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ) was an American politician and from 1808 to 1817 the 3rd governor of the state of Pennsylvania.

Early years and political advancement

In 1776, Simon Snyder came to York , where he completed a four-year apprenticeship in tanning. In the evening he attended a Quaker school, where he received general schooling. From 1784 he ran a shop and flour mill in Selinsgrove in what is now Snyder County .

Snyder's first political office was that of justice of the peace in his homeland. In 1789 and 1790 he was a member of the congregation that drafted the new Pennsylvania constitution. Between 1797 and 1807 he was a member of the Democratic Republican Party in the House of Representatives from Pennsylvania and temporarily President of the House. In 1805 he ran unsuccessfully for governor against incumbent and party colleague Thomas McKean . In 1808 Snyder ran again for gubernatorial election. This time he had the full support of his party, which he had lacked in 1805. This enabled him to prevail against his federalist opponent John Ross.

Governor of Pennsylvania

Simon Snyder took up his new office on December 20, 1808 and was able to remain in office until December 16, 1817 after two re-elections in 1811 and 1814. In 1809 there was almost an armed conflict between Pennsylvania and the federal government. The so-called Olmstead case involved claims to ownership of an angry British warship. At the last minute, the governor relented and thus avoided further escalation.

During the war of 1812, Snyder mobilized his state for military use. He supported the policies of the federal government under President James Madison . At times, Snyder was also under discussion as a possible candidate for the vice-presidency. In Pennsylvania, he opposed a parliamentary resolution that provided for the establishment of 41 new banks. Parliament overruled the governor's veto and banks were established. However, this later led to unstable financial conditions. Snyder is responsible for moving the state capital from Lancaster to Harrisburg .

End of life

After the end of his governorship, Snyder was elected to the US Senate . He could no longer take up this mandate because he died on November 9, 1819. Simon Snyder was married three times and had a total of seven children. Including Congressman John Snyder (1793–1850). In 1855, Snyder County was named after him.

literature

  • Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 4, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.

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personal data
SURNAME Snyder, Simon
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American politician
DATE OF BIRTH November 5, 1759
PLACE OF BIRTH Lancaster , Pennsylvania
DATE OF DEATH November 9, 1819
Place of death Philadelphia , Pennsylvania