Parsons, Col. William and Shiach, W. S. "An Illustrated History of Umatilla County and of Morrow County." Spokane, WA: W. H. Lever, 1902. p. 490. ELMER A. SNYDER son of Joseph and Caroline (Delph) Snyder, was born in Sterling, Illinois, on August 28, 1861. His parents removed with their family to Nebraska City, Nebraska, when he was nine years old, and in that place he received a good common school education. He followed farming while in this section, and was very successful. In the course of a man's career how often is it seen that the one who will put forth the needed determination to attend to one calling and to do that well, is the one who is the markedly successful man. Some men say such a one is "lucky." To define that kind of "luck" we should say that it is the power of determination in a man to attend to business with activity, judgment and concentration. If that is luck then luck is the product of the sterling qualities of worth. Such are the qualities of our subject and it is due to such that he has made a fine success in life as a business man and financier. It was in 1888 that he turned from the corn fields of Nebraska and began a search for another kind of farming. He desired to bend his energies to another department of his chosen calling. He saw the broad prairies of Umatilla county and found that the soil was especially adapted to wheat raising and that the climate was congenial to his tastes, and here he made a selection of land. His good judgment and wise foresight are manifest in his selections no less than in his excellent way of operating his farm since. He purchased eleven hundred and fifteen acres of land six miles north from Pendleton, and has been farming this continuously. He is enabled to attend to it in person and sees that every point is properly looked after. His care of details is one of his features of success. Wheat raising occupies him largely, but he also raises sufficient stock to help keep his large farm in good order. He has improved his place in keeping with his other thrift and it is really a pleasure to inspect his comfortable house, large barns and good outbuildings, all kept in tasty order and in a manner commensurate with his general work. He is a man that manifests as lively an interest in the affairs of the county at large as in his own, and brings the same good, practical judgment to bear in their adjustment that he ever does in personal matters. Especially is his interest manifest in attending to school affairs. He is a member of the Masonic order. In September, 1884, he was married to Miss Maggie, the daughter of Conrad Schomerus. They have five children: Caroline, Joseph, Marie, John, Herman. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2009 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.