Mary Snider

1863 - 1930  (67 years)

• Name	Mary Snider
  Born	13 Jan 1863	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Gender	Female
  Residence	1871	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7]
  	Mennonite
  Residence	1881	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  	Mennonite
  Occupation	1891	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Servant
  Residence	1891	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [6]
  	Mennonite
  Occupation	1901	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Seamstress
  Occupation	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Matron
  Residence	57 Stirling Ave. N., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church
  Residence	1911	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Mennonite
  Eby ID Number	00106-5943
  Died	25 Feb 1930  [3]
  Buried	Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  Person ID	I16392	Generations
  Last Modified	12 May 2025

  
  

  Father	Samuel Shantz Snider,   b. 9 Oct 1821, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 24 Mar 1912  (Age 90 years)
  Mother	Anna Snider,   b. 23 Jul 1824, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 23 Apr 1890, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 65 years)
  Married	5 Mar 1844	Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [7, 8, 9, 10]
  Family ID	F3500	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Children	1. James Edward Snider,   b. 10 Jun 1904,   d. 22 Feb 1930  (Age 25 years)
  Last Modified	13 May 2025
  Family ID	F21190	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos		Mary Snider from the book Willing Service by Lorraine Roth
  		Mary Snider from the book "Willing Service"

  
  

• Notes

  Mary Snider, "was born January 13th, 1863. She is unmarried and resides on the old homestead, keeping house for her brothers." Eby, Ezra E. (1895). A biographical history of Waterloo township and other townships of the county: being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin: as also much other unpublished historical information chiefly of a local character. Berlin [Kitchener, Ont.]: [s.n.]. ______________________ Mary Snider 1863 - 1930 At the beginning of this century, there were few women with careers other than homemaking - even single women. Mary Snider was one of those few. As matron of an orphanage, her career was still related to homemaking, but as head of a public institution, she had contact with the "world" in a way that most women of her time did not. Matron of the Orphanage Mary Snider was born on January 13, 1863 to Samuel S. and Anna (Snider) Snider on a farm adjoining Waterloo. In 1896 Rev. and Mrs. Stoltz of the United Brethren Church initiated the establishment of an orphanage in the town of Berlin (now Kitchener). By the time of the official opening on December 19, 1896, Mary Snider had been appointed matron at a salary of eight dollars per month. She had two assistants who received six dollars per month. The orphanage was located at the corner of King and Wilmot (now Victoria) Streets, with fifteen children in residence. In the early days of the orphanage, the monthly budget was 30 dollars, with Dr. Honsberger giving free medical services and Mr. Thomas free shoe repairs. Bell Telephone installed the telephone in 1904. The company gave an annual donation of $12.50, thus cutting costs in half. By May of 1901, one hundred children had been given shelter at one time or another. Mary Snider had obviously found her niche in this busy household of children who suffered the loss of parents. One morning in 1904 Mary found a basket on the front steps. Investigating its contents, she found a newborn baby boy. Mary's mother heart was touched as she nursed him through the first critical stage of infancy. She would later tell him that when he cried (which he did a great deal) she would take him to her own room. Thus a bond was formed and she eventually legally adopted him. She named him James Edward, but he was known as Edward. Whether she ran into any legal obstacles, we probably will never know. One also wonders what encouragement, if any, she, as a single woman, received from friends and colleagues. Under Mary's care, Edward received a good education and grew up to be a handsome, capable young man. Mary bought a car in the early 1920s, but Edward was the driver. At this time Mary Snider was a member of the Berlin Mennonite Church (now First Mennonite of Kitchener). She was evidently a very active member, for Eli Hallman, a minister and evangelist in the Mennonite Church would later recall, that Mary and others "...insisted that I become a member of the Mennonite church and assist them as Young People." In the 1920s this congregation found itself pressured by Conference to discipline the women who were wearing hats instead of the bonnet which was being prescribed for the women of the church. Women in the city had generally been accustomed to wearing hats to their places of work and did not look upon this "legislation" very favourably. Mary Snider, in her position and employment, would have been very much affected by this turn of events. A large group, among them one of the ministers, Urias K. Weber, sympathized with the women rather than with the Conference. When the women came under church discipline, this group withdrew and organized an independent congregation - Stirling Avenue Mennonite church. Mary was somewhat vocal during this dispute. At one point she complained that an unfair distinction was being made between men and women in legislating dress regulations. Ladies' Aid to Women's Missionary Society No doubt the orphanage and its needs for services was one of the factors which led to the establishment of the Ladies' Aid (first called Sisters' Aid) at the Berlin Mennonite Church. Although the orphanage was a community effort, the Mennonites were always involved on the board as well as providing assistance. Mary Snider had been involved in the organization of the Sisters' Aid in 1908, acting as secretary of the organizational meeting. At that meeting, she was elected assistant secretary-treasurer. It was customary for the Ladies' Aid to have their annual meeting at the orphanage. In 1924 the women met there as usual. They took supper along for themselves, the staff, and the children, with additional donations of eggs, canned fruits and pickles. The president was Mrs. M. C. Cressman, but Mary Snider, the 3rd vice-president, served as chairlady of the meeting. The women from the two congregations continued to meet together, but because of pressure from the leadership, they finally organized into separate groups. The Stirling women met at the home of Mrs. M. B. Shantz on March 25, 1925 and organized the Women's Missionary Society of the Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church. Miss Mary Snider was elected president of the executive committee. A representative of the Stirling WMS then attended the annual meeting of the Ladies' Aid on March 31 at the orphanage to make a presentation to the president, Mrs. M. C. Cressman, giving their formal "good-byes" to their former colleagues. The separation freed the Stirling women to take on projects which other Mennonites were still hesitant to support. Some of them became strong supporters of and active in the Women's Christian Temperance Union. They continued to support the Leprosy Mission and the Victorian Order of Nurses and to provide canned goods for the orphanage and the Freeport Sanitarium. Mary was an energetic, capable woman, aware of the needs of her own city, and interested in the world beyond. The suggestions for new projects frequently came from her. One of her suggestions was a cradle roll department in the Sunday school. In 1927 the WMS appointed Mary Snider as the first superintendent. When the time came to replace her, the women discovered that the Cradle Roll was not considered a congregational effort; so the WMS continued to made the appointments. Mary resigned from her position at the orphanage about 1927 and bought a house on Fairview Avenue, not far from the Stirling Avenue church. In 1928 Edward was elected Sunday school superintendent, and in the summer of 1929 he married Kathleen Brubacher. There was little preparation for the tragedy which awaited this family group. In February of 1930 Edward suffered a ruptured appendix. Peritonitis set in, and he died on February 23. Broken hearted, Mary died the day of Edward's funeral. The people of Stirling were stunned by the loss of these two people. "Like a comet Mary brightened the lives of many in our church and in our community," was how Anne Millar, many years later, summed up Mary's life and contribution. From Willing Service: Stores of Ontario Mennonite Women by Lorraine Roth. Published September 1992 by Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario, Waterloo, Ontario in cooperation with Women's Missionary and Service Commission of Eastern Canada, pp.13-15. With permission from author and publisher. Pg 19-21

