1917-1919 Journal of
Former Alma, Nebraska Resident
Leon Snyder

This journal was found and rescued in Colorado by Alisa Loeper [jeffandalisa@yahoo.com]. Alisa has been doing genealogy research for about 15 years. She is always on the lookout for genealogy related items at flea markets and garage sales. In September 2004 she bought a journal written about 1917-1919 by a young man from Nebraska that went to Annapolis. After going through the few clues she could find in his writing, and doing a little research, it appeared the writer was Leon Snyder, b. 25 June 1892 Alma, Harlan County NE. Leon was the son of Joseph Ernest Snyder (b. 24 Jun 1851 IN, d. 29 Dec 1933 Alma, Harlan, NE) and his wife Mary Zumro, was also from Alma. It appeared that Leon Snyder died in Colorado Springs, El Paso, CO in 1973. That would account for why his journal was found in Colorado. The person Alisa bought it from said he got it in a box of books from an auction.

The journal is 6 inches x 4 1/2 inches, leather-bound, with gold on the page edges. It looks like Leon Snyder started writing in it during 1917 and wrote off and on through 1919. That will account for the multiple entries on some pages with some pages being left blank.

Below are all 196 images of the journal. A few images have photos, some have writing, and some were left blank. If you would like to view the original journal, it has been donated to the Prairie Museum in Holdrege, Nebraska.

A BIG THANK YOU to Alisa Loeper for rescuing this piece of Harlan County history!

Return to Harlan County NEGENWEB page HERE.