Grandma's Photo Album Page 74 - Nick Snyder family in Wilkes County

(Left) My great-grandparents, Nicholas Grindstaff Snyder (1863-1944) and his wife Louise Jane Whittington (1863-1933).  They were both born and lived their entire lives in Wilkes County.  But Nick's parents and older siblings were born in Johnson County, Tennessee.  In 1861, Nick's father Noah moved his family to Wilkes County.  Noah joined the Confederate Army (5th N.C. Senior Reserves), while 4 of his brothers back in Johnson County joined the Union Army (Co. I, 13th Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry). 

(Right) Two of Nick and Lou's sons.  At left is my grandfather in his WWI U.S. Army uniform.  He was Wiley Thomas Snyder (1892-1988).  Tom was inducted into the Army on September 18, 1917. He was sent to Camp Jackson (now Fort Jackson) in Columbia, S.C. for training. in Company D, 321st Infantry, 81st division (the "Wildcats").  After about a year of training, he was sent to France to fight in the trenches and was severely wounded the first week.  He spent 6 months recuperating in the Army.  He was honorably discharged on March 3, 1919.  He didn't waste any time - he married my grandmother on April 16, 1919.

Perched on the arm of the chair is his younger brother, Jess. Russell Jess Snyder (1896-1984) was not drafted.  He moved to Winston-Salem and was a carpenter and builder.