Simon Snyder
Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Born, 1759, on this site. Governor of Pennsylvania for three terms, 1808-17. His strong appeal for a call to arms, and a defense of sound currency, during War of 1812, are noteworthy. Died in 1819 at Selinsgrove.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Simon Snyder was born here in 1759 and rose from humble beginnings to serve three terms as governor of Pennsylvania, from 1808 to 1817. A champion of the common citizen in the Jeffersonian mold, he pressed for a strong defense and sound money during the War of 1812. His long tenure made him one of the defining figures of Pennsylvania's early statehood.
Why it matters
His career reflects the rise of a broad-based democratic politics in the early republic, when men of modest origins could lead a state through the trials of a second war for independence.
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Related people
- · Simon Snyder
Related events
- · War of 1812
Themes & tags
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