  
  

• Sources

  [S3] Book - Vol I A Biographical History of Waterloo Township and other townships of the county : being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin..., 286. [S132] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo North - 1901, Waterloo C-4 Page 3. [S155] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - Erb Street Mennonite CC#4512 Internet Link. In memory of / Mary Snider / born Jan.13,1863 / died Feb.25,1930 / aged 67 yrs 1 mos 12 d / At rest / Snider [S302] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1881, Waterloo Village 1881 Div. 2 Page 40. [S340] Census - ON, Waterloo, Berlin - 1911, Div. 24 Pg. 22. [S1573] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo City - 1891, Section 4 Page 6. [S2658] aaaaWaterloo Village 1871, Sect. 2 Page 1. [S3] Book - Vol I A Biographical History of Waterloo Township and other townships of the county : being a history of the early settlers and their descendants, mostly all of Pennsylvania Dutch origin..., 278. [S8] News - Gospel Herald, April 11, 1912 - Samuel S. Snider. [S13] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - Wellington District Marriage Register Part 1 1840-1852, Eby, Benjamin Rev. - Minister of the Mennonist Society Report 36. Samuel Shneider, to Ann Shneider, both of Waterloo. 5 Mar. 1844. Wit. Jacob C. Shneider and Elias Shneider.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 13 Jan 1863 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Mennonite - 1871 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Mennonite - 1881 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Servant - 1891 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Mennonite - 1891 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Seamstress - 1901 - Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Matron - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church - - 57 Stirling Ave. N., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Mennonite - 1911 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth